Make sure you have a notebook and pen on hand for writing down your thoughts as you study this lesson.

Objective

In this lesson we’ll see how Ezra demonstrates that believers must be good stewards of both God’s Word and His work, showing us the pattern for serving God with integrity and devotion.

Key Verse

Ezra 7:10: For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Introduction

Ezra stands as one of the greatest spiritual leaders in Israel’s history. He lived during the end of the Babylonian captivity, when God was calling His people back to Jerusalem to rebuild not only the temple but their spiritual lives. God used Ezra to lead one of the most important spiritual revivals in the Old Testament, showing us what it means to be a faithful steward of everything God entrusts to us.

Ezra was both a priest and a scribe—a teacher of God’s law. He wrote the book of Ezra, and many Bible scholars believe he also wrote 1 and 2 Chronicles and possibly Psalm 119, that beautiful celebration of God’s Word. Everything about Ezra’s life shows us his deep love for Scripture and his commitment to helping God’s people understand and obey it.

We learn about Ezra’s life and ministry primarily in the second half of the book of Ezra. Through his example, we discover principles that apply to every believer who wants to serve God faithfully. As a priest, Ezra represents all who serve in spiritual leadership, but his example speaks to every Christian who has been called to be part of God’s royal priesthood.

1 Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

In this lesson we’ll focus on two essential aspects of faithful Christian living that Ezra demonstrates:

• He was a diligent student and teacher of God’s Word
• He was a careful steward of God’s work

A Diligent Teacher of God’s Word

We have already seen throughout our biblical survey that God’s Word should be central in our lives and in our service to Him. All the great men and women of the Bible loved God’s Word, followed it faithfully, and shared it with others. Ezra gives us a perfect model of what this looks like in practice.

When we read about Ezra’s ministry in Jerusalem, we see him leading one of the most powerful Bible study sessions in history:

Nehemiah 8:5-8: Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

This passage teaches us important principles about how we should approach God’s Word, whether we’re teaching others or learning for ourselves. (Notebook Moment: Notice how the people responded when they heard God’s Word—they stood in respect, lifted their hands in worship, and bowed in reverence. How does your own response to Scripture compare to theirs?)

First, we see that those who teach must take the lead in opening God’s Word. Ezra didn’t hesitate to stand before the people and read from Scripture. Every believer should be ready to share God’s truth when opportunities arise, whether in formal teaching settings or everyday conversations.

Second, teaching and learning God’s Word is an act of obedience and worship. When the people heard God’s law, they immediately responded in praise. This reminds us that Bible study isn’t just an academic exercise—it’s an encounter with the living God.

Third, we should help others understand God’s truth. The Levites worked alongside Ezra to make sure the people understood what was being read. This shows us the importance of teaching and learning together in community.

2 Timothy 2:2: And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

Fourth, there is a clear pattern to follow when we engage with God’s Word. Verse 8 shows us this three-part approach: they read the Scripture, they made its meaning clear, and they helped the people understand how to apply it. This gives us a simple but powerful way to study the Bible:

• Observe what the text actually says
• Interpret what it means in its context
• Apply how it should change our lives

Why was Ezra so effective as a teacher? The secret is found in our key verse, which tells us that Ezra had prepared his heart in three specific ways:

Ezra 7:10: For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

First, he sought God’s Word—he was a diligent student who made learning Scripture his priority. Second, he obeyed what he learned—he didn’t just study God’s law, he lived it. Third, he taught others—he shared what God had taught him. This progression shows us that we cannot effectively teach others what we haven’t first learned and applied ourselves.

1 Timothy 4:15-16: Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

A Careful Steward of God’s Work

Ezra shows us that faithful Christians must handle not only God’s Word carefully, but also all the gifts and responsibilities He entrusts to us. We are stewards of both the material gifts—like money, possessions, and opportunities—and the spiritual gifts—like knowledge, influence, and abilities—that belong to God. Ezra demonstrates what faithful stewardship looks like in both areas.

➤ Stewardship of Material Gifts

When King Artaxerxes decided to support the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, he gave Ezra an enormous amount of money and valuable items:

Ezra 7:15-18: Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem. You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God.

This was an incredible display of trust from a pagan king, but Ezra proved himself worthy of that trust through his careful handling of these resources. His example teaches us several important principles about stewardship.

First, Ezra appointed trusted people to help him handle the money. He didn’t try to manage everything alone, and he made sure to choose people of proven character:

Ezra 8:24-30: Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their relatives, and I weighed out to them the silver and gold and the sacred articles, the offering for the house of our God given by the king and his advisers and his officials and all Israel present there. I weighed out into their hands 650 talents of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics, and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold. I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.

This reminds us of other faithful stewards in Scripture. Joseph gained Pharaoh’s trust by managing Egypt’s resources with perfect integrity during the years of famine. Daniel earned the respect of multiple kings because of his honest character and faithful service. Like these men, Ezra understood that stewardship is about more than handling money—it’s about proving ourselves trustworthy in all areas of life.

Second, Ezra maintained proper oversight without micromanaging. He delegated responsibility but stayed aware of what was happening. He balanced trust with accountability, giving others opportunity to serve while ensuring everything was done properly.

Third, complete records were kept of everything that was received and distributed:

Ezra 8:33-34: On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.

(Notebook Moment: How do these principles of financial stewardship apply to your own handling of money, whether in personal finances, family budgets, or any ministry responsibilities you may have?)

What can we learn from Ezra’s example? Whether we’re handling church resources, managing family finances, or overseeing any kind of project, we should follow these practical principles:

• Multiple trusted people should be involved in handling money and making financial decisions
• No single person should have complete control over financial resources without accountability
• Accurate records should be kept of all income and expenses
• Everything should be done with transparency and integrity

The foundation for all of this is found in two important biblical principles: accountability and order.

1 Thessalonians 5:22: Reject every kind of evil.

1 Corinthians 14:40: But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Paul emphasized these same principles when he wrote about handling money in ministry:

2 Corinthians 8:19-21: What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.

Paul stressed three key principles about using resources entrusted to us: we are accountable first to God and His glory, we should be accountable to one another, and we should be above reproach before the watching world.

➤ Stewardship of Spiritual Gifts

Ezra’s stewardship extended beyond material resources to include the spiritual gifts God had given him. He shows us what it means to be a faithful steward of our spiritual abilities—using our knowledge, influence, and spiritual sensitivity to serve God’s people. Like other great spiritual leaders, he was a man of prayer who felt deeply burdened for God’s people.

When Ezra was preparing for the dangerous journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, he could have asked the king for military protection. Instead, he chose to trust completely in God:

Ezra 8:21: There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.

This decision required great faith, but it also demonstrated to everyone that Ezra’s confidence was in God alone, not in human strength or political favor.

When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem and discovered that many of the people had disobeyed God’s law by marrying foreign wives who worshiped idols, his response revealed his tender heart toward both God’s holiness and the people’s need:

Ezra 9:5-6: Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.”

Ezra’s prayer of confession on behalf of the people led to genuine repentance and restoration. When he wept over the people’s sin, they began to weep as well:

Ezra 10:1: While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.

This shows us that God uses people who have prepared hearts—hearts that are broken over sin, hearts that love God’s Word, and hearts that care deeply for others’ spiritual welfare. (Notebook Moment: When you see people around you struggling with sin or spiritual indifference, what is your first response? Do you judge them, ignore them, or, like Ezra, feel burdened to pray for them?)

Conclusion

Ezra’s life teaches us that faithful Christian living requires both devotion to God’s Word and integrity in all our responsibilities. He shows us what it means to be prepared in heart—ready to learn from Scripture, ready to obey what we learn, and ready to help others discover God’s truth.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are all part of God’s royal priesthood. This means that Ezra’s example applies to every one of us. We may not all be teachers or leaders in the formal sense, but we all have opportunities to study God’s Word, live according to its truth, and share what we learn with others.

We are also all stewards of the resources, relationships, and opportunities that God gives us. Whether we’re managing large amounts of money or small personal budgets, whether we’re leading organizations or serving in quiet ways, God calls us to handle everything with the same integrity and faithfulness that Ezra demonstrated.

The secret to Ezra’s effectiveness was simple: he prepared his heart. He made seeking God his first priority. He committed himself to obeying what God taught him. And he dedicated himself to helping others know and follow God’s truth.

This same pattern is available to us today. When we prepare our hearts to seek the Lord through His Word, when we commit ourselves to living according to His truth, and when we look for ways to help others grow in their faith, God will use us just as He used Ezra. The specific circumstances may be different, but the principles remain the same: God honors those who honor Him, and He uses faithful stewards to accomplish His purposes in every generation.

Check Your Understanding

Take this 5-question quiz to check your understanding of this lesson.

Congratulations on completing this lesson! Click on the “Next Lesson” button below when you are ready to continue.