Ezra 7:13 Commentary and Bible Study

Ezra’s commission is almost a commission for the church. You should take only such as are willing. We don’t compel any in the kingdom of God. All is voluntary, else it is of no real value to God. This decree had to be made. You couldn't leave your station in those empires of old without proper consent. You couldn't just migrate about on your own as you might today; there was no freedom of movement. So this licence is given: ‘Ezra, as many people as want to go with you, they will have their freedom to leave; they may go.’ There is a decree from the emperor to release people who wish to go back to Jerusalem.In verse 14, Ezra is given a task to investigate affairs. He is going to make an official report back to the emperor. There must not be rampant hypocrisy among the people. They are to be measured against the law of God. We are to be a church which accepts pastoral care. Those who are bishops, overseers, in the local church are tasked with enquiring into our spiritual state.In verse 15 there is another licence granted: ‘to carry the silver and gold which the king and his councillors have freely offered.’ He is to take a gift from the king himself and his counsellors. So from the royal exchequer there is a considerable grant given to Ezra, to help him pursue the work at Jerusalem. These are the provisions of God. We have seen his qualifications, his appointment, and now the provisions which are given to him. Appointed stewards are to apportion it most carefully. We in church are to steward all we have most carefully, and to use as wisely as possible our gifts, our time, and our money for the Lord.Then in verse 16, there is another licence: ‘All the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, that people freely give.’ This is to Jews who remain in Babylon. You have the licence to mount a collection. You couldn't do that, either in the Babylonian Empire or in the Medo-Persian Empire which followed it. You couldn't go around making collections. It would immediately be assumed that you were collecting for an insurrection, that there was going to be rebellion. You couldn’t collect money for just anything you wanted. So licence is given to Ezra to collect as much money as the Jews in Babylon would subscribe to help their compatriots who went to Jerusalem.Artaxerxes seems to know a great deal about the worship of the true God, and even though he is king over a pagan nation, he is anxious that everything should be done properly. The worship must be setup according to the law of the God of heaven.The provision is extremely liberal. The king anticipates that there may be riches left over after all the necessary provision for the temple has been made, and he grants Ezra freedom to dispose of these as he will. Further vessels are provided for the house of God, perhaps more that had originally been taken by Nebuchadnezzar. And if any further need is discovered which is not covered by these specific provisions, Ezra is free to take from the treasury of the kings’ house. It is clear that the king trusts Ezra implicitly and knows that he will not take advantage of his generosity.