Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1)
This is a hard verse to accept, right? Who wants to be disciplined? Who looks forward to chastising? Well, no one.
But the writer uses the word “discipline,” which implies an appreciation or thankfulness for the outcome. So, it’s not really a verse saying we should look forward to the punishment but anticipate the good that comes from it.
The one who hates what comes from discipline is a fool.
Why is Solomon so convinced of this? Well, one who accepts discipline for its good is showing humility. One who needs understanding admits they don’t have understanding. One who loves knowledge doesn’t have knowledge and this is humility.
Prideful people reject reproof because they believe they don’t deserve it. That is why someone confronted with their owns sin justified their sin, minimizes their sin, and excuses their own sin.
Jerry Bridges has said, “If we find that we are upset when our faults are pointed out to us, that shows we lack not only grace but understanding. We are behaving as if we were stupid…. Oh, for a teachable spirit to sit at the feet of our divine Master and learn from him.”
The alternative to reproof and discipline is disaster.
“Even if could enter heaven without holiness, what would you do? What joy would you feel there? What holy man or woman of God would you sit down with for fellowship? Their pleasures are not your pleasures. Their character is not your character. What they love, you do not love. If you dislike a holy God now, why would you want to be with him forever? If worship does not capture your attention at present, what makes you think it will thrill you in some heavenly future? If ungodliness is your delight here on earth, what will please you in heaven, where all is clean and pure? You would not be happy there if you are not holy here.” (The Hole in Our Holiness)
“A Christian’s Perspective on AI” by Dustin Ryan (Christ Over All). While Christians should be rightly concerned about the development of AI, there are redeemable functions as well.
“H.R. 6090 and the Obfuscation of Truth” by Henry Anderson (The Cripplegate). A proposed law would outlaw hate speech like saying “the Jews killed Jesus.”
“See Through Enemy Eyes” by Greg Morse (Desiring God). A practical outworking of not giving strength to the flesh. Or an article on how to weaken temptation.
On Wednesdays, in 2024, on this blog I will be posting a series of surveys of O.T. books and answers to questions about the O.T.
The Title and Purpose of the Books of Ezra
It took a period of 90 years for every Jew to return from captivity to Jerusalem. The 1st group was led by Zerubbabel in 538 B.C.; and Ezra, the author of this book, came in the 2nd group in 458 B.C.; finally, Nehemiah led the 3rd group in 445 B.C.
The Book of Ezra tells the story of the activity of that 2nd group of Israelites in which they seek to rebuild the Temple and revitalize their faith after this captivity. Ezra is about the rebuilding of the Temple and Nehemiah is about rebuilding the walls and city of Jerusalem.
The name Ezra means “Jehovah helps” or just “help” and it was to be a constant reminder to its readers of God’s willingness to help His people return to their Promised Land.
In the Hebrew O.T., Ezra and Nehemiah form 1 book. Like Samuel, Kings and Chronicles, it was only divided into 2 books by the Septuagint (or LXX) in the 4th century. Ezra and Nehemiah are really like the sequel to I and II Chronicles.
Our purpose for the Book of Ezra is to encourage a return to true worship and community.
The Author and Date of Writing of the Book of Ezra
Ezra is the most likely author of both Ezra and Nehemiah for 1 internal reason: he switches from writing in the 3rd person to the 1st person once Jerusalem becomes a part of the record (Ezra 7:27-9:15). It makes sense he wrote I and II Chronicles since they logically flow into 1 another. Ezra had the privilege of access to the royal archives of the Persian Empire as a priest and scribe (Ezra 7:21).
As we have already learned, Ezra would write this after their return to Jerusalem, which gives us an approximate date of writing between 457-444 B.C.
Surveying the Book of Ezra
The Return Under Zerubbabel (Ezra 1-6)
We start the way that II Chronicles ended – the decree of Cyrus for the Jews to return home. This decree that would send the Jews back home was a fulfillment of prophecy out of the Book of Jeremiah. Ezra is careful to give God the glory for this return; it was the Lord who stirred Cyrus to issue this decree (Ezra 1:1).
Nehemiah 2. It is a literal recounting of how many Jews came back from each tribe, and what they brought back with them.
One of the 1st items of priority in Jerusalem was to restore worship, which means they needed to rebuild the Temple and its altar (Ezra 3). Upon the completion of this project, the people celebrated with tears of joy. The Temple wouldn’t be near as majestic as Solomon’s Temple, but it more about the re-establishment of a place for worship.
Not everyone appreciated this re-building, as Ezra 4:1-6 shows us. During the events on Ezra 5, Haggai and Zechariah begin their prophetic ministry. Their sermons were about rebuilding the Temple and city despite the opposition. They came to be ministers of both encouragement and warning to the people for the project at hand.
They would finally complete the Temple around 515 B.C. and the citizens of Judah were ecstatic. They offered up a plethora of offerings to the Lord – 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and 12 male goats (Ezra 6:17) – seems to me the kingdom of goats “lucked out” on not having many of them sacrificed.
The Return Under Ezra (Ezra 7-10)
It is during this section of Ezra that the 2nd deportations occurs – about 30 years after the Temple is completed. This section is one of the highlights of the entire O.T. when Ezra is back home, being the scribe and teacher of God’s law that he was, he set out to lead the people in a worship service. What made him an exceptional leader was His love for God’s Word, but not everyone has a reverence for God’s word.
And, as life began to settle down and return to normal, Ezra developed a concern occurrence for the people who were left behind while others were taken into captivity (Ezra 9). Those that were left behind did not use this time to grow closer to the Lord but closer to the pagan nations around them. The people were intermarrying about pagan nations, and this was forbidden.
So, this occasion of sin led to a revival (Ezra 10) among the people – especially those who had been left behind and wrongfully intermarried with pagans.
Final Thoughts About the Book of Ezra
Revival is never easy. Revival is a popular theme amongst churches in 21st-century America. We know we need it and, thus, it has become a favorite theme for conferences, prayer requests, books and blogs.
A revival happens when a person or group of persons isolate themselves from the apathy around them and commit themselves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to live differently in light of that recovered doctrine. Many people think of a revival as an evangelistic crusade, but a revival is more than that. Revival does not start in the world; revival starts with God’s people seeing their sin for what it is (e.g., the Jews in Ezra 10).
When revivals happen, the Spirit works fast, godliness multiplies, Christians mature, and converts appear. And that is what we see beginning to happen in Ezra.
Worldly Saints 