Ezra 8:15-20 – Levites Needed
As Ezra prepares to lead this expedition of returning exiles, he gathers them at “the river that runs to Ahava.” We do not know precisely where this was, but can safely assume it was a small river or canal that ran into the Euphrates. While they camped there for three days, Ezra took account of who had gathered with him. While there were some priests, like himself, he found there were no other Levites to help with the Temple worship. As we see both from Ezra’s recognition that faithful preachers of the Word were needed in Jerusalem, and from the revelation of God found in the book of the prophet Malachi, the worship in the Temple needed to be reformed. The priests and Levites in Jerusalem had become lax in their attention to the details of sacrificial worship and were neglecting faithful proclamation of God’s Word. Ezra would need the help of both priests and faithful Levites.
He sends for wise men who intercede with Iddo, a leading Levite living at Casiphia (probably a town not far from Ezra’s encampment). With Iddo’s aid, Ezra recruits thirty-eight Levites plus two hundred and twenty Temple servants. (Again, these were most likely the descendants of the Gibeonites who did menial work in support of the Temple).
Just as in Ezra’s day, it is not enough that the Church have teachers and other leaders. Each Christian receives spiritual gifts from the LORD to use in His service. These are not the same gifts, from one believer to the next. Rather, the LORD gives a variety of gifts to different Christians so that we can serve in a variety of ways. In this way, the ministry of the Word is enhanced and supported, and the Gospel is able to reach more and more people – even to the ends of the earth.
Questions
- Why did Ezra need Levites to accompany him?
- Why does the Church need people with a variety of gifts?
Prayer Points
- Pray for the preaching and hearing of God’s Word tomorrow.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.