Restored: The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah | Step 3: Become People of the Word

At the point Ezra and Nehemiah take place, Israel had a checkered history of knowing and taking seriously God’s word. In this moment of restoration, they decided they would not be like their ancestors, and Ezra—the premier Bible nerd of his day—led the people in not just reading Scripture but living it out. A key part of that was helping them understand the Bible is not just divine information or a list of rules to hem closely to or be punished. It’s wisdom from God himself, meant to dwell in us and turn us into people who are built on the rock. In this message, Pastor Joel explains what Ezra did and how we can learn from his example.