Ezra read the Law
READ TOGETHER
Watch the Bible story video or read all or parts of Ezra 7–10; Nehemiah 8 from the Bible.
FAMILY DEVOTION
The Bible is the best-selling book of all time; somewhere between 5 to 7 billion Bibles have been purchased. More than 80 million Bibles will be produced this year! The Bible is also the most translated book of all time. At least a portion of the Bible has been translated into 3,500 languages! God’s Word continues to spread around the world and change hearts as people hear the truth about Jesus.
Ezra loved to study and teach God’s law. After returning to Jerusalem and promising to follow God, the people of Israel gathered to hear Ezra read from God’s Word. For hours and hours, the people stood and listened to Ezra read. The people cried and repented as God’s Word showed them how they had disobeyed God. Ezra told the people to prepare a feast to celebrate the power of God’s Word.
The Bible is God’s Word to us. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible shows how our sin separates us from a holy God. It also shows us God’s plan to fix all that is broken by sending His own Son, Jesus, to be the Savior we need. Jesus perfectly obeyed God’s commands, died on the cross in the place of sinners, and rose again to conquer sin and death. As we read the Bible, we learn that forgiveness and salvation is God’s gift to all who believe in Jesus!
God’s Word is powerful. When Ezra read God’s Word, the people loved God more and changed their ways. The Bible says that Jesus is “the Word.” Jesus is God who came to live with people on earth. Jesus has the power to change our hearts.
PRAY TOGETHER
God, Your Word is perfect and powerful! The Bible shows us our sin, but we praise You because it also shows us Jesus and His power to save us from sin. Help us to understand Your Word and let it change us to honor You more. Amen.
THROUGHOUT THE WEEK
Ask God to give you a love for His Word and the help you need to understand it. How does more time reading and memorizing God’s Word help us to love Him and His Word?