The Bible Ninja ~ Ezra 7

“He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses…for Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach God’s statutes and rules…” Ezra 7:6, 10 ESV

In Japanese history the lore of the ninja looms larger than life. In fact, that lore has since taken on a life of its on. The idea and the image of the ninja has infiltrated movies, TV, comics, video games, motorcycle brands, and yes, even mutated teenage turtles meant to entertain young imaginations. Yet the true history of the ninja was one of a hired gun, a mercenary assasin that could get the job done quickly, silently, and efficiently without detection. And they did it using stealth, speed, and agility that were well beyond just standard bodily reflex. That’s why it’s rather interesting to see a similar adjective used in describing the good prophet Ezra and how he handled the Word of God.

Now remember that when Moses first started recording the Law of God, he wrote it in Hebrew. In Hebrew, the root of the word "skilled" means quick or rapid. It describes a man in Ezra that had a quickness of grasp and a great rapidity with the, at times, complicated principles and theology of God’s Law. You see, Ezra was light on his feet and could move quickly and stealthily as he dealt with the Law of the Lord. Ezra was like a ninja when it came to all things surrounding God's Word. I wonder if he wore a black ninja outfit?

And just what did Ezra use his ninja-like scriptural powers on when processing God’s Word? Well, we find here clearly outlined in verse 6 of chapter 7, a three-fold approach that is a model for anyone praying to be the best, most impactful servant of the Lord they can possibly be. He studied it, he did what it said, and then he taught others to do the same.

He first studied it. Other translations use the word seek here. It's the idea of knowing in faith that God Himself rests within His Words and that you can seek Him and find Him in those very Words He left to this world. And that is just what Ezra did. Before anything else, He had a regular rhythm of seeking God and finding Him in His Word. Folks, there is only one way, one truth, and one path in this world and it lies within the Words of the One that craeted it all. If you hope to be a Bible ninja for the Lord, you must find and practice this same regualt rhytym of seeking God and finding His plan for your life through His Words to you.

The second thing that Ezra did is the fulcrum point for me in processing and handling God's Word...Ezra did what it said. Folks, hear me on this, if you spend your entire life reading the Bible and never do what it says, you have simply wasted a lot of time reading a good book. One of the main reasons God left us the miracle of His Word was to guide, instruct, rebuke, encourage, and empower those that call upon the name of Jesus as their Savior. Besides calling the lost to salvation, it’s an instruction book to those that have already called upon Christ as their Lord and Savior. If you don’t read the instructions for assembly, the end product will clearly show that the plan of the designer was not carefully followed. As James 1:22 so bluntly states it, "But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." (NLT)

The third thing Ezra did with the Word of God was to teach it to others. You see, He had a mastery of God’s Law not only in his head, but more importantly, in His heart. And when you have God’s Word stored up in your heart, it will instinctively come bubbling out of that hole in your head called your mouth. "Out of the abundance of the heart flows the mouth." (Luke 6:45) You see, if you have the goodness and power of God’s Word stored up in your heart through studying it and doing what it says, the Holy Spirit will be looking for any opportunity to see it made public so it can affect other's hearts.

Number one, engage in a thorough, deep, daily study of God’s Word. Just like everything else in life, you get out what you put in. Make it your daily priority to give God the best time of your day and then pray for Him to meet you there and allow His Holy Spirit to bless your understanding of His Words. Number two, as God's Holy Spirit blesses you with deep comprehension and wisdom from those Words, do what they tell you to do. Refuse to walk further in this inhgerited sin-nature, but instead, walk in the ways of the Word. And then spend so much doing these first two that His Words come bubbling up from your mouth in your daily conversations before your own words. Study it and do it so much that your scripture reflex is as sharp and honed as Ezra’s. Then ask God to give you opportunities to share it and teach it to others. But be careful, if God makes you a Bible ninja and you then ask God to allow you to teach what He has empowered you with, He will be listening to your prayer. If you pray this prayer, get ready to watch God use not you, but the deep knowledge of His Word that lives within you. Get ready to watch lives change through that teacing and then become Bible ninjas that will then do the same whereve God sends them.

Study it, do it, teach it. Three steps to seeing Godly spiritual revival sweep the land. Now if I could just find a Bible-shaped throwing star.

Blessings ~ Dan

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

SMU in bloom, Dallas, TX