What does "diligently be done" in Ezra 7:23 teach about obedience to God? Setting the Scene • Ezra 7:23 records a Persian king ordering that “whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done diligently for the house of the God of heaven”. • Though spoken by Artaxerxes, the command reflects a timeless divine expectation: obedience carried out with earnest speed and thorough care. What “Diligently Be Done” Means • “Diligently” carries the idea of energetic haste joined to careful detail—swift action without sloppy shortcuts. • “Be done” underscores completion. Partial compliance is disobedience; only tasks finished as directed meet God’s standard. • Together, the phrase pictures wholehearted service where nothing God asks is neglected or delayed. Key Lessons on Obedience • Promptness honors God’s authority – Psalm 119:60: “I hurried and did not delay to keep Your commandments.” • Thoroughness protects from judgment – Ezra 7:23 links diligence to averting wrath: obedience shields both leaders and people. • Outsiders recognize genuine devotion – A pagan king identified that halfhearted worship would insult Israel’s God; how much more should believers grasp this? • Obedience fuels worship – The decree’s focus is “for the house of the God of heaven.” Proper temple service depends on prompt, exact obedience. Supporting Scriptures • Deuteronomy 6:17: “Diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God.” • Joshua 22:5: “Be very diligent to keep the commandment…to love the LORD your God…serve Him with all your heart.” • 2 Chronicles 31:21: Hezekiah “worked wholeheartedly, and so he prospered.” • Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” • James 1:22: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Practical Takeaways • Examine speed: Do I act the moment God’s word is clear, or stall until convenient? • Evaluate completeness: Do I stop once the easy parts are done, or finish the assignment? • Guard motives: Diligence flows from love, not mere duty (John 14:15). • Aim for excellence: God’s house deserved Persia’s finest resources; His indwelling Spirit today deserves our best efforts. |
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