Today’s 333 Devotional: “Modern Day Scribes”

While the office of “Scribe” is not often referenced today, it is an office all believers should hold. This is something we see after the Babylonian captivity in Ezra’s life.

“Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given.” (Ezra 7:6)

“Skilled,” in the Hebrew means to be quick, skillful, diligent, and ready.

Ezra was the first of a new order. A Scribe’s duties were no longer to merely copy and study the Law, but they were now to interpret the Law applying it to national and personal life.

Ezra was skilled, diligent, and ready to take on this task.

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10)

When talking about being Scribes, more often than not we’re tempted to put this in the past, or dismiss it completely seeing how they had spiritually degenerated by the time Jesus came onto the scene. But this would be a mistake, because I believe this is what the Lord is calling for each and every believer to do today.

The Apostle Paul, in speaking of the Scriptures, places all those who believe in Jesus in this very same position. In his last letter to Timothy, his protégé, Paul gives us these instructions.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Ezra was therefore a forerunner of what the Lord desires from us. We need to be diligent, ready, and skilled in the word of God so that we might become faithful in God’s calling for our lives.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20a)