Ezra provides some great examples of leadership. His work was not easy. When he returned he found the people of God had intermarried with pagans of the land. He was faced with a great challenge. The people had lived in captivity for 70 years, and now, as they returned to the land, Ezra returns and finds out things have really changed and not for the better.
 
First, Ezra spent a good deal of time preparing himself (Ezra 7:10). Ezra needed to make sure he was ready. If not fully committed to the task he is asked to do, when it becomes difficult he will not be successful. He had to know that he would face opposition. It is easy to lead when everyone is following, but leadership is tested when opposition arises. Ezra remained true to himself. Ezra remained resolute. He was unshakeable. God needs leaders like Ezra today.
 
Second, he had a good understanding of his purpose.  He was to restore the respect of the people for God’s law (Ezra 9, 10). Ezra had already successfully led a group of leaders back to Jerusalem from their place of captivity. The physical temple had already been reconstructed; now Ezra had returned to facilitate the restoration of the spiritual temple--the hearts of the people. After he arrived in Jerusalem, he took the time to assess the situation and determined the issues (in this circumstance, there were the issues of unfaithfulness and unholiness), and prepared a strategic plan to address the issues and restore the people and the nation before God. This is the process we see when we focus in on Ezra 10:6-17.
 
Third, he did not let the opposition cause him to become distracted from his purpose. The opposition schemed and lied. They asked to join his efforts. But Ezra did not give in. He did not allow them to join just to get along with them. It would have been so easy to allow the opposition to join in or just give up to them. There will be obstacles, there will be opposition, there will be support, and we need to develop the ability to “foresee,” learning to identify where these might or will come from so that they can be addressed or responded to.
 
Fourth, Ezra knew when to celebrate. There are at least two celebrations. The first of those celebrations is described in Ezra 3:10-13, when the people of Israel had begun to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. And the second is described in Ezra 6:16-22, after the people of Israel had completed the construction. From these two examples we learn when we celebrate, how we celebrate, and why we celebrate.
 
Celebrate throughout the process. Celebrations ought to take place at both the beginning and the end of projects, tasks, and missions (and at important milestones along the way). The celebration in Ezra 3 took place at the very start of the construction, initiating the project, and it served to build support and community early in the process. The second major celebration, in Ezra 6, took place at the end of the construction, and this time it served to bring satisfaction and joy in the celebration of victory and completion. Celebration at the beginning provides motivation and to build momentum. Celebration at the end not just about victory: it also provides an opportunity to recognize collective and individual accomplishments, giving value to people. Also by keeping the end in view and reminding them of the steps that have been reached.
 
The examples given in these celebrations indicate three important components. First, it provided an opportunity for the people to praise God. We see that the Israelites included the sacrifices and rituals that were officially part of the ceremonial law, and celebrated the national ceremony of the Passover. Second, the celebration was visible, so that everyone is aware and everyone can participate (Ezra 6:19-22). Everyone was there together and the priests conducted the ceremony and the sacrifices for the benefit of everyone present. And third, everyone was involved. It was not just the leaders or priests, or only those who had done the work, or those who were specifically called and tasked for the mission, but, rather, all the Israelites who were there celebrated, and did so with great joy (Ezra 6:19-20).

 

Consider, celebrations are opportunities to give credit and praise to God. Both of these celebrations clearly focused on giving praise to God and, later in the book, Ezra individually modeled the same thing by praising God for a significant milestone (Ezra 7:27-28). Every Christian ought to recognize God’s sovereign activity in all circumstances, and therefore ought to make praise and acknowledgment to God an integral part of each celebration. Second, celebrations should be opportunities to remember, serving as a reminder of the accomplishments that have been achieved, the obstacles that have been overcome, and the progress that has been made. Third, celebrations provide opportunities to express gratitude and to give appreciation and recognition, both individually and collectively. People need to be valued, and expressing gratitude (and doing it publicly) provides a way to do so.

 
The bottom line is, there is great benefit in celebrating. It’s good for the people. Celebrations keep God at the forefront of all that is happening. Celebrations create an environment where people are valued, recognized, and appreciated. Even though the work was hard at times, and the opposition strong, Ezra took the time to celebrate with the people the work God used him to accomplish.
 
Rickie