How might we see Christ in the book of Ezra?

Ezra was a priest, a direct descendant of Aaron the high priest. ^{Ezra 7:1-6} The Lord Jesus, of course, is our Great High Priest. ^{Hebrews 4:14}

Let’s consider these two priests.

In Ezra 9 and 10 we see a greatly distraught Ezra pouring out his soul in prayer for a people who have sinned egregiously—yet again! And even after God’s mercy! The people’s guilt is paramount in his mind. He’s weeping; he’s on his knees; he’s prostrating himself before the Lord; interceding. All he can fathom is the hammer of judgment; it will no doubt be complete destruction this time.

Now turn your eyes to our Lord in the Garden: weeping, on His face before the Father, interceding for us. Our sin and guilt had brought Him to this point. The spitting, the shame, the suffering, the cross, and the Father’s turning away… these lay ahead. All on account of our sin. The hammer of judgment would most certainly fall. But He would take the blow. And pray, “Father, forgive them…”

Lord Jesus, we are truly unworthy of a Great High Priest like You! It’s one thing to mediate and make intercession for us. But why did You take our judgment upon Yourself? We’ve never seen anything like that from a priest!