As the book opens (Ezra 1:1-6), we find Cyrus, king of
Persia, making a proclamation throughout his kingdom permitting the Jews who
were captives in his kingdom to return to Jerusalem. 200 years before, God had
prophesied that he would do this.
At Cyrus’s first call in 537 B C
(Ezra 1:1-4), no more than 50000
Jews availed themselves of the opportunity of returning to Jerusalem under
Zerubbabel. Cyrus gave back to Zerubbabel the golden vessels Nebuchadnezzar had
taken from the Temple in Jerusalem (Ezra
1:5-11). They started back over 700 miles of barren desert from Babylon to
Jerusalem. Everything was taken care by God who is in charge. Not only money
for rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem, but also travelling expenses and all
other needs were provided by God at Cyrus’s direction (Ezra 1:4,6).
The names of those who returned
are given in chapter 2. They laid
the foundation of the Temple. It is interesting to notice that before they
built homes for themselves they first thought of a house for The Lord. They did
not build the Temple first, but the alter (Ezra
3:2). Read about the hindrances to all the work (Ezra 4:1-22). The opposition disheartened them. Haggai and
Zechariah, the prophets, encouraged the people from within the ranks (Ezra 4:23 – 5:17), and within 4 years
the Temple was completed and dedicated (Ezra
6).
Ezra appears in the 7th chapter. 60 years after the Jews
had first returned to Jerusalem, he led a second expedition from Babylon to
reinforce the struggling colonists in Judah. We can find in Ezra 7:25, how impressed the king was
with Ezra’s love of God’s word. Ezra had devoted himself to the study and
observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in
Israel (Ezra 7:10). Under Ezra we
see a great revival.
Ezra and Nehemiah tell the
history of the return of God’s chosen people after the exile. They give the
record of one of the most important events in Jewish history – the return from
exile in Babylon. The purpose of God may sometimes seem delayed, but they are
never abandoned. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell us how God remembered and
how He brought back his people from exile. If you trust in God and live
accordingly, the blessings and promises God provides to you may delayed. It may
be because of your disobedience or even God’s plan. But when you call upon Him and
plead your submission, He will hear and answer all your desires according to
His riches and glory in Jesus Christ.
In Ezra, we see the first thing what they did was to build an alter to offer sacrifices for their sins. The place where sin must be dealt with must come first in every life. The heart must be right if God is to bless. The alter was the center of the Jewish people, the Cross the center of the Christian faith. If you are urging for a miracle in life, first thing is to repent your sins before God and accept the salvation.
May the Spirit of Lord guide you
in repentance and salvation, to grow in Christ and live a holy life.
