Introduction to Ezra

The book of Ezra picks up in much the same place that 2 Chronicles leaves off with the decree for the children of Israel to return to Jerusalem.  This is yet another evidence of Ezra’s authorship of both works and, more importantly, of God’s sovereign control over the events of His people.  Jeremiah had written that the captivity would last for seventy years since the people had failed to let the land rest every seven years as the Law required.  Naturally, this was not the only Law they had failed to obey but illustrates just how long the people had ignored so much of God’s Word.  However, just as God had promised from the beginning, when the people remembered the Lord and turned back to Him; God would mercifully restore them to Himself and the land.  It is amazing to see God using a pagan king to accomplish His will by authorizing and even funding the restoration of the children of Israel to the land from which they had been removed.  No matter how difficult the political situations may become in our nations today, we can rest assured that the Lord is in charge of all that is going on and He will move in the hearts of the rulers of this world to bring about His desires.  The return to the land would not be easy and the people still were not living according to God’s Word.  However, God still had His leaders that would faithfully confront, teach and lead the people in the work and way of the Lord.   

REBUILDING THE TEMPLE:  It is interesting to see how God moved in the hearts of various kings in order to restore Israel to The Promised Land.  However, it is also interesting that after 70 years of captivity this new generation that had been born in captivity did not all jump at the chance to return to Israel.  The Bible makes a point to list those who returned under the leadership of Zerubbabel.  It may seem like boring reading for who do not know or recognize these names but for those who had the courage to return it is significant that they are named or at least numbered in Scripture for all of eternity.  Many of the things that are done in the name of the Lord are unknown and unnoted by men but God has them written in His books and has promised to reward those who serve faithfully.  It seems that many of the older people who had actually been taken into exile at a younger age were anxious to return.  Those who were born while in exile did not know any other life and seem to have become quite comfortable and assimilated into the lifestyle of the Persians who ruled over them.  There is always a danger in our lives that we will become comfortable with our own sinfulness.  Sin enslaves but usually does so in such a way that we actually enjoy our slavery.  Those who did return began to build the temple by clearing away the ruble and laid the foundation for the new building.  The completion of this task results in a strange celebration mixed with lamentation.  There was great joy over the completion of the task but at the same time great sorrow because the new building was so much smaller than the building the older people had seen in their childhood.  The reconstruction process was halted because of political pressure as well as procrastination of the part of the people.  These delays were overcome by courageous men like Ezra and Zerubbabel who insisted on accomplishing the work that God had called them to do.  When we are serving the Lord we must be prepared to face outside opposition and persecution.  However, the most dangerous threats to the success of God’s mission usually come from within our own hearts.  We must stand firm against outside threats and daily lay our hearts before the Lord so that He can cleanse us and use us to accomplish His will.   

REFORMING THE PEOPLE: Ezra leads the second group of people back to The Promised Land along with funding and the utensils that had been plundered from the temple.  Ezra is a godly man who sets his heart on three vital disciplines to which every believer should strive to attain.  He studied the Word of God, strived to obey the Word of God and then started to teach the Word of God to others.  That order is significant.  Far too often people want to teach God’s Word without having studied it or put it into practice in their own lives.  The people stood for hours listening to the teaching of God’s Word and this had a profound impact on the lives of the hearers.  Every spiritual revival starts in the heart of God who moves by His Spirit through the prayers of His people and the instruction of Scripture.  The clear evidence of God’s Spirit moving in the hearts of men is the recognition of sin and repentance from sin.  Once the people are exposed to the Word of God they clearly recognize that they have been living in sin.  I don’t believe that they were completely ignorant of the Law prior to this instruction from Ezra.  However, God used Ezra’s preaching to convict their hearts and bring them to a place of repentance.  The people and even more significantly, the leaders of the people had taken wives from the surrounding nations. This was in direct violation to the Law of the Lord.  When Ezra finds out about this violation he tears his clothing and throws himself before the Lord in order to seek God’s direction as to what should be done.  We do not have a direct answer from the Lord on this issue but the leaders come and make the declaration that they will put their foreign wives and children away.  Ezra agrees to this solution and they begin a long process of doing this.  Once again there is a long list of the leaders who committed this sin.  It is important to remember that God not only records our obedience but has also recorded our failures and we will be judged accordingly.  This is one of those instances where the sins of men create circumstances where there are really no good solutions.  God hates divorce and He also hates idolatry.  This passage should be used to warn against both and not condone either.