Ezra

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 12
536 B.C. – 10 Chapters – 280 Verses
The return of a portion of Judah to her land, after a lengthened and sore captivity of 70 years in Babylon, was according to the prophecies of Jeremiah (Ezra 29:10), and in answer to the confession of sin and intercession of Daniel (ch. 9). The name of the deliverer and destroyer of Babylon is pointed out by Isaiah (Isa. 44:28; 45:128That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. (Isaiah 44:28)
1Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; (Isaiah 45:1)).
The exile of Judah was effected on three separate occasions; under the reign of Jehoiakim, also under Jehoiachin, his son (2 Kings 24), and again under the reign of Zedekiah (2 Kings 25). We have also recorded two returns of the people to Jerusalem; first, during the reign of Cyrus (Ezra 1:22Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. (Ezra 1:2)); second, during the reign of Artaxerxes (Ezra 7-8). Scripture also notes two future returns of Judah to her land; first, a national return in unbelief (Isa. 18); second, an individual restoration (Isa. 27:12-1312And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. 13And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem. (Isaiah 27:12‑13)).
There are four commandments or decrees recorded in this book, but all of them have reference to the temple. This is important to note, as the commandment about the building of Jerusalem, and which has an important bearing as fixing the commencement of the prophecy of the 70 weeks, or 490 years (Dan. 9:24-2724Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:24‑27)) is not found here, but in Nehemiah 2. The first company who assembled in the deserted city of Jerusalem numbered about 50,000; the second company, conducted by Ezra many years afterward, was a small but select one (Ezra 8). The foundation of the temple was laid by the first company of returned captives under Zerubbabel (Ezra 3), amidst mingled weeping and rejoicing, and its completion and dedication was celebrated with joy (Ezra 6). Sometime after the house of the Lord was finished, Ezra was commissioned to beautify the house, and conducted the second return to Jerusalem after a four months’ journey. Considerable energy of faith and devotedness to God, along with strict adherence to the written law of Moses characterized these remnants. They observed the Feast of Tabernacles, which had not been kept since the days of Joshua, even during the palmy days of Solomon; the authority of God and of the law are once again established amongst the people; unholy fellowships, sacred and domestic, are sternly rejected; the priesthood is again set up, and all regulated according to the law and genealogy, which was carefully verified. Idolatry  —  of which the land was purged, from the deportation to the coming of Christ  —  and the ways and uncleanness of the heathen were carefully shunned.
Ezra, being a priest and a scribe, unfolds the religious side, or history of returned Judah, and that for about 80 years. This distinguished scribe and ecclesiastical historian is generally regarded as the compiler of the books of the Old Testament, and his memory is still held in great reverence by the Jews. Work and worship are characteristic features of the book.
General Divisions
Chapters 1-6  —  The return to Jerusalem of Zerubbabel’s company, and the energy of faith which, spite of all obstacles and opposition, completed the building of the temple, established the priesthood, etc. according to the law of Moses.
Chapters 7-10  —  The second return from Babylon under Ezra the priest, and the holiness of priests and people maintained.