Ezra—Esther
Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther are the last historical books of the Old Testament. All three are post-captivity. Ezra and Nehemiah consider the remnant of Jews that returned to Judah, while Esther takes place in the land of their exile. This was the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). The book of Ezra describes the construction of the temple; Nehemiah, the restoration of the city of Jerusalem. Ezra, the priest and a ready scribe, was concerned with the ecclesiastical state of things, while Nehemiah, the King’s cupbearer and governor of Judah, was occupied with the civil. In these books we see faith displayed in the day of ruin.
Chronology
Ezra begins in the time of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1) and continues through the reigns of Ahasuerus (Cambyses; ch. 4:6), Artaxerxes (Smerdis; ch. 4:7), and Darius (Darius Hystaspis; ch. 4:24), during the second year of whose reign Haggai and Zechariah prophesy (Hag. 1:1; Zech. 1:1). The events of Esther follow, taking place during the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), while the latter part of Ezra and the entire book of Nehemiah occur during the reign of his son, Artaxerxes—Artaxerxes Longimanus (Ezra 7; Neh. 2:1).
Ezra
The return to Jerusalem of the Jews from captivity was not a random event at the whim of the king, but rather one whose precise time had been prophesied by Jeremiah: “For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform My good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place” (Jer. 29:10). Further, the very sovereign under whose hand this would take place, Cyrus, was named long before (Isa. 44:28).
Before the foundation of the temple was laid, the altar was raised up, for therein was their refuge. But the enemy is always ready to hinder. Seeking first to join with them, then in open opposition, he sought to bring the work to a halt (Ezra 4). Discouragement set in and the work ceased—long before Artaxerxes’s edict (ch. 4:17-24). The condition of the people had to be addressed before God moved the king, and the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were raised up to this end (Ezra 5:1). The temple was finally completed—though without the ark it was an empty house.
Nehemiah
The book of Nehemiah commences in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes—a very important date, for it begins the prophetic seventy weeks of Daniel (Dan. 9:25). In that year the command to build and restore Jerusalem was given to Nehemiah (Neh. 12). Again, the enemy tried to hinder the work, for these were troublous times. There were enemies not only without but also within. With a weapon in one hand, they built with the other (Neh. 4:17) until the work was complete, for it was wrought by God (Neh. 3-6).
In Nehemiah 9 the people bind themselves by a covenant, only to prove again that there is no power within man to keep what he promises. At the end of the twelve years, after a brief visit to Artaxerxes (Neh. 13:6), Nehemiah returns to find the enemy dwelling within the courts of the house of God, the Levites neglected, the Sabbath violated, and the people again united with the strangers of the land (Neh. 13:7-28). Such is the continual failure of the first Adam—fully proven at Calvary.
Esther
The events described in the book of Esther occurred during the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), the father of the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7. The mass of Jews had remained in their land of captivity, even though the proclamation of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1) had gone out more than half a century earlier. The name of God is not once mentioned in this book, but God’s ways are sure. Though hidden, He will deliver His people, even when He can no longer publicly own them.
As a result of Queen Vashti’s rebellion (Esther 1:11-12), she is set aside and her royal estate is given unto another better than she (Esther 1:19)—Esther—the cousin of Mordecai, a captive of the tribe of Benjamin. Esther was an orphaned Jewess, very beautiful, and was as a daughter to Mordecai (Esther 2:7).
When Esther becomes queen, Mordecai stays, a despised Jew, in the king’s gate. Haman the Agagite (an Amalekite; 1 Samuel 15:8) plots the destruction of Mordecai and all Jews. But Mordecai is exalted; the adversary of the Jews (Haman) is exposed and destroyed, as well as the Jews’ enemies (Esther 6-7). The book closes with Mordecai promoted to the second place in the kingdom (Esther 10:3).
There are many practical lessons found in Esther, but the primary subject of this book is God’s earthly people. The church has failed to show her beauty (Rom. 11:21-24), and the Jewish bride will supersede her. The Gentile opposer of the Jews must be judged, and the despised Mordecai—a picture of Christ—must be exalted as the Head over all things.
Job
In our Old Testament arrangement, the book of Job marks the beginning of the poetic books. Chronologically it would appear to fall during the latter portion of Genesis—after the flood and before the law. Job, an actual person (Ezekiel 14:14; James 5:11), lived in the land of Uz, generally understood to be in Arabia. He was one who, by God’s own testimony, was perfect and upright, “one that feareth God, and escheweth evil” (Job 1:8). The entire account is about Job’s extraordinary trial.
This book has been widely misunderstood, and many fall into the same trap as Job’s friends—that Job brought his suffering upon himself because of his sins.
Man by nature views his prosperity as God’s approval and affliction as His disapproval—yet clearly there are instances where the wicked prosper (ch. 21) and, as in this case, where the righteous suffer. This view of God has terrible implications.
There was a needs-be in Job’s life. However, the question was not, “What is this that thou hast done?” (Gen. 3:13), but rather, “Where art thou?” (Gen. 3:9). The book considers man’s state in nature quite apart from any question of sins committed. Man would seek to justify himself before God—and surely such a man as Job had plenty to rest upon—but he does not know that he is entirely at enmity with God.
Aside from the first two chapters in which we learn the origin of Job’s trial, the remaining chapters are a dialogue between Job and his three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar; ch. 3-31), Elihu (ch. 32-37), and finally the Lord Himself (ch. 38-42).
Eliphaz speaks from experience (ch. 4:8; 15:10). But God cannot be found by experience, and this is reflected in his comments (ch. 22:3). We only know God by the revelation that He makes of Himself.
Bildad speaks from the conscience (ch. 8:6). But conscience condemns man without remedy. Like his friends, Bildad views the government of God as the full measure and display of His righteousness, a doctrine that proves our utter ignorance of God.
Zophar is a legalist—do and you will live (ch. 11:13-15). But man has no power to please God through good deeds.
In Elihu, we have in type the mediator, of whom Christ is the fulfillment. Elihu points Job’s thoughts away from himself towards God. In his trial Job failed to see that God was for him. Elihu’s heart yearned for Job (ch. 32:19).
Job finally hears the Lord answer him out of the whirlwind (ch. 38:1). With his eye now fixed on God and His glorious power revealed in creation, Job can only say, “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (ch. 42:56). Therein is Job’s deliverance in the measure that he could know it—God is the justifier; He has found a ransom (ch. 33:24).
N. Simon