Introduction to Ezra

EZRA - A MAN OF "THE BOOK"

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are the closing books of the historical account of Israel's history in the Old Testament. 1st and 2nd Chronicles are likely written by Ezra, "the scribe," for the benefit, instruction and motivation of those who returned to the land of Israel from their captivity in Babylon. The lessons from their national history hopefully would be learned and practiced by the returnees. Ezra writes about the religious aspect of the return and Nehemiah's message is about the civil part of that return.

Ezra was a priest by birthright but as a captive in Babylon would not have functioned as a priest while there. What he did was "Ezra prepared his heart to seek the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." This man became an exponent of the word of God, and through his ministry the word of God for the first time was taught, promoted and practiced as it should have been. It came across to the people with the power of a new revelation and changed the life of the nation. He was the first real student of the scriptures and how they should be taught and applied as we read the two books of Chronicles and Psalm 119 which he likely wrote.

Bible study was revived and the commitment to obey the word of the Lord revealed in the scriptures continues today. Originally Ezra and Nehemiah were thought of as one book until several hundred years after Christ was here. Ezra refers to the scriptures as the word of the Lord, the law, the commandments of the God of Israel, the book of Moses, the law of Moses, the law of God, the words of the God of Israel and the commandments of our God. With all of the descriptions given, there is no question that the preeminent place of the word of God is expected in the religious, social and civic life of God's people. There will be the needed power to practice the word of God and apply its principles if we know it.

The authority of the scripture has not diminished in any way even though very few people today read it personally. People avoid the truth because if it is believed and practiced, they will live, work and act differently than the majority of the population around us. The truth of the Bible is not just given as a source of information but is what Ezra wrote in Psalm 119:24: "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors (the men of my counsel)." Those who read and apply the truth of the scriptures will find a treasure of information, instruction, delight and comfort as it becomes the core guide of our lives. God-given wisdom becomes obvious to others by its stabilizing effects on a person's life. With such a storehouse of unchanging truth, we have much to offer those around us who have no unchanging standard of truth. Consequently, they live in uncertainty and confusion.

Ezra knew, believed and practiced God's word. He wrote the Chronicles well aware of the historical account of the nation of Israel in the books of the Kings. His point was to instruct and motivate the new generation of returned exiles to seek the God of their fathers, and to obey Him. Daniel, Isaiah and Jeremiah all knew of Cyrus king of Persia, and either prophesied about him and what he would do for Israel as did Isaiah, or had personal contact with him like Daniel, and likely Jeremiah who prophesied concerning the return to Judah.

"The times of the Gentiles" started when Judah, the last of the children of Israel, was finally carried away captive to Babylon and will continue until they "are fulfilled" at the return of "The Son of Man in a cloud with power and great glory." The Jews who were taken captive by the Assyrians, most of the northern tribes, were so dispersed among the nations that there was no way to identify them. Those taken captive from Judah to Babylon retained their identity and those who returned to Jerusalem were identifiable as Jews even after seventy years away.

However, many of the Jews in Babylon became rich and stayed there and were assimilated into that society. It is possible for the people of God to become successful and satisfied to just be saved and want to go no further in their spiritual life. They remain spiritually immature, wanting to mainly enjoy life, not bother anyone else or have anyone bother them. They are likely Christians, but don't have the motivation to "live godly in Christ Jesus" nor seek out lost souls and give them the Gospel. They want the results of salvation, but not the costs of sharing in "the sufferings of Christ." The truth of the poem... "Only one life "twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last" does not resonate with them and so they remain blended with the world.

50,000 or so people followed Zerubbabel on the first return to Jerusalem to begin the rebuilding program. They wisely rebuilt the altar first to be able to offer sacrifices on it to the Lord. Then they began to rebuild the temple. Around fifty years later a second group of around 2,000 went back with Ezra to Judah. At that return they found that some of the people of God had already started to adapt to the society around them by intermarriage.

The book of Ezra is an account written by a humble, godly, obedient "man of the book" who committed himself to the service of God and did so with his whole heart for all of his life. He didn't give God just the last years of his life at his own convenience, but demonstrated God's faithfulness and promises to His people by being faithful and consistent himself. This book is a challenge to us to remember who we are and why we are here. Even though this is a spiritually dark time and there is a decline of moral and spiritual life in the nation, it is in times like this that the light of truth is more easily seen as the background become darker. We have an opportunity now to stand firm in the faith even though it may become much more costly socially, economically, religiously and personally.