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PGA Chaplain Bible Studies

An Overview of the bible - Study 14 – Ezra & Nehemiah

Ezra and Nehemiah describe the return of Israel after 70 years of exile from foreign lands to Jerusalem begin to rebuild their Temple, city, leadership and national life.

Ezra begins with Cyrus, the emperor of Persia allowing the Israelites to return to the homeland from the countries that they has been scattered. It appears from Chapter 1: verses 5 to 8 that not all returned but many chose to remain in Babylon. Cyrus is aware of Israel’s God and the need for the Temple to be rebuilt and all the vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar are returned. All the help needed if given to them and a list of those who return is provided in chapter 2. The people begin their life together with worship and sacrifices and in chapter 3 the rebuilding of the Temple begins. Honouring God is the most important part of their new life. Zerubabbel and Joshua are two of the main leaders (See Chapter 2: verse 2, 3:2 and 4:3). In rebuilding the Temple the people encounter opposition from the people living in the Land. With a change in the Emperor the opposition are able to stop the work.

In Chapter 5 Haggai and Zechariah, (2 prophets) come on the scene and encourage Zerubabbel and Joshua to begin work again. When this happens officials of the Emperor write to the King and they find the official decree for permission to rebuild the Temple by Cyrus. Darius the King sends a reply that allows some reconstruction of the Temple to be completed that flows into a time of celebration and sacrifices and the Passover.
In Chapter 7, Ezra from whom the book is named after; arrives in Jerusalem with more returned exiles and they assist in getting worship organised again. The book ends with Ezra’s discovery that many of those who had returned from exile had inter-married with the people of the Land, contrary to the Law of Moses. They make a successful plan to remove all foreign people including their wives and children. Ezra makes clear that their restoration is local, based in Jerusalem at the Temple where Priests emerge in a dominant role rather than the kings of the past.
Nehemiah.

Nehemiah is similar to Ezra. Nehemiah a servant of King Artaxerxes, Emperor of Persia is upset because Jerusalem lies in ruins and he gets permission from the King to return to build the walls of Jerusalem. Chapter 3 contains the list of those who help rebuild the walls and the many gates. Nehemiah encounters opposition from local foreigners or corrupt leaders from Samaria and they try to stop Nehemiah, but they are unsuccessful. Half of the workers were labourers; the other half had a sword ready to fight. In Chapter 5 mention is made of a famine in Jerusalem and many poor suffering at the expense of the wealthy and the building program. Even though Nehemiah was well off because of his relationship with the King he chooses to eat and identify with God’s people in Jerusalem.

Some locals took their opposition even further but it did not prevent the walls of Jerusalem being rebuilt and completed. This reference is in Chapter 6 verses 15 to 16. Like much of both Ezra and Nehemiah lists of those who returned are in Chapter 7, many of them Priests and those responsible for the Temple.

In Chapter 8 Ezra reads the book of the Law to the people all day and then they celebrated with great joy in their hearts. In Chapter 9 there  confession for marrying foreigners and then follows a great summary of the Old Testament thus far in Chapter 9 verses 5b to 37. As a result of intermarrying, the people make an agreement to stop this in the future. In Chapter 11 a list is made of the new residents of Jerusalem and in chapter 12 verse 27 following we have the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem.

The book ends on a personal note of the reforms that Nehemiah was able to accomplish from temple provisions and restrictions, the Levites returning to the Temple from their work, not working on the Sabbath and many others.

In summary the books of Ezra and Nehemiah provide hope for the people as they rebuild their city, Temple, leadership and national life in the Land. This return was prophesied by Jeremiah. However while the restoration is remarkable, it fails to meet the many hopes the people had for a secure and prosperous future. Intermarriage was the biggest problem and being under the rule of a foreign power limited their capacity to rule their own life. We can see how leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah, along with Zerubabbel, Haggai and Joshua led the revival. It is significant that Israel referring to all the 12 tribes is again the dominant word used to describe the people of God rather than Judah. The Temple becomes the central focus of their life rather than the land.

Opposition to their work from locals is a common feature of both books and the joy and the celebrations that took place upon completion of the work.  The return from exile presents a continuing hope for the nation; that while partially fulfilled; left open a greater hope of the promises of God. The other significant factor of this time is how God uses the nations and leaders of the world to fulfil his purposes. Even though separation from foreigners is a major theme of these two books, it is true to say that more and more Israel’s future will be bound up in their relationship with their neighbours.
Ezra and Nehemiah bring us to the end of the Old Testament historically. We will next time visit the Wisdom books of the Old Testament and how they offer another perspective on Israel’s life and faith.

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