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Intro to Ezra. Ezra and Nehemiah were written as one scroll in Hebrew. Intro to Ezra. Ezra and Nehemiah were written as one scroll in Hebrew. Ezra is broken up into two parts: (Part 1- Chapters 1-6) (Part 2 - Chapters 7-10). Intro to Ezra.
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Intro to Ezra • Ezra and Nehemiah were written as one scroll in Hebrew.
Intro to Ezra • Ezra and Nehemiah were written as one scroll in Hebrew. • Ezra is broken up into two parts: (Part 1- Chapters 1-6) (Part 2 - Chapters 7-10)
Intro to Ezra • Ezra and Nehemiah were written as one scroll in Hebrew. • Ezra is broken up into two part: (Part 1- Chapters 1-6) (Part 2 - Chapters 7-10) • Book of Ezra covers about 93 years of Israel’s history from 538- 445BC.
Intro to Ezra • Ezra is traditionally considered the author of both Ezra and Nehemiah.
Intro to Ezra • Ezra is traditionally considered the author of both Ezra and Nehemiah. • It is likely that the author of Ezra is the author of the Chronicles.
Intro to Ezra • Ezra is traditionally considered the author of both Ezra and Nehemiah. • It is likely that the author of Ezra is the author of the Chronicles. • Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi all cover the same general period of time in Israel’s history.
Historical Background to Ezra • 930BC – Following the death of Solomon, David’s kingdom splits into two kingdoms. • The Northern Kingdom (Israel),10 tribes, capital city is Samaria. • The Southern Kingdom (Judah), 2 tribes, Jerusalem is capital city.
Historical Background to Ezra • 722BC – The Northern Kingdom, Israel is defeated by Assyria.
Historical Background to Ezra • 722BC – The Northern Kingdom, Israel is defeated by Assyria. • 606BC – The Southern Kingdom, Judah is attacked by Babylon and some Jews are taken captive to Babylon.
Historical Background to Ezra • 586BC – The Southern Kingdom, Jerusalem and the temple is destroyed by Babylon, and a large remnant of Jews are taken captive to Babylon.
Historical Background to Ezra • 586BC – The Southern Kingdom, Jerusalem and the temple is destroyed by Babylon, and a large remnant of Jews are taken captive to Babylon. • Exile – The exile is the 70yr period of time in which Jews taken captive from Judah were in captivity in Babylon.
Historical Background to Ezra • 539BC – Cyrus King of Persia conquers Babylon and allows the Jewish exiles in Babylon to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple which is in ruins. • This is where the book of Ezra starts.
14 All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the Lord that he had made holy in Jerusalem. 15 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. 2 Chronicles 36:14-16
17 Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged. He gave them all into his hand. 18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. 19 And they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned all its palaces with fire and destroyed all its precious vessels. 2 Chronicles 36:17-19
20 He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years. 2 Chronicles 36:20-21
Ezra Introduces 3 Main Characters • Pagan King Cyrus • The people of God • God himself
Ezra Introduces 3 Main Characters • Pagan King Cyrus • The people of God • God himself God is the main character of the story!
Why is God stirring up the spirit of Cyrus and his people? • that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled…
What Promise Did God Make to Jeremiah? As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers. Jeremiah 16:15
God does not use his sovereign power randomly – he uses it with purpose!
A Shocking Proclamation • It is the opposite strategy that was used by Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon.
A 2nd Exodus • The neighbors of these Jews gave gold, silver and goods to help pay for the expenses of this rebuilding effort.
A 2nd Exodus • The neighbors of these Jews gave gold, silver and goods to help pay for the expenses of this rebuilding effort. • Cyrus empties out the vault where Nebuchadnezzar had stored the sacred vessels.
A 2nd Exodus • The neighbors of these Jews gave gold, silver and goods to help pay for the expenses of this rebuilding effort. • Cyrus empties out the vault where Nebuchadnezzar had stored the sacred vessels. • Nebuchadnezzar plundered the temple to show that he had defeated the God of Israel, but now it is the God of Israel directing the King of Persia to give it all back.
Two Important Questions to Consider • Why would the Jews want to leave their life in Babylon to return to the ruin of Jerusalem?
Two Important Questions to Consider • Why would the Jews want to leave their life in Babylon to return to the ruin of Jerusalem? • Why does God want them to go back to rebuild the temple?
Why Does God Want Them to Rebuild the Temple? • God is seeking to restore his people to proper worship and that worship will start with the rebuilding of the temple.
