Chronological Bible Study – Sep 17
What I Noticed Today (Ezra 1-3)
There is a short introduction available for the book of Ezra. You can read it here.
Ezra 1-2
The return of the exiles to Judah.
Ezra 1
In verses 1-6, the book of Ezra opens by repeating the closing verses of 2 Chronicles 36:22-23.
- The Lord stirred the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia so that he allowed the return of the Jewish exiles to Judah, specifically to rebuild the house of the Lord.
- Every Israelite survivor who returned to Judah was to be assisted by the people where he lived with gifts of silver, gold, livestock, and a freewill offering for the Lord.
Note: Cyrus did not return the exiles because he believed in God. His purpose in returning exiles to their home countries was to have the gods of the people pray for his gods Bel and Nebo to give him a long life. The Cyrus cylinder (538 B.C.) says, “May all the gods whom I have resettled in their sacred cities daily ask Bel and Nebo for a long life for me.”
Note: The title for God, “The God of heaven,” is used nine times in Ezra. It is used only four other times in the Old Testament (Genesis 24:3, Genesis 24:7, Psalms 136:26, and Jonah 1:9).
In verses 7-11, Cyrus gave back all the treasures of the temple taken by Nebuchadnezzar.
- These treasures were given to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
- Sheshbazzar is a Babylonian name meaning, “May Shamash protect the father.” The name occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament.
Ezra 2
In verses 1-67, the list of exiles taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar that returned to Judah included ordinary men, the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.
Note: In all likelihood, the list includes people who returned over a period of time in waves.
- The total number of exiles who returned numbered 42,360, plus 7,337 slaves for a total of 49,897 people.
- They represented three tribes: Judah, Benjamin, and the Levi (both the priests and Levites).
- All of the people returned to their own cities.
In verses 68-70, after they arrived in Jerusalem, the people gave of their riches to help rebuild the temple of the Lord.
Note: The people had been in exile approximately 70 years when Cyrus issued the decree to return and rebuild the house of the Lord. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 44:28, and Jeremiah 29:10.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- Since the people had been in exile for 70 years, nearly all of the original exiles died in Persia, so that most of the people that returned were seeing their homeland for the first time.
- Despite the people’s rejection of God that led up to the exile, God watched over them in Persia. He protected the family lines and prospered the people as evidenced by the wealth they were able to contribute to the rebuilding of the temple.
- It is comforting to know that God is always with us, protecting us, even when we have been less than faithful to Him! He will never leave or forsake us!
Ezra 3-6
The rebuilding of the temple.
Ezra 3
In verses 1-7, in the seventh month after their return, the people assembled as one man in Jerusalem.
- Jeshua, the priest, along with other priests, built an altar to God and began offering sacrifices according to the instructions in the Law given to Moses.
- They celebrated the Festival of booths.
- They offered daily and monthly sacrifices as prescribed by the Law.
- They began to offer burnt sacrifices to the Lord.
- They paid stonecutters and artisans and gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Tyre and Sidon to bring cedar from Lebanon.
In verses 8-9, in the second month of the second year (536 B.C., 70 years after the first deportation in 605 B.C.) Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the Levites and priests came together to begin the process of rebuilding the temple.
In verses 10-13, when the foundation of the temple of the Lord had been laid the singers, and the people came forward singing praises to the Lord.
- The older people who had seen the first temple cried, but the younger people shouted with joy.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.