Ezra 1 - 3
In summary:
Yahweh reigns sovereignly even over the most powerful kingdom on earth. He
demonstrates it by fulfilling His word at the appointed time and by sending His people back to Jerusalem with authority and provisions.
Yahweh reigns sovereignly even over the most powerful kingdom on earth. He
demonstrates it by fulfilling His word at the appointed time and by sending His people back to Jerusalem with authority and provisions.
In more detail:
(If you have not read the historical review of the events in Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther in the introduction to the Tenth Unit of the Bible, click here. Notice too, that in our reading of 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles, we grew accustomed to calling the former kingdom of the north “Israel” and of the south, “Judah”. Now in Ezra we return to
the custom of calling the whole region “Israel”.)
The book of Ezra begins where 2 Chronicles ended, with Cyrus’s decree to repopulate Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and Ezra 1:1-4). Notice Yahweh’s complete sovereignty in this whole historical proclamation:
1) The time of the decree agrees with Yahweh’s word through the mouth of Jeremiah about the 70 years of exile (Ezra 1:1; see also 2 Chronicles 36:20-21; Jeremiah 25:8-14 and 29:10).
2) Yahweh stirs the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to make the proclamation (Ezra 1:1)
3) Cyrus recognizes that Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given him all the kingdoms of the earth (Ezra 1:2).
4) He says that Yahweh has commanded him to build a temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2).
5) He recognizes Yahweh as God and requests his blessing on the reconstruction of His temple (Ezra 1:3).
6) Yahweh stirs the spirits of all those who go up to rebuild His temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:5).
7) Through Cyrus’s blessing in Ezra 1:4, we understand that Yahweh provided for the project (Ezra 1:4, 6-11).
Therefore, the list of Ezra 2 highlights, not the daring actions of David’s valiant men as we read about in 1 Chronicles 11:10 – 12:40 but the obedience common to all of those called to rebuild.
Those newly arrived from the exile worked in a unity that certainly would have pleased the Chronicler: “When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem” (Ezra 3:1). Even before
finishing the foundation of the temple, they reinitiate the offering of sacrifices according to the Law of Moses (Ezra 3:2-6). The beginning of construction reminds us of Solomon’s preparations for the temple (2 Chronicles 2), and the organization of the Levites echoes their organization by King David (Ezra 3:8-10). And when they finally celebrate the completion of the foundation of the temple, they are once again tied with all the previous history of Israel and Judah, weeping for the loss of their former glory and shouting in praise for Yahweh’s grace through the covenant that has allowed the temple to be a place of prayer and worship once again. From the beginning to the end of today’s reading, we see Yahweh’s sovereignty and His remnant who walks in fellowship with Him once again.
(If you have not read the historical review of the events in Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther in the introduction to the Tenth Unit of the Bible, click here. Notice too, that in our reading of 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles, we grew accustomed to calling the former kingdom of the north “Israel” and of the south, “Judah”. Now in Ezra we return to
the custom of calling the whole region “Israel”.)
The book of Ezra begins where 2 Chronicles ended, with Cyrus’s decree to repopulate Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and Ezra 1:1-4). Notice Yahweh’s complete sovereignty in this whole historical proclamation:
1) The time of the decree agrees with Yahweh’s word through the mouth of Jeremiah about the 70 years of exile (Ezra 1:1; see also 2 Chronicles 36:20-21; Jeremiah 25:8-14 and 29:10).
2) Yahweh stirs the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to make the proclamation (Ezra 1:1)
3) Cyrus recognizes that Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given him all the kingdoms of the earth (Ezra 1:2).
4) He says that Yahweh has commanded him to build a temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2).
5) He recognizes Yahweh as God and requests his blessing on the reconstruction of His temple (Ezra 1:3).
6) Yahweh stirs the spirits of all those who go up to rebuild His temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:5).
7) Through Cyrus’s blessing in Ezra 1:4, we understand that Yahweh provided for the project (Ezra 1:4, 6-11).
Therefore, the list of Ezra 2 highlights, not the daring actions of David’s valiant men as we read about in 1 Chronicles 11:10 – 12:40 but the obedience common to all of those called to rebuild.
Those newly arrived from the exile worked in a unity that certainly would have pleased the Chronicler: “When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem” (Ezra 3:1). Even before
finishing the foundation of the temple, they reinitiate the offering of sacrifices according to the Law of Moses (Ezra 3:2-6). The beginning of construction reminds us of Solomon’s preparations for the temple (2 Chronicles 2), and the organization of the Levites echoes their organization by King David (Ezra 3:8-10). And when they finally celebrate the completion of the foundation of the temple, they are once again tied with all the previous history of Israel and Judah, weeping for the loss of their former glory and shouting in praise for Yahweh’s grace through the covenant that has allowed the temple to be a place of prayer and worship once again. From the beginning to the end of today’s reading, we see Yahweh’s sovereignty and His remnant who walks in fellowship with Him once again.
