Bible Survey

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Bible Survey

• Ezra

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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Title
• Hebrew ar"zgt,
• Greek Esdraj Deuteron
• Latin Liber Primus Esdrae

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Bible Survey Ezra

• Author
• Ezra

The author of Ezra is anonymous, but the Jewish
tradition again sets us in good standing. They
have long held that the author is Ezra the priest
and this belief does seem to hold up well to
scrutiny. Ezra is definitely written from a
priestly perspective, with its heavy emphasis on
genealogies, the temple, the priesthood in
general. There are sections written in the first
person which seem to be from his perspective
(728-915). We should mention again the
striking similarity between the closing verses of
II Chronicles and the opening verses of the book
of Ezra.
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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Author

Ezra 11-3 Now in the first year of Cyrus king
of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the
LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred
up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he
sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom,
and also put it in writing, saying 2 "Thus says
Cyrus king of Persia, 'The LORD, the God of
heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the
earth and He has appointed me to build Him a
house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3
'Whoever there is among you of all His people,
may his God be with him! Let him go up to
Jerusalem which is in Judah . . . .
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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Date
• Between 457 and 444 BC

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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Theme
• Gods Grace Brings Spiritual Restoration

One of the striking things about Ezra is the
continual grace which God showers on his people
in the form of favorable rulings from the pagan
authorities. The rulers of Persia repeatedly
issue decrees that are lavish in their favoritism
to the Jews. In this favor is seen the hand of
God. Ezra comes to Jerusalem to lead the people
in the observance of the Law. He guides them in
a time of spiritual renewal and restoration.
Taken together, these two plot lines illustrate
that spiritual renewal only comes from God.
Gods grace (and only Gods grace) brings
spiritual renewal.
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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Purpose of Writing
• Ezra writes this book to chronicle the history
  of Israel after the exile. He answers the
  question of how Israel returned from their exile
  in Babylon and Persia he answers the question of
  how Jerusalem was transformed from a heap of
  rubble into the city which we see in the time of
  Jesus he answers the question of how the temple
  went from being devastated to being rebuilt and
  expanded in the time of Herod the Great. Ezra
  also writes for the purpose of recording the
  moral and spiritual decline of the people and the
  consequent revival that God wrought through his
  own ministry, as well as that of Haggai and
  Zechariah (51 614).

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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Christ in Ezra
• Ezra
• Zerubbabel
• The Temple Reconstruction

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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Christ in Ezra

Ezra as a picture of Christ - Ezra is a
priest - Ezra acts as a Law-giver
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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Christ in Ezra

Haggai 221-23 "Speak to Zerubbabel governor of
Judah, saying, 'I am going to shake the heavens
and the earth. 22 'I will overthrow the thrones
of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms
of the nations and I will overthrow the chariots
and their riders, and the horses and their riders
will go down, everyone by the sword of another.'
23 'On that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'I
will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My
servant,' declares the LORD, 'and I will make you
like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,'"
declares the LORD of hosts.
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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Christ in Ezra

Zechariah 46-10 Then he said to me, "This is
the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not
by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says
the LORD of hosts. 7 'What are you, O great
mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a
plain and he will bring forth the top stone with
shouts of "Grace, grace to it!"'" 8 Also the
word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9 "The
hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of
this house, and his hands will finish it. Then
you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me
to you. 10 "For who has despised the day of
small things? But these seven will be glad when
they see the plumb line in the hand of
Zerubbabel-- these are the eyes of the LORD which
range to and fro throughout the earth."
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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Christ in Ezra

The Temple as the Kingdom - Both are
dwellings of God - Both are reserved for the
Holy - Both are entered only through blood -
Both are ruled by priests
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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Christ in Ezra
• The Temple Reconstruction
• Stage 1 Laying the Foundation (Ezra 3)
• Stage 2 Interruption (Ezra 4)
• Stage 3 Completion (Ezra 51-618)
• Stage 4 Celebration (Passover) (Ezra 619-22)

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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Christ in Ezra
• The Kingdom of Christ
• Stage 1 Laying the Foundation
• Stage 2 Interruption
• Stage 3 Completion
• Stage 4 Celebration

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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Divorce in Ezra 9-10
• The marriages are sinful because they are
  interfaith not because they are interracial.
• Divorce was culturally acceptable (like polygamy)
  though it was still sinful.
• Thus, this issue is one of choosing between an
  undesirable act (divorce) and a sinful act
  (interfaith marriage).

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Bible Survey - Ezra

• Place in the Canon
• Historically, Ezra captures part of the record
  of the return to Jerusalem. (The rest is
  recorded by Nehemiah.) Theologically, Ezra
  emphasizes both the sovereign grace of God in
  providing for his people and the extremely
  important place that the Law deserved in Israels
  life. Devotionally, Ezra reminds us to obey the
  commands of our Lord recorded in Scripture and to
  trust him to work out the details.