Introduction to the Bible - Ezra & Nehemiah
For 400 years, the Jewish people lived under the rule of “Judges.” After that – about 1000 B.C. – they were ruled by kings: first by Saul, then David, then Solomon. At Solomon’s death, the kingdom was divided into two parts: a north called “Israel,” and a south called “Judah.” From Solomon’s death until 722 B.C., nineteen kings ruled in the north and 13 ruled in the south. Both empires had great difficulty remaining true to God, and Israel found it most difficult – so much so that in 722 B.C., God had the northern empire destroyed because of their sinfulness. An account of all these kings may be found in the book of Kings.
The southern kingdom of Judah continued a history of spotty faithfulness to God. Seven more kings ruled until 586 B.C. when the nation was overcome by the Babylonians and displaced to Mesopotamia (this period is covered by both the book of kings and the book of Chronicles). Centuries before, God warned Judah this would happen (Isaiah 39:5-7). He also promised their captivity would last seventy years and afterward, they would be released (Jeremiah 29:10-14).
By 539 B.C., the Persian King Cyrus had conquered the Babylonians and, as God had promised, he permitted the Jews to return to their homeland. Ezra begins to chronicle that return. Nearly 50,000 people made the first migration back to Judea and they immediately set about rebuilding the temple the Babylonians had destroyed half a century earlier. It was tough going. Facing outside opposition, overcome by materialism and a flagging interest in God, it took nearly 20 years to complete the rebuilding. Possession of a temple, however, will not make a spiritual people. What they needed was a spiritual leader, and God provided that in the person of Ezra, who appears for the first time in chapter 7 of the book that bears his name.
Ezra was a direct descendant of Aaron, the first High Priest of Israel. He was a good man, “well versed in the law of Moses.” So spiritual was he that he refused an official escort as he led the return to Jerusalem. He wanted the Persian king to see the great trust he had in the God of the Jewish people. So spiritual was he that when he learned of the great sins that beset the Jewish people in Judea, he tore his robes and pulled hair from his own head and beard. The last four chapters deal with the spiritual reforms Ezra put in place among the people. In an age such as our own, where we often preach “come as you are” in our calls to discipleship, these final chapters pointedly and painfully show what God may require to make our lifestyles acceptable to God after we come as we are.
In the Hebrew Bible, Ezra and Nehemiah are considered to be one book. After the return of the Jews in Ezra, the rebuilding of the temple and the enacting of spiritual reforms, what the Jewish people needed was a political leader. God provided him in the person of Nehemiah. His book recounts Nehemiah’s reforms and his rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. Nehemiah was a spiritual man, but he was also a political figure. He would ensure, by force if necessary, that God’s people were obedient to God’s law. When he learned of sin among God’s people, he pulled out the hair of the sinners.
With the return of the exiles, the rebuilding of the temple, the instituting of religious revival, and the establishing of a stable and righteous government, you would think the Jews would be well on their way to holiness. This was not the case.
Nehemiah ruled in Jerusalem for twelve years before returning to the service of the King of Persia. Some time after that, he returned to Jerusalem to discover God’s people had resumed their faithless ways.
And it is at this point, at the end of Nehemiah, that the history covered by the Old Testament comes to an end. There are more books to be sure, but the story is over.
Ezra and Nehemiah tell the story of the faithfulness of God to the unfaithful people He loves. Ezra attempted spiritual reform through teaching and example. Nehemiah attempted spiritual reform through spiritual leadership and force. Both ways failed in the long run. If the people of God are going to live like the people of God, the reform must come, not just from the outside, but from within each of our hearts.
How’s your heart?
The southern kingdom of Judah continued a history of spotty faithfulness to God. Seven more kings ruled until 586 B.C. when the nation was overcome by the Babylonians and displaced to Mesopotamia (this period is covered by both the book of kings and the book of Chronicles). Centuries before, God warned Judah this would happen (Isaiah 39:5-7). He also promised their captivity would last seventy years and afterward, they would be released (Jeremiah 29:10-14).
By 539 B.C., the Persian King Cyrus had conquered the Babylonians and, as God had promised, he permitted the Jews to return to their homeland. Ezra begins to chronicle that return. Nearly 50,000 people made the first migration back to Judea and they immediately set about rebuilding the temple the Babylonians had destroyed half a century earlier. It was tough going. Facing outside opposition, overcome by materialism and a flagging interest in God, it took nearly 20 years to complete the rebuilding. Possession of a temple, however, will not make a spiritual people. What they needed was a spiritual leader, and God provided that in the person of Ezra, who appears for the first time in chapter 7 of the book that bears his name.
Ezra was a direct descendant of Aaron, the first High Priest of Israel. He was a good man, “well versed in the law of Moses.” So spiritual was he that he refused an official escort as he led the return to Jerusalem. He wanted the Persian king to see the great trust he had in the God of the Jewish people. So spiritual was he that when he learned of the great sins that beset the Jewish people in Judea, he tore his robes and pulled hair from his own head and beard. The last four chapters deal with the spiritual reforms Ezra put in place among the people. In an age such as our own, where we often preach “come as you are” in our calls to discipleship, these final chapters pointedly and painfully show what God may require to make our lifestyles acceptable to God after we come as we are.
In the Hebrew Bible, Ezra and Nehemiah are considered to be one book. After the return of the Jews in Ezra, the rebuilding of the temple and the enacting of spiritual reforms, what the Jewish people needed was a political leader. God provided him in the person of Nehemiah. His book recounts Nehemiah’s reforms and his rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. Nehemiah was a spiritual man, but he was also a political figure. He would ensure, by force if necessary, that God’s people were obedient to God’s law. When he learned of sin among God’s people, he pulled out the hair of the sinners.
With the return of the exiles, the rebuilding of the temple, the instituting of religious revival, and the establishing of a stable and righteous government, you would think the Jews would be well on their way to holiness. This was not the case.
Nehemiah ruled in Jerusalem for twelve years before returning to the service of the King of Persia. Some time after that, he returned to Jerusalem to discover God’s people had resumed their faithless ways.
And it is at this point, at the end of Nehemiah, that the history covered by the Old Testament comes to an end. There are more books to be sure, but the story is over.
Ezra and Nehemiah tell the story of the faithfulness of God to the unfaithful people He loves. Ezra attempted spiritual reform through teaching and example. Nehemiah attempted spiritual reform through spiritual leadership and force. Both ways failed in the long run. If the people of God are going to live like the people of God, the reform must come, not just from the outside, but from within each of our hearts.
How’s your heart?
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