Bible Survey: Ezra

Ezra is the first of the books written after the captivity. Its theme is rebuilding according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and the key verse says of the temple, they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel (Ezra 6:14).

That phrase is worth underlining. Whatever we build for God has to be done His way, not simply because it seemed a good idea to us. A church is not here to run raffles. Its work is to preach the gospel and win the lost, according to the commandment of God.

The book has two parts. In the first six chapters King Cyrus lets the Jews go home, and Zerubbabel leads them in rebuilding the temple. In the last four, Ezra himself arrives and calls the people to put away the heathen marriages they had made. Nehemiah, which follows, is about rebuilding the walls of the city.

When the foundation of the temple was laid, the young men shouted for joy, but the old men who had seen Solomon's temple in its glory wept with a loud voice (Ezra 3:12).

Then the adversaries came, and the first thing they said was, Let us build with you (Ezra 4:2). Zerubbabel told them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God (Ezra 4:3). Whenever we step out to do something for the Lord, the devil will make an attractive counteroffer, and it often looks like help. When that failed, the enemies wrote to the king and had the work stopped, until Darius searched the records and found that Cyrus had commanded it.

Through all those years scattered across the empire, the Jews kept their identity as a people. God kept them, because He is not finished with them.

Next in the series: Nehemiah.

Taught by Pastor Baxter in Sunday School at Naples Independent Baptist Church, July 26, 2020. Watch the lesson.