GOD CAN STIR THE SPIRIT OF KINGS
When the time was right, it was the Lord who stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus (v1). Although he was leader of a heathen country, Cyrus received a revelation that the true God had given him his authority and this God had asked him to build Him a house in Jerusalem. The exiled people were permitted to return and the locals should give them as much support as possible. God also stirred the spirits of leaders, priests and Levites to get ready to go up and rebuild (v5). The temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem were now being returned (v7) and released to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. This was the name the Chaldeans had given to Zerubbabel and interestingly, to his credit, it means “joy in tribulation”. Although he held an important position in Babylon, his name Zerubbabel means “a stranger in Babylon” for Zerubbabel knew that his true home was elsewhere.

ONLY A SMALL REMNANT RETURNED
Chapter 2 names those people returning from exile, just as those who come to the Lord for salvation are recorded in the lambs book of life. Small numbers though they were, they returned (v1) to their own towns. In total 42,360 (plus servants) returned with about 30,000 listed in this chapter; it is believed that the rest were probably from the remaining 10 tribes of Israel. The journey they took was a 700 mile trek and only the pious Jews returned because by now many had built homes and established themselves in Babylon.

SACRIFICES ON ALTAR STARTED, FOUNDATION LAID
The seventh month (the month of the most significant festivals) was when they gathered together in Jerusalem (3v1). Here we are introduced to Jeshua, the priestly leader who, with Zerubbabel, re-instituted the the altar for burnt offerings and the festival of booths. It was not until the second year that the foundation of the Lord’s house was laid (v10), accompanied by the worshippers singing their favourite song “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever” (v11). The people responded with a “great” shout of praise that was heard far away v13 but shouts of joy were mingled with the weeping of those who had seen the original temple. It was probably about 50 years since the original house had been destroyed and, perhaps, they were sad about the nation’s failure and the wasted years in exile or maybe because the new house could never match the magnificence of the first.

ENEMIES STOP THE WORK
When we go about God’s work there are always enemies who come against us. Sometimes we may lay a foundation but it can be very difficult to finish the job. Chapter 4 explains how the Samaritans, the people of the land who had been settled in Israel by the Assyrians, subtly tried to draw them into their mixed-up religion by saying “let us build with you” (v2) but Zerubbabel and the leaders realised that they should have no part with them. Then they discouraged them (v4), making them afraid to build, and furthermore, bribed officials to frustrate their plan. When Ahasuerus came to the throne (v6) they, immediately, took advantage of the new situation and sent an accusation of rebellion to the king which they, later, followed up in the reign of Artaxerxes. The history books were consulted and, effectively, their work was then stopped until the second year of King Darius.

TIME TO START BUILDING
In chapter 5 we see two of the minor prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, coming into action. God had sent them to encourage the people to start work again and in verse 2 we see the leaders and prophets setting out to rebuild God’s house. They were challenged by the authorities, immediately (v3), but, knowing that God’s eye was upon them, the leaders refused to stop work until Darius should specifically order them (v5). The letter from Tattenai, the new governor, seemed to have a different tone to the previous one; for example, he mentions the house of the “great God” and that they claimed to be (v11) “servants of the God of heaven and earth”. He does not seem to have the same antagonism as before and his writing reads more like a planning officer needing to verify whether King Cyrus had, indeed, decreed that the house be rebuilt. King Darius dutifully searched the public archives (6v1) and eventually found the important record and it specified that the cost should be paid from the royal treasury (v4). Not only did Darius (v7) give permission for the work but he ordered that the finance for it came out of their provincial revenues (v8). If anyone dared to alter the edict some very nasty things should be done to them (v11). Tattenai and his associates supported the work with all diligence (v13) and within 4 years the house was finished. There was a joyful celebration and the priests and Levites were able to restart their ministries (v18). They knew it was the Lord himself who had (v22) “turned the heart of the king”.

EZRA KNEW THE FAVOUR OF GOD AND THE KING
In chapter 7 we are introduced to Ezra, himself, who had a pedigree going back to Aaron; his father was Seraiah, the high priest, who was killed by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25: v18,21). He had a skilled knowledge of the law of Moses but more important (v6) “the hand of the Lord his God was upon him”. He came up from Babylon with other exiles and you can read what it says about him in v10, “For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach.” Ezra knew the favour of the Lord, yes, but also remarkably that of King Artaxerxes himself. Ezra came with silver and gold (v15) and an order to bring God’s principles into national life (v25). Ezra, amazed that he should do this (v27), recognised again that this was God extending His steadfast love, for His hand was upon him (v28).

GODS PROTECTION
Ezra gathered his new returning group of Babylonian exiles (ch8) in a camp near to a river that runs to Ahava (v15). Some needed encouragement to come and join them and Ezra organised a fast and prayer to seek God’s protection for the journey (v21). He would have been ashamed to ask for soldiers to protect them because the king had believed them when they had said (v22) that “the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his power is against all who forsake him”. God protected them despite all the silver and gold they were carrying.

THERE IS ALWAYS A DISTRACTION
On coming to Judah it was not long before Ezra was informed that there were some serious problems to resolve (ch9). The people had been intermarrying women from the land and indulging in the inevitable heathen worship as a result (9v1). In fact the leaders had (v2) “led the way”. Ezra knew the word, he knew how God, in the past, had to deal with the ever growing sin of Israel and now, here they were, going along exactly the same road (v5). This was the time of God’s favour, a merciful opportunity for the small remnant who had returned; yet they had blown it and he was absolutely ashamed and repentant.
There is only one way back to God at a time like this and chapter 10 shows that they chose the right path. There was much weeping and confession of sin and a great determination to amend the error of their ways. Notice one of those fascinating observations in verse 9 where we read that the people sat in the open square trembling over this matter but also because it was pouring with rain! And because of rain they put off the organisation to another day; in the end, change they did and God’s remnant was saved.

LINKING BIBLE BOOKS HISTORICALLY
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are very similar in certain respects, starting in Persia and ending in Jerusalem. Both centre around the man who wrote them and both accounts begin with a Persian kings decree. Both involve major building projects . Both contain a long prayer of humility and confession of sin in the 9th chapter and both end with the purification of the people. During the captivity, the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel predicted that Judah would return to its own land and Jeremiah specified that it would be after 70 years. 200 years before his birth, Isaiah prophesied, by name, that King Cyrus would be used by God. Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den about 10 years before King Cyrus became king of Babylon. Only 20 years before Ezra’s journey, Esther had become the queen of Persia and we can only wonder how much she and Mordecai were used by God in changing the king’s heart. Ezra was used to revive the spiritual atmosphere of Judah while Nehemiah arrived 10 years after Ezra to build the walls of Jerusalem.

Notice from this time onwards that God’s people were called Jews because most of them were from the tribe of Judah. God had not forgotten His people and was giving them another chance. This return from exile was like a second exodus for His people. God always wanted his presence to be among His people.