This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
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Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
EZRA
CHAPTER 1
1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.
4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
Cyrus, king of Persia, gave the decree for the people of God to move back to Jerusalem. His desire was to see the city restored, the temple restored, and the people worshipping God again.
5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
6 And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.
7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;
8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,
10 Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.
11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.
There were 49,897 total people who decided to return (see Ezra 2:64-65).
God had said that these people would go into captivity for 70 years because of their idolatrous activity. God was true to His promise, and they were being returned after 70 years. Please continue in Bible Study with us.
INTRODUCTION:
If you will notice, the last two verses of 2Chronicles 36 are the same as the first two verses of the book of Ezra. This book is also an historical accounting. However this accounting is only of the people who were taken into captivity from JUDAH.
Ezra was a descendent of Aaron and was trained in the law of God. Artaxerxes gave Ezra "governorship" and authority in religious matters also (Ezra 7:11-16).
The first 6 chapters give an account of the people who returned from Babylon to Judah in 525 BC, and the next 4 chapters deal with those who returned in 458 BC. The people who returned in 525 BC came under the leadership of the governor Zerubbabel. Then Ezra came to Judah in 458 BC.
This period of the historical account of the Jewish people is usually called the "post-exilic" period.
The book of Ezra shows that God still works in the nations of the world to preserve His people.
He also decreed (verse 4) that any of those who "remaineth" in Persia, would HELP those who determined to return to Jerusalem.
Of these were the "chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites." One might say that God orchestrated the return of the most devout.
According to Cyrus' command, the people that remained helped those who were returning by giving them food, materials and monetary gifts (verse 6).
Cyrus brought out the golden "vessels" that had been taken from the Jerusalem temple by Nebuchadnezzar and gave them to the people who were returning.
"Sheshbazzar (verse 8)," was the Babylonian name of Zerubbabel. According to 1Chronicles 3:17-19, he was the grandson of king Jeconiah. The descendents of Judah were still looked to for leadership.
God is always true to His promises. That gives us great comfort when we, as Christians, consider the promises of God for the return of Christ and eternal life in glory!