Study From the Book of Ezra & Nehemiah is: Ezra & Nehemiah
Introduction
The books of Ezra and
Nehemiah continue the history of the Israelites from the point reached at the
end of 2 Chronicles. The two books are closely linked together and cover
between them a space of about one hundred years, from the first year of the
reign of Cyrus, king of Persia (538 BC), to soon after the thirty-second year
of Artaxerxes (432 BC). Other books of Scripture belonging to this period are
Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi and Ester.
The events recorded in the
books of Ezra and Nehemiah gather round three periods, as follows:
First Period (Ezr. 1-6, from the first return of
exiles under Zerubbabel (or Sheshbazzar) and Jeshua the high priest (536 BC) to
the completion of the Temple (515 BC).
It is to be noted that, thought these events are recorded in the book of
Ezra, they occurred more than sixty years before Ezra himself appeared on the
scene.
Second Period (Ezr. 7-10), describing the return of a
second large company of exiles under Ezra, with some account of Ezra’s ministry
in Jerusalem (458 BC).
Third Period (Ne. 1-13), describing the arrival of
Nehemiah as governor (444 BC), and his building of the city walls, together
with his joint activity with Ezra.
Ezra and Nehemiah were men
raised up of God to render invaluable service at a critical time in Israel’s
history. Ezra was a priest of house of Aaron, a man of outstanding piety, a
diligent student and capable teacher of the law of God, and a zealous reformer.
Nehemiah was a public servant and a true patriot, who devoted himself to the improvement
of the moral and material condition of his country. He combined watchfulness
with prayerfulness, and energetic activity with conscious dependence upon God.
While both men rendered notable service, the work of Ezra was the more
enduring, for he gave to the law of God a place of supreme authority in the
life of the people.
