Our God is the Lord of history. He intervenes in favor of His people to fulfill His promises to bring them home. He took care of the Israelites and will take care of our needs according to His flawless timing.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which were a unit originally, begin with a lesson of God’s merciful work for Israel through King Cyrus. The books focus specifically on the time line of the ministry of Zerubbabel and Ezra. The first group of exiles, who returned to Israel in 537/536 b.c., was led by Zerubbabel, the governor, and Jeshua/Joshua, the high priest. Zerubbabel’s experience with rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem is recorded in Ezra 1 through Ezra 4:5. Ezra 7 then begins the retelling of the return of the second group of exiles, under the leadership of Ezra some 80 years later. This week’s study begins with the prophecies about the first return of the exiles. These prophecies, found in the books of Jeremiah and Daniel, consist of the prediction of 70 years of exile by the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11, 12) and the subsequent anguish of Daniel concerning the fulfillment of the prophecy in Daniel 9. God assures Daniel that He is watching over the exiles and will fulfill His Word. Medo-Persian King Cyrus fulfills prophecy and commands the Jews
to return and to rebuild their temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel.
The second group of returnees arrived in 457 b.c., about 60 years after the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, in 515 b.c. Ezra 7, which details their return, is an introduction to the person of Ezra, who is a scribe and an expert in the law of the Lord. In other words, Ezra is a teacher of the Torah and dedicates his life to serving God. He attempts to revive an interest in the Word of God among the exiles.
Part II: Commentary
In order to understand the message of Ezra and Nehemiah, it is important to recognize the simplified literary structures of these two books:
Literary Structure of Ezra (Simplified)
Return from Babylon to Jerusalem following the decree of Cyrus
In 537/536 b.c., Zerubbabel and Joshua, at God’s leading, bring back to Judah the first group of Israelites (Ezra 1:1–4:5).
God’s temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt under the reign of different foreign kings (Ezra 4:6–6:22).
2. Return from Babylon to Jerusalem following the decree of Artaxerxes
In 457 b.c., Ezra, at God’s leading, brings back to Judah the second group of Israelites (Ezra 7:1–8:36).
Ezra’s reforms (Ezra 9:1–10:44)
Literary Structure of Nehemiah (Simplified)
Return from Babylon to Jerusalem following letters of endorsement from King Artaxerxes
In 444 b.c., Nehemiah, at God’s leading, brings back to Judah the third group of Israelites (Neh. 1:1–2:10).
Wall of Jerusalem rebuilt (Neh. 2:11–7:3)
Study of God’s Word, as well as revival and reformation in Israel
Returnees are enumerated. They dedicate themselves to God, the study of His Scriptures, and doing His will. Returnees celebrate the dedication of Jerusalem’s wall (Neh. 7:4–12:47).
Nehemiah’s final reforms (Neh. 13:1–31)
Familiarize yourself with these structures, basic historical events, and dates. Better yet, memorize them. This information will help you avoid confusion concerning God’s three interventions in favor of His people to bring them back to Jerusalem. Furthermore, it will aid in your understanding of the message of these two books. What is that message? The Lord is faithful and fulfills His promises. Bear in mind that some parts of these books are composed in a thematic manner rather than in chronological order (especially Ezra 4:6–23). Within the framework of the simplified literary structures of Ezra and Nehemiah, note the decrees that facilitated the three returns of God’s people to Jerusalem:
The three crucial Medo-Persian kings’ decrees:
Cyrus’s decree, in 538 b.c., in which the Jews return from the Babylonian exile and begin to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem
Darius’s decree, in 520 b.c., in which the Jews return to Jerusalem and resume construction of the temple (rebuilt and dedicated in 515 b.c.)
Artaxerxes’s decree, in 457 b.c., in which the city of Jerusalem is rebuilt and the Jews obtain national autonomy
It should be stressed that the challenge for Ezra and Nehemiah was not to reconstruct the temple (it was finished and dedicated for service in 515 b.c., i.e., almost 60 years before Ezra arrived in Jerusalem). Rather, these men sought to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, its administration, and achieve national autonomy for Israel.
The following table lists the kings of Persia and the groups that returned to Israel under their reigns. Additionally, the fourth column specifically lists the work each group did in Israel and what happened there during the reign of each Persian king. The table is designed to give the teacher a better idea of the time line of events.
A Time Line of Events During the Reigns of the Kings of Persia (From the Period of 537 to 444 b.c.)
King of Persia
Years of reign
Group returning and other significant events
Rebuilding that occurred under each king
Cyrus “the Great”
559–530 b.c.
537/536 b.c.—First group returns (Zerubbabel and Jeshua)
Temple construction begins
Cambyses II
530–522 b.c.
Darius I
522–486 b.c.
March 515 b.c.—Temple completed and dedicated
Xerxes I (Ahasuerus)
486–465 b.c.
Esther marries Xerxes I and becomes queen
Resistance to rebuilding Jerusalem
Artaxerxes I
465–425 b.c.
457 b.c.—Ezra returns with second group
445/444 b.c.—Nehemiah returns with third group
The longest prophetic period begins (Dan. 8:14,Dan. 9:24–27)
Opposition to rebuilding Jerusalem(Ezra 4:7–23)
Wall of Jerusalem rebuilt
First Return (537/536 b.c.)
In fulfillment of the prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah, King Cyrus proclaims: “The Lord God of heaven . . . hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:2). This statement does not mean that Cyrus became a follower of God. Cyrus was trying to please the people of his kingdom by acknowledging their gods and religious beliefs. The king credited all gods, asking for a blessing from all of them, in an effort to gain the support of his subjects. The pen of inspiration does tell us, however, that “just at the time God had said He would cause His temple at Jerusalem to be rebuilt, He moved upon Cyrus as His agent to discern the prophecies concerning himself, with which Daniel was so familiar, and to grant the Jewish people their liberty. “As the king saw the words foretelling, more than a hundred years before his birth, the manner in which Babylon should be taken; as he read the message addressed to him by the Ruler of the universe . . . his heart was profoundly moved, and he determined to fulfill his divinely appointed mission.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 557. Thus, Cyrus issued the decree for the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. The first return was not a forced relocation; the Jews were free to choose to return to their land. The split that came before the exile between the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and the rift between the tribes had not healed during the exile. Only the descendants of those who belonged to the southern kingdom of
Judah responded to the call to go back to the Promised Land.
King Cyrus appointed Sheshbazzar (meaning “Sin or Shamash protect the father”) as the leader of the company. What clue does the name Sheshbazzar give us about his identity? Here are two possibilities. The name Sheshbazzar, along with the mention of him as leader, appears only in the beginning of the return from Babylonian captivity. Moreover, the governor of the people always is called Zerubbabel (meaning “the seed of Babylon”). Thus, it is commonly inferred that Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel are one and the same person (both are Babylonian names, but the second could be more religiously neutral and official). Or it may be that Sheshbazzar was the governor in the beginning but died very early and was replaced by Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel brought the first group of returnees to Jerusalem and began the construction of the temple. However, much opposition arose, and over several years the work started and stopped a number of times. In the end, God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, in 520/519 b.c., to encourage the settlers to complete the work on the temple. Consequently, it took 20 years after the returnees’ arrival to finish and dedicate the temple (515 b.c.).
Second Return (457 b.c.)
Ezra 8 lists the exiles who came back with Ezra. Besides the priests and royal families, 12 Jewish heads of families are mentioned. The return of the exiles reminds the reader of the mighty Exodus from Egypt. Just as the 12 tribes traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land, now, once again, 12 families traveled to Israel.
The second return is made possible by King Artaxerxes, who sends a letter with Ezra, opening the door for the Jews. Once again, it is emphasized that anyone who volunteers to go up to Jerusalem may do so. Artaxerxes recognizes the God of Israel, who to him is a regional “god.” Interestingly, the king acknowledges Ezra’s intelligence and specifically mentions his “God-given wisdom,” as he commissions him to be the leader of the expedition. Ezra’s job was to teach his people the laws of God and to establish the religious culture of his people. The king perceives his own role in this work too. He understands that he facilitates the restoration of the religion of the Jews, as well as their identity, by sending a group back with Ezra.
By his decree, which commands the restoration of Jerusalem and not just of the temple, King Artaxerxes fulfills the 70-week prophecy in Daniel 9:25. Year 457 b.c. is the starting point of the 70 weeks that are “cut off ” from the 2,300 day/year prophecy, thus making both periods begin that same year. The 70-week prophecy ends in a.d. 34, which culminates in the stoning of Stephen, coinciding with the proclamation of the gospel to the Gentiles after Jesus’ crucifixion in a.d. 31 (middle of the week mentioned in Daniel 9:27). The 2,300-year period then ends in 1844, making it the longest prophetic period. Its close marks the beginning of the pre-Advent judgment in heaven (the antitypical day of atonement). Therefore, the time of Ezra’s return to the land of Israel plays a crucial role in prophecy. (For further study on this topic, see lesson 3.)
Part III: Life Application
Ezra 1:1 states that “the Lord stirred up [moved] the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia” so that he would give the command to allow the Jews to return to the land of Israel. Cyrus responds to the moving of the Spirit of God, who impresses the king to make the proclamation to the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Incredibly, a pagan king responds to God’s prompting! “Stirred” comes from the word ur, also meaning “to waken or rouse.” Thus, Cyrus, in a sense, awakens to the call of God.
When God moves in our lives, we are awakened to His prompting and leading. Such positive motivation comes from an appreciation of God’s mighty and gracious acts in history and in our lives. This appreciation for God empowers us to admire and follow Him and to persevere in our walk with Him and in the work that He gives us to do. Our best performance comes from a realization of who God is and what He has done, from knowing how He lovingly intervenes in behalf of His people and how He moves them to action.
Discuss the following questions with your class after you share the meaning of “stir up” or “roused” (Ezra 1:1, CSB) from the passage above:
What motivates you to follow God’s leadership?
In what ways have you felt God rouse or stir you to do something for Him in your life?
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Key Text: Ezra 1:1–3
Study Focus: Ezra 1, Ezra 4:1–5, and Ezra 7
Our God is the Lord of history. He intervenes in favor of His people to fulfill His promises to bring them home. He took care of the Israelites and will take care of our needs according to His flawless timing.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which were a unit originally, begin with a lesson of God’s merciful work for Israel through King Cyrus. The books focus specifically on the time line of the ministry of Zerubbabel and Ezra. The first group of exiles, who returned to Israel in 537/536 b.c., was led by Zerubbabel, the governor, and Jeshua/Joshua, the high priest. Zerubbabel’s experience with rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem is recorded in Ezra 1 through Ezra 4:5. Ezra 7 then begins the retelling of the return of the second group of exiles, under the leadership of Ezra some 80 years later. This week’s study begins with the prophecies about the first return of the exiles. These prophecies, found in the books of Jeremiah and Daniel, consist of the prediction of 70 years of exile by the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11, 12) and the subsequent anguish of Daniel concerning the fulfillment of the prophecy in Daniel 9. God assures Daniel that He is watching over the exiles and will fulfill His Word. Medo-Persian King Cyrus fulfills prophecy and commands the Jews
to return and to rebuild their temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel.
The second group of returnees arrived in 457 b.c., about 60 years after the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, in 515 b.c. Ezra 7, which details their return, is an introduction to the person of Ezra, who is a scribe and an expert in the law of the Lord. In other words, Ezra is a teacher of the Torah and dedicates his life to serving God. He attempts to revive an interest in the Word of God among the exiles.
Part II: Commentary
In order to understand the message of Ezra and Nehemiah, it is important to recognize the simplified literary structures of these two books:
Literary Structure of Ezra (Simplified)
Literary Structure of Nehemiah (Simplified)
Familiarize yourself with these structures, basic historical events, and dates. Better yet, memorize them. This information will help you avoid confusion concerning God’s three interventions in favor of His people to bring them back to Jerusalem. Furthermore, it will aid in your understanding of the message of these two books. What is that message? The Lord is faithful and fulfills His promises. Bear in mind that some parts of these books are composed in a thematic manner rather than in chronological order (especially Ezra 4:6–23). Within the framework of the simplified literary structures of Ezra and Nehemiah, note the decrees that facilitated the three returns of God’s people to Jerusalem:
The three crucial Medo-Persian kings’ decrees:
It should be stressed that the challenge for Ezra and Nehemiah was not to reconstruct the temple (it was finished and dedicated for service in 515 b.c., i.e., almost 60 years before Ezra arrived in Jerusalem). Rather, these men sought to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, its administration, and achieve national autonomy for Israel.
The following table lists the kings of Persia and the groups that returned to Israel under their reigns. Additionally, the fourth column specifically lists the work each group did in Israel and what happened there during the reign of each Persian king. The table is designed to give the teacher a better idea of the time line of events.
A Time Line of Events During the Reigns of the Kings of Persia (From the Period of 537 to 444 b.c.)
445/444 b.c.—Nehemiah returns with third group
Opposition to rebuilding Jerusalem(Ezra 4:7–23)
Wall of Jerusalem rebuilt
First Return (537/536 b.c.)
In fulfillment of the prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah, King Cyrus proclaims: “The Lord God of heaven . . . hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:2). This statement does not mean that Cyrus became a follower of God. Cyrus was trying to please the people of his kingdom by acknowledging their gods and religious beliefs. The king credited all gods, asking for a blessing from all of them, in an effort to gain the support of his subjects. The pen of inspiration does tell us, however, that “just at the time God had said He would cause His temple at Jerusalem to be rebuilt, He moved upon Cyrus as His agent to discern the prophecies concerning himself, with which Daniel was so familiar, and to grant the Jewish people their liberty. “As the king saw the words foretelling, more than a hundred years before his birth, the manner in which Babylon should be taken; as he read the message addressed to him by the Ruler of the universe . . . his heart was profoundly moved, and he determined to fulfill his divinely appointed mission.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 557. Thus, Cyrus issued the decree for the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. The first return was not a forced relocation; the Jews were free to choose to return to their land. The split that came before the exile between the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and the rift between the tribes had not healed during the exile. Only the descendants of those who belonged to the southern kingdom of
Judah responded to the call to go back to the Promised Land.
King Cyrus appointed Sheshbazzar (meaning “Sin or Shamash protect the father”) as the leader of the company. What clue does the name Sheshbazzar give us about his identity? Here are two possibilities. The name Sheshbazzar, along with the mention of him as leader, appears only in the beginning of the return from Babylonian captivity. Moreover, the governor of the people always is called Zerubbabel (meaning “the seed of Babylon”). Thus, it is commonly inferred that Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel are one and the same person (both are Babylonian names, but the second could be more religiously neutral and official). Or it may be that Sheshbazzar was the governor in the beginning but died very early and was replaced by Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel brought the first group of returnees to Jerusalem and began the construction of the temple. However, much opposition arose, and over several years the work started and stopped a number of times. In the end, God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, in 520/519 b.c., to encourage the settlers to complete the work on the temple. Consequently, it took 20 years after the returnees’ arrival to finish and dedicate the temple (515 b.c.).
Second Return (457 b.c.)
Ezra 8 lists the exiles who came back with Ezra. Besides the priests and royal families, 12 Jewish heads of families are mentioned. The return of the exiles reminds the reader of the mighty Exodus from Egypt. Just as the 12 tribes traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land, now, once again, 12 families traveled to Israel.
The second return is made possible by King Artaxerxes, who sends a letter with Ezra, opening the door for the Jews. Once again, it is emphasized that anyone who volunteers to go up to Jerusalem may do so. Artaxerxes recognizes the God of Israel, who to him is a regional “god.” Interestingly, the king acknowledges Ezra’s intelligence and specifically mentions his “God-given wisdom,” as he commissions him to be the leader of the expedition. Ezra’s job was to teach his people the laws of God and to establish the religious culture of his people. The king perceives his own role in this work too. He understands that he facilitates the restoration of the religion of the Jews, as well as their identity, by sending a group back with Ezra.
By his decree, which commands the restoration of Jerusalem and not just of the temple, King Artaxerxes fulfills the 70-week prophecy in Daniel 9:25. Year 457 b.c. is the starting point of the 70 weeks that are “cut off ” from the 2,300 day/year prophecy, thus making both periods begin that same year. The 70-week prophecy ends in a.d. 34, which culminates in the stoning of Stephen, coinciding with the proclamation of the gospel to the Gentiles after Jesus’ crucifixion in a.d. 31 (middle of the week mentioned in Daniel 9:27). The 2,300-year period then ends in 1844, making it the longest prophetic period. Its close marks the beginning of the pre-Advent judgment in heaven (the antitypical day of atonement). Therefore, the time of Ezra’s return to the land of Israel plays a crucial role in prophecy. (For further study on this topic, see lesson 3.)
Part III: Life Application
Ezra 1:1 states that “the Lord stirred up [moved] the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia” so that he would give the command to allow the Jews to return to the land of Israel. Cyrus responds to the moving of the Spirit of God, who impresses the king to make the proclamation to the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Incredibly, a pagan king responds to God’s prompting! “Stirred” comes from the word ur, also meaning “to waken or rouse.” Thus, Cyrus, in a sense, awakens to the call of God.
When God moves in our lives, we are awakened to His prompting and leading. Such positive motivation comes from an appreciation of God’s mighty and gracious acts in history and in our lives. This appreciation for God empowers us to admire and follow Him and to persevere in our walk with Him and in the work that He gives us to do. Our best performance comes from a realization of who God is and what He has done, from knowing how He lovingly intervenes in behalf of His people and how He moves them to action.
Discuss the following questions with your class after you share the meaning of “stir up” or “roused” (Ezra 1:1, CSB) from the passage above: