Overview Article
Ezra recounts God’s marvelous work in bringing many Israelites back to Jerusalem after seventy years of exile in Babylon. The restored community struggled to resist pagan influences, to rebuild the Temple, and to deal with sin in the lives of those who chose to follow the world’s values rather than God’s. In Ezra we see how God provides for and protects those who trust in him and faithfully obey his word.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 324
Places 49
Key Terms 47
Themes
Purity and Identity 7 God is holy, and he made a covenant (special agreement) with Israel to establish a holy nation ( Exodus 19:4–6 ; Leviticus 19:2 ). Being God's people meant Israel needed to be pure in worship and social relationships.... Completion of the Second Temple 6 The dedication of Israel’s second temple on March 12, 515 BC, was a major event for the Israelites returning from exile in Babylon. They could now worship and praise God as their ancestors did before the exile. This n... The Remnant 3 The remnant is a small group of people who remain faithful to God. When foreign armies threatened to invade, and people feared being taken away from their homeland, the idea of the remnant was a source of hope for God... The Seventy Sets of Seven 3 The "seventy weeks" (or sevens) in Daniel 9:24–27 have always been difficult to understand. Although it is difficult to connect them to a specific historical period, these "seventy sets of seven" are important. They s...
See all (17)
What Is Good 2 Micah 6:8 , a famous and often memorized verse, answers questions from people who became confused and had lost their moral and spiritual direction. The people of Israel wanted to know how to please the Lord. In a soci... Intermarriage and Divorce 1 God had warned his people not to marry foreigners ( Deuteronomy 7:1–6 ). The problem was not marrying someone from another country or race. The issue was marrying people who followed other gods. Moses himself married... Ancient Law Codes 1 Until the late 1800s, people thought the law of Moses was a unique legal code. They believed it existed nearly a thousand years before anything similar in Greek and Roman laws. Yet, archaeological excavations in Persi... Celebration 1 God welcomes happy expressions of joy and delight from those who worship and praise him ( Isaiah 30:29 ; Jeremiah 30:19 ; 31:13 ; Zephaniah 3:17 ; Ephesians 5:19 ; Colossians 3:16 ). King David tried two times to brin... Community Responsibility: Achan’s Sin 1 Is the whole community responsible for the wrongs of a few people? Why did many of Israel’s soldiers die at Ai due to Achan’s sin ( Joshua 7 )? Why did the Israelites stone Achan’s family with him? Understanding commu... God Works through Prayer 1 God has authority and control over all creation. But he wants people to share their concerns with him through prayer. The Bible shows examples of God responding to people's prayers. Prayer is important for living a go... God’s Covenants 1 The word "covenant" (from the Hebrew word berith ) means "bond." A covenant is a binding relationship based on a commitment that includes promises and duties. The covenant relationship requires faithfulness and enable... Jerusalem 1 Jerusalem was an active city as early as four hundred years before the time of King David. The Israelites never fully captured it when they conquered Canaan or during the time of the judges ( Joshua 15:63 ; Judges 1:8... Making Sense of the Exile 1 The kings and people of Israel repeatedly disobeyed God and failed to keep their special agreement (the covenant) with him. As a result, God announced that he would bring the covenant curses upon them (see Deuteronomy... Music in Ancient Israel 1 The earliest people who moved from place to place (called nomads) made music. The first musician mentioned in the Bible is "Jubal," who played the harp and flute ( Genesis 4:21 ). Music was important from the beginnin... The Cross and Passover 1 At the start of John’s Gospel, John the Baptist introduced Jesus as "the Lamb of God” ( John 1:29 , 36 ). This phrase might refer to the sacrificial lamb killed daily in the temple ( Exodus 29:38–46 ). Or it might ref... The Grace of God 1 Grace is an important word in the Bible. It shows God's kindness and favor. It is often related to how he saves those who do not deserve it. The New Testament emphasizes that grace came through Jesus Christ ( John 1:1... The Limitations of Law 1 The law was central to God's special agreement (the covenant) with the people of Israel. Many Jews in the apostle Paul's time, including Jewish Christians, still considered it as essential for living. Therefore, Paul...