Key word: The hand of the Lord
Ezra picks up Judah’s story exactly where 2 Chronicles leaves off. In fact, the last two verses of 2 Chronicles are almost identical to the first three verses of Ezra. (The book tells the story of the returning exiles.) Cyrus releases exiles to return and specifically to rebuild the temple. In Ezra, there are two distinct returns recorded. The first under Zerubbabel and Jeshua (chapters 1-6), and the second under Ezra 78 years later (chapters 7-10).
The attempt to rebuild the temple was stopped due to opposition and not resumed for 15 years, following the prophetic ministries of Haggai and Zechariah.
Ezra brings more exiles back in 515 B.C. Under the first return, 42,360 returned, this time there is 1,754 for total of only 44,114 out of millions who could have come back. But of those who did, by the close of the book of Ezra they were dedicated to and obedient to the Lord.
Our key phrase is, “the hand of the Lord,” which was on Ezra as he followed the Lord. (7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31). Why God’s hand was on Ezra is made clear in our key verse.
Key verse: Ezra 7:10 – For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
