EZRA SERIES

I’ve been prompted in my spirit to blog on the books of Ezra and Nehemiah; so, I am starting with Ezra and then will move on to Nehemiah. Over the next several months, I will probably blog a chapter each week except for the chapters that are revealing the genealogy of the participants. I believe as I proceed, I will get a better understanding of why I have been led in this direction, and I will share that information as it is revealed to me

On this week before I start blogging on the chapters, I want to give you some background information on this book which Ezra reportedly only wrote the later portion of it and the identity of the other writer is unknown.

During the reign of Rehoboam Solomon’s son, the twelve tribes of Israel were divided into two groups: the Southern Tribe which was Judah and Benjamin and the Northern Tribe which was composed of the other ten tribes. Both of these groups forsook the laws and statues of God and ended up in captivity. The Northern Tribe was taken captive and deported to Assyria, and two centuries later the Southern Tribe was exiled to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem. As prophesied by Jeremiah to Judah, they would be in captivity for seventy years, and then God would return them to Jerusalem and restore their land. Also, the prophecy that Isaiah made about someone named Cyrus, who would be used of God to rebuild the temple was about to come to fruition (Isaiah 44:28-45:4).This is where the first chapter of Ezra begins sharing the story of the two groups of willing Jews that return to their heritage. The first group of approximately fifty thousand Jews is led by Zerubbabel, and over fifty years later, the second group of roughly two thousand Jews is escorted by Ezra the priest and scribe.

I am excited to see what God will reveal to me as I proceed with this series, and I invite you to read it as I do my weekly blog.