Jensens survey of the old testament adam 135
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a heavy burden to teach Israel the “statutes
and judgments” of God (read 7:10, KJV). So
his ministry was bound to touch not only the
lives of those making the journey with him,
but also the lives of those already in the
land.
The story of the book of Esther ts
chronologically between chapters 6 and 7 of
Ezra. The divine providence shown to the
Jews during the reign of Xerxes, predecessor
of Artaxerxes, may have in uenced
Artaxerxes to show favor to the Jews during
his reign, such as encouraging them to
return to their homeland (7:11-26).
2. The work (8:33—10:44). The building of
the Temple had been completed during
Zerubbabel’s governorship (6:14), so Ezra
did not have this responsibility when he
arrived in Jerusalem. Yet his work centered
about the Temple. Read 7:18-20, 27 to recall
what one of his tasks was, of a physical
nature. Also read 7:10 again and note the
spiritual ministry which Ezra intended to
engage in during his stay in Jerusalem.
Obviously, everything he accomplished is
not recorded in the book of Ezra. But that
which is recorded shows how e ectively
Ezra was used of God to minister to the Jews
in Palestine.
Study these chapters with the following
outline in view:
I. The Program (8:33-36). In these verses are
recorded the two projects which were
first given attention when Ezra’s group
arrived in Jerusalem. What were they?
For the Temple beautification project,
the Jews had the assistance of the king’s
presidents and governors on the western
side of the Euphrates River, who
“supported the people and the house of
God” (8:366). The program lasted for
about four months (cf. 9:1a and 10:9).
II The Problem (9:1-4). Read Exodus 34:1516 and Deuteronomy 7:1-3 for the Law
which God had given His people and
which they were now violating. The
guilty ones were not only of Ezra’s group
of returnees, but also of the Jews
already settled in the land. The problem
did not originate overnight. Why was
Ezra’s grief so intense?
III. The Prayer (9:5-15). This is one of the
Scripture’s prominent examples of a
prayer of contrition and confession.
Study it carefully.
IV. The Penitence (10:1-4). Ezra’s example
of contrition was contagious, as these
verses indicate. Someone other than Ezra
suggested a way of deliverance (vv. 2-4).
Could this have been Ezra’s strategy of
silence concerning hope—to cause the
people themselves to recognize that they
