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{{DOD-May}}
[[Bible]] STUDY: READ EZRA 2--3
[[God]] had promised captivity [[judgment]] to the sinning nation of [[Israel]], and He fulfilled His promise. He also promised that a remnant would return to [[Jerusalem]] (see [[Jeremiah]] 25:12-14 and 29:10- 14). [[Ezra]] and Nehemiah tell the story of the return to the land and the city, the rebuilding of the Temple, and the rebuilding of the walls. The Book of [[Esther]] also fits into this period, as do the Books of the prophets [[Haggai]] and [[Zechariah]].
[[Ezra]] is presented as a [[God]]ly and patriotic Jew, who was a priest and scribe ( [[Ezra]] 7:1-6). He was a great student of the Scriptures, and helped to restore the Jew of the land. We will find in chapter 8 that he was a man of prayer and, in chapter 9, that he was a man who was greatly burdened for the spiritual welfare of his people. His name means "help" and throughout the Book of [[Ezra]] we will see that his [[faith]] in the [[Lord]] is seen by his willingness to undertake the dangerous journey from [[Babylon]]ia to [[Jerusalem]] without the aid of military escorts.
Chapters 1--3 record key events in the history of the remnant of [[Israel]] (the returning to their land, recorded in chapters 1 and 2, and the rebuilding of the Temple, recorded in chapter 3).
The Book of [[Ezra]] records chronologically the return of the remnant to [[Jerusalem]] and the events which took place after their return. The book records the rebuilding of the Temple and its dedication. There were 42,360 [[Jews]] who returned and participated in the rebuilding. They were permitted to do so by a proclamation issued by Cyrus, king of Persia. It is possible that King Cyrus was influenced by the [[prophet]] [[Daniel]], and may have heard from his lips the history of [[Nebuchadnezzar]] , as well as the great prophecies.
