Ezra

The book of Ezra opens with an expanded account of the proclamation of Cyrus, king of Persia, found at the end of 2 Chronicles.  He announces his charge to Judah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.  The fact that this proclamation is a fulfillment of a prophecy by Jeremiah is noted again.  Leaders of Judah, Benjamin, Levi, and "everyone whose spirit God had stirred" go to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.  The people are given material help from the people around them, and Cyrus returns vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon during the initial captivity.  An account of those who return is given more completely in chapter two. 

Soon after arrival, the altar is built and sacrifices are made.  The Feast of Booths is kept.  In the beginning of the second year, the rebuilding begins.  Upon the laying of the new foundations, there is a profound mixture of both mourning and celebration.  Shouts of joy go out for this hugely important first step in the building of a new temple, but shouts of mourning from those who knew of the first temple are also heard loudly.

In chapter four,  those who are building encounter opposition from locals.  This opposition culminates a letter from a new ruler commanding the building to cease, but, in chapter five the prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesy and encourage the people to renew the act of building.  Zerubbabel and Jeshua lead a renewed thrust of building in a display of their faith in God.  They await the final word from King Darius while they continue to build.  (Read about Darius in the book of Daniel regarding the story of Daniel and the lion's den).  King Darius not only allows the building to continue, but he commands the builders to be given material support from the local government.  The temple is finished, and they dedicate it with sacrifices and much celebration.  Soon they observe the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month of the Jewish calendar as is proscribed in the law.

King Artaxerxes sends Ezra the priest to Jerusalem.  He empowers him legally with a royal proclamation that provides for and protects Ezra and those whom he travels with as they travel and upon their arrival.  The proclamation also empowers Ezra to be a teacher of the law of Moses and to establish governance among the people based on that law.  After the proclamation of Artaxerxes is recounted, there is a section of Ezra that is written in the first person by Ezra himself.  He gives a list of those who went up with him.  He gathers a group of Levites, and they fast and pray for protection for their journey.  He then divides the offerings for Jerusalem among those traveling to Jerusalem with him, and they depart for Jerusalem.  They arrive safely by God's mercy and present their offerings and deliver the king's words to his local officials.

Immediately, Ezra is faced with a scandal of God's people intermarrying with non-Jews.  Ezra is horrified and mourns and cries out to God for His mercy.  This was a fundamental act of disobedience on the part of the returning exiles.  The people join Ezra in his weeping.  They pledge to separate themselves again from the non-Jewish residents they've married.  A command is sent out for all exiles to gather in Jerusalem in three days or be banished from God's congregation.  The issue of repenting from the wrongful intermarriage is made clear to all, and the vast majority repent.