The Bible Guide - Old Testament by Knowles Andrew;

Author:Knowles, Andrew;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lion Hudson
Published: 2020-05-05T00:00:00+00:00

The prophets

Two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, are important figures in the restoration of Jerusalem. Their books give us added insight into the situation at this time. Malachi may also have been written shortly before the return of Ezra and Nehemiah to Jerusalem.

The dates given in the Bible show the Jews returning to their homeland over a period of ninety years. If Zerubbabel returns in 536 BC and Ezra in 458 BC, then Nehemiah’s journey to Jerusalem was probably twelve years later, in 445 BC.

We know that Nehemiah was in Jerusalem for twelve years from 445–433 BC. This is from the 20th year of the reign of Artaxerxes I to the 32nd year (Nehemiah 2:1 and 13:6). Nehemiah returned to the Persian court for a while (probably quite a short time), and then came back to Jerusalem to make further reforms.

The traditional view is that Ezra arrived in Jerusalem some years before Nehemiah, in 458 BC. This means that his king, too, is Artaxerxes I (Ezra 7:7). If this date is right, then Ezra comes before Nehemiah, as we would expect from the order of their books in the Bible.

Another theory is that Ezra returned to Judea much later, in 398 BC. This would mean that his king (Ezra 7:7) is Artaxerxes II, not Artaxerxes I. But is it likely that Ezra and Nehemiah would both be living in Jerusalem at the same time, without mentioning each other?

DISCOVERING EZRA AND NEHEMIAH

The return from exile and rebuilding of the temple

Cyrus allows the Jews to return home (Ezra 1:1–2:70)

Cyrus has become king of Persia and has conquered the evil empire of Babylon. One of his first acts is to allow the Jews to return home from exile (1:1–11). He encourages them to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem.

The Israelites once escaped from Egypt, laden with the wealth of their captors. Now the Jews are sent on their way back to Judah, with money, goods, livestock and offerings from their Babylonian neighbours.

The writer is in no doubt that it is God who is doing all this for the Jews. Everything is happening to fulfil the prophecy of Jeremiah. Jeremiah had foretold that the land of Judah would be laid waste and its people made slaves in Babylon for seventy years; but at the end of that time, Babylon herself would be defeated (Jeremiah 25:11–12).

Cyrus is not a worshipper of the Lord. We know from other records that he worships pagan gods, including Marduk and Sin. But he respects the God of Israel. He is careful to return the temple treasures which King Nebuchadnezzar had carried away to Babylon in 597 BC and 587 BC.

What’s been going on?

The Babylonians have conquered the kingdom of Judah and destroyed its capital city Jerusalem. All the leading citizens of Jerusalem have been deported to Babylonia, where they and their families have lived in exile for seventy years.

Now Babylon has in turn been defeated by the combined force of the Medes and the Persians. The city of Babylon fell in 539 BC.

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