This year I spent time digging into the Old Testament book of Ezra. While the book contains a fascinating historical account of the return of the Jewish exiles after the Babylonian captivity, it’s more than a history book. It’s a case study of how God works for His people in tough times. It’s a reminder of what it takes to be on mission for God and His larger purposes. In short, it’s a book that can help us get to know God more deeply and serve Him more courageously.

If you could use a spiritual challenge this summer, I invite you to track with me as we walk through the book of Ezra. Each Tuesday I will post a summary of one chapter from the book. This will help you understand the flow of the narrative. I’ll also include some spiritual lessons we can learn about God’s character and about how we can serve His purposes in our day and time.

This week, we’ll explore chapter 1. I’d encourage you to read through the Ezra 1 as you explore the study notes below. Let’s dig in.

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Ezra 1

The book of Ezra begins by repeating the words that conclude the book of 2 Chronicles:  “In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persian, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing” (2 Chronicles 36:22; Ezra 1:1).

God is on the move to fulfill His Word by moving people to do His will.  In this case, he “stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia” in the very first year of his reign.  This was an epic year historically, a changing of the world’s superpower.  In 539 B.C., Cyrus and Persian armies conquered the Babylonians, starting the reign of the Achaemenid Empire which dominated the world for the next 200 years.

In the first year of his reign, Cyrus the Great (as he came to be known) issues an empire-wide proclamation.  He credits the “Lord, the God of heaven” for his success (1:2) and declares the Lord had “charged” him to “build him a house at Jerusalem” (1:2).  How did Cyrus, a pagan king, come to this conclusion?  Perhaps one of the Jewish exiles (like Daniel) showed him a copy of Isaiah’s prophecy (given several centuries earlier) that referenced the Persian king by name:  “who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,”  and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid”’ (Isaiah 44:28).

Unlike previous kings and empires, Cyrus allowed (even encouraged) the peoples of his kingdom to continue the worship their gods.  So rather than try to force the Jews in his kingdom to capitulate and worship Persian deities (Ahura Mazda and a host of others), Cyrus supported the Jews in their allegiance to YHWH.  In the first year of his rule, he issues a decree encouraging exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the LORD’s house, the Temple Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed (586 B.C.).  Those who chose not to make the trip (a 1700 mile walk) back to Jerusalem were charged with assisting by donating silver, gold, goods, beasts and freewill offerings (1:4).

What was the result of Cyrus’ proclamation?  “Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem” (1:5).  God “stirred” the spirits of Jewish leaders, priests and people to “arise.”  The Hebrew word translated “stirred” (עוּר) means to rouse, awaken or incite.  God awakened the people so they would arise; he roused them to rise.  He moved them to move, starting with the leaders (literally “heads”) of families.  Those who were unable or unwilling to go were willing to give—silver, gold, costly wares, goods, beasts and freewill offerings (1:6). 

Even Cyrus contributed, ordering Mithredath to hand over 5,400 articles of silver and gold that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple when conquering Jerusalem almost fifty years earlier. Mithredath entrusted the Temple articles to Sheshbazzar, who is called the “prince of Judah” (1:8) and the “governor” (5:14). Sheshbazzar “brought up” (עָלָה) the precious articles as he “brought up” the exiles to Jerusalem (1:11). 

Knowing God:  understanding His person and ways

God moves the hearts of people to do His Will.  Ezra 1 gives us a case study of how God fulfills His Word and accomplishes His will in the world.  He stirs up the spirit of Cyrus to support a return of the Jewish exiles and a rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple.  He also stirs up the leaders, priests and people of Judah and Benjamin to want to return and rebuild.  Ezra gives us an Old Testament example of the truth of Philippians 2:13: “for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” 

God worked in Cyrus so he willingly issued a proclamation.  God worked in Jewish leaders to voluntarily uproot their lives and begin the arduous journey back to Jerusalem.  In both cases human agency is acknowledged as genuine; people made choices and acted.  But behind the human choices was God’s previous choice and His prior actions.  God is the prime mover in history who works through people to accomplish His purposes.

While God remains the primary cause of the exiles’ return to Jerusalem, He uses people as a secondary cause.  In this case, He may have moved Cyrus through the prophetic writings of Isaiah and Jeremiah.  He moved the hearts of Jewish leaders through the proclamation and permission of the king.  When Ezra leads the next wave of exiles to return, God moved in the hearts of Levites (like Sherebiah) through the appeal made by Iddo (8:18). 

Other phrases that express the truth that God “stirs” the spirit of individuals and groups include “the good hand of our God” (8:18) and “what my God had put into my heart” (Neh 2:12).

God moves the events of history to fulfill His Word.   Ezra begins his book by tracing all that is about to happen to God’s commitment to fulfill His prophetic word.  “In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persian, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia. . . “ (1:1).  Years before Cyrus’ birth, the Lord had spoken through Isaiah to predict his role in the return of the exiles and the rebuilding of the Temple (Isaiah 44:28).  God had also promised, through the mouth of Jeremiah, that the exiles would return after 70 years of captivity (Jer 29:10).  God’s commitment to seeing His Word accomplished moves him to move in the events of history.  He brings Cyrus to power and uses him to fulfill His promises to Israel. 

Joining God:  moving with God on mission

We can trust that history is truly His story.  World events involving global superpowers are not  independent of God’s oversight.  Instead, history is playing out according to God’s plan and purposes.  As Psalm 33:10-11 declare: “The LORD brings to the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.  The counsel of the LORD stands forever; the plans of his heart to all generations.” God deposes the Babylonian rulers, replacing them with Cyrus and the Medo-Persians.  Empires fall and rise according to “the plans of His heart.”  Here is a stabilizing truth for Christians living in an unstable world.  We can trust God to oversee history so that His plans and purposes prevail. 

We must move by faith when God stirs our spirits.  For the Jewish leaders who were stirred by God to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, the task they were undertaking was daunting.  Leaving Babylon involved uprooting their lives and separating from those family members staying behind.  The journey would be arduous and dangerous.  The situation back in Jerusalem was dire and difficult.  Those stirred in their spirits by the Lord literally took steps of faith to join what God was doing. God still stirs the spirits of His people to join Him on mission.  Joining Him still requires steps of faith into an unknown future.  But only by moving with God can we participate in His mission on earth. 

We can participate in God’s mission by going and by giving.  Not all Jewish exiles were able to join the company of the committed who returned with Zerubbabel.  Some who wanted to go would have been hindered by age or illness.  However, they still could support the mission through their generous giving—silver, gold, goods, beasts, and costly wares (1:6).  In a similar way, not all can be frontline workers in God’s mission due to age or illness.  However, all can take part through giving generously to support the work.  Those who give are partners with those who go.