God's Work in Pagan Rulers- Ezra 1

We begin a new book this morning, the book of Ezra. Though the Jewish people combine Ezra and Nehemiah, we are going to deal only with Ezra, though the two books have much overlapping material. In addition, the book covers a lengthy period of time (spanning about 100 years, depending on how one calculates the dates).

We need to spend a moment discussing the background of this book because it helps us understand the book itself, which will then enable us to apply it more accurately (remember 2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Briefly, Israel became the people of God through the covenant God made with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3). It was through Abraham’s seed (Gal. 3:15-18) that the Messiah would come. Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, would have 12 sons what would become the 12 tribes of Israel. God rescues these people from the slavery and oppression of the Egyptians These people were in a Covenant relationship with God (see Ex. 19-20), and as such, God would be their God and they would be God’s people, obeying everything God told them (Ex. 19:5).

As God’s plan of redemption comes into greater detail (cf. Eph. 1:3-14 and Gen. 3:15), the prophecies about this Seed of the Woman continue to come.