Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. Ezra arrivedThe name "Ezra" is derived from the Hebrew "Ezra," meaning "help" or "helper." This reflects his role as a scribe and priest who was instrumental in helping the Jewish people return to their spiritual roots. Ezra's arrival signifies a pivotal moment in the restoration of Jerusalem and the re-establishment of the Jewish community there. His journey was not merely a physical relocation but a spiritual mission to bring the Law of God back to the people. Historically, Ezra's leadership is seen as a fulfillment of God's promise to restore His people after the Babylonian exile. in Jerusalem
Jerusalem, the holy city, holds profound significance as the center of Jewish worship and the location of the Temple. The city's name in Hebrew, "Yerushalayim," can be interpreted as "foundation of peace." Ezra's arrival in Jerusalem symbolizes the re-establishment of religious order and the re-affirmation of the covenant between God and His people. Archaeologically, Jerusalem during this period was undergoing reconstruction, and Ezra's presence was crucial in re-establishing the religious and social structures necessary for the community's survival and growth. in the fifth month
The "fifth month" corresponds to the Hebrew month of Av, which typically falls around July-August in the Gregorian calendar. This timing is significant as it aligns with the period of mourning and reflection for the Jewish people, particularly remembering the destruction of the First Temple. Ezra's arrival during this month can be seen as a beacon of hope and renewal, a divine orchestration to bring about spiritual revival and restoration at a time when the people were most in need of encouragement and direction. of the seventh year
The "seventh year" refers to the reign of King Artaxerxes I of Persia. Biblically, the number seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection, suggesting that Ezra's mission was divinely appointed and perfectly timed. The seventh year also resonates with the concept of the Sabbatical year in Jewish tradition, a time of rest and renewal. This context underscores the spiritual renewal that Ezra was to bring to the people of Jerusalem, aligning with God's perfect timing and plan for His people. of the king
The "king" mentioned here is Artaxerxes I, the Persian ruler who reigned from 465-424 BC. His support of Ezra's mission highlights the providential hand of God in using foreign rulers to accomplish His purposes for Israel. Historically, Artaxerxes' decree allowed Ezra to lead a group of exiles back to Jerusalem, providing them with resources and authority to re-establish the Law. This cooperation between a pagan king and a Jewish leader illustrates the sovereignty of God over all nations and rulers, orchestrating events to fulfill His divine will. Persons / Places / Events 1. EzraA scribe and priest, Ezra was a key figure in the restoration of Jerusalem and the Jewish community after the Babylonian exile. He was known for his dedication to the Law of Moses and his leadership in spiritual and religious reforms. 2. JerusalemThe central city of Jewish worship and identity, Jerusalem was the destination of Ezra's journey. It was the place where the temple was rebuilt and where Ezra would lead the people in renewing their covenant with God. 3. The Fifth MonthThis refers to the Jewish month of Av, which typically falls around July-August in the Gregorian calendar. It was a significant time for Ezra's arrival, marking a new chapter in the restoration efforts. 4. The Seventh Year of the KingThis refers to the reign of King Artaxerxes I of Persia, under whose authority Ezra was sent to Jerusalem. The king's support was crucial for Ezra's mission. 5. The JourneyEzra's journey from Babylon to Jerusalem was not just a physical relocation but a spiritual mission to restore the Jewish faith and practices according to the Law. Teaching Points Commitment to God's WordEzra's journey underscores the importance of being committed to studying and living out God's Word. As believers, we should prioritize understanding and applying Scripture in our lives. Leadership in FaithEzra's role as a leader in spiritual reform highlights the need for godly leadership in our communities. We should seek to lead by example, grounded in biblical principles. God's Timing and ProvisionEzra's arrival in the fifth month of the seventh year signifies God's perfect timing and provision. Trusting in God's timing is crucial in our spiritual journeys. Restoration and RenewalJust as Ezra was part of the restoration of Jerusalem, we are called to be agents of spiritual renewal in our own contexts, bringing God's truth and love to those around us. The Role of CommunityEzra's mission was not solitary; it involved the community of Israel. Engaging with and building up our faith communities is essential for spiritual growth and impact. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Ezra's commitment to the Law of the Lord challenge us in our personal study and application of Scripture today? 2. In what ways can we demonstrate godly leadership in our communities, following Ezra's example? 3. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's perfect timing in your life. How does this encourage you to trust Him more? 4. What steps can we take to be agents of spiritual renewal in our families, churches, or workplaces? 5. How can we foster a sense of community and shared purpose in our faith communities, similar to Ezra's efforts in Jerusalem? Connections to Other Scriptures Ezra 7:10This verse highlights Ezra's dedication to studying, practicing, and teaching the Law of the Lord, which is central to his mission in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 8:1-8This passage describes Ezra reading the Law to the people, demonstrating his role in spiritual leadership and the importance of God's Word in the community. 2 Chronicles 36:22-23These verses describe the decree of Cyrus, which allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem, setting the stage for Ezra's mission. Psalm 119:105This verse emphasizes the importance of God's Word as a guide, reflecting Ezra's commitment to the Law. People Aaron, Abishua, Ahitub, Amariah, Artaxerxes, Azariah, Bukki, Eleazar, Ezra, Hilkiah, Israelites, Levites, Meraioth, Phinehas, Seraiah, Shallum, Uzzi, Zadok, ZerahiahPlaces Babylonia, Beyond the River, Jerusalem, PersiaTopics Arrived, Fifth, Jerusalem, King's, Month, Rule, SeventhDictionary of Bible Themes Ezra 7:1-21 7464 teachers of the law Library Appendix. The Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament.
1. The Greek word Apocrypha, hidden, that is, hidden or secret books, was early applied by the fathers of the Christian church to anonymous or spurious books that falsely laid claim to be a part of the inspired word. By some, as Jerome, the term was extended to all the books incorporated by the Alexandrine Jews, in their Greek version, into the proper canon of the Old Testament, a few of which books, though not inspired, are undoubtedly genuine. Another designation of the books in question …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the BibleReading the Law with Tears and Joy
'And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. 2. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. 3. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate, from the morning until midday, before …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Rome and Ephesus
Corinth as portrayed in the Epistles of Paul gives us our simplest and least contaminated picture of the Hellenic Christianity which regarded itself as the cult of the Lord Jesus, who offered salvation--immortality--to those initiated in his mysteries. It had obvious weaknesses in the eyes of Jewish Christians, even when they were as Hellenised as Paul, since it offered little reason for a higher standard of conduct than heathenism, and its personal eschatology left no real place for the resurrection …
Kirsopp Lake—Landmarks in the History of Early Christianity Authorship of the Pentateuch.
The term Pentateuch is composed of the two Greek words, pente, five, and teuchos, which in later Alexandrine usage signified book. It denotes, therefore, the collection of five books; or, the five books of the law considered as a whole. 1. In our inquiries respecting the authorship of the Pentateuch, we begin with the undisputed fact that it existed in its present form in the days of Christ and his apostles, and had so existed from the time of Ezra. When the translators of the Greek version, …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
BY JOHN BUNYAN PREFATORY REMARKS BY THE EDITOR This important treatise was prepared for the press, and left by the author, at his decease, to the care of his surviving friend for publication. It first appeared in a collection of his works in folio, 1692; and although a subject of universal interest; most admirably elucidated; no edition has been published in a separate form. Antichrist has agitated the Christian world from the earliest ages; and his craft has been to mislead the thoughtless, by …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Brave Encouragements
'In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying, 2. Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, 3. Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? 4. Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture General Account of Jesus' Teaching.
^A Matt. IV. 17; ^B Mark I. 14, 15; ^C Luke IV. 14, 15. ^a 17 From that time Jesus began to preach [The time here indicated is that of John the Baptist's imprisonment and Jesus' return to Galilee. This time marked a new period in the public ministry of Jesus. Hitherto he had taught, but he now began to preach. When the voice of his messenger, John, was silenced, the King became his own herald. Paul quoted the Greeks as saying that preaching was "foolishness," but following the example here set by …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
1. The Greek word canon (originally a straight rod or pole, measuring-rod, then rule) denotes that collection of books which the churches receive as given by inspiration of God, and therefore as constituting for them a divine rule of faith and practice. To the books included in it the term canonical is applied. The Canon of the Old Testament, considered in reference to its constituent parts, was formed gradually; formed under divine superintendence by a process of growth extending through …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
1. The Traditional Law. - The brief account given in vol. i. p. 100, of the character and authority claimed for the traditional law may here be supplemented by a chronological arrangement of the Halakhoth in the order of their supposed introduction or promulgation. In the first class, or Halakhoth of Moses from Sinai,' tradition enumerates fifty-five, [6370] which may be thus designated: religio-agrarian, four; [6371] ritual, including questions about clean and unclean,' twenty-three; [6372] concerning …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah The Historical Books.
1. In the Pentateuch we have the establishment of the Theocracy, with the preparatory and accompanying history pertaining to it. The province of the historical books is to unfold its practiced working, and to show how, under the divine superintendence and guidance, it accomplished the end for which it was given. They contain, therefore, primarily, a history of God's dealings with the covenant people under the economy which he had imposed upon them. They look at the course of human events on the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories
[Sidenote: Influences in the exile that produced written ceremonial laws] The Babylonian exile gave a great opportunity and incentive to the further development of written law. While the temple stood, the ceremonial rites and customs received constant illustration, and were transmitted directly from father to son in the priestly families. Hence, there was little need of writing them down. But when most of the priests were carried captive to Babylonia, as in 597 B.C., and ten years later the temple …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Ezra-Nehemiah
Some of the most complicated problems in Hebrew history as well as in the literary criticism of the Old Testament gather about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Apart from these books, all that we know of the origin and early history of Judaism is inferential. They are our only historical sources for that period; and if in them we have, as we seem to have, authentic memoirs, fragmentary though they be, written by the two men who, more than any other, gave permanent shape and direction to Judaism, then …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Ezra 7:8 NIVEzra 7:8 NLTEzra 7:8 ESVEzra 7:8 NASBEzra 7:8 KJV
Ezra 7:8 Commentaries
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