The world domination of the Assyrians ended with the Babylonian Empire taking control. Then the Medes-Persia empire defeated the great Babylonian empire. This is where Ezra begins his book.
1st Letter ~ Ezra 1:2-4
The first letter was written in Hebrew to the Hebrews living in Babylon by king Cyrus.
Seventy long years had passed since Judah was exiled to Babylon from Judah. Then God did a miraculous work in the life of king Cyrus and he wrote a letter to the Jews living in Babylon.
Ezra 1: 2-4 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3 ‘Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.
4 ‘Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’”
A letter of authority – honoring the living God of the Israelites. With explicit instructions for rebuilding God’s house, a temple in Jerusalem. How excited the exiled people must have been. They had been weeping in Babylon for 70 years.
Psalm 137:1 “By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down and wept,
When we remembered Zion.”
Those who chose to go back to war-torn Jerusalem, celebrated various Feasts to the Lord. Then two years later the work began to build the foundation by celebrating and worshiping God. Ezra 3:8-10
2nd letter ~ Ezra 4:11-16
Enemies of Israel began harassing the builders… to get them to stop building the temple… it didn’t work. Then they sent a letter to the new king of Persia against Jerusalem in the language of the day, Aramaic.
Ezra 4:11-16
3rd letter ~ 4:17-22
King Artaxerxes replied with a stop work order.
The enemies asked for a stop work order and the king stopped the work.
Ezra 4:21
The work was stopped until the 2nd year of a new king of Persia, Darius.
Ezra 4:24
4th letter ~ Ezra 5:7-17
The Lord intervened through two of His prophets, Zechariah and Haggai.
The 4th letter was sent to the Persian king, asking him to check out the letter king Cyrus had sent, authorizing the building of the temple in Jerusalem. Ezra 5:17
5th letter ~ Ezra 6:2-5
The first letter to authorize the building of the temple was found. Ezra 6:2
6th letter ~ Ezra 6:6-12
The word of the king was final, he authorized the completion of the temple and it was done. Ezra 6:15
Think about this!
Never, ever give up! Pray to the Lord for the next step, even though the “odds” seem to be against you.
Remember: the Lord God is greater than anyone with power and authority in this world.