The first group of returnees received the task of rebuilding the temple of God. We will study about the opposition to the building of the temple in a later lesson. Now, we will discuss the succession of Persian kings during the temple’s prolonged construction and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It is important to know the history behind the stories of Ezra and Nehemiah, as it provides a deeper insight into their messages.

Read Ezra 4:1-7. Who were the different kings mentioned during whose reign the opposition to the building of the temple occurred?

Prophecy to rebuild

Here is the list of Persian kings, in their chronological order, who are connected with the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. It begins with Cyrus, who established the Persian Empire and conquered Babylon in 539 B.C.:

• Cyrus II “the Great” (559–530 B.C.)
• Cambyses II (530–522 B.C.)
• Darius I (522–486 B.C.)
• Xerxes I (485–465 B.C). (Also known from the book of Esther as Ahasuerus.)
• Artaxerxes I (465-424 B.C).

As we study these books, it’s very important to know that the appearance of these kings is not mentioned in Ezra in chronological order. For example, Ezra 4:6-24 is inserted before chapter 5, which continues the story of the opposition to the building of the temple. Consequently, the letters involving Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) and Artaxerxes I described in Ezra chapter 4 occurred after the events recorded in chapters 5 and 6, dealing with Darius I. This sequence can seem perplexing to readers, and it may account for some of the confusion that people have had over the centuries regarding the books. As we go through the quarter, knowing the order of events will help us better understand the messages of Ezra and Nehemiah.

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Read Jeremiah 25:11-12 and Jeremiah 29:10 and Daniel 9:1-2. When did the first return of the exiles happen? What prophecy was the return fulfilling?

The Lord influenced Cyrus to allow the first return, in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s 70-year prophecy. Jeremiah had written that the land of Judah would lie desolate for 70 years under Babylon (this happened, from 606/605 B.C. to 537/536 B.C.), but then God would open the doors for the captives’ return. As Daniel studied the writings of Jeremiah, he realized that the time had come for that promised return.

Cyrus and Daniel

In Daniel 9, Daniel is distraught because the 70 years were nearly up with no apparent change, and the new Persian empire had now risen to power. He mourned and turned to God, pleading for mercy and the fulfillment of His promises. In the same chapter (Dan. 9:24-27), God assured Daniel that He watches over everything and has a future planned, with a Deliverer who will die for the people to atone for their sins, bring righteousness, and fulfill the sacrificial system. In effect, God was saying, “Daniel, don’t worry. Since the true Deliverer (Jesus) will surely come, I will also send a deliver for you now”. Shortly afterward, God moved Cyrus, the king of Persia, to give the command to release the captives. God is always true to His promises (See Daniel 10 for how God intervened in order to secure the prosperity of His people in their homeland.)

Ezra 1 records King Cyrus’s proclamation that the nation of Israel was free to return to Jerusalem and to build the house of the Lord. The command was given sometime between the years 539–537 B.C. Not only does Cyrus let them go, but he also makes sure that they return with gifts and offerings, including the original vessels from the temple, which had been stolen by Nebuchadnezzar. This event reminds us of the Israelites leaving Egypt many years before, when God also moved the hearts of the people to present them with parting gifts. This first group to return to Judah was composed of about 50,000 people, which most likely included women and children from other territories.

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Read for This Week’s Study: Jer. 25:11-12; Dan. 9:1-2; Ezra 4:1-7; Isa. 55:8-9; Ezra 7:1-28.

Memory Text: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah”. (Ezra 1:2, NKJV).

In the writings of Jeremiah, God had promised that His people would return home after 70 years of Babylonian exile. King Cyrus was God’s instrument to allow this return to happen. Anointed by God (Isa. 45:1), Cyrus issued a decree about 538 B.C., freeing up God’s people to return to their country and to rebuild the temple.

It was God (not Cyrus) who spoke regarding Jerusalem: “ ‘Let it be rebuilt’, and of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid’ ” (Isa. 44:28, NIV). God was the guarantor that Jerusalem would be rebuilt, and He stirred the heart of Cyrus to grant permission to build the temple.

It is always encouraging, too, to see God’s people respond positively to the Lord’s actions: “Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites — everyone whose heart God had moved — prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:5, NIV).

Here we see an example of people responding positively to God’s mighty and gracious acts. Our best performance comes from a realization of who God is and what He has done, and from knowing how He lovingly intervenes on behalf of His people.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 5.

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Ezra and Nehemiah

The Gospel According to Ezra and Nehemiah

Ezra and Nehemiah were exceptional, God-centered, Word-oriented, and Spirit-led leaders who deeply desired that God’s people prosper and that His name be uplifted and proclaimed worldwide. Their lives modeled what God can do through dedicated, faithful servant leaders.

Because of our sinful natures, cultivated habits, and hereditary traits, we can experience true, lasting changes only through the study of God’s transforming Word and the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Believers live “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” (Zech. 4:6, NKJV)and by embracing God’s promises by faith (Hab. 2:4), resulting in a vibrant spiritual life.

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This quarter’s lessons illustrate that life is complicated. As soon as we try to do good things, obstacles appear and opposition arises. Even friends may openly or secretly oppose us and, perhaps, become our enemies. Hurdles and resistance to good demonstrate that Satan is alive and that sin is real. Fighting Satan is humanly impossible because evil is stronger than we are. Only God can secure victory, revolutionize thinking, and give us power to live balanced lives. Life’s discouragements are opportunities for change. Disappointments may help us focus on essentials and accelerate our spiritual growth, as we obtain victory over each crisis through God’s empowerment.

Neither the book of Ezra nor Nehemiah ends with optimism. Sin is a serious matter, spreading easily and quickly. The biggest challenge does not come from outside, but from infidelity to God with His own people not following His revealed will. To be faithful to the Lord and persevere in following His instruction is the strongest test for God’s church. As Ezra correctly understood, the only power to change comes through diligently searching the Scriptures, comprehending, and internalizing them.

In order to fulfill the starting point of the prophecies of the 70 weeks and the 2,300 evenings and mornings (which both began in 457 B.C.), God graciously intervened and influenced King Artaxerxes I to allow Ezra along with a group of Israelites to return to Jerusalem, to secure the safety of their journey, and even to provide needed physical and financial provisions for the temple services(Ezra 7:11-28).

The key theological themes of these two books are God’s providence, faithfulness, and covenant. God fulfilled His promises, even though His people were narrow-minded, disoriented, distracted, and stubborn. Through His servants, He called them from their state of lethargy to revival and reformation.

“The work of restoration and reform carried on by the returned exiles, under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, presents a picture of a work of spiritual restoration that is to be wrought in the closing days of this earth’s history. The remnant of Israel were a feeble people, exposed to the ravages of their enemies; but through them God purposed to preserve in the earth a knowledge of Himself and of His law. They were the guardians of the true worship, the keepers of the holy oracles” – Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 677.

Ezra and Nehemiah are historically linked, and they cover a crucial transition in the life of God’s people. These 23 chapters form one big story, but with subunits; they are complementary and cover similar theological issues. By carefully studying the pattern revealed in the composition of these two books, we can discern God’s great historical actions and gracious leadership.

Keep in mind that not everything presented in these books is written in chronological order, and that some parts are composed in a thematic manner.

As we will see, the challenge for Ezra and Nehemiah was not to reconstruct the temple (it was finished and dedicated in 515 B.C., more than 50 years before Ezra’s arrival) but to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, her administration, and the national autonomy — all eventually paving the way for the coming of the Messiah.

As we study God’s Word this quarter, may the Lord bless us by inspiring us, touching our hearts, transforming our thinking, and enabling us daily to follow Him faithfully and enthusiastically.

Jirí Moskala, ThD, PhD, is dean and professor of Old Testament exegesis and theology at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. He joined the faculty in 1999. Prior to coming to Andrews, Moskala served in various capacities (ordained pastor, administrator, teacher, and principal) in the Czech Republic. He is a member of various theological societies and has authored or edited a number of articles and books in the Czech and English languages. In addition, he has participated in several archaeological expeditions at Tell Jalul, Jordan.

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Driving Passengers to Christ

By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission

Byungeun Oh, a taxi driver in rural South Korea, had never led anyone to Christ after years in church, and he decided to change that.

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Byungeun saw many repeat customers and began to build relationships. He collected passengers’. cell phone numbers and, with his wife, took them out to eat and visited them at home.

One Sabbath afternoon, Byungeun and his wife, Mihyun Yun, visited the home of a passenger named Mr. Choi. They chatted for a while, and Byungeun invited the man out to dinner. As they left the house, Mr. Choi pointed to a small church nearby and said he once had worshipped there.

Byungeun saw an opportunity to share his faith.

“We have a very beautiful church”, he said. “Would you like to visit it?”

Mr. Choi agreed to visit the church in the town of Chuncheon.

Byungeun drove to a local restaurant. Its Adventist owner expressed delight that Mr. Choi planned to attend church and declared that the meal of buckwheat noodles was on the house. The kindness surprised Mr. Choi and strengthened his resolve to visit the church.

After that first Sabbath, Mr. Choi returned to the church every week and was baptized.

Byungeun had won his first soul for Christ, and he didn’t intend to stop.

One day, he saw an elderly man emerge from a house as he drove past. He had seen the man before and stopped to greet him.

“I was about to call for a taxi”, the man said.

Byungeun quickly offered to take the man to his destination. As he drove, he learned that the man was named Mr. Park and decided to visit him at home that evening.

Byungeun and his wife showed up with several small gifts. Mr. Park ushered them into the living room and introduced them to his wife, Chunja An. Byungeun learned that the wife had a problem. She couldn’t attend Sunday services at her church because she worked six days a week, with only Saturdays off.

“We go to church on Saturday”, Byungeun said. “Why don’t you come with us?”

Soon she was baptized.

In two years, Byungeun, pictured left, has led three people to Christ. He is convinced that if he, a 58-year-old taxi driver, can do it, so can anyone.

“Reduce your work so you can do God’s work”, he said. “Simplify your life, and then fill it with the joy of meeting souls”.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

All Rights Reserved. No part of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide may be edited, altered, modified, adapted, translated, reproduced, or published by any person or entity without prior written authorization from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

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