Ezra and Nehemiah

Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther are the last historical books of the Old Testament. All three are post-captivity. Ezra and Nehemiah consider the remnant of Jews that returned to Judah, while Esther takes place in the land of their exile. This was the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:2424And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)). God’s sentence of Lo-Ammi (“not my people”, Hosea 1:99Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. (Hosea 1:9)) is written upon Israel. The land is under the dominion of the Persians, and all dates are relative to their monarchs. Yet God has not forgotten Israel (Jer. 31:2020Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:20)). He is still to be seen working behind the scenes, using the Gentile rulers as He chooses, and in His time, to execute His will.
The book of Ezra describes the construction of the temple, while in Nehemiah we have the restoration of the city of Jerusalem and its walls. Ezra, the priest and a ready scribe, was concerned with the ecclesiastical state of things, while Nehemiah, the king’s cupbearer and governor of Judah, was occupied with the civil.
In these books we see faith displayed in the day of ruin, a conduct that is not pretentious but acknowledges the condition of things. The very act of establishing the altar again in the midst of the temple ruin only served to highlight the state of things (Ezra 3:22Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. (Ezra 3:2)).
The book of Ezra begins in the time of Cyrus (Ezra 1:11Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, 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, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, (Ezra 1:1)) and continues through the reigns of Ahasuerus (Cambyses; Ezra 4:66And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. (Ezra 4:6)), Artaxerxes (Smerdis; Ezra 4:77And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. (Ezra 4:7)), and Darius (Darius Hystaspis; Ezra 4:2424Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. (Ezra 4:24)), during the 2nd year of whose reign, Haggai and Zechariah prophesy (Hag. 1:11In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, (Haggai 1:1); Zech. 1:11In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, (Zechariah 1:1)). The events of Esther follow and take place during the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), while the latter part of Ezra and the entire book of Nehemiah occur during the reign of his son, Artaxerxes (Artaxerxes Longimanus; Ezra 7; Neh. 2:11And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. (Nehemiah 2:1)).
Ezra
The return to Jerusalem of the Jews from captivity was not a random event at the whim of the king, but rather one whose precise time had been prophesied by Jeremiah: “For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place” (Jer. 29:1010For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. (Jeremiah 29:10)). Further, the very sovereign under whose hand this would take place, Cyrus, was named long before (Isa. 44:2828That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. (Isaiah 44:28)). Those that took advantage of the offer were principally of Judah and Benjamin with a few Levites—a small remnant of the Chaldean captivity. These are the Jews, a term employed frequently in these books. Jehovah permits their return, setting the scene for the coming of the Messiah in the New Testament. The return is under the leadership of Zerubbabel, of the royal line of David, but everything is subject to the king of Persia.
Before the foundations of the temple were laid, and before the walls of the city were restored, the altar was raised up, for therein was their refuge. The foundation of the temple followed (Ezra 3), but the enemy is always ready to hinder. Seeking first to join with them, then in open opposition, he sought to bring the work to a halt (Ezra 4). Discouragement set in and the work ceased, long before the edict from Artaxerxes (4:17-24). The condition of the people had to be addressed before God could move the King, and the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were raised up to this end (Ezra 5:11Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. (Ezra 5:1)). As a result, the temple was completed—though without the ark it was an empty house.
Some years later, a second smaller group returned to the land under the leadership of Ezra (Ezra 7-8). Ezra was astonished to find that the people and the priests had intermarried with the inhabitants of the land contrary to the word of the law (Ezra 9-10). The prayer that flowed from Ezra’s heart is beautiful; justifying God, he identified himself with the sins of the people. Confession is the fruit of Ezra’s appeals, and the children of captivity separated themselves from the people of the land, and from their strange wives (Ezra 10:11, 1211Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. 12Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do. (Ezra 10:11‑12)).
Nehemiah
The book of Nehemiah commences in the 20th year of Artaxerxes—a very important date, for it begins the 70 weeks of Daniel (Dan. 9:2525Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (Daniel 9:25)). In that year the command to build and restore Jerusalem was given to Nehemiah (Neh. 1-2). Again, the enemy tried to hinder the work, for these were troublous times. There were enemies not only without, but also within. With a weapon in one hand, they built with the other (Neh. 4:1717They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. (Nehemiah 4:17)) until the work was complete, for it was wrought by God (Neh. 3-6).
For twelve years Nehemiah governed (Neh. 5:1414Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. (Nehemiah 5:14)), during which time he was diligent in addressing the grievances of the people. Usury was condemned, and mortgaged lands and property were restored (Neh. 5). In the ninth chapter they bind themselves by a covenant, only to prove again that there is no power within man to keep that which he promises. At the end of the twelve years, after a brief visit to Artaxerxes (Neh. 13:66But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king: (Nehemiah 13:6)), Nehemiah returns to find the enemy dwelling within the courts of the house of God, the Levites neglected, the Sabbath violated, and the people again united with the strangers of the land (Neh. 13:7-287And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense. 10And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 11Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. 13And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their brethren. 14Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. 15In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 18Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 20So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. 22And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. 23In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 24And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. 25And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. 26Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. 27Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives? 28And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. (Nehemiah 13:7‑28)). Such is the continual failure of the first Adam—fully proven at Calvary.