We are studying the Book of Ezra on Sunday mornings for the next 3 months (approx!!)

Expounding Ezra
The book of Ezra is a plain,
straightforward account of one of the most important events in Jewish history,
namely the return of the people of God from the Babylonian captivity.
Originally the Jews counted Ezra and Nehemiah as one book and as a continuation
of 2 Chronicles.
Our first study is necessarily one of
introduction.
1.
THE PERSON WHO WROTE THE BOOK –
(a) What Scripture says – Ch 7:1,5,6,10,21.
(b) 
What Jewish tradition says –
(c) 
What Modern criticism says –
2.
THE PERIOD COVERED BY THE BOOK;-  80 years. 538 – 458 B.C.
(a) 
Preceded by the Captivity :-
Israel by Assyria 722 B.C. – 2 Kings 17 – 
Judah
by Baylon – Daniel 606 B.C (Dan 1:1-7) – Ezekiel 598 B.C.
– Final fall of Jerusalem 586 B.C. (2 Kings 24 & 25)
(b) 
Presented Chronologically:-
Chapter 
1 – The Decree Issued  (538/6
B.C.)
Chapter 
2 – The People Listed
Chapter 
3 – The Foundations laid (536/5 B.C.)
Chapter 4 – The Work Halted (535/20 B.C.)
Chapter 
5 – The Work Resumed (520 B.C.)
Through the preaching of Haggai and
Zechariah
Chapter 
6 – The Work Completed (515 B.C.)
A period of 57 years spiritual decline to
which belong the story of the book of Esther (515/458 B.C.)
Chapter 
7 – The Author Arrived (458 B.C.)
Chapter 
8 – The Journey Described
Chapter 
9 – The Failure Recognised
Chapter 10 – The Revival Commenced.
Between the end of Ezra and the beginning
of Nehemiah there is at least a 12 year period.
3.
THE PURPOSE IN STUDYING THE BOOK;-
(a) 
To learn how God works in history.
(b) 
To become see how God works in people.

(c) 
To be challenged by the details in the story.