Ezra 8 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study
Ezra 8 Short Summary:
Ezra 8 is a chapter of transition. Ezra and his fellow Jews prepare to make the 5-month journey from Babylonia to Jerusalem carrying an expensive gift for the Temple. With the help of God, they make the journey safely and deliver the gift to the priests in Jerusalem. Ezra 8 sets the stage for Ezra’s future work in Judah, calling the people to repentance, which will be discussed in chapters 9 and 10.
Ezra 8 Summary
WHEN:
538-537 BC - The people of Judah return to Judah.
536 BC - Rebuilding of the foundation of the Temple.
536-530 BC – The adversaries of the Jews oppose the Temple rebuilding.
530-520 BC – Work on the Temple stops by decree of King Artaxerxes.
520 BC – Work on the Temple resumes.
516 BC – Work on the Temple completed.
457 BC – Ezra arrives in Jerusalem.
KEY CHARACTERS:
Captives of Judah – The descendants of Israel who returned to Jerusalem and Judah following 70 years of exile in Babylon. The returning exiles became known as the Jews (4:12).
Artaxerxes Longimanus – King of Persia from 464-424 BC.
Ezra – A priest and scribe who was skilled in the Law of God.
WHERE:
Jerusalem – The capital of the Kingdom of Judah and the location of God’s Temple. The city was under reconstruction after being destroyed by the Babylonians 50 years earlier.
Babylonia – Ezra left Babylonia and travelled to Jerusalem.
River Ahava – Ezra gathered a group of returning exiles at the River Ahava before setting off for Judah. The exact location of the river is debated.
OUTLINE:
GENEALOGY OF THE EXILES WHO RETURNED WITH EZRA (8:1-14):
This portion of Ezra’s writing is devoted to documenting the number of men who travelled with him from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
According to the list, there were around 1,500 men who made the trip.
EZRA RECRUITS LEVITES TO RETURN TO JUDAH (8:15-20):
When all the people were gathered at the River Ahava, Ezra noticed that there were no men from the Tribe of Levi amongst them.
Ezra wanted Levites to accompany them so they could serve as ministers in the Temple (8:17).
Ezra sent a group of men to recruit some Levites, and they were successful at finding close to 40 Levites and 220 Temple servants.
A FAST FOR A SAFE JOURNEY (8:21-23):
Ezra didn’t want to ask Artaxerxes for an armed guard to escort them to Judah, even though they would be carrying a lot of money, because he had already bragged about God, telling the king God’s power would keep them safe.
Instead, Ezra declared a fast, and him and his company fasted and prayed for God to watch over them.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE MONEY FOR TRANSPORT (8:24-36):
Ezra was charged with carrying a sizable and valuable gift from Babylonia to the Temple in Jerusalem: 650 talents of silver, silver vessels of 200 talents, 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold, and two vessels of fine bronze.
*A talent weighed anywhere between 55-75lbs (25-34kg).
He distributed the precious things between 12 of the leading priests and entrusted them to keep it safe.
Ezra’s 5-month journey is summarized with great brevity in verses 31 and 32.
A few days after their arrival in Jerusalem, the precious gifts were brought to the priests at the Temple, they were counted, weighted, and recorded.
The newly returned exiles worshiped the Lord with offerings: 12 bulls, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and 12 male goats as a sin offering.
APPLICATION:
Ezra didn’t want to return to Jerusalem without some men from the Tribe of Levi to help at the Temple. He had a need, and he recruited men to fill that need.
His actions remind me of Barnabas travelling up to Tarsus to recruit Paul as a coworker (Acts 11:25-26).
These examples stand in contrast to the common practice of praying for help and then expecting God to drop it in our laps.
Sometimes we need to pray and then be proactive in working towards a positive answer.
We all want our prayers answered like Abraham’s servant when he went to find a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24).
But sometimes we need to follow Jesus’ example with His Apostles. He prayed and then went out and recruited the men He wanted (Luke 6:12-16).
