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Nehemiah enjoyed security and prestige as the king’s cupbearer, so there was no reason for him to ask about the needs of people hundreds of miles away. But he loved Jerusalem and was concerned about the welfare of his people (Jer. 15:5). How do you respond when you learn that others are hurting?

Nehemiah was a man of prayer; you will find ten of his prayers in this book. He believed in a great God who kept His promises, forgave sin, and helped His people when they called on Him. Like Ezra before him, Nehemiah identified himself with the sins and sorrows of the nation ( Ezra 9:5).

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When things look dark, there is always a ray of hope. Shechaniah encouraged the people to confess their sins and obey the Word. He may have been thinking of God’s promises in Exodus 34:6–7 , Isaiah 55:6–7 , and Jeremiah 3:11–13 . Believers today turn to 1 John 1:9 .

But confession must not be a routine thing that comes only from the lips. We must tremble at God’s Word (Ezra 9:4; 10:3; Isa. 66:2) and truly bring Him a broken heart (Ps. 51:16–17). That explains why Ezra fasted and prayed, for he identified himself with the people in their sins. Note the pronouns in Ezra 9:6–15 .

Not everybody agreed to obey (v. 15), but those who did submit to Ezra confessed their sins publicly, offered a sacrifice, and put away their pagan wives and children. The experience was painful for them, but it was the only way to keep the nation pure (Matt. 18:7–9). There is no easy way to deal with sin.

God’s people have hope because of salvation (Rom. 5:1–2), suffering (Rom. 5:3), the Word of God (Rom. 15:4), and the Spirit of God (Rom. 15:13). Of course, there could be no hope were it not for the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:3). He is our Hope (1 Tim. 1:1).

Astonished (1–4). For at least three reasons, the Jewish remnant should have obeyed God’s Word about marriage. To begin with, God had been good to bring them back to the land. He had also chastened them in Babylon, and they knew from their own past the consequences of compromise. No wonder Ezra was astonished.

Ashamed (5–9). Ezra used several images to show their plight. They were like drowning men because of their sins (v. 6 ), and yet they sinned more. They were a little peg on which so much future was hanging (v. 8), a remnant that had to serve as a wall against the awful encroachments of sin (v. 9). If the nation was polluted, how could Messiah be born (v. 2)?

Alarmed (10–15). God had revealed His Word, and they did not obey it. God had shown them grace (v. 8), and they did not appreciate it. God had held back punishment (v. 13; Ps. 103:10), and they took advantage of it. All God could do now was punish them even more.

As he prayed, Ezra trembled (v. 4), knelt (v. 5), and bowed down (v. 6) because nobody could stand before God (v. 15; Ps. 130:3).

There is a gap of fifty-seven years between the completion of the temple and the arrival of Ezra. Unfortunately, the people had lapsed into sin; and it was Ezra’s task to bring them back to the Lord. One of the emphases in these chapters is hands .

God’s hand. Ezra was a gifted man (Ezra 7:10), but he could do nothing unless God’s hand was upon him and the people traveling with him. God’s hand is a providing hand (Ezra 7:6; 8:18), a protecting hand (Ezra 8:22, 31), an encouraging hand (Ezra 7:28), and a guiding hand (Ezra 7:9).

Ezra’s hand (Ezra 7:14). God’s Word was in Ezra’s heart as well as his hand (Ezra 7:10), and it was the Word that the people needed. There can be no cleansing or reviving apart from the Word of God.

The Jews’ hands (Ezra 8:26, 33). The hands of the people carried the treasures of the Lord, faithfully delivered to the temple at the end of the journey. When you meet the Lord, you will “weigh in” and find out how faithful you have been with what He has given you. Heed the words of Ezra 8:29: “Watch and keep!”

According to Ezra 7:10 , Ezra studied God’s Word, obeyed God’s Word, and taught God’s Word. He was like the person Jesus spoke about in Matthew 13:52: a student (learning) who was a disciple (living) and a householder (sharing). Having a balanced life is most important.

How do you go about restoring things after God’s chastening hand has been removed? Put worship first. There was no temple as yet, but that did not hinder them from setting up an altar and sacrificing to God. This is an illustration of Matthew 6:33. They needed to worship God for their own sake as well for a witness to the people around them.

It was time for the Feast of Tabernacles, a joyful feast of thanksgiving. Times were tough, but the people obeyed the Word and praised the Lord. This in itself would be a testimony to the Gentiles, and it would do their own hearts good. It is always the right time to praise the Lord.

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