Unlocking The Old Testament

Ezra and Nehemiah 1

In looking at Ezra and Nehemiah, David Pawson gives the background of the 3 deportations which Israel had suffered under Assyria and Babylon, and the 3 returns to the land. Years earlier, Isaiah had prophesied that a man named Cyrus would release Israel from their captors and Cyrus, of Babylon, did just that though he did it for his own agenda. Apparently both being written by Ezra, these books record the rebuilding of the social life, of the religious life and of the physical wall and buildings, though the latter suffered threats and interruptions. Zerubbabel, of the Hebrew royal line, led the first return. Now Ezra, a priest, led the second and Nehemiah, a few years later, led the third. Each made an impact on a different aspect of Israeli life. Both books look at how the leaders went about rebuilding the state and reforming the people. The tragedy was that, though the earlier sin of the people had been the catalyst for losing their land, when they got back, they went back into sin. We see that Ezra was a “Bible man” – he studied it, he lived it and he taught it. What an example.

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Ezra and Nehemiah 2

n this talk, David Pawson gives more emphasis to the book of Nehemiah – the story of the man of prayer and faith given permission to return to Jerusalem to organize the rebuilding. Despite opposition, he encouraged the returned exiles to do the work while armed to ward off attack. They completed the repair of ancient Jerusalem’s wall in 52 days because ‘the people had a will to work’. Nehemiah had to deal with internal economic and moral woes as well as external threats and conspiracy. Ezra arranged the public reading of God’s Word so that the people would have an understanding, and had the people renew their Covenant with the Lord. David Pawson compares the two leaders, Ezra and Nehemiah, and says we need both types of men. He says if Ezra was the Bible man, Nehemiah was the prayer man, but he was also practical and didn’t mind putting his hand to cementing. David says he thinks we should be inspired by Scriptural characters, emulating what’s good in them and avoiding their mistakes if we can. Overall, we are looking at the story of God and his people. And God kept his promises to both punish their wrongdoing and to bless their repentance. David reveals the thread of Scripture.

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