The authorship of these books is attributed to the Jewish chronicler (redactor) whose sources are the memoirs of both Ezra and Nehemiah. Nehemiah’s memoirs appear in Nehemiah 1:1-7:4; 11:1-2; 12:27-43; 13:4-31. Ezra’s memoirs appear in Ezra 7:1-10, 27-9:15; Nehemiah 7:73-9:38.
The books are a product of what the key characters wrote down in their diaries. Its content was contributed by what the historians in both Jerusalem and back in Susa recorded. For instance the list of the exiles that returned who returned under Zerubbabel appear in Ezra 2:1-61. It also appears with some variations in Nehemiah 7:6-63, and we see other lists of names of returnees in Ezra 10:18-44, Nehemiah 10:1-27.
These, we can conclude, are from both the memoirs of Ezra and Nehemiah and the official kingdom documents. In the first part of this introduction, I pointed out that the major cause of the exile of Israel was due to two reasons:
- Faith
- Politics
Let me now try to show you exactly how these two problems are reflected in the key characters who these books are named after.
Ezra was a priest and a religious scholar who had spent all his life trying to reconstruct the history of Israel and Yahweh (Ezra 7:12,21). He was a religious consultant and his scripture was the book of the Law of Moses (Nehemiah 8:1). Ezra’s book of the law might have included the earlier form of what we know as the Pentateuch today.
According to Nehemiah 8:13-18, the Israelite returnees did not know what to do in celebrating the feast of tabernacles until Ezra was consulted. He was the reformer of the faith of Israel (Ezra 7:10). In Nehemiah 8:15, the people were instructed to gather branches to be used in building the booths. However, Deuteronomy 16:13-15 makes no such demand for the worshipping congregation though Leviticus 23:39-43 does.
Ezra focused on the rebuilding of the Temple for the life of Israel began with the state of the Temple. The opposition he received surrounded the question of the reliability of the Shekinah.
A Temple is useless without the presence of Yahweh (Shekinah) in it. It was difficult to convince the elders and prophets about the presence of Yahweh in such a Temple after all that had happened through the years. The question that Ezra is faced with is, After all these developments and experiences, what is the state of our religion and what is our future with Yahweh? Are we to continue with the sacrificial systems or not? If we are to continue, how are we supposed to do that? Are Levites and Priests still relevant or not? Should we continue paying the tithe or not? What about marriage? How about the Law (Torah) how are we to observe it?
The way these questions of faith will be addressed is going to determine the developments of Israel’s religion from this period to the New Testament times. The faith of Israel was the mission of Ezra.
Nehemiah, on the other hand, was a political reformer. Initially, Nehemiah was in the palace of Susa serving as a cupbearer (wine tester for the King) and was a close friend to the king. When the report of a political disorganization came to the Persian authorities from Jerusalem, the King made Nehemiah the new governor of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah, unlike other politicians, fused politics with Israelite religious codes to formulate a policy. People had deserted the city for it was easy to be captured in case of a war. So fencing the city with walls had its advantages and disadvantages as well. Apart from the external opposition that waged war against these returnees, the internal opposition came from the Jews as well as the Samaritans who thought it made no sense to rebuild the walls that entangled many people in times of the war.
Nehemiah’s political assignment was to address economic problems, corruption, patriotism and habitation and he had to deal with these political problems keeping in focus the religious context. This is why as a politician, he is directly involved in matters concerning temple corruption, levitical poverty, sabbath-day abuse and mixed-marriages as well. The political approach of Nehemiah is Theocratic and highlights an area in which many Israel and Judah kings failed. This politician was also a man of prayer.
Ezra and Nehemiah were contemporaries who served different roles in the restoration of the nation of Israel. They are both conscious of the good hand of God though, in these books, two things are practically missing;
- There are no miracles and
- Hardly do we see or hear the term; ‘the Lord said’.
This doesn’t make these books less spiritual but rather presents an advanced revelation of Yahweh. For Ezra and Nehemiah are convinced that the Lord might not manifest in signs and wonders but he is still active in the hearts of these reformers (Ezra 7:27, Nehemiah 2:12; 7:5).
Here is the difference between Ezra and Nehemiah. Ezra tells the story of the return from captivity from a religious angle but Nehemiah tells the same story from a political/civil point of view. They both suffer opposition but overcome it.
Let me wind up with a few lessons that we learn from these books:
- Disobedience to God means disaster and no matter how long it takes, a rebellious child is the ultimate loser.
- God has always been following his sinful children and he follows us and stops at our graves. Therefore, we had better turn to him before it is too late.
- God will use heathen and unlikely characters/situations like Persian systems to save you.
- Opposition is a sign you are doing the right thing, correction is a signal that you are wrong.
- In a difficult situation, see the worst and say the best.
- When the enemy attacks, stand your rightful ground and fight, and when you strike, hit hard in Jesus name.
- If you know the difference between Music and Singing, you will henceforth understand the relationship between Christian activity and Prayer.
God bless you I invoke TRUTH, REASON and FAITH (2Tim 2:7)
Pr. T.I.M WHITE
The Gospel Hawker
@iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship (John 4:24)
iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship (John 4:24) 