Ezra Outline, Background and Contents

An Outline to Ezra

Only the Great LORD is able to make the lost saved, the corrupted purified and the forsaken precious. God steps into ancient world events to restore His temple worship. If the first testimony of rebuilding the great temple is insufficient proof of God's power, then the second testimony of changing his people's hearts becomes the sure confirmation of God's glorious work.

I. Rebuilding the Temple (Ezra 1-6)
Ezra 1 The Decree to Rebuild the Temple
Ezra 2 The Returning Exiles
Ezra 3 The Temple Restoration Begins
Ezra 4 The Adversaries Halt Restoration
Ezra 5 The Resumption of the Restoration
Ezra 6 The Temple is Completed

II. Purifying the People (Ezra 7-10)
Ezra 7 Ezra is Appointed by King Artaxerxes
Ezra 8 Ezra Leads the Exiles to Jerusalem
Ezra 9 Ezra Intercedes on Behalf of Israel
Ezra 10 Ezra Purifies the People

Remember there was a _______ year gap between chapters 6 and 7.

Ezra examining the rebuilt temple As we look forward into time, we find that the Israelites never could find a true fulfillment for the OT promises of a king with real power. In 2 Samuel 7:12-17 the LORD promised a king from David's line that would rule forever.

From the exile on right up to the time of Jesus, the people were always under foreign domination. The temple became a focal point, but also a point of frustration. In Jesus' time, many were looking to overthrow the foreign armies in Jerusalem. King Herod even had one garrison lodged right at the edge of the temple court that his father had greatly expanded starting in 19 BC.

In the end we see that the old temple was going to come down. A new one would be built. This new temple would be built on the third day. The Lord Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, fulfilled this and other prophecies. The second temple was destroyed in 70 AD. Yet Christ reigns forever!

"Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

The Jews therefore said,
“It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

But He was speaking of the temple of His body."

(John 2:19-21).

Ezra Long Outline

I. Rebuilding the Temple

Chapter 1 The Decree to Rebuild the Temple
A. The Proclamation (Ezra 1:1-6)
     1. Its Reason (Ezra 1)
      2. Its Content (Ezra 2-4)
      3. Its fulfillment (Ezra 5-6)

B. The Temple Articles (Ezra 1:7-11)
     1. Deliverance and definition (Ezra 7-8)
      2. Description and numbering (Ezra 9-10)
      3. Transportation of articles (Ezra 11)

Chapter 2 The Returning Exiles (Ezra 2:1-70)
A. Men of Israel (2:1-35)
B. Men of priesthood and temple service (2:36-38)
C. Men of unconfirmed household (2:39-63)
      1. Excluded from priesthood and unclean
      2. Wait until Urim and Thurim
D. Summary (2:64-67)
E. The Return to Judah (2:68-70)

Chapter 3 The Temple Restoration Begins (Ezra 3:1-13)
A. Rebuilding of the Altar (3:1-2)
      1. Built after Law of Moses (3:2)
      2. Purpose is to offer burnt offerings (3:2)
      3. Time was the 7th month
B. Reinstituting of Worship (3:3-6)
C. Rebuilding Temple First Time (3:7-13)

Chapter 4 The Adversaries Halt Restoration (Ezra 4:1-24)
A. Israel and Enemies Meet (4:1-5)
B. Enemies Advance Disdainful Plans (4:6-16)
C. The King's Decree (4:17-22)
D. The Enemies Submit to Decree (4:23-24)

Chapter 5 The Resumption of the Temple Restoration (Ezra 5:1-17)
A. Continuing of Temple Rebuilding (5:1-5)
     1. Word of God came (1-2)
     2. Questioned (3)
      3. Rebuilding Continues with challenges (4-5)
B. Letter to King Darius (5:6-17)

II. Purifying the People

Chapter 6 The Temple Completed (Ezra 6:1-22)
A. Finding of King Cyrus' decree (6:1-5)
B. Darius' Decree (6:6-12)
C. Completion of Temple (6:13-15)
D. Celebration and Dedication (6:16-18)
E. Observance of Feasts (6:19-22)

Chapter 7 Ezra is Appointed by King Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:1-28)
A. Ezra Goes to Jerusalem (7:1-10)
     1. His Heritage (7:1-6)
      2. His travels (7:7-10)
B. Artaxerxes' Decree to Ezra (7:11-26)
C. Ezra's Exaltation of God (7:27-28)

Chapter 8 Ezra Leads the Exiles to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:1-36)
A. List of returnees (8:1-14)
B. Delay to get priests (8:15-20)
C. Fast before the journey (8:21-23)
D. Priests' charge to guard valuables (8:29-30)
E. The journey to Jerusalem (8:31-36)

Chapter 9 Ezra Intercedes on Behalf of Israel (Ezra 9:1-15)
A. Ezra hears about israel's sin (9:1-4)
B. Ezra's prayer to God (9:5-15)
     1. Confesses Israel's sins (9:5-7)
     2. Acknowledges God's Love (9:8-9)
      3. The broken commandments (9:10-12)
      4. Israel's Guilt (9:13-15)

Chapter 10 Ezra Purifies the People (Ezra 10:1-44)
A. Shecaniah Suggests a plan of action (10:1-4)
B. Ezra's proclamation and warning 10:(5-8)
C. A Big Conference (10:9-15)
D. The Peoples' Response (10:16-24)
    1. General Response (10:16-17)
    2. The priests (10:18-22)
    3. The Levites (10:23)
    4. The singers and gatekeepers (10:24)
     5. The Israelites (10:25-44)

“The Former Prophets from Joshua to Kings had sought to show how history was a revelation of God.

The purpose of the Chronicler was very different. Writing probably about 400 BC or a little later he wanted to encourage the Jews in their despondency. They had indeed returned in part from the Babylonian exile and had been able to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, but every vestige of political freedom remained denied to them, and there was no sign of the reestablishment of the Davidic monarchy.

The Chronicler saw clearly that in the history of Israel two things were inextricably intertwined, the Davidic dynasty and the Temple – not the Tabernacle. So he wrote a history of both, so that men might recognize that if the Temple had been restored, then a restoration of the monarchy might be confidently expected.

What he did not realize was that the lack of asking really showed that the Temple was no more than a shell without glory, waiting for the coming king to give it a new meaning.”

The Message of the Old Testament by H.L. Ellison, pp. 86-87.

Biblical Foundations for Freedom