Ezra

Ezra (Hebrew: עזראהסופר), meaning “help,” is a significant figure in the Bible. Ezra was a direct descendant of Aaron, and specifically of Phinehas and Zadok the priests. As he came from an orthodox priestly family and also served as a scribe in the Persian court, he was called “a priest and a scribe” (Nehemiah 8:9).

Ezra’s return to his homeland occurred about 58 years after the completion of the Temple. By this time, most of the first wave of returnees had passed away, and their descendants were facing numerous spiritual problems. It was then that God’s hand raised up a new generation (the second wave) of people from Babylon, giving them a heart to follow Ezra “up to Jerusalem.”

Ezra and the people traveled more than 1,400 kilometers on foot, enduring many dangers during their four-month journey back to Jerusalem. He carried with him the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. Ezra was well-versed in God’s Law, highly esteemed the Scriptures, and revered God’s Word, not only teaching it but also embodying it in his life. He prayed for the people, confessing the sins committed by the Israelites. He grieved and wept, feeling ashamed of their sin, and was fearful of the consequences of sin. He longed for the Israelites to recognize their transgressions and repent. His prayer moved the people, causing them all to weep bitterly. Throughout his life, he followed God’s will, taught God’s Law to the people of Israel, restored sacrificial worship, and purified society from intermarriage with foreign peoples.