Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther are known as the post-captivity
books. Ezra, the faithful scribe, records the Jews returning to their homeland
after 70 years of captivity in Babylon. His records show God’s faithfulness to
keep His promise to restore his people to their land. Nehemiah demonstrates
leaders as he guides the Jews to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Finally,
Esther is the story of courage to stand up to certain death for the livelihood
of others and the celebration created as a reminder of that courage. Many people will point out that God is silent in these books. Although
God doesn’t speak in these books, He isn’t inactive as the events unfold and His
guidance is seen in the faithfulness and devotion of these three people.
Ezra, the true and faithful scribe, records the events which
return the Jews to Jerusalem. The Lord moved in the heart of Cyrus, the king of
Persia as he proclaimed that the temple was to be rebuilt in Jerusalem (Ezra
1:1-2). Despite opposition from some Persian officials, the rebuilding begins
with the king’s increasing support. Ezra was a committed student of the Law. He
was determined to follow and teach the God’s word. Once the Jews were back in
Jerusalem, he was determined to get the Jews back on track with God as he
taught the Law to the returning families. Ezra showed the people that God kept
His promise to return them to their land and they must show their gratitude by
returning to God and the practice of His Word. “For Ezra had devoted himself to
the study and observance of the Law of the Lord and to teaching its decrees and
laws in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Ezra is an example of how devotion and commitment
to knowing and practicing God’s Word has a direct effect on how God works in
our lives.
Nehemiah, the rebuilder of walls, was the cupbearer to the
king (Nehemiah 1:11). A cupbearer was an important position. He was to ensure
the safety and quality of the king’s drink. It also gave him unique
opportunities to speak with the king. As Nehemiah waited for the right moment
to approach the king with his requests, King Artaxerxes notices Nehemiah’s distress
and opens the door for Nehemiah ask to be sent to Jerusalem to rebuild the
walls of the city (Nehemiah 2:1-6). In Jerusalem, Nehemiah was the type of
leader which gets the work done. He carefully planned and encourage teamwork as
he solved problems which often arise when people work together. He also have
courage and tremendous faith to get the work done even if it meant getting
dirty with the workers himself. He was a leader that people will follow. “I
also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what they king had
said to me. They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began the good
work” (Nehemiah 2:18).
Esther, the Jewish orphan who become queen and she was
placed in a position to risk for her life for others. Her cousin, Mordecai, had
overheard a plot to kill the Jews by the government official Haman and he
became distress as it was a king’s decree. Word got back to Esther about the
plot and Mordecai pleads with her to tell the king (Esther 4:13-14). She
agrees, “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I
perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). Esther devises a clever plan to expose the
plot to the king by throwing a feast for Haman. At the banquet, she makes one
more request. She asks the king to spare her people and the king is outraged
that such a thing was plotted (Esther 7:3-5). She exposes Haman as the plotter
and he is hanged. The king then decrees that the Jews had the right to protect
themselves from whoever tried to do them harm (Esther 7:11). In response to
these events, the Jews began a new celebration, Purim. Purim is celebrated as a
day of joy and feasting. It is a day of giving presents to one another in
remembrance of Esther’s bravery and courage.
In conclusion, while God is silent in these three books, He certainly
isn’t inactive. He sent in motion the Jews return to their lands. He can be
seen in the story of Ezra, a man who never forgot where he was from. He worked
within the law of the land he lived with respect but he never let God’s law
become second. He can be seen in the story of Nehemiah, a godly leader, one who
isn’t afraid to work alongside the men to complete the work as well as caring
for his men when the practice wasn’t so generous. And He can be seen in the
story of Esther, a woman who hid her true heritage, only to reveal it when a
greater threat loomed. From these examples, we need to remember that when God
seems to be silent, He is working. He is working in your life and when you
least expect it, that work will be reveal. Follow the examples of Ezra,
Nehemiah and Esther, keep the faith and trust in God.
