Ezra was a great leader, a priest, a scribe, his name means “help” and his whole life was dedicated to serving God and God’s people. Ezra is centered on God and his promise that the Jews would return to their land, as prophesied by Jerimiah. The last half of the book gives a very personal glimpse of Ezra. His knowledge of scripture and his God given wisdom were obvious to the king that he appointed Ezra to lead the second emigration to Jerusalem, to teach the people God’s word and to administer national life.
Nehemiah is the last of the Old Testament historical books. It records the history of the third return to Jerusalem after captivity, telling how the walls were rebuilt and the people were renewed in their faith. Nehemiah knew God could use his talents to get the job done. From the moment he arrived in Jerusalem, everyone knew who was in charge. He organized, managed, supervised, encouraged met opposition, confronted justice, and kept going until the walls were built . Nehemiah was a man of action.
