Overview: The Exile and Postexilic Period (Ezra-Esther, Some Prophets)
2022-12-10
Going into Exile
During the reigns of the latter kings of Judah, it became clear that the people would be conquered by Babylon, and there was no undoing it. The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter to many that had already been exiled in those times to settle where they are, and to build houses and gardens and start families (Jeremiah 29:4-7). Those that remained in Jerusalem during the reign of Zedekiah were encouraged to surrender, for they would be the ones that would survive. Those that stayed in the city would be destroyed.
The time came when the walls of Jerusalem were breached, the king was captured, and the city and temple were destroyed. The prophet Jeremiah said that the exile would last for 70 years. “For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place” (Jeremiah 29:10). People went to Babylon and surrounding areas and were there for that time. Amid these 70 years, The Medes and the Persians overthrew the Babylonians. The children of Israel served the Persians during that time, and they were the ones that allowed the captives return to the land.
Daniel
One of the captives during the exile was the prophet Daniel. He was a very young man when taken from his parents to learn the trades and arts of the Babylonians. He and three of his companions would not eat of the king’s food because of its being sacrificed to idols, yet when they ate only vegetables, they filled out more than their fellow students. Daniel also interpreted dreams for king Nebuchadnezzar and a sign for his successor Belshazzar. The Lord made him have favor among the kings.
During the reign of Darius king of the Medes, the king was misled to decree no prayer to any god, but this did not dissuade Daniel. After being thrown to lions for breaking this decree, the Lord preserved him.
During his years as a captive and an official under multiple kings, Daniel had many prophecies from the Lord, including the 70 weeks, the crucifixion of Christ, the coming invasion of the Greeks and the Romans, and the antichrist, an end time ruler that would rule over the entire world.
Esther
Another captive was a woman named Esther, who became the queen when King Ahasuerus removed Vashti from the position. She had been raised by her cousin Mordecai since her parents had died. Like the misleading decree with Darius, Haman, the assistant to King Ahasuerus, misled the king to decree the destruction of the Jews across the empire.
Esther used her position to approach Ahasuerus concerning the Jews’ plight. Even as queen, she could not approach the king without an invitation. She risked her life, went to the king, and set up a series of banquets where she revealed the intents of Haman to destroy her and her people. Haman was executed, and a decree was made for the Jews to be able to defend themselves from their enemies.
Ezra and the Rebuilding the Temple
During the reign of Cyrus king of Persia, the king made a decree that the Temple could be rebuilt in Jerusalem. The king released the vessels and implements taken from the old Temple to be used in the new Temple. There was much adversity from the locals that had settled in Judah during the exile. A series of exchanges of letters took place where the rebuilding was commanded to cease, but the prophet Haggai told them to continue with the work. “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?” (Haggai 1:4). Eventually, research was done by King Darius, and they found the original record of the decree by Cyrus. The Temple was free to be rebuilt, and anyone who opposed it would be executed. The king would also finance the building and the sacrifices.
Ezra, a scribe of the Law, was given permission to return to Judah and teach the people, given a letter of recommendation. “And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not” (Ezra 7:25). Ezra returned to find that the people had intermarried with pagans, and he was part of the force to break up these marriages so they would not be affected by the pagan customs.
Nehemiah and the Rebuilding of the Wall
Another man, Nehemiah, was moved when he had heard that the Jerusalem walls were lying in waste. The king graciously gave him leave to assist in the management of the rebuilding of the wall. Sanballat and others of the local people were against the project and fought the process the entire time. The people ended up building while fully armed to fight against their enemies.
There was much oppression of people who were poor and in debt, and Nehemiah ended the practice of usury and greed among the people.
Ezra read the Law publicly after the wall was finished, and there was much sorrow. However, they encouraged the people saying, “Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). They made a covenant with the Lord and dedicated the wall.
400 Years Between the Old Testament and the New Testament
Between the closing of the Old Testament and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ there was silence from the Scriptures for about 400 years, but a lot did happen. Daniel the prophet alluded to some of these things prophetically. The Greeks came and conquered the Persians. The Greek ruler, Alexander the Great, had no heir, and dying young, he was succeeded by four generals who split up his vast empire. The Greek conquest brought Greek culture throughout the world (Hellenism). Greek became the lingua franca of the empire, and even when the Romans superseded the Greeks, the Greek language and culture remained.
Because of the Greek language, a Greek translation of the Old Testament came about, called the Septuagint. Synagogues started to appear across the world, giving people access to the God of the Bible like never before.
A few schools of thought arose amongst the Judaism: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees were more resistant to Greek culture. The Sadducees were often aristocratic and in favor of political power. Divisions between the groups occurred because Pharisees believed in spirits and the resurrection while the Sadducees did not. More information here.
Many of these things prepared the world for the coming of Christ, such as the common language, the synagogues, and the Septuagint, and were clearly orchestrated by God.