1. Continuing Catholic Education 2011-2012 December 18 th 2011

2. Ezra - Overview Background – Post Exile Timing – Events from BC 538 - 450 Context – Judha returns from Babylon Exile Main Themes – Return from Exile – Rebuilding the Jerusalem Temple – Spiritual Temple Building by Ezra

3. Prophecies Fulfilled Many Prophets during Exile Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Malachi Isaiah’s Prophecy about Cyrus freeing Israel Jeremiah’s prophecy about punishment to Babylon Jeremiah’s prophecy about 70 years of Exile Daniel’s prophecy about defeat of Babylon

4. Ezra 1-6:22 Persian King Cyrus allows Judah to return to Jerusalem Zerubbabel leads the first group to Jerusalem Builds the temple again Reinstates annual festivals New Spiritual Worship of God

5. Merciful God during Our Exile Even Before King Cyrus was born, God chooses him a non-Jew for Jew’s freedom No matter how difficult our ‘captivity’, we are never far from God’s love and mercy We may face difficult situations, and feel outnumbered, overpowered or outclassed God’s power is not limited to our resources. God can use ‘Cyrus’ to carry out his plans

6. Ezra leads spiritual rebuilding Ezra as a Scribe – Studied the Word of God Ezra – Commitment to obey the commands he discovered in Word of God Ezra as a Teacher- Taught others God’s word and its application to life. Personal Achievement vs. Personal Commitment Ezra addresses Judah on a cold and rainy day Admonishes them about Intermarriage with pagans

7. Ezra and Me What is our Temple? Rebuilding of Temple after our exile Guarding against oppositions while trying to build again Rededication of our Temple on a daily basis Like Ezra, seriously study and apply the Word of God. Teach others what we learn from Word of God