This book shows again how God is always true to His Word and how He always fulfills His promises.  He forgives those who seek Him in sincere repentance and blesses them.

After the Israelites were exiled to Babylon, the nation of Judah ceased to exist.  But they were still God's people and He had not forgotten them.  After 70 years in exile, they returned to Jerusalem and began to rebuild the temple that had been destroyed.

Chapter 1-2: A proclamation by Cyrus allowed the exiles to return to Jerusalem.

Chapter 3-4: An altar was built and the foundation of the temple was laid.  Opposition from local Samaritans brought the work to a standstill for 15 years.

Chapters 5-6: The prophets Haggai and Zechariah urged work on the temple to be resumed and then temple was rebuilt in four years.

Chapters 7-8: Artaxerxes commissioned Ezra to return to Jerusalem with much gold, silver, and items that had been taken from the temple by the Babylonians. Ezra led the people to fast and pray for protection and God did protect them and they returned to Jerusalem safely.

Chapters 9-10: The Israelites had disobeyed God by intermarrying with heathens, which led to idolatry and failure to obey and serve God.

Ezra arose from fasting, fell on his knees, and lifted up his hands in prayer to God. The results were immediate and dramatic. Most of the people then put away their pagan wives. Ezra then appointed leaders and all Israel confessed their guilt before God and swore an oath to follow Him.