Big Picture for the Book of Ezra: “Ezra provides hope for the returned exiles-- and likewise Yahweh’s new covenant people-- by showing how the promises made by the Sovereign God of Heaven are unbreakable. His people are never at risk of losing their covenant blessings as a result of external hardships (chapters 1-6), but rather the present and future fortunes of the faithful remnant hinges upon internal holiness, both individual and corporate, characterized by faithfulness to God’s word. (chapters 7-10).

Outline: Chapters 7-8

1) Ezra the scribe, on whom the hand of God rested. (7:1-10)

2) King Artaxerxes, whose heart was in the hand of God (7: 11-26)

3) God’s Word, the great tool in the hand of God. (7:27-28, Neh. 8-10)

4) Ezra’s 5000 exiles, chosen instruments in the hand of God (Ezra 8:1-14)

5) The gracious provision of the hand of God (Ezra 8: 15-20)

6) A journey under the protection of the hand of God (Ezra 8: 21-36)

7) Jesus, who comes from the hand of God, finishes the work of the hand of God, and now sits at the hand of God. (Psalm 110, John 1:1-3, Col. 1:16-17, Luke 22:69, Acts 7:55, Hebrews 10:12)