In Order to fulfill His Word - Ezra 1-5

The material in Ezra is written by the priest, Ezra, giving us an account of what happened when the people were allowed to return from captivity to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Although there are many nuancies to the story it should be noted that the entire account should be summed up in the first first of the book: "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia ...". Here we see God's rule taking shape in the heart and conduct of an unbeliever. We see here that God will fulfill His Word!! We may not believe it and we may not trust it, but God's Word will be fulfilled in our day just as it was fulfilled in Ezra's day. The rest of the book is the outworking of this first verse. In order to fulfill the word of the Lord ... God stirred ... ! God stirred the spirit in side a heathen King. God stirred the heart of people to give gold and silver (1:5); God stirred the heart of people to return (chapter tw0); God stirred the heart of worship to fulfill what was written (chapter three); and, God even stirred the heart of the opposition (chapter four and five). God's word is being fulfilled. It will be fulfilled in His time and in His way. He can even stirr the heart of the unbeliever to make His Word come to pass.