The Hand of Our God was On Us

We would be pretty accurate to say that the Book of Ezra, in its entirety, is all about the theme of "the hand of our God was on us." From the stirring of the heart of the kings, to the decrees allowing the Israelites to return, to the blessings along the way and the protection of the enemies, there is no doubt that the Book of Ezra points us to how God sovereignly provides for his people throughout history. Yes, the kings made searches and decrees. Yes, Ezra was determined to teach. Yes, the people came together and finally built the temple. But all of these were secondary causes of their success. The ultimate, or primary cause of success in the story of Ezra is the fact that God's good hand was upon his people!