Ezra ministered during the restoration period, the final stage of Old Testament history. During this period the Jewish people, captives in Babylon for 70 years, were allowed to return under the Persians to reestablish themselves in the Promised Land of Israel.
Ezra plays important roles in two Old Testament books, Ezra and Nehemiah. In the book of Ezra, he does not appear until chapters 6-10. Ezra Chapters 1 through 6 record the Jewish exiles’ return from Babylon under Zerubbabel and the building of the second Temple, events that transpired from around 538 B.C. to around 515 B.C., decades before Ezra was born.
Ezra chapters 7 through 10, tell of the marvelous reformation in 458 B.C. under his direction. Ezra is very involved in the effort to refortify and repopulate Jerusalem around 445 B.C., as recorded in the book of Nehemiah (8:1–13; 12:26).
The final stage of Old Testament history, the restoration period, is filled with heroes, adventures, political struggles, and military encounters.. Amazingly, not one miracle is recorded in this period. The remnant of Israel had all they need in God’s Word. This is context that this period and the reformation narrative recorded in Ezra 7—10 must be understood. All Israel needed was the Word of God. The Word of God is all we need!