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Chronicles of Ezra, Nehemiah, & Esther: Restoration and Redemption

Explore the historical events of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, reflecting on retribution, repentance, and rebuilding in ancient Persia. Discover the significance of two Jewish returns and lessons on obedience and restoration.

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Chronicles of Ezra, Nehemiah, & Esther: Restoration and Redemption

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  1. EZRA OVERVIEW

  2. The events that occur in Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) all occurred approximately between 536 B.C. and 430 B.C.

  3. Ezra 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, 2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. 3 Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem.

  4. Ezra 7:9 On the first day of the first month he began his journey from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

  5. "To show the manner in which the Lord God, after the lapse of seventy years of exile, fulfilled his promise, as conveyed by the prophets, by the deliverance of his people from Babylon, the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, the restoration of the temple worship according to the law, and the preservation of the restored community from fresh lapses into heathenism and idolatry by the dissolution of their marriages with Gentile women."

  6. Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.

  7. Retribution • Remembrance • Repentance • Return • Resettlement • Rebuilding • Regression • Revival • Reformation • Relief

  8. Two returns of the Jews The first group of Jews that came back were around 50,000 strong (Ezra 2:64-65) 536 B.C. The second group were all men (1754 of them) that came back with Ezra around 458 B.C. (Ezra 8) It coverers approximately 78 years from the beginning of King Cyrus reign to the eighth year of king Artaxerxes (536 – 458 B.C.).

  9. Scholars earlier in this century rejected the fourth chapter of Ezra as "unhistorical"; but, "Once more a verdict against such radical critical views has now come to light in the famous Elephantine papyri. These letters are in Aramaic, the language of diplomacy and trade during the Persian period. They date between 500-400 B.C. They were written by Jews in the military colony on the island of Elephantine; and, discovered in 1903, they constitute the most important archaeological source for the books of Ezra and Nehemiah." They completely devastate the old critical dictum that the language did not fit the times. It did fit, exactly!

  10. There are 2 main divisions in this book 1. Chapter 1-6 deals with Zerubbabel’s work 2. Chapter 7 -10 deals with Ezra’s work

  11. Ezra’s character and work: A scribe and a priest (Neh. 12:26,36). Descendant of Hilkiah the high priest of Josiah’s reign Tradition says that Ezra was the organizer of the synagogue and president of the Great Synagogue, which compiled the Old Testament canon. Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.

  12. 5 great lessons that we can learn from the book of Ezra: 1. We learn what happens when we fail to study and obey God’s Word

  13. Isaiah 5:13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge;

  14. John 8:31-32 "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

  15. 2. We can learn about the importance of not marrying outside the family of God.

  16. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." 2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

  17. 3. The only way to restore God’s people back is by courageous preachers preaching the Word of God and nothing else.

  18. 2 Timothy 4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

  19. 4. We learn the sorrow that sin brings and God willingness to forgive us of our sins when we count the cost of discipleship and repent and conform our lives to His Word.

  20. Ezra 9:13 "And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since You our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this, 14 "should we again break Your commandments, and join in marriage with the people committing these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant or survivor? 15 "O LORD God of Israel, You are righteous, for we are left as a remnant, as it is this day. Here we are before You, in our guilt, though no one can stand before You because of this!"

  21. Ezra 9:6 O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.

  22. Ezra 10:2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, "We have trespassed against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this. 3 "Now therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and those who have been born to them, according to the advice of my master and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. 4 "Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it."

  23. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

  24. 5. We learn about the divine providence of God. Jeremiah prophesied about the return of the remnant after 70 years of captivity (Jer. 25:12; 29:10). Isaiah named Cyrus 200 years before the ruler was born as the king that would make it possible for the Jews to return back to Jerusalem (Isa 44:28; 45:1).

  25. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

  26. 536 B.C. - Cyrus released Israel; Zerubbabel and Jeshua led the fallen nation back to their homeland 535 B.C. - Work began on the reconstruction of the temple, but they were "troubled" in building (Ezra 4:4) 529 B.C. - The work on the temple (such as it was) ceased (Ezra 4:24) 520 B.C. - Haggai and Zechariah stirred up the people to rebuild the temple. They were again "troubled" but received Darius' permission to continue. 516 B.C. - The people completed the reconstruction of the temple (Ezra 6:15) (Ezra 1--6, Haggai, Zechariah)

  27. 485 B.C. - Ahasuerus became king 483 B.C. – Queen Vashti was deposed 479 B.C. - Ahasuerus was defeated at Thermopylae and Salamis 479 B.C. - Esther became queen 474 B.C. - Esther saved her nation (Esther) 457 B.C. - Ezra returned (Ezra 7--10) 444 B.C. - Nehemiah returned to build the wall 432 B.C. – Nehemiah returns again from Babylon and the marriage problem was resolved (Nehemiah and Malachi)

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