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Home , Book of Ezra

Foundations: , , and Esther Book of Ezra

I. Introduction to Ezra The book of Ezra tells the story of the return of the Israelite ______to the land promised to them by the Lord, the rebuilding of the temple and the reestablishment of a Jewish remnant. (Isaiah 10:20-22) This restoration was in fulfillment of prophecies in both Isaiah and Jeremiah. (Isaiah 40:1-2; 52:7-10) Cf. Jeremiah 25:11-14, 29:10-14. There were actually two ______of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the 70 years of exile: 605-536/5 B.C. for the length of the exile and the restart of worship in and 586-515 B.C for the destruction of Solomon’s temple and the building the . The book of Ezra includes details of two returns of the exiles. The first return (536 B.C.) was under the leadership of and included some 50,000 persons. (:64-67). The second return, under the leadership of Ezra, occurred some eighty years later (458 B.C.) was a much smaller group than the first. (:1-20). The theme of Ezra is the ______of the Lord to his promises. (Lamentations 3:22-24, 31-33) Below is a short outline of the book: A. Cyrus’ Decree and the Return of the Exiles from (1:1-2:70) B. The Returned Exiles Rebuild the Temple (3:1-6:22) C. Ezra the Priest Comes to Jerusalem to Establish the Law of Moses (7:1-8:36) D. Ezra Discovers and Confronts the Problem of Intermarriage (9:1-10:44) Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one book. A key phrase in Ezra is “the hand of God” – which appears 6x in the text.

II. Overview of the Content of Ezra Following the issuing of Cyrus’ proclamation (1:2-4) a minority of the exiled resolved to return to the land of their ancestors. Upon arrival at the ruins of Jerusalem, the exiles made a strong start in rebuilding the spiritual ______of the nation. They built an altar to offer the proper sacrifices, the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles was celebrated, and the foundation was laid for the rebuilt temple. ()

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Sadly, chapter four tells us how things soon went awry for the Jews. First, the exiles wisely turned down a very questionable offer by the surrounding peoples (“adversaries” in 4:1) to ‘help’ in the rebuilding of the temple. These people followed a syncretic religion combining paganism with elements of Judaism. (II Kings 17:24-41) In retaliation, the neighboring peoples began to harass the Jews to prevent them from finishing the temple. (4:4-5) (Ezra extends this same theme of harassment and false testimony against the Jews throughout the rest of chapter, citing examples of trouble that happened later during the reigns of (Greek Xerxes, 486-465 B.C.) and Artaxerxes (464-424 B.C.) The work of rebuilding the temple ground to a halt. Then in 520 B.C., under the prophetic ______of and Zechariah (5:1-2) as well as a change in Persian policy with a new king () the temple was finally finished in 515 B.C. – sixteen years after the work was begun. (6:13-18) Starting in chapter 7, Ezra, qualified as both a high priest and a scribe (7:1-6) arrives on the scene and, with the blessing of King Artaxerxes of Persia, leading a large group of exiles to Jerusalem. One of the challenges Ezra faced was finding ______who were willing to leave their comfortable lives for the uncertainties of living in the little province of . ( - 8:15-18). The ______of Ezra’s life was a thorough knowledge of the scriptures and how to apply them to the people of his generation. As J. Sidlow Baxter explains: “He shows us how God can use a man who studies to a proficient grasp on the written word of God. (II Timothy 2:15) He shows us what a noble and vital qualification for highest leadership it is to have a full and careful knowledge of the scriptures.” Tragically, Ezra upon his arrival in Jerusalem, is quickly blindsided by a crisis: the Jews had begun to ______with the surrounding pagan nations around them. This crisis, besides repeating the past sins of the Israelites with the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7:1-4), would eventually lead to the exiles losing their distinct ______as a people of God. (Exodus 19:5-6) Ezra wisely, however, instead using the judicial authority given to him by Artaxerxes (7:26), provided a powerful example to the people both by his profound grief over their sin and his powerful intercessory prayer. (Chapter 9) Influenced by his leadership, most of the sinning Jewish men put away their foreign wives and the community was preserved. (Chapter 10) III. Some Applications we can draw from . God can use anyone to accomplish his declared purposes, whether the person happens to descendant of (Zerubbabel), priest/scribe (Ezra) or a pagan king. (Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes)

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2. When we are fearful and anxious that is the time to draw together in unity with our fellow believers to ______the Lord. (Ezra 3:1-5; Psalm 118:5- 9) 3. If you are doing God’s work God’s way expect ______. () Cf. I Corinthians 16:8-9. 4. Confronting sin in others needs to also include intercessory ______for the sinner(s). (:4-15) Cf. 42:7-9; 9:19.

Book of Nehemiah

I. Introduction to Nehemiah The events of Nehemiah begin some thirteen years later (445 B.C.) after Ezra’s arrival in Jerusalem (458 B.C.) Nehemiah held the important ______of cupbearer (Genesis 40:1; 41:9) for King Artaxerxes. Upon receiving approval from the king, Nehemiah is appointed governor of Yehud/Judea with the immediate task of rebuilding the shattered walls of Jerusalem. The time period covered in the book is roughly between 445 – 430 B.C. The spiritual condition of many of the Jews during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah is described in ______, perhaps the last book of our Old Testament was written at this same time. The theme of Nehemiah is ______the foundations of Israel. The first part of the book focuses upon restoring Jerusalem’s walls (2:1-7:4), the second part of the book is concerned with strengthening the spiritual priorities of the exiles, whether that is understanding God’s law, renewing and enforcing the Mosaic covenant, or (once more) confronting the issue of mixed marriages. (8:1-13:31) H.G.M. Williamson (New Commentary) provides a useful outline of Nehemiah: A. Nehemiah Restores the Walls of Jerusalem (1:1-7:73) B. Covenant Renewal (8:1-10:39) C. Consolidation (11:1-13:31) Throughout the book, it is the character and actions of Nehemiah himself that push the story forward. Alexander Whyte describes Nehemiah well when he wrote that he was: “A self-contained man. A man of his own counsel. A man with the counsel of God alone in his mind and in his heart…A man to take command of other men…He will

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not begin until he has counted the cost. And then he will not stop until he has finished the work.” Bible Characters of the Old and New Testaments II. Overview of the Content of Nehemiah Following the discouraging report of Jerusalem’s physical condition from his brother, Nehemiah begins a four month prayer and fasting vigil that Artaxerxes, his master, will reverse present Persian policy and allow him leave to help the returned exiles. (1:1-4; 2:1) Finally, the Lord provided the opportunity and Nehemiah was released to go to Jerusalem. (Proverbs 21:1) Upon his arrival, Nehemiah wisely first reconnoiters the worst section of Jerusalem’s wall at night before revealing the real purpose of his appointment as governor. Reconstruction then begins at once. (2:9-20) Nehemiah divides the people into 42 teams, each group ______a section of the wall that was often near their residence. (Chapter 3) Unfortunately, opposition and trouble quickly develops, both external and internal. First, Nehemiah is confronted by a ______of enemies, led by Sanballat the Horonite, governor of the province of Samaria. The external opposition inspired by Sanballat and his ally Tobiah the Ammonite includes: (1.) scorn (4:1-6), (2.) a threatened attack (4:7-23), and (3.) deceit and treachery (6:1- 19). In addition, Nehemiah also has to contend with internal troubles with the Jewish community. These troubles include: (1.) discouragement over the size of the work (4:10), (2.) fear of surrounding enemies (4:11-14), and greed of the wealthy Jews against the poorer. (5:1-13) In spite of all the difficulties, Nehemiah remains ______to the task the Lord had given him and the people – and the wall is rebuilt in 52 days! Cf. 6:15-16. However, the job of rebuilding the Jewish state is only half done with Jerusalem’s restored wall. The rest of the book is focused upon strengthening the spiritual foundations of the returned exiles. To accomplish this task, Nehemiah first enlists the help of Ezra, the priests and the Levites, to expound to the people the “Book of the Law” during the Feast of Tabernacles. (8:1-8) Following the celebration of the feast, the people once more gather to confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors and to make a ______with the Lord to faithfully follow him and to support the ongoing worship within the temple. (Chapters 9-10) Sadly, during Nehemiah brief return to the court of Artaxerxes the Jews became ______about parts of the Mosaic Law (respecting the holy purpose of the temple, neglecting the Sabbath, and intermarriage). Upon his return, Nehemiah vigorously confronts the community about these sins, once more bringing the people back into obedience to the precepts of the Lord. (Chapter 13)

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III. Some Applications we can draw from . “There is no winning without working and warning. There is no opportunity without opposition (I Corinthians 16:9)…There is no triumph without trouble…There is a cross in the way of every crown worth wearing.” J. Sidlow Baxter. 2. To successfully do God’s ministry God’s way ______prayer, both sustained, burdened, intercessory prayer and ‘arrow prayers.’ (1:4-11; 2:4; 6:9) 3. Resistance to ministry requires a ______of responses: Ignoring it (6:3-4), seeing through it (6:10-14), further prayer (4:4-5), prayer and preparation (4:9), and confrontation. (5:6-13)

Book of Esther

I. Introduction to Esther The falls in-between the returns of the Jews under first Zerubbabel’s leadership and the later return with Ezra. A beautifully constructed story, the book tells us about the miraculous ______of the Jews during the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes, 486-465 B.C.) from the threat of genocide at the hands of the wicked and murderous Haman, “enemy of the Jews.” (3:10; 8:1) The book also explains the origins of the Feast of ______(A Persian word meaning “lot.”), which is the most popular of contemporary celebrations in Judaism. Some bible readers have wondered about the spiritual value of a book like Esther. The story has no direct examples of prayer, no mention of the Old Testament feasts or the Sabbath, and, surprising of all, no mention of any of the Old Testament names for God. However, we need to remember that Esther focuses upon what was happening in the lives of the majority of Jews who, despite the clear revelation of God’s will in the scriptures, did not return to the land of their ancestors. As Paul Enns explains, “Esther describes God’s providential care for the spiritually ______.” J. Sidlow Baxter provides a simple outline of Esther: A. Crisis Anticipated (Chapters 1-5) B. Crisis Overruled (Chapters 6-10) He describes the spiritual message of Esther as:

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“…this Book of Esther fills a unique and necessary place in the canon of inspired scripture as being distinctly the book of providential preservation. We see…that amid the shadows God stands, keeping watch upon his own. He may be out of their sight: but they are never out of his sight.” (Explore the Book) Concerning the literary construction of the book of Esther, Barry Webb (ESV Study Bible) describes it as a “hero story…the action constructed around the engaging central figure…a patriotic story of national history – a rescue story…The U-shaped descent into potential tragedy and ascent to a happy ending is a plot known as comedy.” II. Overview of Esther The book of Esther begins with a magnificent feast given by Ahasuerus (Greek Xerxes) in 483 B.C on behalf of his court (feasts are one of the recurring motifs in the story), probably to plan Persia’s upcoming invasion of Greece, where the almighty king of the Persian Empire is thwarted by Vashti, his queen, who refuses to humiliate herself by being paraded before a bunch of drunken courtiers. Vashti’s banishment opens the door for the rise of Hadassah (Esther), who following the directions of her guardian and cousin Mordecai, does not reveal her Jewish ______. (2:10) Esther wins favor with the king and is soon appointed the new queen. (477 B.C.) Shortly thereafter, Mordecai uncovers an assassination plot against Ahasuerus for which he receives no credit or reward. (2:19-23) A few years later Ahasuerus, a man of enormous power but poor judgment, appoints Haman the Agagite as his chief minister. Mordecai refuses to honor Haman because Haman is a ______of Agag, the last king of the Amalekites, and Israel’s inveterate enemy. (Exodus 17:8-14; I Samuel 15:32-33) Upon learning of Mordecai’s action, Haman decides to destroy all the Jews within the empire, persuading the gullible Ahasuerus to issue the decree though he does not know the identity of the people facing extermination. (3:7-11) Mordecai desperately appeals to Esther for help in this crisis, which eventually she, at the risk of her own life, agrees to do. (4:13-16) However, Esther waits until after she invites the king and Haman to a second feast before making her petition to the king. In the meantime, Haman decides to construct a high gallows to hang/impale Mordecai. Chapter six is the turning point of the story. Instead of being allowed to execute his enemy Haman is forced to ______Mordecai (6:4-11) for his earlier action in saving the king’s life. In chapter seven Haman is ______by Esther for his evil plot against the Jews and the enraged Ahasuerus has him immediately executed on his own gallows. (Psalm 73:18-20; Proverbs 21:7; Galatians 6:7). Mordecai is appointed to Haman’s former position and the king grants Mordecai the authority to issue a

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counter decree against Haman early decree allowing the Jews to protect themselves and to fight back against their enemies. The date of the decree is when the feast of Purim is to be ______. (8:7-13) The book concludes with a review of the major events of the story and the command of Mordecai and Esther to celebrate during Purim the deliverance of the Jews. (9:23-32) III. Some Applications we can draw from Esther

• Even if we cannot see God’s hand in the immediate ______of our lives that does not mean he is not working things out according to his perfect will. Cf. Genesis 50:18-20. • To fulfill the plan/destiny the Lord has for us may require great ______. (4:10-16; Hebrews 11) • The wickedness and evil of this present world, whether it is in the misuse of power as with Ahasuerus, or in the premediated scheming of Haman, will never overcome the ______. (Psalm 2:1-6)

Some Questions for Reflection when Reading Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther 1. How does the problem of mixed marriages in Ezra-Nehemiah relate to what the Apostle Paul wrote in II Corinthians 6:14-18? Follow-up question: How does passages like I Corinthians 7:12-16 and I Peter 3:1-7 help Christians who are married to non-Christians? 2. How did Ezra’s extensive knowledge of the scriptures of the scriptures benefit him and the returned exiles? 3. What are some lessons of leadership we can learn from Nehemiah’s experiences? 4. Why do you think Mordecai did not want Esther to reveal her Jewish identity? 5. In the World War II concentration camps the Jews were forbidden to celebrate Purim or read Esther. Why do you think anti-Semites like the Nazis hated the book of Esther? 6. In Esther the Lord is working behind the scenes to bring about events according to his will. Looking back at your own past how can you see the Lord’s intervention in certain events in your own life?

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