ezra & nehemiahe526e47bf4e2472754b4-44be4380f60e10a01075b3cee295ac7e.r70.cf2.rackcdn.… ·...
TRANSCRIPT
Persian Rulers���539-331 B.C.
Cyrus the Great (559-530 B.C.) – Daniel���
Cambyses (530-522 B.C.)�
Darius I (522-486 B.C.) – Zerubbabel (Ezra 1-6)���
*Xerxes I (486-465 B.C.) – Esther���
*Artaxerxes I (464-425 B.C.) – Ezra & Nehemiah ���
Darius II (423-404 B.C.)���
Artaxerxes II (404-359 B.C.)���
Artaxerxes III (359-338 B.C.)���
Darius III (338-331 B.C.) –> Alexander the Great���
The Book of Esther��� Falls between Ch. 6 & 7 of Ezra (58 year period)���
During reign of King Xerxes/Ahaseurus (485-465 B.C.)���
Providential hand of God���
Welfare of remaining exiles in Persia���
Feast of Purim commemorates���
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SQYTkKLrmsc/TdE2u9BzJ5I/AAAAAAAAAGY/4vJ9djtf9e4/s1600/Xerxes+1+Alabastor+Jug+5th+Cent+BC+%25281%2529.jpg
Ezra, Spiritual Leader��� Ch. 6 begins with reign of Artaxerxes, 7th year���
A Levite – son of…Aaron the chief priest���
Teacher, “well-versed in the Law of Moses” (Ez. 7:6)���
“Gracious hand of his God was on him” because he was devoted to study, observance and teaching of the Law of the Lord (Ez. 7:10)���
Ezra’s Return to Jerusalem��� Letter from Artaxerxes (Ez. 7:13-26)���
Provides all that is needed���
Shows Artaxerxes had knowledge of requirements of worship���
Recruited Levites from town of Casiphia���
Fasted, prayed for safety (Ez. 8:21-23)���
1500 men, plus women & children���
Journey took 4 months (Ez. 7:9)���
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/324026
Jewish Reforms��� Solemnity to worship practices���
Promise not to intermarry (Ez. 9-10, Neh. 10:30)���
God’s command Joshua 23:12, Ex. 34:15-16���
Still God’s teaching today 2 Cor. 6:14-18���
Problem was NOT exclusion of foreigners from faith of God (see Rahab, Ruth, Is. 56:4), but interfaith marriage/polytheistic faith that leads to apostasy (see King Solomon)���
Difficult situation, handled carefully, case-by-case basis���
Promise to honor the Sabbath (Neh. 10:31)���
Promise not to neglect the house of God (Neh. 10:32-39)���
Removal of foreigners from worship (Neh. 13:1-3)���
Sketch of Chronology��� 7th yr: Ezra returns with 2nd group of Jewish exiles���
Ezra addresses intermarriages���
20th yr: Nehemiah returns with 3rd group���
Jerusalem’s walls are rebuilt���
In 7th month, Feast of tabernacles is celebrated���
People agree to reforms���
By lot, people move to Jerusalem���
Walls are dedicated���
32nd yr: Nehemiah returns and reinstates reforms, replaces untrustworthy leaders���
Nehemiah, Governor��� Cupbearer to King Artaxerxes���
20th year of reign of Artaxerxes���
News leads to mourning, fasting and bold prayer���
“Gracious hand of God upon him, the king granted his request” (Neh. 2:8)���
Intent to rebuild, secret inspection of walls���
Rebuilding the Walls��� Organization���
Each assigned to area near home (Neh. 3)���
Opposition & Barriers���
External (Neh. 4)���
Internal (Neh. 5)���
Joint external/internal (Neh. 6)���
Table Discussion���External Opposition���
(Nehemiah 4)���
What 3 forms did external opposition take?���
How did Nehemiah combine faith with practical action?���
What was the people’s attitude at various points? ���
What was the heart of Nehemiah’s 2 messages? (vs. 14, 19-20)���
How did he handle few resources and significant vulnerabilities?���
Internal Barriers���(Nehemiah 5)���
What were conditions of the work? (see Neh. 4:22, 5:3)���
What sacrifices were people making to do God’s work?���
How were fellow Jews responsible for making it more burdensome? Why was this a sin? (see also Deut. 23:19, Pr. 28:8)���
How did Nehemiah combine faith with action?���
What example did Nehemiah set and what enabled him to do that?���
BOTH: What hard things did this require of Nehemiah as a leader?���
Rebuilding the Walls��� Organization���
Each assigned to area near home (Neh. 3)���
Opposition & Barriers���
External (Neh. 4)���
Internal (Neh. 5)���
Joint external/internal (Neh. 6)�
Completing the Walls��� Walls built in 52 days���
Stopped for worship (Neh. 8-9)���
Celebration of Feast of Tabernacles���
Celebration of Day of Atonement, Confession of Sin���
People agree to reforms in writing���
Chosen by lot, 10% of Jews resettle in Jerusalem���
Dedication ceremony for Walls���
Nehemiah returns: removes Tobiah, reinstates ���
Nehemiah’s Leadership��� Pray and Act (4:6, 4:9)���
Sacrificial (5:14-19)���
Seek recompense/reward from God (5:19, 13:14, 13:22)���
Practical action combined with faith for dealing with the ungodly Removing evildoers & committing them to the Lord (5:13, 6:14)���
Prioritize worship over work (Ch. 8-9)���
Value and Support other leaders (Ch. 10)���
Do the hard thing (Neh. 13:8, 11, 13, 15-22, 28)���
Follow-up – replace untrustworthy men (Ch. 13)���
Apply It Personally:���
From Ezra 7-10 & Nehemiah:��� What needs rebuilding in your life? ���
How will you handle opposition?���
How can you help not hinder others’ work for God?���
What hard things are being required in your leadership?���
Whatever you do, ���work at it with all your heart, ���
as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know you will
receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.���
Col. 3:23-24���