Ezra & Nehemiah���Rebuilding the Walls

and God’s People

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 Babylonian Empire���

http://www.bible-history.com/maps/maps/map_persian_empire.html

Riblah

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���

Thank you���

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