Last Three Weeks:Ezekiel 44 – 48 / Joel / Daniel 1 - 6

Daniel 7 – 12, Ezra 1-6, Psalms 137, Haggai

Zechariah, Esther, Ezra 7-10

This Week:Nehemiah, Psalms 126, Malachi

Remaining:

December 28 – Transition class

O. T. TIMELINE (1):

1. Beginnings

2. Patriarchs

3. Bondage

4. Exodus

5. Wanderings

6. Conquest

7. Judges

8. United Kingdom

Samaria Falls

9. Divided Kingdom

722 BCIsrael

Judah

Judah Alone

WE ARE HERE

10. Captivity

O. T. TIMELINE (2):

11. Return

Extent of the Medo-Persian Empire

Ch

ron

olo

gica

l & B

ackg

rou

nd

Ch

arts o

f the

Old

Te

stam

en

t by Jo

hn

H. W

alto

n, Z

on

de

rvan

19

94

(559)

(Ahasuerus/Artaxerxes)

(Ahasuerus)

Persian / World Chronology

~480BC

Deaths of Buddha (India) & Confucius (China)

Chronological & Background Charts of the Old Testament by John H. Walton, Zondervan 1994

The Return from Captivity - Timeline

Est

her

458“Rebuild

the Temple”

Ezra 1-6Malachi

Zechariah

Exile

536

483

Ezra 7-10

“RestoreGod’s Law”

“Rebuildthe

Walls”

Neh

emia

h

473444 432+ 430?

Haggai

516

Jews Released1st return toJerusalem

2ndreturn to

Jerusalem

3rdreturn to

Jerusalem

606

Xerxes I Artaxerxes I Darius I Cyrus II C

Ezra Part Two, Chapters 7-10:

(Elapsed Time – One Year, 7:9-10:17)

- Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps & Charts, 1993 Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Early Heb. manuscripts joined Ezra & Nehe-miah, but Neh. clearly written in 1st person

Nehemiah served as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia in Sushan (Susa)

Received permission to return & rebuild Jerusalem in 20th yr. of King (445-444 B.C.)

Appointed governor in Judah for 12 years Ezra served as priest and scribe at this time Returned to King in Persia ~ 432 B.C. (13:6) Back to Jerusalem “after some time” and

lead more reforms (post-Malachi?)

I. Nehemiah leads reconstruction of the walls of Jerusalem, Ch. 1-7A. Preparation, 1:1-2:20B. Reconstruction, 3:1-7:73

1. Record of builders, 3:1-322. Opposition to the building, 4:1-6:143. Walls completed, 6:15-194. Jerusalem organized, 7:1-45. Citizens enrolled acc. to genealogies, 7:5-73

II.Ezra and Nehemiah lead spiritual restoration of the people of Judah, Ch. 8-13A. Ezra reads the law / feasts restored, Ch. 8B. The covenant is reaffirmed, Ch. 9-10C. Jerusalem is resettled, Ch. 11D. Record of the priests and Levites, 12:1-26E. Dedication of the wall, 12:27-47F. Further restoration / separation of the

people, Ch. 13

Western or “Wailing” Wall of Jerusalem (Herod)

What Did the Wall Look Like?

Ruins of “Broad Wall” dating to 8th Century B.C. (Hezekiah?) May have been 25 ft. high / 23 ft. thick

More Likely Wall Construction

Work on the Gates and Walls of Jerusalem (Ch. 3)

Sheep

Dung

Fish

Old

Valley Fountain

Water

HorseN

“Let us arise and build” (2:18) Importance of dedicated leadership,

focused on the task at hand Problems, pains, prayers, & perseverance Don’t be afraid; Our God will fight for us Help of God in the face of opposition (6:16)

(Ridicule / intimidation & fear / financial hardships / assassination plots / libel / temptation / fraternization with enemies)

Sanballat (Samaria) & Tobiah (Ammon) Spiritual restoration / Covenant with God

• 4 Major Prophets:Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel

• 12 Minor Prophets: Hosea* Joel Amos* Obadiah Jonah* Micah* Prophets to Israel

Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah

-----

Haggai Zechariah Malachi

Malachi means “My Messenger” No other information is given about the man Exact date uncertain, but message fits

problems addressed by Nehemiah on his return, 432-425 B.C. (Compare with Neh. 13)

Unique style among the prophets: Didactic-Dialectic (Proposition/Objection/Reply), an exposition style later adopted in synagoges

Frequent (25) references to “the Lord” / “the Lord of Hosts” as the prophet’s source

Wherein have You loved us? 1:2

How have we despised Your name? 1:6

How have we defiled You? 1:7

Why is God displeased with us? 2:14

I chose Jacob over Esau 1:2-4

You are presenting defiled bread on altar 1:7

You despise worship, it’s tiresome to you 1:7-14

You divorced own wives & married pagans 2:11-16

How have we wearied Him? 2:17

How shall we return? 3:7

How have we robbed You? 3:8

What have we spoken against You? 3:13

You say that evil is good, 2:17

Keep My statutes, 3:7

In tithes and offerings, 3:8

You say it is vain to serve God, 3:14

I. Condemnation of the priest’s faithlessness, 1:1-2:9A. The Lord’s love for Israel, 1:2-5B. Rebuke of the priests & the people, 1:6-14C. Priests threatened with a curse, 2:1-9

II. Mixed marriages & divorces condemned, 2:10-16III.The Day of the Lord – Condemnation of religious

indifference and skepticism, 2:17-4:6A. The Lord’s approach in judgment, 2:17-3:6B. Wrongful withholding of tithes and offerings,

3:7-12C. God defends His justice – “the day is coming”,

3:13-4:3D. Closing admonitions and promises, 4:4-6

Ritual worship not acceptable Better to shut the doors of the temple

than give half-hearted worship to God Indifference and skepticism rebuked Condemnation of divorce and

intermarriage with pagan neighbors Withholding God’s portion = robbery The day of the Lord is coming, who

can endure?

Captives set free – like a dream Filled with laughter and joy God given credit Remembrance of others Promise of blessings

• Sow in tears / reap with joy• “We shall come rejoicing, bringing in

the sheaves”