Ezra and Nehemiah’s Adventures
—and Jerusalem’s continued revival

Our lessons are now well into the Medo-Persian rule. Artaxerxes is king of Persia. The rebuilding, religious restoration, and resettling of the remnant in Jerusalem, is led by Ezra and Nehemiah.

1 There Must Be Revival

From time to time revival must happen among God's people.

They must...

• revisit and restore the original ordinances of God,
• repent from sin and reform their lives,
• re-dedicate themselves to the covenant they have broken or long neglected,
• rebuild what has been destroyed,
• rely upon the good providence of God.

2 Ezra and Nehemiah

Ezra and Nehemiah take up the struggle to resettle the remnant of Judah and Israel in Judah. Three things are going on in Jerusalem.

• (1) Physical rebuilding of the city. Having rebuilt the temple, the walls and gates are now the focus. Opposition to this rebuilding is strong.
• (2) Religious reform where the errors of the past are regretted and the present sins are corrected. A document is prayerfully prepared that dedicates the people to their covenant with God.
• (3) The over-riding providence of God fulfilling his promise to preserve a remnant of the people with a view to the coming of Christ.

3 Waiting for Messiah

Much of the story of the returned remnant of Judah is left largely untold in the Bible, since at this point the Old Testament scriptures are completed. The remnant had to go through the Greek era and well into the Roman era before the Christ finally came. Bible prophecy did look forward into these "silent years" between the testaments, as we shall see in the time of Prophecy Unfolding covered in our next two lessons.

4 Bible Summary (Ezra 7-10)

[For the first six chapters of Ezra see Return of the Remnant]

• Artaxerxes helps Ezra take a second wave of exiles back (7)
• List of those who went with Ezra (8)
• God protects the travellers and their treasures (8)
• Ezra prays about the people's sin (9)
• The remnant in Judah repent of and correct their sin regarding intermarriage with idolaters (10)

5 Bible Summary (Nehemiah 1-13)

• Nehemiah prays (1)
• Artaxerxes helps Nehemiah rebuild the city walls (2)
• Lists of rebuilders of Jerusalem's walls (3)
• Opposition to the rebuilding (4) [Note Ezra 4:6-23 indicates earlier opposition also]
• An account of Nehemiah's integrity (5)
• A further attempt to frustrate the building program (6)
• The walls with their doors and gates are completed and guards are posted (6-7)
• A book is found listing the exiles who first returned with Zerubbabel (7) [See also Ezra 2]
• An account of Ezra's reading from the law (8)
• An account of the prayers offered (9)
• An account of the covenant and commitment made to God by the returned remnant (10)
• A list of those who resettled the city (11)
• A list of the priests who ministered to them (12)
• The dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem (12)
• Nehemiah records reforms that he made (13)

6 A Few Facts About Ezra

• A scribe and priest
• His memoirs are in the Bible book bearing his name
• Contemporary of Nehemiah
• Led the second wave of exiles back to Jerusalem
• Brought about religious revival and restoration

7 A Few Facts About Nehemiah

• Cup-bearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes
• A "govenor" or man of authority and title
• Also a man of great integrity and humility
• His memoirs are in the Bible book bearing his name
• Not mentioned in the Bible outside his own book
• Son of Hacaliah (as distinct from two other Nehemiahs)
• Contemporary of the prophet Malachi
• Contemporary of Ezra the priest and scribe
• Led the third wave of exiles back to Jerusalem
• Completed the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and gates
   
  

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Webservant Ron Graham

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