Next Page – Chapter 12 – Job
Chapter XI.
Ezra, Nehemiah and Ester.
Ezra and Nehemiah.
Name. Ezra and Nehemiah were formerly counted as one book and contain
the account of the restoration of the exiles to Jerusalem and the re-
establishment of their worship. They soon came to be called First and
Second Ezra. Jerome first called the second book Nehemiah. Wycliffe
called them the first and second Esdras and later they were called the
books of Esdras otherwise the Nehemiahs. The present names were first
given in the Geneva Bible (1560). Ezra is so called from the author
and principal character, the name meaning “help”. Nehemiah is so
called from the principal character, whose name means “Jehovah
comforts.”
Other Books. Three other books should be read in connection with this
study. (1) The book of Esther, which relates to this time and should
be read between chapters 6 and 7 of the book of Ezra. (2) The books of
Haggai and Zechariah. These two prophets were associated with the
first return of Zerubbabel and their words incited the Jews to
complete the temple in spite of opposition.
The Return from Captivity. The return consisted of three expeditions
led respectively by Zerubbabel. Ezra and Nehemiah. The time covered
can not be accurately calculated. It is probably not fewer than ninety
years. Some think it may have been as many as one hundred and ten
years.
Analysis of Ezra.
I. The Rebuilding of the Temple, Chs. 1-6.
1. The proclamation of Cyrus, 1.
2. Those who returned, 2.
3. The foundation laid, 3.
4. The work hindered, 4.
5. The work finished, 5-6.
II. The Reforms of Ezra, Chs. 7-10.
1. Ezra’s Journey, 7-8
2. The confession of sin, 9.
3. The covenant to keep the law. 10.
For Study and Discussion. (1) The traits of character displayed
by Ezra. (2) The reforms of Ezra. (a) What were they? (b) Parallel
conditions of today. (3) The adversaries of Judah. (a) Who were they?
(b) The nature of their opposition. (4) The decree of Cyrus. (5) The
expedition of Zerubbabel and Ezra. (6) Ezra’s commission and the
king’s orders 7:1-26. (7) God’s use of friends and enemies in
forwarding his purposes.
Analysis of Nehemiah.
I. The Rebuilding of the Wall, Chs. 1-7.
1. Nehemiah permitted to go to Jerusalem, 1-2.
2. The work on the walls and its hindrance, 3-7.
II. The Covenant to Keep the Law, Chs. 8-10.
1. The law read, 8.
2. Confession made, 9.
3. The covenant made, 10.
III. The Walls Dedicated and Nehemiah’s Reform, Chs. 11-13.
1. Those who dwelt in the city, 11:1-12:26.
2. The walls dedicated, 12:27-47 end.
3. Evils corrected, Ch. 13.
For Study and Discussion. (1) Point out elements of strength in the
character and work of Nehemiah. (2) The greatness and difficulty of
Nehemiah’s task, (a) the rubbish, (b) the size and length of the wall,
(c) the strength of their enemies. (3) The reforms of Nehemiah, (a)
religious, (b) moral, (c) political. (4) The public meeting and new
festival, 8:1-18. (5) The covenant 9:1-10:39. (6) The repeopling of
Jerusalem, Chs. 11-12.
Name. This is taken from its principal character, a Jewish maiden
became queen of a Persian King.
Purpose. To explain the origin of the feast of Purim work of
providence for God’s people.
Time. The events narrated are thought to have occurred about 56 years
after the first return of Zerubbabel in 536 B. C. The King then would
be Xerxes the Great, and the drunken feast may have been preparatory
to the invasion of Greece in the third year of his reign.
Connection with Other Books. There is no connection between Esther and
the other books of the Bible. While it is a story of the time when the
Jews were returning to Jerusalem, and very likely should come between
the first and second return, and, therefore, between the sixth and
seventh chapters of Ezra, the incident stands alone. Without it we
would lose much of our knowledge of that period.
The Story. While Esther stands out as the principal character, the
whole story turns on the refusal of Mordecai to bow down to Haman,
which would have been to show him divine honor. He did not hate Haman
but, as a Jew could not worship any other than God. He dared to stand
for principle at the risk of his life.
The Name of God. One of the peculiarities of the book is that it
nowhere mentions the name of God, or makes any reference to him.
This may be because his name was held secret and sacred at that time.
However, God’s power and His care of His people are everywhere implied
in the book.
Analysis
I. Esther Made Queen, Chs. 1-2.
1. Queen Vashti dethroned. Ch. 1.
2. Esther made queen. Ch. 2.
II. Haman’s Plot and its Defeat. Chs. 3-8.
1. Haman plots the destruction of the Jews. Ch. 3.
2. The Jews’ mourning and Mordecai’s plea to Esther. Ch. 4.
3. Esther banquets Haman and the King, Ch. 5.
4. Mordecai highly honored for former service. Ch. 6.
5. Esther’s plea granted and Haman hanged, Ch. 7,
6. The Jews allowed defense and Mordecai advanced, Ch. 8.
III. The Jews’ Deliverance, Chs. 9-10.
1. Their enemies slain, 9:1-16.
2. A memorial feast is established. 9:17-32 end.
3. Mordecai made great, Ch. 10.
For Study and Discussion. (1) The character of the king, Vashti,
Mordecai, Esther and Haman. (2) Mordecai’s plea to Esther. (3) The
honor of Mordecai and humiliation of Haman, Ch. 6. (4) The destruction
of their enemies. (5) The feast of Purim, 9:17-32. (6) Truth about God
seen in this book. (7) Why not name the book Mordecai or Vashti-are
they not as heroic as Esther? (8) The race devotion of the Jews, then
and now. (9) Persian life as seen in the book.
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