Ezra-Nehemiah

THE BOOKS OF EZRA & NEHEMIAH

Until the 16th century, Ezra-Nehemiah was considered one book in the Hebrew Bible, and it represents the most recent chapter in the history of God's people to be recorded in the canon of scripture. The book takes place in the sixth and fifth centuries BCE during the priesthood of Ezra and the political leadership of Nehemiah after the fall of Babylon and the end of the Exile. It chronicles the reconstruction of Jerusalem, the rededication of the temple, and the attempt by God's people to reconstitute themselves as a distinct nation-state. The themes of ethnic purity and the threat of assimilation are central to the book, making it a relevant text in this season of heightened cultural separatism.

Series Outline

September 10, 2018
Return to Jerusalem
Ezra 1-3

September 17, 2018
Opposition and Dedication
Ezra 4-6

September 24, 2018
Ezra's Mission
Ezra 7-8

October 1, 2018
Marriage Crisis
Ezra 9-10

October 8, 2018
Nehemiah's Mission
Nehemiah 1-2

October 15, 2018
Renewed Opposition
Nehemiah 3-5

October 22, 2018
Wall Completed
Nehemiah 6 - 7

October 29, 2018
Temple Worship
Nehemiah 8-10

November 5, 2018
A New Normal
Nehemiah 11-13