Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

Ezra's what are presented, including what?

credentials; including a letter of authorization from Artaxerxes

This kind of set up is called what?

Chiastic A B C D C1 B1 A1

Who was the the Persian King who released the Jewish people to return the Judah?

Cyrus II

Who is not mentioned in the book of Esther?

God

Message of Esther:

God anonymously used a Persian queen to preserve His people on Purim

Esther records what?

God's protection of those exiled Jews who did not return to the Promised Land

The temple construction is completed under the prophetic exhortations of who?

Haggai and Zechariah

While the king steps outside to fume, what happens?

Haman throws himself at Esther in a plea for his life

this reversal leads to what?

Haman's advisers and family members to predict his imminent doom

the second decree is the result of what?

Haman's hatred of the Jews

Esther reveal what?

Haman's plot against the Jews

next who is hung?

Haman's sons

Chapters 4 & 5 chronicle the clashes between who?

Hamon and Mordecai, as Mordecai fights to save the Jews and Hamon works to destroy them

Modern Scholars state that the compiling of Ezra, Nehemiah and Chronicles as no different that the compilation of what New Testament book?

Luke

How long did this opposition last?

Many years

Ezra and Nehemiah are logically arranged according to the author's what?

Theological purposes

True or False: Ezra AND Nehemiah have been confirmed as historically accurate through archaeological discoveries AND extra biblical evidences

True

True or False: One of the key theological themes of Ezra-theological themes of Ezra-Nehemiah was that God was and is willing to return to those who return to him

True

the first decree is a replacement of what?

Vashti

The opposition continues through the reign of who and who?

Xerxes and Artaxerxes

what is the Apocrypha?

a collection of interstatmental Jewish literature, recognized, as deutero- canon in some Christian traditions

this act by Mordecai provides what?

a prelude to his letter exaltion

at the end of the banquet, Esther invites the king and Haman to what?

a second banquet

Concludes with what?

a summary statement of the greatness of Mordecai

when Ezra and these families arrived in Jerusalem, the do what?

account for the treasures, offer sacrifice, and deliver the orders of Arterex to the region's officials

Esther is added to what and then what happens?

added to the harem and then chosen from among the women for the harm as queen

Nehemiah is known for being highly skilled at what?

administrative

He reveals Haman's plot to Esther and convinces her to do what?

appeal to the king

On the plea of Esther, the new decree is what?

approved by the king and published to the land just as had been done with previous decree

He works how

behind the scenes ex. through obedient servants such as Esther and Mordecia

the king then commands Haman to do what?

bestow the honor to Mordecai

Ezra is instrumental in what?

bringing spiritual revival to Israel

Nehemiah traces the rebuilding of the what?

broken walls of Jerusalem and the instituting of social reforms

How does Haman plan tot execute Mordecai?

by inplanting him on a gallows and he has gallows built for that purpose

this plea attempt is misinterpreted as what?

by the the king as a sexual advance

Yahweh provides for his people, even turning what into support from him?

challenge of Taltenai

The wall is not the only what?

concern in Israel

even the internal threat of oppressive usury is effectively what?

confronted and corrected

He then does what

excludes foreign pagans from the city, expels Tobiah and purifies the temple rooms he had lived in reconstitutes tuthing, restores proper Sabbath practices, rebukes mixed marriages, and makes provision for the priesthood

Haman then plans to do what?

execute Mordecai

Ezra records what?

family heads of the returnees and their settlement in the land

so Israel again celebrates the what?

feast of booth

the next section parallels the what

first kingly decree section

it also includes specific stipulations of what?

for avoidance of mixed marriages and for honoring the Sabbath

Haman is then impalled on the very what?

gallows he had constructed for Mordecai

the letter also invest Ezra with what?

governmental authority

Ezra's response is deep what, which leads to what?

personal mourning and public prayer recognizing the sinful past of Israel, the Lord's present grace in allowing them to return, and the present sin of the Jews

Ezra and Nehemiah were reformers during which era?

postexile period

What do the priest do?

praise the Lord for His gracious work in Israel's rebellious history and plead for forgiveness for the people's current failures

Ezra then does what?

praises the Lord for His gracious provision

though the external opposition intensifies, it is met with what?

prayers, preparation and continuation

Ezra is known for having what two occupations?

priest & scribe

Haman arrogantly concluding that the king must be talking about him, says...

public parade of honor

Mrdecai is devastated by the what?

published decree of Haman

the names of the returning residents are then what?

recorded

the section closes with what?

registry of the returning citizens of Israel

What three area of Hebrew life were Ezra and Nehemiah trying to reform?

religious, social, & economic life

Nehemiah closes the book with a plea for God to do what?

remember him favorably for his labor in the Lord's name

After Ezra publicly confronts the guilty people the do what?

repent

Nehemiah records key events in what era?

return

The major portion of this section concerns what?

reverses the previous evil decree against them

the leaders encourage them because the occasion is intended to be a what?

sacred festival

The registered families prepared to return by doing what?

securing levitcal ministries by fasting and praying to the Lord, and by assigning the temple treasures to lead Levitical priest

the combination of Ezra-Nehemiah covers roughly how many years?

some hundred years

Therefore, Nehemiah initiates reform to restore the people's what?

spiritual condition

The book of Nehemiah second records the what?

spiritual reformation required and experienced among the returners t oJerusalem

this agreement has general what?

stipulations for covenant obedience and temple provision

With the approval of the king, the Jews do what?

strike the enemies in the provinces and in Suas

his discovers what?

that Mordecai was not rewarded for preventing the king's assassination

Esther is a beautifully written story of the providence of what?

the Lord preserving and exalting His people

Ezra provides a personal account of what?

the Spiritual revival of the Jews; especially their separation from the Pagan people of the land

this prologue provides the background for what?

the choosing of the Jewish girl Esther as queen

Nehemiah receives word of what?

the disgraceful conditions in Jerusalem

this news troubles who?

the enemies of Israel

The people weep as their condition becomes clear in the light of what?

the law

the book concludes with what?

the list of the intermarriage offenderes

After inspecting the collapsed walls, Nehemiah calls of who?

the nation to join together to reconstruct the wall

Ezra next recounts what?

the opposition against the Jews

The renewal of the covenant is put in motion by what?

the public reading of the law

Ezra provides a historical account of what?

the reconstruction of the temple

The rebuilding of the temple begins with the what?

the restoration of the altar of burnt offerings

However, the king is unable to sleep one night a request what?

the royal record be read to him

The prologue sets the background of what?

the story by giving the prelude to Esther's choice as queen in Persia; the parallel epilogue explains the implications of the story for the Jews

After the priest and the people are ceremonially cleansed what happens>

two choirs are organized to march along the top of the wall and meet at the temple to praise and sacrifice to the Lord

the next section of the book is structured around what?

two key decrees by the king

the confession of the Israelites is is voiced how?

voiced to God through the priest

The older returnees, who recalled the former and great Solomonic temple, react how?

weep

when the foundation of the temple is completed, most people respond how?

with joy and celebration

This fury of Hanah motivates him to do what?

deception in order to get the king to sign a decrees to destroy Mordecai and the Jews

after the completion of the work, the temple what?

dedicated and prescribed feast are celebrated once again

Up to this point, Mordecai and the Jews seem what?

destined to face death at the hands of their enemies, primarily Hamon

The people's faithfulness to God had also what?

deteriorated

the people then sign a written agreement of what?

of loyalty to the Lord

the priest rebuild the altar and then do what?

offer sacrifices on tit fore the feast of Tabernacles

Ministers are appointed for what?

ongoing temple worship

In the oldest Hebrew Bibles, Ezra and Nehemiah are what?

only one book

she is then what>

present as the queen

In order to stabilize the institutions of the Hebrew community, who replaced the state and king?

the temple and priest

therefore, the Jews receive vengeance on who?

their enemies throughout Persia

the book demonstrates that God is able to work in who?

those He has chosen

Haman is delighted by what?

to be treated with such honor by Esther

the deceit of Haman is revealed in his refusal to do what?

to name the people group as Jews and in his claim that they are lawbreakers

God's faithfulness to His Word as a keeper of covenant oath meant what?

"There is still hope for Israel"

What placed a legal hedge or fence around the Mosaic Law to prevent Israelite fall-away?

Oral Law***

What are the three parts of the historical purpose and message of Ezra-Nehemiah?

1. The Hebrew return to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile, including the rebuilding of the altar & temple 2. The arrival & ministry of Ezra including the religious reform of community based on the law of Moses 3. The arrival & ministry of Nehemiah, including the repair of the Jerusalem wall & continued social & economic reform in the restoration community

List out the two other theological truths found in Ezra-Nehemiah?

1. The people may have hope in the present because the world of the God on behalf of Israel in the past stands as the model for Yahweh's participation in the future of the community 2. The ministry of Ezra and Nehemiah in restoring Jerusalem attested God' ability to continue to raise up his servants to accomplish his purpose & fulfill his promised to Israel

The book of Ezra can be broken down into what two parts

1. first return & rebuilding of the temple 2. second return & revival of the people

What were the two primary concerns that shaped the reform of the Israelite community?

1. the prevention of another Hebrew exile 2. preservation of the ethnic identity of the Israelites

the book opens with a lavish what?

180 day feast hosted by Xerxes

Ezra and Nehemiah comprise the second part of a two-part volume. What was part one?

1st and 2nd Chronicles

when is the temple completed?

515 BC

Ezra records the rebuilding of the temple which ended when? and then records Ezra's return to the land in? Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem in what?

516BC 457BC 444BC

the wall is finished in how many days?

52 days

Work resumes during Darius' reign, which is when?

522-486 BC

how many years after rebuilding of the temple did Ezra return to Jerusalem?

57 years

how tall were the gallows

75 feet high

who were Ezra and Nehemiah's predecessors?

Haggai & Zechariah

ERZA

****

MOrdecia's disdain infuriates Haman

****

NEHEMIAH

*****

ESTHER

******

the book of Nehemiah can be divided up into two parts:

1. Nehemiah's return & rebuilding of Jerusalem 2. Restoration of the people

The book can be divided into 7 parts

1. Prologue 2. Xerxes' first pair of decrees 3. Haman's Clashes with MOrdecai 4. Turing point: the king sleepless night 5. Mordecai's triumph over Haman 6. Xerxes' second pair of decrees 7. Epilogue

Ezra-Nehemiah was one the two Old Testament books containing large amounts of what?

Aramaic language

The gives Nehemiah grace is the eyes of who?

Artaxerxes, who permits and supports Nehemiah's effort to restore Jerusalem's wall

Haman's plot further unravels at what?

Esther's second banquet

Who does tradition point to as the author/editor of 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah?

Ezra

The second temple stood as a reminder of what?

Mesianic expectations

his mood is soured by what?

Mordecai refusing to pay him obeisance

Sandwiched between the two decrees is the brief description of what?

Mordecai's exposure of a murderous conspiracy against Xerxes

The book closes with a survey of what?

Nehemiah's reforms in Jerusalem

Message of Ezra:

Rebuilding of the temple & revival of the people

Message of Nehemiah

Rebuilding of the wall & reform of the people

At Ezra and Nehemiah's return, who made up a coalition of local alien enemies?

Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, Arabs, Ammonites, & citizens of Asdad

After the work of the wall begins what come?

opposition

where did Ezra and Nehemiah come from?

Susa in Persia

what ancient artifact details the Persian King Cyrus II as victor over Babylon and the effects of this overturn being detailed in Ezra 1?

The Cyrus Cylinder

What is the dominant theological idea within Ezra-Nehemiah?

The covenant renewal in the postexile community

the book of Nehemiah first records the what?

grace of the Lord in providing for the rebuilding of the temple of Jerusalem

Haman promoted by the king and what happens?

he is honored by all in Susa expect MOrdecai

His broken heart cries out to the Lord for what?

help in restoring the city

She refuses and is subsequently removed from what?

her throne

he wants to parade who before his officials?

his queen, Vashti

The kings ask Haman how best to do what?

honor a man

first the explanation of what?

how the two day feast of Purim came to one of the regularly observed Jewish feasts

Upon his arrival in Jerusalem?

in Jerusalem with a devastating spiritual failure in Israel

The pagan people of the land attempt what?

infiltrate the temple workers

Returning Jews had been doing what?

intermarrying with the pagan people of the land

Esther plans her appeal by first doing what?

inviting the king and Haman to a banquet

What does the book of Ezra record?

key events of the return era, including the spiritual reforms and the rebuilding of the temple

chapter 6 is the what

literary center and the critical turning point of the book

Ezra's mourning draws large crowd of what?

mourners

Ezra then calls a mandatory what to address the sin?

national assembly

When the Jews receive the edict of Cyrus, allowing for their temple, the begin collecting what?

needed materials

the letter does what?

not only allows a return but also provides authorization to collect offering and to receive official aid

What was the mandatory prerequisite for Yahweh's blessing and restoration of Israel?

obedience to covenant stipulations