Israel After the ExileIsrael After the Exile

Maps by David P. Barrett, used by permissionMaps by David P. Barrett, used by permission

By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion. 2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

(Psalm 137:1-2).

For there our For there our captors captors demanded of us demanded of us songs, songs, And our And our tormentors tormentors mirth, mirth, sayingsaying, , “Sing us one of “Sing us one of the songs of the songs of Zion.” Zion.” How can we sing the LORD’s song How can we sing the LORD’s song In a foreign land? (Psalm 137:3-4)In a foreign land? (Psalm 137:3-4)

Ezra 1:2-3Ezra 1:2-3Thus says Cyrus king of Persia,

“The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.

Ezra 1:4Ezra 1:4“Every survivor,

at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.”Cyrus

theGreat

““I am Cyrus, King of the World, Great King, I am Cyrus, King of the World, Great King, Legitimate King, King of Babylon, King of Legitimate King, King of Babylon, King of

Kiengir and Akkad, King of the four rims of Kiengir and Akkad, King of the four rims of the earth, Son of Cambyses, Great King, the earth, Son of Cambyses, Great King,

King of Achamaenes…”King of Achamaenes…”

““When I entered Babylon as a friend and When I entered Babylon as a friend and when I established the seat of the when I established the seat of the

government in the palace of the ruler under government in the palace of the ruler under jubilation and rejoicing, Marduk, the great jubilation and rejoicing, Marduk, the great

lord, induced the magnanimous inhabitants lord, induced the magnanimous inhabitants of Babylon to love me, and I was daily of Babylon to love me, and I was daily

endeavoring to worship him...”endeavoring to worship him...”

“… “… Ashur and Susa, Akkad, Eshnunna, the Ashur and Susa, Akkad, Eshnunna, the towns Zamban, Me-turnu, Der as well as the towns Zamban, Me-turnu, Der as well as the

region of the Gutians, I returned to these region of the Gutians, I returned to these sacred cities on the other side of the Tigris the sacred cities on the other side of the Tigris the sanctuaries of which have been ruins for a long sanctuaries of which have been ruins for a long time, the images which used to live therein and time, the images which used to live therein and established for them permanent sanctuaries”established for them permanent sanctuaries”

“ “I also gathered all their I also gathered all their former inhabitants and former inhabitants and returned them to their returned them to their

habitations.”habitations.”

Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, Whom I have taken by the right hand, Whom I have taken by the right hand,

To subdue nations before him, To subdue nations before him, And to loose the loins of kings; And to loose the loins of kings;

To open doors before him so that gates will To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut (Isaiah 45:1).not be shut (Isaiah 45:1).

““It is I who says of Cyrus,It is I who says of Cyrus,‘He is My shepherd! ‘He is My shepherd!

And he will perform all My And he will perform all My desire.’ desire.’

And he declares of Jerusalem,And he declares of Jerusalem,‘She will be built,’ ‘She will be built,’ And of the temple, And of the temple,

‘Your foundation will be laid.’” ‘Your foundation will be laid.’” (Isaiah 44:28).(Isaiah 44:28).

““For the sake of Jacob My For the sake of Jacob My servant, servant,

And Israel My chosen one, And Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your I have also called you by your

name; name; I have given you a title of honor I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me. Though you have not known Me.

(Isaiah 45:4).(Isaiah 45:4).

Ezra 1:5-6Ezra 1:5-6Then the heads of fathers’

households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all those about them encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle, and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering.

Ezra 3:1Ezra 3:1 Now when the seventh month

came, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.

Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brothers arose and built of Shealtiel, and his brothers arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of offerings on it, as it is written in the law of

Moses, the man of God. (Ezra 3:2).Moses, the man of God. (Ezra 3:2).

Ezra 3:8Ezra 3:8 Now in the second year of their Now in the second year of their

coming to the house of God at coming to the house of God at Jerusalem in the second month, Jerusalem in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and the rest Jeshua the son of Jozadak and the rest of their brothers the priests and the of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all who came from the Levites, and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites from twenty and appointed the Levites from twenty years and older to oversee the work of years and older to oversee the work of the house of the LORD.the house of the LORD.

Ezra 4:1-2Ezra 4:1-2 Now when the enemies of Judah

and Benjamin heard that the people of the exile were building a temple to the LORD God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God; and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”

Ezra 4:3Ezra 4:3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and

the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing in common with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves will together build to the LORD God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”

Ezra 4:4-5Ezra 4:4-5 Then the people of the land

discouraged the people of Judah, and frightened them from building, 5 and hired counselors against them to frustrate their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Haggai &Haggai &ZechariahZechariahprophesyprophesyand urgeand urge

constructionconstructionto beginto begin

againagain

CambysesCambyses

Construction halted

Cyrus the Cyrus the GreatGreat

Permission given to rebuild

Ezra 5:1-2Ezra 5:1-2 When the prophets, Haggai the

prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them, 2 then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them supporting them.

CambysesCambyses

Construction halted

Cyrus the Cyrus the GreatGreat

Permission given to rebuild

Darius the Darius the GreatGreat

Permission given to complete

1st Return under Zerubbabel &

rebuilding Temple

Ezra 1-6

Ezra 7-10

Events of Book of Esther

2nd Return under Ezra

3rd Return under Nehemiah &

rebuilding walls

Book of Esther

Book of Nehemiah

538-516 B.C.

473 B.C.

458-457 B.C.

445-444 B.C.

• Ancient capital of Elam

• Winter palace of Darius

• Traditional tomb of Daniel

This palace which I built at This palace which I built at Susa, from afar its Susa, from afar its ornamentation was ornamentation was

brought. Downward the brought. Downward the earth was dug, until I earth was dug, until I

reached rock in the earth. reached rock in the earth. When the excavation had When the excavation had been made, then rubble been made, then rubble was packed down, some was packed down, some

40 cubits in depth, another 40 cubits in depth, another part 20 cubits in depth. On part 20 cubits in depth. On that rubble the palace was that rubble the palace was

constructed. constructed. 

And that the earth was And that the earth was dug downward, and that dug downward, and that the rubble was packed the rubble was packed down, and that the sun-down, and that the sun-dried brick was molded, dried brick was molded, the Babylonian people the Babylonian people

performed these tasks. performed these tasks. 

The cedar timber, this The cedar timber, this was brought from a was brought from a

mountain named mountain named Lebanon. The Assyrian Lebanon. The Assyrian

people brought it to people brought it to Babylon; from Babylon Babylon; from Babylon

the Carians and the the Carians and the Yaunâ [Greeks] brought Yaunâ [Greeks] brought

it to Susa. it to Susa.

Cast of CharactersCast of Characters• Esther (also known as Esther (also known as HadassahHadassah).).

• Ahasuerus: XerxesAhasuerus: Xerxes

• Mordecai & HamanMordecai & Haman

Esther acts to save her people• Esther throws a party• The King reads an edict• Esther reveals the plot

Esther becomes queenEsther becomes queen

2:19-23 Mordecai saves the king’s Mordecai saves the king’s lifelife

3:1-14 Haman plots against the Haman plots against the JewsJews

4:1 – 7:10

Esther & Esther & Mordecai in the Mordecai in the Persian CourtPersian Court

Trouble for the Trouble for the JewsJews

8:1 – 9:17 Jews allowed to defend Jews allowed to defend themselvesthemselves

Victory for the Victory for the JewsJews

9:18-32 Jews celebrateJews celebrate

10:1-3 Mordecai rewardedMordecai rewarded

Esther & Esther & Mordecai in the Mordecai in the Persian CourtPersian Court

1:1 – 2:18

Esther 9:24Esther 9:24For Haman the son of Hammedatha,

the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and destroy them.

HamanHamanA descendant of Agag

(Esther 3:1), the king of the Amalekites whose life

Saul spared in disobedience to the command of God.

MordecaiMordecaiFrom the tribe and family

of Saul (Esther 2:5).

The enemy of the people of God

The savior of the people of God

Points to PonderPoints to Ponder• Esther is the book of God’s Esther is the book of God’s

ProvidenceProvidence

• The Success of Haman’s plot The Success of Haman’s plot would also exterminate the seed would also exterminate the seed through which the Messiah would through which the Messiah would comecome

• This book reminds us that God This book reminds us that God works in the lives of both the great works in the lives of both the great and the small and the small

EzraEzra

Azariah (“the Lord has helped”)Azariah (“the Lord has helped”)

Esdras (Greek form)Esdras (Greek form)

Ezra 7:1-5Ezra 7:1-5Now after these things, in the

reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, there went up Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest.

Ezra 7:6Ezra 7:6This Ezra went up from Babylon,

and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.

Ezra 7:9Ezra 7:9For on the first of the first month

he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him.

Ezra 7:10Ezra 7:10For Ezra had set his heart to

study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.

PassagePassage

Ezra 1:2-4Ezra 1:2-4

AuthorAuthor

CyrusCyrus

PurposePurpose

Permission for Jews to Permission for Jews to return and build templereturn and build temple

Ezra 4:11-Ezra 4:11-1616

Rehun & Rehun & ShimshaShimsha

Report to the king against Report to the king against the Jewsthe Jews

Ezra 4:17Ezra 4:17 CambysesCambyses Order to halt temple Order to halt temple constructionconstruction

Ezra 5:7-17Ezra 5:7-17 TattenaiTattenai Report to the king the Jews Report to the king the Jews had resumed constructionhad resumed construction

Ezra 6:1-12Ezra 6:1-12 DariusDarius Permission to resume workPermission to resume work

Ezra 7:12-Ezra 7:12-2626 ArtaxerxesArtaxerxes Ezra given authority to lead Ezra given authority to lead

group to Judahgroup to Judah

Ezra 7:27-28Ezra 7:27-28Blessed be the LORD, the God of

our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to adorn the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, 28 and has extended loving-kindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king's mighty princes. Thus I was strengthen-ed according to the hand of the LORD my God upon me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.

Ezra 9Ezra 9

The Problem: The Problem: Intermarriage with the Intermarriage with the

people of the landpeople of the land

Ezra 10Ezra 10

The Solution: Divorce The Solution: Divorce those wivesthose wives

Prayer of repentancePrayer of repentance Proposal of divorceProposal of divorce

Discuss the decision that Discuss the decision that was made to divorce the was made to divorce the foreign wives:foreign wives:

Was it Was it right?right?

Was it Was it wrong?wrong?

1 – 2:101 – 2:10

Nehemiah Nehemiah talkstalks

2:11 – 62:11 – 6

To To GodGod

To To the the

KingKing

77 8 – 128 – 12 1313

Nehemiah 2:1-2Nehemiah 2:1-2And it came about in the month

Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.

Nehemiah 2:3-4Nehemiah 2:3-4And I said to the king, “Let the

king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?”

4 Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Nehemiah 2:5-6Nehemiah 2:5-6And I said to the king, “If it please

the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.” 6 Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.

Nehemiah 2:10Nehemiah 2:10And when Sanballat the Horonite

and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about it, it was very displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel.

Nehemiah 2:11-12Nehemiah 2:11-12So I came to Jerusalem and was

there three days. 12 And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding.

Nehemiah 2:13Nehemiah 2:13So I went out at night by the

Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Well and on to the Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire.

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Nehemiah 2:14-15Nehemiah 2:14-15Then I passed on to the Fountain

Gate and the King's Pool, but there was no place for my mount to pass.

15 So I went up at night by the ravine and inspected the wall. Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned.

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Nehemiah 2:16Nehemiah 2:16And the officials did not know

where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the rest who did the work.

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Nehemiah 2:17-18Nehemiah 2:17-18Then I said to them, “You see the

bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer be a reproach.” 18 And I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me, and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” So they put their hands to the good work.

Nehemiah 4:1Nehemiah 4:1Now it came about that when

Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.

Nehemiah 4:2Nehemiah 4:2And he spoke in the presence of

his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?”

Nehemiah 4:3Nehemiah 4:3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was

near him and he said, “Even what they are building-- if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!”

Nehemiah 4:8-9Nehemiah 4:8-9And all of them conspired

together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. 9 But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.

Nehemiah 4:16-17Nehemiah 4:16-17And it came about from that day

on, that half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah.

17 Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.

44

Threats from Threats from withoutwithout

Enemies Enemies threaten to threaten to attack and attack and

tear down the tear down the wallswalls

55

Threats from Threats from withinwithin

Rich Rich foreclosing on foreclosing on the lands of the lands of

the poor who the poor who are rebuilding are rebuilding

the wallthe wall

66

Threats from withoutThreats from without

Enemies plot their Enemies plot their schemes schemes

Plan to Plan to murder murder

Nehemiah Nehemiah

Jews Jews accused accused

of of rebellion rebellion

1 – 2:101 – 2:10

Nehemiah Nehemiah talkstalks

2:11 – 62:11 – 6

The workThe work

To To GodGod

PlanPlanSetSet

To To the the

KingKing

Job Job donedone

77

Number Number of the of the peoplepeople

8 – 128 – 12

Covenant Covenant renewalrenewal

1313

Further Further reformsreforms

WorkWork WorshipWorship

Rebuilding the WallRebuilding the Wall Reviving the PeopleReviving the People

Nehemiah 8:1Nehemiah 8:1And all the people gathered as

one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel.

Nehemiah 8:2-3Nehemiah 8:2-3Then Ezra the priest brought the

law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could under-stand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

Nehemiah 8:5-6Nehemiah 8:5-6And Ezra opened the book in the

sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:8Nehemiah 8:8And they read from the book,

from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.

Nehemiah 8:14Nehemiah 8:14And they found written in the law

how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month.

Nehemiah 8:15Nehemiah 8:15So they proclaimed and circulated

a proclamation in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches, and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”

Nehemiah 8:16-17Nehemiah 8:16-17So the people went out and

brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate, and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And the entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing.

88

Feast of Feast of Tabernacles Tabernacles

observedobserved

99

Covenant Renewal

1010

Prayer of Prayer of national national

confessionconfession

11-1211-12

Listing of Listing of the peoplethe people

Covenant Covenant signedsigned

Nehemiah 13:1-2Nehemiah 13:1-2On that day they read aloud from

the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Nehemiah 13:16-17Nehemiah 13:16-17Also men of Tyre were living there

who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. 17 Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day?”

Nehemiah 13:23-24Nehemiah 13:23-24In those days I also saw that the

Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people.

Nehemiah 13:28Nehemiah 13:28Even one of the sons of Joiada,

the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me.

Nehemiah 13:30-31Nehemiah 13:30-31Thus I purified them from

everything foreign and appointed duties for the priests and the Levites, each in his task, 31 and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.