Nehemiah Overview

Nehemiah Sunday School 5/19/24

Theme: God never forgets his promise. God will restore and protect his people, but they need to be faithful.

Purpose: God is rebuilding and restoring

Background: Nehemiah opens up with King Artaxerxes ruling and his 20th year. The story opens up in November. Based on the first chapter Nehemiah is most likely from the tribe of Judah. We also can see that the Jews are being ruled by the Persians, but have went from straight lock down slavery to halfway house slavery. This means that the can some what come and go as they please as it pertains to returning to Jerusalem. Nehemiah opens up around 445-444 B.C. However, God had been at work for a long time. Half way house slavery has to do with the Jews beginning to return home. 538 B.C. Edict of Cyrus. King Cyrus II the Great (539–530 B.C.) permits the return to Jerusalem of the Jewish exiles in Babylon, thus defining the status of Judah as a province: So if we go to Jerm 25:11 we can see that God promises to destroy Babylon. So this happens within in 70 years of there rule. However, In Isaiah 44: 28, we see Cyrus with be God’s Chosen Man. We also see it again in Isaiah 45: 1. We must remember that our bibles are not Chronological. In which Isaiah happens first and then Daniel, Esther, Ezra and Nehemiah cross intersect. These books are actually together in Jewish history. Which makes sense, because both men are responsible for the book of Nehemiah. So, God started restoring 94 years before Nehemiah even went to King Artaxerxes. Now the issue was that the Samaritans saw that Cyrus son was allowing Judah and Benjamin to return and restore the land. In 529 B.C. a letter is sent to the King from the Samaritans to seize building the temple. However, it doesn’t go in to effect until 7 years later. Restoration is shut down by King Cyrus Son King Cambyses. He more than likely waited to his father died. Then the original edict for Cyrus is found by Darius. Darius then allows restoration of the temple to again take place. Now Ezra book intersects with both Ester and Nehemiah. Esther book looks at those Jews that didn’t back and restore. It is showing what is going on in the capital, while some families where chosen to go back and rebuild. Now Haman also makes sense. Now when we get to Nehemiah, we can now understand why he is distraught. 20 yrs have passed and it seems like that can’t get any lead way .