Things You Need to Know... from Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

(1) Ezra - history is His Story

Kings and Chronicles ends with the Jews being taken into exile by King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC.

Ezra - in 538 BC Cyrus issued a decree for the Jews to return to rebuild the temple.

Ezra 1-6 537-515 BC

Ezra 7-Nehemiah 13 458-433 BC

Luke 2:1–2 ESV

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Luke 2:3–4 ESV

3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

Luke 2:5–6 ESV

5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

(2) Nehemiah - faithfulness to the Lord in worship and obedience

Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem in 445 BC , 13 years after Ezra.

Nehemiah rebuilds the wall against great opposition.

- The Lord fulfills his promise to return his people to the land

- faithfulness to the Lord in worship and obedience

The Lord promised a Savior, there was great opposition when Herod commanded that all the children 2 and under be killed Matthew .

The Lord fulfilled his promise of his gift of the Savior - John 3: 16; Galatian 4:4

Joseph and Mary were faithful and obedient

The shepherds who came to the manger were faithful and obedient

The wisemen who traveled for two years were faithful and obedient

It is the Holy Spirit who produces in us the desire to be obedient and the ability to be faithful. It is the work of the Spirit who transforms us so that we might listen to the word of the Lord and follow him in faithful obedience.

(3) Esther - the Lord raises up a deliverer

The author is unknown, the time of writing is unknown. The reign of Ahasuerus from 486-464 BC is after the Babylonian exile, when Persia replaced Babylon as the ruling power. Esther lived in the capital city of Susa and became the queen of Ahasuerus, known also by his Greek name of Xerxes. There is a great deal of historical and archaeological evidence concerning the Persian empire during this time.

The verse -

Esther 4:14 ESV

For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

The book of Esther tells how a Jewish girl became the Queen of Persia and saved her people from a plot to destroy them. The Jewish holiday of Purim (from the Persian word pur for lot) celebrates this deliverance.

At Christmas we celebrate the Savior who was born in a humble manger to a young couple but was in fact the King of kings and the deliverer of all who come to him in faith.

Matthew 1:21–23 ESV

21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Ezra - rebuild the temple - we can worship at Christmas

Nehemiah - rebuild the wall - we can be faithful and obedient this Christmas

Esther - the Lord has given us a deliverer - we can’t do this - only Jesus can save you from the coming judgment. Only Jesus died for your sin. Only Jesus died for you and says come to me… Only Jesus is the gift of God.