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Questions and Answers
Who led the first group of Jews back to Jerusalem?
Who led the first group of Jews back to Jerusalem?
What was Nehemiah's occupation before he was called by God?
What was Nehemiah's occupation before he was called by God?
What was Zerubbabel's official title?
What was Zerubbabel's official title?
Who was the high priest at the time of the restoration?
Who was the high priest at the time of the restoration?
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What was a result of the captivity on the Jews?
What was a result of the captivity on the Jews?
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What was the duration of the Babylonian Captivity, according to Jeremiah's prediction?
What was the duration of the Babylonian Captivity, according to Jeremiah's prediction?
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What was the occupation of Ezra, according to the book of Ezra?
What was the occupation of Ezra, according to the book of Ezra?
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What event occurred in 587 B.C.?
What event occurred in 587 B.C.?
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Who was the queen of Persia, according to the book of Esther?
Who was the queen of Persia, according to the book of Esther?
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What was the name of the empire that began in 539 B.C.?
What was the name of the empire that began in 539 B.C.?
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Study Notes
Background
- The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell the story of the return of the remnant to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the city and the temple after the Babylonian Captivity.
- The Babylonian Captivity began in 606 BCE and lasted for 70 years, as predicted by Jeremiah (Jer. 25:12-14; 29:10-14).
- Many people, including Daniel and Ezekiel, were deported between 606 and 586 BCE.
Chronology
- 606-605 BCE: Babylon begins invading and deporting people
- 587 BCE: Jerusalem falls to the enemy
- 539 BCE: Babylon falls to Cyrus and the Media-Persian empire begins
- 538 BCE: Cyrus permits the Jews to return; about 50,000 return
- 535 BCE: The Jews begin to rebuild the temple, but the work stops
- 520 BCE: The work begins again after a 15-year pause
- 515 BCE: The temple is completed and dedicated
- 476 BCE: Esther becomes Queen of Persia
- 458 BCE: Ezra travels to Jerusalem
The Leaders
- Ezra: a godly and patriotic Jew, priest, scribe, and devoted student of the Scriptures who helped restore the Law to the nation.
- Ezra was a man of prayer and greatly burdened for the spiritual welfare of his people.
- Ezra led a second group of Jews back to Jerusalem, smaller than the first group led by Zerubbabel and Joshua.
- Nehemiah: an officer in the king's court, called to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, became governor, and was promoted from cupbearer.
- Zerubbabel: a leader under Ezra, also called Sheshbazzar, with the title "governor" or "tirshatha", and was in the royal line of David.
- Joshua: the high priest at the time, serving as the spiritual leader of the restored nation.
- Haggai and Zechariah: two prophets who played a significant role during this period.
The Lessons
- God fulfilled His promise of captivity to the sinning nation.
- God kept a remnant to return to Jerusalem to fulfill His promise.
- The captivity cured the Jews of idolatry and gave them a desire to know and obey the Word.
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Description
Learn about the background and historical context of Ezra and Nehemiah, including the Babylonian Captivity, Jeremiah's prophecies, and the return of the remnant to Jerusalem.
