Are You A History Buff?

I was debating on whether to share the Week 4 Day 2 entry I’d written back on November 7, 2015. It’s the first day Jen Hatmaker has us research the background of a book in the Bible before actually getting into the book itself. When I looked at day 2 I figured I was going to be expanding upon this specific day so I better include it so it makes better sense in the end. My hope is that maybe you might learn something like I did the day I did it. Thanks.

Today is November 7, 2015 and I am in Week 4 Day 2 of Jan Hatmaker’s study guide.

The Book of Nehemiah

The Voice Introduction

This book was written by Nehemiah, “a leader with great vision”

Subtitle: A personal memoir of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls

What was going on in the world when [Nehemiah] was written? What is the context of [this book]?

“In the fifth century B.C., the Jews are continuing to emerge from their exile in the Persian Empire. Invaded in 605 B.C. and 597 B.C., and then conquered in 586 B.C. when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, the people of God are scattered throughout the Babylonian Empire and eventually witness the Babylonians own fall to Persia. Now that they are living under a new regime that is accepting of God’s people and willing to let them return home to rebuild their nation, God raises up a series of leaders to take charge of that home going. Two of these are Ezra the priest and Nehemiah the governor of Judah.”

Both Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s stories as well as when Jerusalem is rebuilt is shown in the two books of the Bible called Nehemiah and Ezra. Basically two POVs (points of view) for the same time period. The original manuscript, or volume, had these two books together.

The Book of Nehemiah itself is written by Nehemiah and is his personal memoir. “His story picks up in 445 B.C., when he is a trusted adviser to Artaxerxes I.” He learns that his people are in trouble and the walls and gates in Jerusalem are still in ruins. As a result, he granted permission to return to Jerusalem and help to rebuild these to fortify this city. It takes 12 years to complete most of the work needing to be done. The repair work to the walls themselves only took 52 days.

The NIV Introduction

Timeline


586 B.C.	Jerusalem destroyed; The exiled go to Babylon
538 B.C.	First exiles to return to Jersulem
516 B.C.	Temple completed
486 B.C.	Xerxes becomes king of Persia
465 B.C.	Atraxerxes become king of Persia
458 B.C.	Ezra goes to Jersulam
445 B.C.	Nehemiah goes to Jersulam; wall completed
433 B.C.	Nehemiah returns to Babylon
432 B.C.	Nehemiah goes back to Jerusalem
430 B.C. (?)	Malachi begins his ministry

“Purpose: Nehemiah is the last of the Old Testament historical books. It records the history of the third return to Jerusalem after captivity, telling how the walls were rebuilt and the people were renewed in their faith.”

Author: More than likely Nehemiah wrote it and Ezra edited it.

It was written around 445-432 B.C.

“Setting: Zerubbabel led the first return to Jerusalem in 538 B.C. In 458, Ezra led the second return. Finally, in 445, Nehemiah returned with the third group of exiles to rebuild the city walls.”

Key People: Nehemiah, Ezra, Sanballat, Tobiah

Key Place: Jerusalem

“Special Features: The book shows the fulfillment of the prophecies of Zechariah and Daniel concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls.”

In book on pages 179-180

Israel


Dates (B.C.)
605-536	General period of captivity (Israelites taken from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar)
605, 597	Leading Judean citizens deported to Babylon
586	Daniel and Ezekiel deported
539	Cyrus, king of Persia, conquered Babylon
538	Cyrus permitted the return of Israelites to Jerusalem (see Ezra 1:1-8)
536	Return of 49,897 Israelites from Babylon to Jerusalem
536	Alter rebuilt; sacrifice offered in seventh month
535	Temple rebuilding began
535-520	Rebuilding stopped due to economic and political struggle
520	Ministry of Haggai
520-515	Ministry of Zechariah
515	Temple completed
564	Artaxerxes I became king of Persia (Nehemiah served under him)
558	Return of Ezra to Jerusalem
444-443	Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem
443	Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem

“Nehemiah and Malachi were the last two Old Testament books written.”

“Summary: Nehemiah completes the history of the restoration of the returned remnant of Israel from exile in Babylon. It also marks the beginning of Daniel’s “seventy weeks” (Daniel 9:20-27) and provides historical background for the book of Malachi. Much of the material in this book comes from what must have been Nehemiah’s personal diary, so frank and vivid is the reporting.”