EZRA AND NEHEMIAH

A 12-WEEK STUDY

Kathleen B. Nielson

wheaton, illinois

Knowing the Bible: Ezra and Nehemiah, A 12-Week Study

Copyright © 2016 by Crossway

Published by Crossway

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Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Some content used in this study guide has been adapted from the ESV Study Bible (Crossway), copyright 2008 by Crossway, pages 799–847. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover design: Simplicated Studio

First printing 2016

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-4816-8

EPub ISBN: 978-1-4335-4919-9

PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-4917-5

Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-4918-2

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

KNOWING THE BIBLE

J. I. Packer, Theological Editor

Dane C. Ortlund, Series Editor

Lane T. Dennis, Executive Editor

Table of Contents

Series Preface: J. I. Packer and Lane T. Dennis

Week 1: Overview of Ezra and Nehemiah

Week 2: The First Return—by God’s Stirring (Ezra 1–2)

Week 3: Temple Rebuilding—and Opposition (Ezra 3–4)

Week 4: Rebuilding Again—and Resolution (Ezra 5–6)

Week 5: A Second Return—by God’s Good Hand (Ezra 7–8)

Week 6: People Rebuilding—and Confession (Ezra 9–10)

Week 7: A Third Return—by God’s Good Hand (Nehemiah 1–2)

Week 8: Wall Rebuilding—in Spite of Opposition (Nehemiah 3–6)

Week 9: People Rebuilding—around God’s Word (Nehemiah 7–8)

Week 10: Confession—in Response to God’s Word (Nehemiah 9–10)

Week 11: Celebration—in Light of God’s Word (Nehemiah 11–12)

Week 12: Summary and Conclusion (Including Nehemiah 13)

SERIES PREFACE

KNOWING THE BIBLE, as the series title indicates, was created to help readers know and understand the meaning, the message, and the God of the Bible. Each volume in the series consists of 12 units that progressively take the reader through a clear, concise study of that book of the Bible. In this way, any given volume can fruitfully be used in a 12-week format either in group study, such as in a church-based context, or in individual study. Of course, these 12 studies could be completed in fewer or more than 12 weeks, as convenient, depending on the context in which they are used.

Each study unit gives an overview of the text at hand before digging into it with a series of questions for reflection or discussion. The unit then concludes by highlighting the gospel of grace in each passage (“Gospel Glimpses”), identifying whole-Bible themes that occur in the passage (“Whole-Bible Connections”), and pinpointing Christian doctrines ...