Esther, Ezra 7–10, Nehemiah, and Malachi
This study begins in the year 486 B.C., as God’s story continues through the Old Testament. At this time, the Babylonian Empire had been conquered by the Persian Empire, and there was an evil plot to destroy God’s people from Judah, who are now called “Jews.” The story of Esther shows God’s continued protection and preservation of His people in captivity through a beautiful young girl.
Even though God protected His people in captivity, His plan was not to preserve them in Persia, but for His people to return to Jerusalem and the Land of Promise. Just as there had been three different deportations, God’s people returned to Jerusalem at three different times. (The first two returns were covered in the study “Judah Alone.”) The first return was in 538 B.C. led by Zerubbabel, a descendant of King David, and Joshua, a descendant of the priests Aaron and Zadok. They had been commissioned by King Cyrus to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. When the returned exiles were unable to complete the Temple because of local opposition, God sent His prophets Haggai and Zechariah to help encourage them to complete the work.
A second group of exiles returned under the leadership of the priest Ezra, who had been commissioned by King Darius to teach God’s Law to the people of Judah.
This study begins with the third and final return. Nehemiah, the cup bearer to King Artaxerxes, was given a commission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Under the leadership of Nehemiah and Ezra, the people once again worship the Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem. But the people continued to fall back into their old ways, and turned away from the LORD their God. One final prophet was sent to Jerusalem. Acting as God’s attorney, Malachi presented God’s case against Israel and gave God’s final warning; that for those who refuse to repent and turn back to Him, the day of judgment was coming. But Malachi also included a promise: to watch for “the prophet Elijah.” who would prepare the way for God’s forgiveness to all who repent and turn back to Him. With those final words of the LORD through Malachi, the Old Testament came to a close. There would be 400 years before God would speak again, as promised by Malachi, John the Baptist was the one in the spirit of Elijah who prepared the way for God’s own Son, Jesus Christ. That part of God’s story begins the New Testament.
The lecture called the “Intertestamental Period” will fill in the history of those 400 years in preparation for the study in the New Testament.