Week 40

October 1        Pages 1198-1202

E. Reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes) Begins – 485-464 B.C.

    1. His Identification – 485 B.C., Esther 1:1-2

    2. Six Month Feast for Provinces – 483 B.C., Esther 1:3-11

    3. Vashti’s Rebellion

        a. Refuses to Appear Before King – Esther 1:12

        b. King Concerned – Esther 1:13-18

        c. Vashti Dethroned – Esther 1:19-22

F. Greeks Defeat Persia at Salamis – 480* B.C.

G. Esther Becomes Queen of Persia

     1.  New Queen Sought for Ahasuerus – Esther 2:1-4

     2.  Esther Brought to Shushan – Esther 2:5, 7-11

     3.  Queens Considered – Esther 2:12-14

     4.  Esther Made Queen – January 479 B.C., Esther 2:15-17

     5.  Feast at Shushan in Honor of Esther – Esther 2:18-20

     6.  Mordecai Saves the King’s Life – Esther 2:21-23

October 2         Pages 1202-1206

H. Birth of Nehemiah – 475* B.C.

I. Haman Plots Against the Jews - 474 B.C.

   1. His Conspiracy Against Mordecai – Esther 3:1-6

   2. Lots Cast – April-March 474 B.C., Esther 3:7

   3. Gains Kings Support By Guile – Esther 3:8-11

   4. Letters Order Jews Destruction – April 13, 474 B.C., Esther 3:12-13, March 13, 474* B.C., 

       Esther 3:14-15

   5. Mordecai Appeals to Esther – April 13-15, 474 B.C., Esther 4:1-8, May 13, 474* B.C.,

       Esther 4:9-17

   6. Esther Appeals to the King - May 15, 474 B.C., Esther 5:1-8

   7. Haman’s False Security – Esther 5:9-14

   8. The King’s Sleepless Night – Esther 6:1-3

   9.  Haman Ordered to Exhalt Mordecai – Esther 6:4-14

  10. Banquet Held – May 16, 474 B.C., Esther 7:1

  11. Haman Accused and Hanged – Esther 7:2-10

October 3         Pages 1206-1210

J. Deliverance of the Jews

   1. Letters Order Jews Protection – Esther 8:1-8, June 23, 474 B.C., Esther 8:9-11,

       March 13, 474 B.C., Esther 8:12-14

   2. Jews Rejoice – Esther 8:15-17

   3. Jews Revenge, Slay 75,800 – March 13, 474 B.C., Esther 9:1-14

   4. 300 More Slain – March 14, 474 B.C., Esther 9:15

   5. Days of Rejoicing Called Feast of Purim – March 14-15, 474 B.C., Esther 9:16-27

   6. Feast Day to be Perpetual Celebration – Esther 9:28-32

   7. Mordiecal Made the Prime Minister – 473 B.C. (R), 474 B.C. (K), Esther 10:1-3

October 4         Pages 1210-1213

K. Other Event of This Time

    1. Birth of Socrates - 470* B.C.

    2. Birth of Abiud (11^th Gen) – C 467*B.C.

    3. Reign of Artaxerxes I, King of Persia – 464-424 B.C.

L. Ezra Prepares to Return to Jerusalem – 459 B.C. (R), 458 B.C. (K)

    1. Commissioned to go by Artaxerxes – Ezra 7:11-26

    2. Ezra’s Thanksgiving – Ezra 7:27-28

    3. Ezra’s Companions (About 2,000) – Ezra 8:1-14

    4. Preparation for Journey – April 1, 458 B.C.

        a. Company Gathers at River Ahava – Ezra 7:9, Ezra 8:15

        b. Search for Levites – Ezra 8:16-20

        c. Prayer and Fasting – April 9-11, 458 B.C., Ezra 8:21-23

        d. Temple Treasures Entrusted to Priests – Ezra 8:24-30

        e. Journey Begins – April 12, 458 B.C., Ezra 8:31

M. Ezra’s Reforms at Jerusalem

     1. Arrives, Establishes Law and Order – August 1, 458 B.C., Ezra 7:6-8,10

     2. King’s Commission Declared, Reforms Begin – August 1-4, 458 B.C., Ezra 8:32-36

October 5         Pages 1213-1217

N. 483 Years Elapse Between Time of Jerusalem’s Re-Establishment and Messiah’s

     Apperance (Baptism of Jesus) (Daniel 9:25) – 458 B.C. - A.D. 25

O. Ezra’s Reforms Continue

    1. Marriage to Heathen Rebuked – Ezra 9:1-4

    2. Ezra’s Prayer and Confession – Ezra 9:5-15

    3. Ezra Plans National Gathering – December 17, 458 B.C., Ezra 10:1-8

    4. Ezra Preaches and People Repent – December 20, 458 B.C., Ezra 10:9-15

    5. Strange Wives Rejected - January 1, 458-April 1, 457 B.C., Ezra 10:16-44

October 6        Pages 1217-1221

P. The Building of the Wall

    1.  Nehemiah Goes to Jerusalem

         a. Hanani Reports Wall’s Conditions – December 445 B.C. (R), 466 B.C. (K),

             Nehemiah 1:1-3

         b. Nehemiah’s Reaction

            (1)  Grief – Nehemiah 1:4

            (2)  Prayer – April 445 B.C. (R), 466 B.C. (K), Nehemiah 1:5-11

            (3)  Sadness – Nehemiah 2:1-2

            (4)  Request – Nehemiah 2:3-6

        c. Appointed Governor of Judah – 445-443 B.C. (R), 465-453 B.C. (K), Nehemiah 5:14

        d. Journey to Jerusalem

           (1) Letters and Escort – Nehemiah 2:7-9

           (2) Sanballat and Tobiah Disturbed – Nehemiah 2:10

        e. Arrived at Jerusalem – August 1-4, 444 B.C. (R), 458 B.C. (K),Nehemiah 2:11

        f. Inspects Ruins at Night -  Nehemiah 2:12-16

   2.  Building of the Wall Begins – August 4, 444 B.C. (R), 458 B.C. (K)

        a. Encourages Rebuilding of the Wall – Nehemiah 2:17-18

        b. Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem Ridicule – Nehemiah 2:19-20

        c. List of Builders – Nehemiah 3:1-32

October 7        Pages 1221-1225

   3.  Construction Opposed

        a. Ridicule – Nehemiah 4:1-6

        b. Conspiracy – Nehemiah 4:7-9

        c. Discouraged Brethren – Nehemiah 4:10-23

        d. Greediness and Heartlessness – Nehemiah 5:1-5

           (1) Nehemiah’s Indignation – Nehemiah 5:6

           (2) Rebukes Usurers - Nehemiah 5:7-10

           (3) Restitution - Nehemiah 5:11-13

           (4) Example of Generosity - Nehemiah 5:15-19

        e. Craftiness - Nehemiah 6:1-14

   4.  Wall Completed Despite Tobiah’s Interference – September 25, 444 B.C. (R), 458 B.C. (K),

        Nehemiah 6:15-19