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Overview
Two leaders, one burning mission: restoration.
When the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon, they found the city laid waste, the temple destroyed, and their way of life obliterated. Out of the ashes of this devastation, two leaders emerged to restore the foundations of their worship and their city.
Ezra, the first to return, set out to restore true worship in Jerusalem by reminding the people of God’s teaching, what it meant for them, and how it should shape their lives. Nehemiah, the next to arrive, exchanged his royal cupbearer's robes for coveralls and got to work rebuilding the wall. The project took twelve years and was an uphill battle all the way. The efforts of these men reveal just how much God can accomplish in our lives when we follow where he leads.
As you read, study, journal, and discuss the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, watch for these key themes that Max will unpack throughout the book:
- When the Hebrews were allowed to return home their spiritual restoration was as important as their national restoration.
- Restoring the temple was a significant step in the spiritual restoration of the people.
- The idolatry of the Hebrews was rooted in foreign wives who continued to worship their false gods. This is why the men were asked to divorce their foreign wives.
The Life Lessons with Max Lucado series brings the Bible to life in twelve lessons filled with intriguing questions, inspirational stories, and poignant reflections to take you deeper into God's Word. Each lesson includes:
- An opening reflection on the Bible book you're studying.
- Background information to deepen your understanding of the cultural and historical setting.
- An excerpt of the text (from the NIV and the NKJV).
- Exploration questions with plenty of room to write your own thoughts and notes.
- Inspirational thoughts from Max as well as a closing takeaway for further reflection.
The Life Lessons series is ideal for use in both a small-group setting or for individual study.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780310086734 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | HarperChristian Resources |
| Publication date: | 04/02/2019 |
| Series: | Life Lessons |
| Sold by: | HarperCollins Publishing |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 144 |
| Sales rank: | 278,243 |
| File size: | 789 KB |
About the Author
Since entering the ministry in 1978, Max Lucado has served churches in Miami, Florida; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and San Antonio, Texas. He currently serves as the teaching minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. He is the recipient of the 2021 ECPA Pinnacle Award for his outstanding contribution to the publishing industry and society at large. He is America's bestselling inspirational author with more than 150 million products in print.
Visit his website at MaxLucado.com
Facebook.com/MaxLucado
Instagram.com/MaxLucado
Twitter.com/MaxLucado
Youtube.com/MaxLucadoOfficial
The Max Lucado Encouraging Word Podcast
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
LESSON ONE
FOLLOWING GOD'S GUIDANCE
Then the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the Lord.
Ezra 1:5 NKJV
REFLECTION
Think of a time when you felt God calling you to do something and you acted on that prompting. What blessings did you experience as a result of your obedience?
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SITUATION
Following the reign of King Solomon, the unified nation of Israel split into two parts — the larger kingdom of "Israel" in the north and the smaller kingdom of "Judah" in the south. While a few of the kings who would come to rule these nations were faithful to God, for the most part they led their people into idolatry and sin. As a result, God allowed the Assyrian Empire to conquer the nation of Israel in 722 bc and absorb its people into their culture. Judah lasted until c. 605 bc, when the Babylonians invaded, but this time God preserved the Jewish people in their exile. The events in Ezra take place approximately seventy years later, when the Persian king Cyrus the Great conquered the Babylonians and began to allow the people of Judah to return home.
OBSERVATION
Read Ezra 1:1–11 from the New International Version or the New King James Version.
New International Version
1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:
2 "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
"'The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. 4 And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.'"
5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites — everyone whose heart God had moved — prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.
7 Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god. 8 Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
9 This was the inventory:
gold dishes 300
silver dishes 1,000
silver pans 29
10 gold bowls 30
matching silver bowls 410
other articles 1,000
11 In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
New King James Version
1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying,
2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia:
All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. 3 Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. 4 And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.
5 Then the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all those who were around them encouraged them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.
7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and put in the temple of his gods; 8 and Cyrus king of Persia brought them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 This is the number of them: thirty gold platters, one thousand silver platters, twenty-nine knives, 10 thirty gold basins, four hundred and ten silver basins of a similar kind, and one thousand other articles. 11 All the articles of gold and silver were five thousand four hundred. All these Sheshbazzar took with the captives who were brought from Babylon to Jerusalem.
EXPLORATION
1. What do you think it means when Ezra writes that God "moved the heart of Cyrus" (verse 1) to issue the decree for the Jewish exiles to return home?
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2. How did Cyrus, king of the greatest empire of the time, demonstrate humility before God?
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3. Why are Cyrus's actions significant in light of the plight of the Jews?
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4. What instructions did Cyrus give to the Jewish people?
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5. Why was it important for the people who stayed behind to support those who were willing to go and work on the temple in Jerusalem?
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6. Why do you think Cyrus gave the articles from the temple that King Nebuchadnezzar had carried away back to the Jewish people?
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INSPIRATION
You think it's hard to walk in the dark? Find it difficult to navigate a room with the lights off or your eyes closed? Try flying a small plane at 15,000 feet. Blind.
Jim O'Neill did. Not that he intended to do so. The sixty-five-year-old pilot was forty minutes into a four-hour solo flight from Glasgow, Scotland, to Colchester, England, when his vision failed. He initially thought he had been blinded by the sun but soon realized it was much worse. "Suddenly I couldn't see the dials in front of me. It was just a blur. I was helpless."
He gave new meaning to the phrase "flying blind."
Turns out, he'd suffered a stroke. O'Neill groped and found the radio of his Cessna and issued a Mayday alert. Paul Gerrard, a Royal Air Force Wing Commander who had just completed a training sortie nearby, was contacted by air traffic controllers and took off in O'Neill's direction. He found the plane and began talking to the stricken pilot.
The commander told O'Neill what to do. His instructions were reassuring and simple: "A gentle right turn, please. Left a bit. Right a bit." He hovered within five hundred feet of O'Neill, shepherding him toward the nearest runway. Upon reaching it, the two began to descend. When asked if he could see the runway below, O'Neill apologized, "No sir, negative." O'Neill would have to land the plane by faith, not by sight. He hit the runway but bounced up again. The same thing happened on the second attempt. But on the eighth try, the blinded pilot managed to make a near-perfect landing.
Can you empathize with O'Neill? Most can. We've been struck, perhaps not with a stroke, but with a divorce, a sick child, or a cancer-ridden body. Not midair, but midcareer, mid-semester, midlife. We've lost sight of any safe landing strip and, in desperation, issued our share of Mayday prayers. We know the fear of flying blind.
Unlike O'Neill, however, we hear more than one voice. Many voices besiege our cockpit. The talk show host urges us to worry. The New Age guru says to relax. The financial page forecasts a downturn. The pastor says pray; the professor says phooey. So many opinions! Lose weight. Eat low fat. Join our church. Try our crystals. It's enough to make you cover your ears and run. ...
Oh, the voices. How do we select the right one? ...
We have what Jim O'Neill had: the commander's voice to guide us home. Let's heed it, shall we? Let's issue the necessary Mayday prayer and follow the guidance that God sends. If so, we will hear what O'Neill heard.
BBC News made the recording of the final four minutes of the flight available. Listen and you'll hear the patient voice of a confident commander. "You've missed the runway this time ... Let's start another gentle righthand turn ... Keep the right turn coming ... Roll out left ... No need to worry ... Roll out left. Left again, left again ... Keep coming down ... Turn left, turn left ... Hey, no problem ... Can you see the runway now? ... So you cannot see the runway? ... Keep coming down ..."
And then finally, "You are safe to land."
I'm looking forward to hearing that final sentence someday. Aren't you? (From More to Your Story by Max Lucado.)
REACTION
7. What are some times in your life when you had to "land the plane by faith, not by sight"?
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8. Why is it often difficult to step out in faith when you feel that God is leading you?
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9. How have you learned to distinguish between the different "voices" when it comes to discerning whether God is asking you to take a certain action?
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10. What do you learn from the example of the Jewish exiles who obeyed God's call make the journey back to Judah and start work on rebuilding the temple?
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11. What are some ways that God communicates his will to you today?
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12. In what ways has God helped you accomplish the things he has asked you to do?
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LIFE LESSONS
One of the most amazing titles given to Cyrus, the Persian king, was "Messiah." Who would dare call an unbeliever like Cyrus by that title? None other than God himself: "This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus" (Isaiah 45:1, emphasis added). The word anointed, which can be translated Messiah, refers to someone whom God selects to accomplish his redemption. In this case, God used Cyrus to direct the exiled Jews back to Jerusalem. Later, he would send his own Son to bring all who believe in him back into fellowship with him. The book of Ezra reveals that God is sovereign over all human affairs and can use anyone, anything, or any situation for his divine purposes. He can use all aspects of life to lead us back to him.
DEVOTION
Father, we want to be people who are willing to give up everything to follow you. Help us to see the most valuable things this world has to offer are worthless compared to the blessings you give to those who obey you. Open our ears to hear your voice and help us to obey you.
JOURNALING
What step of obedience do you feel God is calling you to make this week?
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FOR FURTHER READING
To complete the books of Ezra and Nehemiah during this twelve-part study, read Ezra 1:1–2:70. For more Bible passages on obeying God, read Joshua 24:14–15; Micah 6:6–8; Matthew 7:21–27; John 14:15–21; Acts 5:27–32; Romans 6:11–18; 1 Peter 1:13–14; and 1 John 3:19–24.
CHAPTER 2LESSON TWO
WALKING IN FAITH
Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord.
Ezra 3:3
REFLECTION
Think of a time you took a step of faith when you didn't know what the outcome would be. What helped you to make the decision? What happened as a result of your action?
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SITUATION
Ezra continues his chronicle of the Jewish exiles' return by listing the different groups who return to their homeland under the leadership of Zerubbabel. When they arrive in Jerusalem, many of the heads of the families gave offerings to fund the rebuilding of the temple. When the time comes to start the project, the exiles take a step of faith by first building the altar and offering sacrifices to God. Only then do the people turn to the work of organizing the building effort and laying the foundation for the house of God that was to come.
OBSERVATION
Read Ezra 3:1–11 from the New International Version or the New King James Version.
New International Version
1 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people assembled together as one in Jerusalem. 2 Then Joshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices. 4 Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. 5 After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the Lord, as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord. 6 On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord's temple had not yet been laid. 7 Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters, and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
8 In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord. 9 Joshua and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers — all Levites — joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.
10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David king of Israel. 11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:
"He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever."
And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.
New King James Version
1 And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem. 2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 Though fear had come upon them because of the people of those countries, they set the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening burnt offerings. 4 They also kept the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings in the number required by ordinance for each day. 5 Afterwards they offered the regular burnt offering, and those for New Moons and for all the appointed feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and those of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to the Lord. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, although the foundation of the temple of the Lord had not been laid. 7 They also gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the permission which they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
8 Now in the second month of the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began work and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and above to oversee the work of the house of the Lord. 9 Then Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah, arose as one to oversee those working on the house of God: the sons of Henadad with their sons and their brethren the Levites.
10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord:
"For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel."
Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.
EXPLORATION
1. The Jews started building an altar almost immediately after they returned to their homeland. What does that say about their priorities?
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2. In light of their actions, what had the exiles learned during their years in captivity?
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3. What risks did the Jews take in building an altar and offering sacrifices to God?
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(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Life Lessons from Ezra & Nehemiah"
by .
Copyright © 2019 Max Lucado.
Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
How to Study the Bible v
Introduction to the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah ix
Lesson 1 Following God's Guidance (Ezra 1:1-11) 1
Lesson 2 Walking in Faith (Ezra 3:1-11) 11
Lesson 3 Celebrating God's Goodness (Ezra 6:13-22) 21
Lesson 4 Trusting in God's Protection (Ezra 8:21-32) 31
Lesson 5 Dealing with Guilt (Ezra 9:1-15) 39
Lesson 6 True Repentance (Ezra 10:1-17) 49
Lesson 7 Prayer and Action (Nehemiah 1:1-11) 59
Lesson 8 Confidence in God (Nehemiah 2:1-20) 69
Lesson 9 Persevering in Trials (Nehemiah 4:1-23) 81
Lesson 10 Help for the Hurting (Nehemiah 1:5-13) 91
Lesson 11 Love and Faithfulness (Nehemiah 9:5-21) 101
Lesson 12 A Generous Heart (Nehemiah 10:28-39) 113
Leader's Guide for Small Groups 123