Ezra-Nehemiah
Ezra and Nehemiah – Intro
This introductory teaching to a new series on Ezra and Nehemiah is subtitled "There and Back Again," referring to the purifying journey described in these books and which we also experience. Beginning with a connection to the novel "The Life...
Survey of Ezra
We tackle the entire book of Ezra this week, briefly touching on each chapter. We begin with a quick overview of the pertinent kings of Persia, including the son of Queen Esther who plays an important role in Ezra. Other...
Nehemiah Chs. 1-2: Walls, Gates, & Enemies
In this first teaching on the book of Nehemiah, cupbearer to the king, we focus on the spiritual concepts of walls and gates, and we continue learning about enemies. What are our walls and gates, and how do we properly...
Nehemiah Ch. 3: Ten Gates to the City
As we continue our study of Nehemiah, we first reach back to summarize the end of chapter 2, the challenge to repair the city's fortifications and the justification for the work. Next, we look at Jerusalem's geography and the site...
Nehemiah Chs. 4-5: Building = Battle
As we begin chapters 4 and 5 of Nehemiah, we note an important difference in enemy tactics when we are rebuilding walls vs. rebuilding the Temple (Ezra). In dissecting the enemy's verbal attacks, we observe "how to get stupid in...
Nehemiah Chs. 6-7: Prophets of Fear
Our main focus in Nehemiah this week is chapter 6, where we witness the ending of Sanballat's machinations against the work of God. What finally puts an end to this enemy's scheming? Linked to this question, we continue learning how...
Nehemiah 8: Torah at the Water Gate
Nehemiah 8 soars above the other chapters of the book like a soul moored in the heavens. As we approach the fall holidays mentioned in this chapter, we briefly review Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. The main body of...
Nehemiah Chs. 9-10: Renewing the Covenant
Chapters 9 and 10 of Nehemiah are one continuous prayer. One important opportunity for study found in this prayer is the chance to see our human faults from this ancient, inspired perspective. Our main question as we explore in these...
Nehemiah Chs. 11-12: The Holiness of Walls
An early question in Nehemiah chapters 11-12 is, "Why are 10 tribes almost missing from the list of Jerusalem's residents?" After exploring this question, we draw out a few gems from the many names listed in these chapters, including an...
Nehemiah 13: A Wolf’s Best Friend
After a brief review of Nehemiah, we launch into Nehemiah 13, asking the question, "Are you kidding me?" At one point in this final chapter of the book, Nehemiah describes yanking on men's beards in his frustration and jealousy for...
Keeping Your Cool While Walking Through Fire
This week we again step away from our study in Corinthians for a teaching focused on the times, both the growth stage of the Beth Tikkun community and the dark days the world is entering. To begin, we look at...