Introduction: The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell the story of the restoration of the Jewish nation after the Babylonian Captivity. Nehemiah finished what the book of Ezra began. The beauty of the story is that the road to restoration pictured in these two books can be applied to a nation, church, family, or individual. This story shows how to rebuild that which has fallen.

1. THE FIRST RETURN (Ezra 1-6; 536BC)
1. The Seventy Years (Jeremiah 25:11-12)
2. The Decree of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4)
3. The Leadership of Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:1-2; Haggai 1:1; Matthew 1:12); almost 50,000 people returned
4. The Building of the Temple
1. Began (Ezra 3:8)
2. Halted (Ezra 4:24)
3. Completed (Ezra 6:15); 20 years after it was started
5. The Prophets of the Time
1. Haggai (Haggai 1:1)
2. Zechariah (Zechariah 1:1)
2. THE STORY OF ESTHER (Esther 1-10)
1. Between the First and Second Returns
2. Occurred Among the Jews Remaining in Persia
3. THE SECOND RETURN (Ezra 7-10; 457BC, 58 years after the completion of the temple)
1. The Leadership of Ezra (Ezra 7:1, 6-10; approximately 1,500 Jews return at this time
2. The Problem of Intermarriage (Ezra 9:1-4)
4. THE THIRD RETURN (Nehemiah 1-13; 444BC)
1. The Leadership of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:1; Nehemiah 2:9-11); the number of people with Nehemiah is unknown
2. The Building of the Wall (Nehemiah 2:17-18; Nehemiah 4:6)
3. The Last Old Testament Prophet Comes after this Time – Malachi
5. AN ILLUSTRATION OF TIME: Consider the ages of an imaginary child born during the first return to Jerusalem
1. NOTE:  See table located at end of outline.
6. COMPARISON OF EZRA AND NEHEMIAH
1. Both Begin in Persia (Ezra 1; Nehemiah 1)
2. Both Number the Original Returning Group (Ezra 2; Nehemiah 7)
3. Both are Named for a Man Who Leads a Later Return (Ezra 7; Nehemiah 2)
4. Both Finish a Building Program in Chapter Six (Ezra 6; Nehemiah 6)
5. Both End with a Separation From the World (Ezra 9-10; Nehemiah 13)
6. Both End in Jerusalem (Ezra 10; Nehemiah 13)
7. SACRIFICE IN GOD’S WAY (Ezra 1-6)
1. They Returned to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1-3; Ezra 2:1; Ezra 3:1)
2. They Rebuilt the Altar (Ezra 3:2-6)
3. They Laid the Foundation (Ezra 3:10-11)
4. They Ceased the Work (Ezra 4:4-5, 23-24)
5. The Finished the Work (Ezra 5:1-2; Ezra 6:14-15)
8. SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD (Ezra 7-10)
1. They Learned the Word (Ezra 7:6, 10)
2. They Sought the Lord’s Help (Ezra 8:21-23)
3. They Repented of their Sins (Ezra 9:1-9)
4. They Separated from their Wives (Ezra 10:1-3)
9. STRENGTHENING OF THE WALLS (Nehemiah 1-7)
1. They Realized their Weakness (Nehemiah 1:1-3; Nehemiah 2:17)
2. They Gave themselves to the Work (Nehemiah 2:18; Nehemiah 4:3-6)
3. They Kept Building and Battling (Nehemiah 4:15-18)
4. They Resisted Interference (Nehemiah 6:-14)
5. They Finished the Walls (Nehemiah 6:15-16)
10. SUBMISSION TO THE WORD (Nehemiah 8-13)
1. They Read the Word of God (Nehemiah 8:8, 18; Nehemiah 9:3)
2. They Obeyed the Word of God (Nehemiah 8:13-17; Nehemiah 9:1-3; Nehemiah 13:1-3)
3. They Gave unto the Work of God (Nehemiah 10:34-39; Nehemiah 13:10-12)

Conclusion:  This lesson previews the future lessons on these passages. This is a story of restoration and rebuilding. It is a story of renewal and revival. Have you been taken captive? Have you fallen away from where you should be in the Lord? Do you need to rebuild and restore? Then come to the Lord and seek His help right now.

Memory Verses:

Psalm 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Lamentations 5:21 Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

Hosea 6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.