THE TEMPLE SOLOMONS TEMPLE SOLOMON FINISHED THE TEMPLE

THE TEMPLE SOLOMON’S TEMPLE SOLOMON FINISHED THE TEMPLE (959 BC)? DESTROYED BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR (586 BC)? ZERUBBABEL’S TEMPLE RECONSTRUCTION UNDER CYRUS (536 BC)? BUILDING CEASES UNDER ARTAXERXES (17 YEARS)? BUILDING CONTINUES UNDER DARIUS (519 BC)? TEMPLE COMPLETED UNDER DARIUS (516 BC)? (516 -458 BC)? HEROD’S TEMPLE CONSTRUCTION BEGAN (20 BC)? COMPLETED 46 YEARS (JOHN 2: 20) (64 AD)?

CHRONOLOGY OF BOOKS OBADIAH (605 -585 BC)? EZEKIEL (593 -571 BC)? DANIEL EZRA (605 -530 BC)? (538 -457 BC)? ZECHARIAH (520 -480 BC)? ESTHER (479 -478 BC)? NEHEMIAH (445 -432 BC)? MALACHI (440 -430 BC)?

BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY NEBUCHADNEZZAR DANIEL 1: 1 (539 BC)? CYRUS EZRA 1 -3 (538 -537 BC)? AHASUERUS EZRA 4 (7 MONTHS) (537 BC)? DARIUS EZRA 5 -6 (536 -516 BC)? QUEEN ESTHER 2 -10 (479 -478 BC)? ARTAXERXES LONGIMANUS EZRA 7 -10 NEHEMIAH 1 -13 (465 -424 BC)? (458 -457 BC)? (445 -432 BC)?

PEOPLE TO REMEMBER NEBUCHADNEZZAR - DESTROYED JERUSALEM (586 BC)? ARTAXERXES - KING OF PERSIA LONGIMANUS - SON OF XERXES 465 -425 BC? NEHEMIAH - COMFORTED OF YAHWEH SON OF HACHALIAH - BROTHER OF HANANI 445 -433 BC? ADVERSARIES OF NEHEMIAH SANBALLAT THE HORONITE - GOVERNOR OF SAMARIA TOBIAH THE AMMONITE - JOINT GOVERNOR WITH SANBALLAT GESHEM THE ARAB - CHIEF OF THE ARABS IN SAMARIA ELIASHIB THE HIGH PRIEST EZRA THE PRIEST - THE SCRIBE

OUTLINE NEHEMIAH CHAPTER TEN NAMES OF THOSE WHO SEALED THE COVENANT: V. 1 -27 PROMISE NOT MARRY THE FOREIGN PEOPLE: V. 28 -30 PROMISE TO OBSERVE THE SABBATHS: V. 31 PROMISE TO PROVIDE FOR THE SANCTUARY: V. 32 -36 PROMISE TO TITHE TO SUPPORT THE LEVITES: V. 37 -39

READ: NEHEMIAH 10: 1 -8 1 Those who placed their seal on the document were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

READ: NEHEMIAH 10: 9 -17 9 The Levites: Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, and Kadmiel. 10 Their brethren: Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodijah, Bani, and Beninu. 14 The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,

READ: 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 NEHEMIAH 10: 18 -27 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 1 -27 WHO SIGNED THE COVENANT? HEZEKIAH THE GOVERNOR TWENTY-TWO PRIESTS SEVENTEEN LEVITES AND FORTY-FOUR OF THEIR BRETHREN WHY HAVE ALL THESE MEN SIGN THE COVENANT?

READ: NEHEMIAH 10: 28 -29 28 The rest of the people-- the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding-29 These joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes:

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 28 -29 28 The rest of the people-- the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding— 29 These joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes: WHO WERE ‘THE REST OF THE PEOPLE’? WHAT DID THEY AGREE TO DO?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 28 -29 HOW HAD THEY SEPARATED THEMSELVES? READ: EZRA 10: 10 -44 10 Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, You have transgressed and have taken pagan wives, adding to the guilt of Israel. 11 Now make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land from the pagan wives. 44 All these had taken pagan wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children. (NKJ)

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 28 -29 29 These joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes:

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 28 -29 WHAT WAS ‘THE CURSE AND THE OATH’ OF THE LAW? READ: DEUTERONOMY 11: 26 -28 26 Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 The blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you today; 28 And the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.

READ: NEHEMIAH 10: 30 -31 30 We would not give our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons; 31 If the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and we would forego the seventh year's produce and the exacting of every debt.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 30 -31 30 We would not give our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons; WHY NOT INTER-MARRY? READ: DEUTERONOMY 7: 2 -4

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 30 -31 WHY NOT INTER-MARRY? READ: DEUTERONOMY 7: 2 -4 2 When the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. 3 Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. 4 For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly. (NKJ) WHY DID THE LORD GIVE THIS COMMANDMENT? DOES IT APPLY TO US TODAY?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 30 -31 31 If the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and we would forego the seventh year's produce and the exacting of every debt. WHY NOT BARTER ON THE SABBATH DAY? READ: EXODUS 20: 8 -10: WHAT ABOUT ‘THE SEVENTH YEAR’S PRODUCE’? READ: LEVITICUS 25: 4 -5 WHAT ABOUT ‘EXACTING EVERY DEBT’? READ: DEUTERONOMY 15: 1 -2

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 30 -31 WHY NOT BARTER ON THE SABBATH? READ: EXODUS 20: 8 -10 8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. (NKJ) WHEN WAS THE ‘SABBATH DAY’? WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMANDMENT? DOES IT APPLY TO US TODAY?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 30 -31 WHAT ABOUT THE SEVENTH YEAR’S PRODUCEW? READ: LEVITICUS 25: 4 -5 4 In the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the LORD. You shall neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. 5 What grows of its own accord of your harvest you shall not reap, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine, for it is a year of rest for the land. WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMANDMENT?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 30 -31 WHAT ABOUT EXACTING EVERY DEBT? READ: DEUTERONOMY 15: 1 -2 At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of 1 debts. 2 This is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it, He shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the LORD'S release. WHY DID THE LORD GIVE THIS COMMANDMENT? DOES IS APPLY TO US TODAY?

READ: NEHEMIAH 10: 32 -33 32 We made ordinances for ourselves, to exact from ourselves yearly one-third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: 33 For the showbread, for the regular grain offering, for the regular burnt offering of the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the set feasts; for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 32 -33 32 We made ordinances for ourselves, to exact from ourselves yearly one-third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: WHAT OTHER ORDINANCE DID THEY EXACT? READ: EXODUS 30: 13 13 This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs). The half-shekel shall be an offering to the LORD. (NKJ)

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 32 -33 33 For the showbread, for the regular grain offering, for the regular burnt offering of the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the set feasts; for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God. WHAT WAS THIS TO BE USED FOR?

READ: NEHEMIAH 10: 34 34 We cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for bringing the wood offering into the house of our God, according to our fathers' houses, at the appointed times year by year, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God as it is written in the Law.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 34 34 We cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for bringing the wood offering into the house of our God, according to our fathers' houses, at the appointed times year by year, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God as it is written in the Law. WHY DID THEY ‘CAST LOTS’? WHAT WAS THE WOOD TO BE USED FOR?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 34 WHAT WAS THE WOOD TO BE USED FOR? READ: LEVITICUS 6: 12 -13 12 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it. It shall not be put out. The priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order on it. And he shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. 13 A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out. (NKJ)

READ: NEHEMIAH 10: 35 -37 35 We made ordinances to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the LORD; 36 To bring the firstborn of our sons and our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks, to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God; 37 To bring the firstfruits of our dough, our offerings, the fruit from all kinds of trees, the new wine and oil, to the priests, to the storerooms of the house of our God; and to bring the tithes of our land to the Levites, for the Levites should receive the tithes in all our farming communities.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 35 -37 35 We made ordinances to bring the first fruits of our ground and the first fruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the LORD; 36 To bring the firstborn of our sons and our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks, to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God; WHAT WAS THE LAW OF ‘THE FIRST FRUITS’? WHAT WAS THE LAW OF ‘THE FIRST BORN’?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 35 -37 WHAT IS THE ORDINANCE OF THE FIRST FRUITS? READ: DEUTERONOMY 26: 2 2 You shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 35 -37 WHAT IS THE LAW OF THE FIRSTBORN? READ: EXODUS 13: 2 2 Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine. NKJ EXODUS 13: 12 12 You shall set apart to the LORD all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the LORD'S. (NKJ) EXODUS 34: 19 19 All that open the womb are Mine, every male firstborn among your livestock, whether ox or sheep. (NKJ) WHAT IS ‘THE FIRSTBORN’? WHO DOES IT BELONG TO? WHY?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 35 -37 WHY DO ALL THE FIRSTBORN BELONG TO GOD? READ: EXODUS 13: 15 15 It came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 35 -37 37 To bring the first fruits of our dough, our offerings, the fruit from all kinds of trees, the new wine and oil, to the priests, to the storerooms of the house of our God; and to bring the tithes of our land to the Levites, for the Levites should receive the tithes in all our farming communities. WHAT ‘FIRSTFRUITS’ DID THEY BRING? WHAT DID THEY ‘TITHE’? WHY TO THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 35 -37 WHY GIVE TITHES TO THE LEVITES? READ: NUMBERS 18: 21 21 Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting. (NKJ)

READ: NEHEMIAH 10: 38 -39 38 The priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse. 39 The children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil, to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are, where the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and the singers are; and we will not neglect the house of our God. (NKJ)

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 38 -39 38 The priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes. And the Levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse. WHO ARE THE DESCENDENTS OF AARON’? THE ‘HIGH PRIESTS’? WHO ARE THE LEVITES? THE DESCEDENTS OF LEVI? WHAT SHOULD THE LEVITES TITHE?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 38 -39 WHAT SHOULD THE LEVITES TITHE? READ: NUMBERS 18: 26 26 Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the LORD, a tenth of the tithe.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 38 -39 39 The children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil, to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are, where the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and the singers are; and we will not neglect the house of our God. (NKJ) WHAT DID THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND THE CHILDREN OF LEVI DO? DID THEY ALL TITHE? WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF ‘TITHING’?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 10: 38 -39 WHY DID THEY TITHE? READ: MALACHI 3: 8 -10 8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the LORD of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. (NKJ)

WHO WAS COMMANDED TO TITHE? HOW SHOULD WE GIVE TO THE LORD? READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 16: 2 2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. (NKJ) READ: 2 CORINTHIANS 9: 7 -8 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (NKJ)