Bible Road Trip ~ covers the book of Ezra. This week, we are studying Ezra, the tenth historical book. Ezra-Nehemiah was once a single book. The book became two separate books during the translation of the Latin Vulgate. Ezra is a historical book which includes both narrative and inventories/censuses. The book of Ezra takes place during the post-exilic period of Israel s history. There are two distinct sections which cover a great deal of time. In the first section, Zerubbabel (a descendent of King David) and Jeshua (a priest) lead the first group of exiles back to Jerusalem after a decree by Cyrus of Persia. The remnant sets to repairing the altar and rebuilding the temple. Those living in the land are opposed to the temple rebuild, and Zerubbabel and his people face great difficulties. In fact, they stop building the temple for 16 years. Haggai and Zechariah prophesy to the discouraged remnant, alternately rebuking and encouraging them to persevere. You will have the opportunity to read some of their prophesies this week. The second section of Ezra involves the return of Ezra, who leads a second group of exiles back to Jerusalem. Ezra is a priest, and is determined to lead the people in a return to proper worship of the Lord. To his dismay, he finds that the Jewish men have taken pagan women as partners (the original language is a little confusing about whether the women are actually wives). The book ends as the men repent and the pagan wives and children are sent away. The issue with the women was not racial, but was a matter of faith. You can help your children understand by helping them recall the history of Israel and Judah that they have just finished studying. Over and over again, God s chosen people were led into sin by their idol-worshipping spouses. Older children will spend some time looking at Paul s teachings under the New Covenant both how we are to respond when converted in the midst of an unbelieving marriage, and an admonition to reject being yoked to an unbeliever. In the Grammar stages, our prayer focus this week is Samoa, and for the Dialectic and Rhetoric stages we ll study Cyprus, Albania, and Macedonia.
Researching the Word Grades 1-3 (Lower Grammar), Page 1 of 2 Dig Deep What the Bible is All About: Bible Handbook for Kids, Frances Blankenbaker o Read Aloud: Pages 108-111 (Ezra) OR What the Bible is All About for Young Explorers, Frances Blankenbaker o Read Aloud: Pages 108-111 (Ezra) What the Bible is All About Resources: Reproducible Maps, Charts, Timelines and Illustrations o Photocopy, color, and file in your notebook: Page 91 (Ezra) Reading the Word The Jubilee Illustrated Family Bible, Dr. Claude-Bernard Costecalde (Ed.) o Read Aloud: Pages 186-187 (The Temple is Rebuilt Ezra 1-6)
Memorizing the Word Grades 1-3 (Lower Grammar), Page 2 of 2 Meditate on It Review your verses from previous weeks with your mom or dad. Memorize Ezra 8:22b. Remember to record your verses. Notebooking about the Word Write down a few sentences about how the temple was rebuilt. Has someone your own age (not your parents) ever stopped you from doing something important? How did you feel? Praying about the Word Window on the World, Daphne Spraggett with Jill Johnstone o Read: Pages 150-151 (Samoa) o Journal: Write down own thing to pray about for the people of Samoa this week. Learning More about the Word Explore Further Watch What s in the Bible with Buck Denver? Volume 7 Exile and Return ~ Part One o What does it mean when we say the Bible is true and trustworthy? o What did King Cyrus tell the exiles they could do? o Why did it take 20 years to rebuild the temple? Crafting Through the Word Make a map of the Persian Empire. You can find a printable outline map here: http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxisrael.htm. You could also make a paper maché map using your board from Year One Week Thirteen ~ Joshua ~ Part Two. Remember to save the board for future maps. Be sure to label the map with the time period (Israel Divided (c.931-853 BC), Israel in Exile, etc). If you don t have a good biblical atlas, you can probably check one out at the library. There are also maps of ancient Israel online. Add the book of Ezra to your bookshelf from Week Two. Create a work of art for your Bible Verse Catalog, using your verse for this week.
Researching the Word Grades 4-6 (Upper Grammar), Page 1 of 3 Dig Deep What the Bible is All About: Bible Handbook for Kids, Frances Blankenbaker o Read Aloud: Pages 108-111 (Ezra) OR What the Bible is All About for Young Explorers, Frances Blankenbaker o Read Aloud: Pages 108-111 (Ezra) What the Bible is All About Resources: Reproducible Maps, Charts, Timelines and Illustrations o Photocopy, color, and file in your notebook: Page 91, 93, 95 (Ezra, Chronology: Ezrah-Nehemiah, Return from Exile) Reading the Word Read Ezra Chapters 1-2 ~ The Proclamation of Cyrus to The Exiles Return o Why did Cyrus choose to make a proclamation? What did he order? (Ezra 1) o Who was listed first among the returning exiles? (Ezra 2:2) Read Haggai 2:20-23. How did the Lord feel about Zerubbabel? Note: Zerubbabel was descended from the house of David. Why is that important information? Read Ezra Chapters 3-4 ~ Rebuilding the Altar to The King Orders the Work to Cease o What was the fear of the people in Ezra 3:3? Other than the exiles, who was now living in Judah? o How did the people feel about repairing the altar and laying the foundation of the temple? What was their reaction to completing both? (Ezra 3) o Work on the temple foundations began in 537 BC. (Ezra 3:8) There is a lot of time covered in Ezra 4 how many kings are mentioned? (Ezra 4) Read Ezra Chapters 5-6 ~ Rebuilding Begins Anew to Passover Celebrated o What type of opposition did God s people encounter in Ezra chapters 3, 4, 5? o Read Haggai chapter 1 and Zechariah chapter 4. What was the Lord s rebuke to Zerubbabel and Haggai? How did He encourage them to rebuild His temple? (Ezra 5, Haggai 1, Zechariah 4) o How did Darius decree go even further in aiding God s people than Cyrus original decree? (Ezra 6) o How did God ordain and encourage the rebuilding of the temple? (Ezra 6:14, 22) o The temple was completed in 516 BC. It was destroyed in 586 BC a difference of 70 years. Read Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10-14. This is one explanation for the 70 years in the text of Jeremiah.
Grades 4-6 (Upper Grammar), Page 2 of 3 Reading the Word (Continued) Dig Deep (Continued) Read Ezra Chapters 7-8 ~ Ezra Sent to Teach the People to Priests to Guard Offerings o Who was Ezra descended from? (Ezra 7:1-5) How did God treat Ezra? Why? (Ezra 7:6-10) o How did Artaxerxes letter bless Ezra s task? Who did Ezra give credit to for that blessing? (Ezra 7:27-28) o Note: It was 458 BC when Ezra returned. o What were Ezra and the Levites carrying with them on their journey that would have given them extra cause for concern regarding ambushes? (Ezra 8:10-30) o Who did they appeal to for help? (Ezra 8:21-23) How did God honor their request? (Ezra 8:31) Read Ezra Chapters 9-10 ~ Ezra Prays about Intermarriage to Those Guilty of Intermarriage o Think back on all of the history of God s people that you have read so far this year. How did intermarrying with pagan people affect God s people? Did God s people remain pure and holy after marrying pagans, or did they serve idols? (The Books of the Law and the Books of History) o Was God s ban against intermarriage with other people groups based on racial differences, or because of the abominations the other people practiced? (Ezra 9:14) o When did God make exceptions to this law? (Note: Think about Rahab and Ruth. Both women were from pagan people groups, yet both chose to follow God alone. Interestingly, both Rahab and Ruth became part of the blood line of Jesus.) (Ezra 9) o Read 1 Corinthians 7:12-16. In Ezra 10, Ezra was dealing with men who had covenanted to follow God, then had taken pagan wives. Paul was speaking to believers under the New Covenant who probably were saved from their sins after they had already married. How were the outcomes of the two situations different? (Ezra 10) o Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. How are we who love God to treat marriage to unbelievers? (Ezra 10)
Memorizing the Word Grades 4-6 (Upper Grammar), Page 3 of 3 Meditate on It Review your verses from previous weeks with your mom or dad. Memorize Ezra 8:22b and Zechariah 4:6. Remember to record your verses. Notebooking about the Word Write down a few sentences about how the temple was rebuilt. Has someone your own age (not your parents) ever stopped you from doing something important? How did you feel? How did God help Ezra? How did He help Zerubbabel? When you choose a husband or a wife, what is the most important quality to look for? Praying about the Word Window on the World, Daphne Spraggett with Jill Johnstone o Read: Pages 150-151 (Samoa) o Journal: Write down own thing to pray about for the people of Samoa this week. Learning More about the Word Explore Further Watch What s in the Bible with Buck Denver? Volume 7 Exile and Return ~ Part One o What does it mean when we say the Bible is true and trustworthy? o What did King Cyrus tell the exiles they could do? o Why did it take 20 years to rebuild the temple? Read Within the Palace Gates: The King s Cupbearer, Anna P. Siviter o Chapters 13-18 The Student Bible Atlas, Tim Dowley o Map 15: Persia Crafting Through the Word Make a map of the Persian Empire. You can find a printable outline map here: http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxisrael.htm. You could also make a paper maché map using your board from Year One Week Thirteen ~ Joshua ~ Part Two. Remember to save the board for future maps. Be sure to label the map with the time period (Israel Divided (c.931-853 BC), Israel in Exile, etc). If you don t have a good biblical atlas, you can probably check one out at the library. Add the book of Ezra to your bookshelf from Week Two. Create a work of art for your Bible Verse Catalog, using your verse for this week.
Researching the Word Grades 7-9 (Dialectic), Page 1 of 3 Dig Deep The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook, J. Daniel Hays and J. Scott Duvall o Read (Aloud or Individually): Pages 221-229 (Ezra: Rebuilding the Temple and the People of God) Reading the Word Read Ezra Chapters 1-2 ~ The Proclamation of Cyrus to The Exiles Return o Why did Cyrus choose to make a proclamation? What did he order? (Ezra 1) o Who was listed first among the returning exiles? (Ezra 2:2) Read Haggai 2:20-23. How did the Lord feel about Zerubbabel? Note: Zerubbabel was descended from the house of David. Why is that important information? Read Ezra Chapters 3-4 ~ Rebuilding the Altar to The King Orders the Work to Cease o What was the fear of the people in Ezra 3:3? Other than the exiles, who was now living in Judah? o How did the people feel about repairing the altar and laying the foundation of the temple? What was their reaction to completing both? (Ezra 3) o Work on the temple foundations began in 537 BC. (Ezra 3:8) There is a lot of time covered in Ezra 4 how many kings are mentioned? (Ezra 4) Read Ezra Chapters 5-6 ~ Rebuilding Begins Anew to Passover Celebrated o What type of opposition did God s people encounter in Ezra chapters 3, 4, 5? o Read Haggai chapter 1 and Zechariah chapter 4. What was the Lord s rebuke to Zerubbabel and Haggai? How did He encourage them to rebuild His temple? (Ezra 5, Haggai 1, Zechariah 4) o How did Darius decree go even further in aiding God s people than Cyrus original decree? (Ezra 6) o How did God ordain and encourage the rebuilding of the temple? (Ezra 6:14, 22) o The temple was completed in 516 BC. It was destroyed in 586 BC a difference of 70 years. Read Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10-14. This is one explanation for the 70 years in the text of Jeremiah.
Reading the Word (Continued) Grades 7-9 (Dialectic), Page 2 of 3 Dig Deep (Continued) Read Ezra Chapters 7-8 ~ Ezra Sent to Teach the People to Priests to Guard Offerings o Who was Ezra descended from? (Ezra 7:1-5) How did God treat Ezra? Why? (Ezra 7:6-10) o How did Artaxerxes letter bless Ezra s task? Who did Ezra give credit to for that blessing? (Ezra 7:27-28) o Note: It was 458 BC when Ezra returned. o What were Ezra and the Levites carrying with them on their journey that would have given them extra cause for concern regarding ambushes? (Ezra 8:10-30) o Who did they appeal to for help? (Ezra 8:21-23) How did God honor their request? (Ezra 8:31) Read Ezra Chapters 9-10 ~ Ezra Prays about Intermarriage to Those Guilty of Intermarriage o Think back on all of the history of God s people that you have read so far this year. How did intermarrying with pagan people affect God s people? Did God s people remain pure and holy after marrying pagans, or did they serve idols? (The Books of the Law and the Books of History) o Was God s ban against intermarriage with other people groups based on racial differences, or because of the abominations the other people practiced? (Ezra 9:14) o When did God make exceptions to this law? (Note: Think about Rahab and Ruth. Both women were from pagan people groups, yet both chose to follow God alone. Interestingly, both Rahab and Ruth became part of the blood line of Jesus.) (Ezra 9) o Read 1 Corinthians 7:12-16. In Ezra 10, Ezra was dealing with men who had covenanted to follow God, then had taken pagan wives. Paul was speaking to believers under the New Covenant who probably were saved from their sins after they had already married. How were the outcomes of the two situations different? (Ezra 10) o Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. How are we who love God to treat marriage to unbelievers? (Ezra 10)
Memorizing the Word Grades 7-9 (Dialectic), Page 3 of 3 Meditate on It Review your verses from previous weeks with your mom or dad. Memorize Ezra 8:22b, Zechariah 4:6 and Jeremiah 29:10-12. We will add to the last two verses next week. Remember to record your verses. Notebooking about the Word Write down a few sentences about how the temple was rebuilt. Has someone your own age (not your parents) ever stopped you from doing something important? How did you feel? How did God help Ezra? How did he help Zerubbabel? When you choose a husband or a wife, what is the most important quality to look for? Praying about the Word Operation World, Jason Mandryk o Read: Pages 94-97 (Albania), 295-298 (Cyprus), 545-547 (Macedonia) o Pray: Choose one Challenges for Prayer from each country to add to your prayer journal for the week. Don t forget to pray! Explore Further Learning More about the Word Do a mini-research project on the Cyrus Cylinder. Write about what you find. Crafting Through the Word Make a map of the Persian Empire. Record the following dates on your timeline. o 559 530 BC ~ Reign of Cyrus of Persia o 538 BC ~ First Return from Exile Led by Zerubbabel o 536 BC ~ Temple Foundation Laid o 530 522 BC ~ Reign of Cambyses of Persia o 522 486 BC ~ Reign of Darius I of Persia o 516 BC ~ Temple Completed After a 16 Year Break o 486 465 BC ~ Reign of Xerxes (Ahasuerus) of Persia o 465 424 BC ~ Reign of Artaxerxes I of Persia o 458 BC ~ Second Return from Exile Led by Ezra
Researching the Word Grades 10-12 (Rhetoric), Page 1 of 3 Dig Deep Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey, Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer o Read: Chapter 18: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther: A Time to Rebuild Pages 263-268, 270 (from Problems of Interpretation )-271, 276 Reading the Word Read Ezra Chapters 1-2 ~ The Proclamation of Cyrus to The Exiles Return o Why did Cyrus choose to make a proclamation? What did he order? (Ezra 1) o Who was listed first among the returning exiles? (Ezra 2:2) Read Haggai 2:20-23. How did the Lord feel about Zerubbabel? Note: Zerubbabel was descended from the house of David. Why is that important information? Read Ezra Chapters 3-4 ~ Rebuilding the Altar to The King Orders the Work to Cease o What was the fear of the people in Ezra 3:3? Other than the exiles, who was now living in Judah? o How did the people feel about repairing the altar and laying the foundation of the temple? What was their reaction to completing both? (Ezra 3) o Work on the temple foundations began in 537 BC. (Ezra 3:8) There is a lot of time covered in Ezra 4 how many kings are mentioned? (Ezra 4) Read Ezra Chapters 5-6 ~ Rebuilding Begins Anew to Passover Celebrated o What type of opposition did God s people encounter in Ezra chapters 3, 4, 5? o Read Haggai chapter 1 and Zechariah chapter 4. What was the Lord s rebuke to Zerubbabel and Haggai? How did He encourage them to rebuild His temple? (Ezra 5, Haggai 1, Zechariah 4) o How did Darius decree go even further in aiding God s people than Cyrus original decree? (Ezra 6) o How did God ordain and encourage the rebuilding of the temple? (Ezra 6:14, 22) o The temple was completed in 516 BC. It was destroyed in 586 BC a difference of 70 years. Read Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10-14. This is one explanation for the 70 years in the text of Jeremiah.
Reading the Word (Continued) Grades 10-12 (Rhetoric), Page 2 of 3 Dig Deep (Continued) Read Ezra Chapters 7-8 ~ Ezra Sent to Teach the People to Priests to Guard Offerings o Who was Ezra descended from? (Ezra 7:1-5) How did God treat Ezra? Why? (Ezra 7:6-10) o How did Artaxerxes letter bless Ezra s task? Who did Ezra give credit to for that blessing? (Ezra 7:27-28) o Note: It was 458 BC when Ezra returned. o What were Ezra and the Levites carrying with them on their journey that would have given them extra cause for concern regarding ambushes? (Ezra 8:10-30) o Who did they appeal to for help? (Ezra 8:21-23) How did God honor their request? (Ezra 8:31) Read Ezra Chapters 9-10 ~ Ezra Prays about Intermarriage to Those Guilty of Intermarriage o Think back on all of the history of God s people that you have read so far this year. How did intermarrying with pagan people affect God s people? Did God s people remain pure and holy after marrying pagans, or did they serve idols? (The Books of the Law and the Books of History) o Was God s ban against intermarriage with other people groups based on racial differences, or because of the abominations the other people practiced? (Ezra 9:14) o When did God make exceptions to this law? (Note: Think about Rahab and Ruth. Both women were from pagan people groups, yet both chose to follow God alone. Interestingly, both Rahab and Ruth became part of the blood line of Jesus.) (Ezra 9) o Read 1 Corinthians 7:12-16. In Ezra 10, Ezra was dealing with men who had covenanted to follow God, then had taken pagan wives. Paul was speaking to believers under the New Covenant who probably were saved from their sins after they had already married. How were the outcomes of the two situations different? (Ezra 10) o Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. How are we who love God to treat marriage to unbelievers? (Ezra 10)
Memorizing the Word Grades 10-12 (Rhetoric), Page 3 of 3 Meditate on It Review your verses from previous weeks with your mom or dad. Memorize Ezra 8:22b, Zechariah 4:6, Jeremiah 29:10-12 and 2 Corinthians 6:14-16a. We will add to the last two verses next week. Remember to record your verses. Notebooking about the Word Answer Study Questions #1-7 on page 275 of Encountering the Old Testament. Take notes on any terms you want to be sure you remember later. Record your personal thoughts on what you ve learned this week. Praying about the Word Operation World, Jason Mandryk o Read: Pages 94-97 (Albania), 295-298 (Cyprus), 545-547 (Macedonia) o Pray: Choose one Challenges for Prayer from each country to add to your prayer journal for the week. Don t forget to pray! Learning More about the Word Nothing more this week. Crafting Through the Word Explore Further Share what you ve learned this week! Make a video presentation or write a short blog post or paper sharing something specific that you learned. o Topics could include The opposition faced by Zerubbabel how did he and the people react? Haggai s rebuke in Haggai 1:1-11. What were the people doing instead of building the Lord s house? Can you compare that to a situation in your life today? What does it mean to be unequally yoked? Why are we to never be unequally yoked? (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) Why did Ezra rebuke the Jewish men for intermarrying with women from other people groups? The Cyrus Cylinder how does it back up the account in Scripture? Teach what you ve learned this week to some of the kids in your church, or lead a study group among your peers (with a parent as a mentor) to discuss what you re learning.