Evers Bible Class - A Gentle Ramble through the Bible

    Malachi, Nehemiah 13    The End of the Hebrew Bible While Nehemiah is away at the court of King Artaxerxes, things fall apart. Levites and other temple workers don’t get paid, the people work on the Sabbath, and they marry foreign wives--again.  The prophet Malachi calls them all to task, reminding them that their actions matter and that YHWH is very, very real. The Lord speaks words of warning but also of tenderness: “Test me in this. Bring me your firstfruits and see if I do not open the storehouses of heaven to you!” Nehemiah returns to find everything in shambles. He sets everything right and does it all, not with an eye to the approval of Israel, but with an eye to finding favor with God. A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com .

   Ezra 7-10, 4:7ff, Nehemiah 1-12    Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem The Israelites have run amok in the 60 years since the Temple was rebuilt. King Artaxerxes sends Ezra, a renowned scholar, a priest, and a gifted teacher, to Judah and Jerusalem to teach all the people the Law of Moses.  Ezra is horrified when he finds the Israelites have intermarried with the local people and have fallen back into idolatry. His teaching and prayers ignite a revival among the Israelites, and the foreign wives are sent away. It only takes another 10 years or so, however, for the Israelites to fall away again. And in all this time they’ve not even started rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah, the king’s wine taster, begs King Artaxerxes to send him back with the financial support and authority he needs to rebuild the walls. And the king agrees! Despite intense local opposition, the walls are rebuilt and Ezra again inspires the people to renew their vows to the Lord. Sacrifices, feasts, and tit

  Esther    Heroes, Sheroes, and Villains The story of Esther has been a smash hit for millenia. And for good reason--what’s not to love about an orphan girl raised to be queen who is hiding a deadly secret and when threatened by the most dastardly villain is able to vanquish him with her cunning and shrewdness? There’s more to the story than this, of course. There are reasons this story is in the Bible. There are reasons it has stood the test of time. We uncover hidden meanings and use our backpack tools to break open the overarching chiasm that reveals the central message of the book. A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com .

                                                                    Zerubbabel's Temple is Finished    Zechariah 5-14, Ezra 5-6 Zechariah has three more visions (including one of a huge flying scroll) and then the Lord tells him to make some crowns. He’s to put one of them on the High Priest Joshua.  Zechariah’s encouragement helps Zerubbabel and Joshua press on. The last bastion of resistance falls, and the Temple is finally completed. What a celebration they have! We finish Zechariah--diving into his important End Time prophecies, looking for themes and searching out the heart of the Lord. A free Study Guide is available. A video version of the class is available on YouTube. More info at EversBibleClass.com .