This six-week course offers a close study of Ezra and Nehemiah, examining their literary structure, historical setting, theological themes, and role in shaping post-exilic Jewish identity. Special attention will be given to restoration, covenant renewal, temple and Torah, communal reform, and the social and political dynamics of Judah under Persian imperial rule.

Click here for viewable, printable, and downloadable class schedule.

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The reference material for each weekly lesson are grouped and listed below.

Besides the Scripture text itself, the primary study tools is a scripture Summary and other articles written by Rev. Spence which are available in the Documents and Links section below.

The maps used in Rev. Spence’s summary documents, lectures, and video presentations are used with permission and were created by Stephen M. Miller. Mr. Miller is an award-winning, bestselling Christian author known for accessible books on the Bible and Christianity, as well as the Casual English Bible® paraphrase. Click here for additional information about his publications, including maps covering the major cities, stories, and books of the Bible.

Many Bible translations are available, and students are encouraged to read and consult their preferred version. Each weekly lesson addresses selected chapters of Scripture. Online Scripture references are provided through BibleGateway, which offers numerous translations and an optional parallel view for side-by-side comparison. Students are encouraged to explore the available options.

For this study, Rev. Spence has selected the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) as the default translation referenced on BibleGateway. Click here for information about the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition.

An optional but valuable resource is the series of short overview videos on the books of the Bible provided by BibleProject. BibleProject is a nonprofit, crowdfunded organization that offers free videos, podcasts, blogs, classes, and other educational resources to make the biblical story more accessible.

For each week of the in-person class, Rev. Spence has recorded a video lecture covering that week’s material. Links to view or download each lecture are available by clicking on the desired week below.

If you have questions or experience difficulty accessing any resource on this site, click here to submit a support request.