Friends, this is our final episode in our chronological reading of the Old Testament, the book of the prophet Malachi. Not much is known about Malachi, (whose name means “my messenger”), but contextual clues suggest that this was written after the exile had ended. Enthusiasm for right worship of God had waned, and Malachi exhorts the priests to honor the Lord. Uniquely, Malachi presents his prophesy using a conversational pattern between the priests and the Lord God, wherein God makes a claim, the priests respond by asking questions, and subsequently the Lord answers. This book is a mixture of indictment and hope, pointing those who are indifferent to God’s ordinances to worship rightly while encouraging the faithful to stay the course and receive the Lord’s favor.

Malachi 1 - 1:02 . 

Malachi 2 - 4:58 . 

Malachi 3 - 10:01 . 

Malachi 4 - 14:28 .

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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The temple is finished. The wall is finished. The people have rededicated themselves to the Lord’s house, and on today’s episode, the remnant of Israel rejoices. With the work completed, Nehemiah returns to Persia to serve under King Artaxerxes as he had before, just as he had promised. All is right with the world, and God’s people serve Him faithfully from then on, right? Wrong! In fact, not long after Nehemiah leaves, the work of the temple is all but abandoned and Eliashib, who is in charge of the temple storehouses, clears out a room for Tobiah the Ammonite official, who happens to be a relative. Nehemiah returns once more to set things straight.

Nehemiah 11 - 1:01 . 

Nehemiah 12 - 6:25 . 

Nehemiah 13 - 14:09 . 

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Now that the work of rebuilding the temple and rebuilding the walls surrounding Jerusalem is complete, the exiles from Israel gather together to hear Ezra read from the book of the Law. The Levites explain the law to the people as it is being read, and when the congregation understands the extent to which they have broken the Law, they mourn over their actions. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites encourage them to rejoice, for the people have not only returned to their land, but they have returned to their God. At the end of our reading, the Levites recite a confession they had written based on Israel’s rebellious history, concluding with a documented vow to serve the Lord.

Nehemiah 8 - 1:01 . 

Nehemiah 9 - 6:04 . 

Nehemiah 10 - 16:34 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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As we began to see our last episode, the governors who oversee region west of the Euphrates, which includes Judah and Jerusalem, are unhappy that Nehemiah has been sent to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Feeling threatened, Sanballat and other officials create false rumors and even bribe others to attempt to deceive Nehemiah. They make every attempt to stop or delay the work, but in just 52 days’ time, Nehemiah and the diligent remnant Israel rebuild the wall and restore the gates. Once the gates are up and guards are established, Nehemiah begins to sort out families so that they can build houses and settle in the land.

Nehemiah 5 - 1:01 . 

Nehemiah 6 - 5:23 . 

Nehemiah 7 - 10:28 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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As mentioned previously, Nehemiah is a continuation of the Ezra, recorded the history of Israel and their return from exile. Nehemiah, an exile who lived in Persia’s capital and served King Artaxerxes as his royal cupbearer, hears news that Jerusalem has been laid waste. The wall surrounding the city had been greatly compromised and the gates that would have maintained a secure entrance had been burned down. In great dismay, Nehemiah asks the king if he can return to help restore the city. With the king’s approval and with papers in hand, Nehemiah goes back to Jerusalem, but the local governors are not happy that he has come. Nehemiah surveys the damage under cover of night, then urges Israel to join him in the work of rebuilding the wall and gates. 

Nehemiah 1 - 1:02 . 

Nehemiah 2 - 3:44 . 

Nehemiah 3 - 9:24 . 

Nehemiah 4 - 15:42 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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In our last episode, we were introduced to Ezra, a scribe in exile who had been trained in the law of Moses and who had “determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach it’s statutes and ordinances in Israel.” King Artaxerxes has expressly commanded Ezra to do just that. After we review some of the family heads who accompanied Ezra for the journey back to Jerusalem, we discover that even the leaders of those who had returned from exile had disobeyed the commands of the Lord by marrying foreign women. This was forbidden under the law of Moses, and can be cited as one of the reasons Israel abandoned the Lord and pursued other gods.

Ezra 8 - 1:01 . 

Ezra 9 - 7:21 . 

Ezra 10 - 12:49 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Haman’s wrath against Mordecai and the Jewish people has returned on his own head. On today’s episode, Esther continues to represent her people before the king, turning a day of mourning into a day of rejoicing. As we finish Esther we’ll be turning back to the historical narrative recorded in the book of Ezra in which we learn of a new Persian king named Artaxerxes. While historians differ, it is believed that Artaxerxes’ father is the Ahaseurus from Esther, known more broadly as Xerxes. We are also introduced to the man for whom the book of Ezra is named as he is sent by Artaxerxes to Jerusalem.

Esther 9 - 1:05 . 

Esther 10 - 8:11 . 

Ezra 7 - 9:06 . 

Proverbs 31 - 14:46 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Haman, the royal official who hates Mordecai for being disrespectful and insubordinate, has tricked King Ahaseurus into giving him even more power and authority. With the king’s signet ring in hand, he devised a scheme to wipe out the Jewish people, whom he hates because of his hatred for Mordecai. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall,” and that proverb will be on full display here in today’s episode as we observe the life, and death, of Haman. As Esther approaches the king, we’ll see God’s orchestration of divine justice even in Persia, while Esther and her people are blessed by a holy and sovereign God who provides for those who fear Him.

Esther 5 - 1:05 . 

Esther 6 - 4:30 . 

Esther 7 - 8:35 . 

Esther 8 - 12:03 . 

Proverbs 30:18-33 – 16:34 .

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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The account of Esther, the Jewish orphan who becomes the queen of Persia, is neither a Cinderella story, nor a how-to guide for righteousness. It does, however, give us a picture of the God who graciously uses broken people to achieve His glorious ends and fulfill His covenant promises. The names that the two Jewish characters operate under, Esther and Mordecai, are not Israelite names, but are instead names that give honor to Persian gods. The book reflects how they operate under this saturation of Persian culture by mentioning the Persian king 190 times while God is never explicitly mentioned. On today’s episode we meet Esther, Mordecai, King Ahaseurus, and the self-righteous enemy of God’s people: Haman.

Esther 1 - 1:02 . 

Esther 2 - 5:51 . 

Esther 3 - 11:50 . 

Esther 4 - 15:42 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Today, Zechariah symbolically takes on the role of a shepherd of those sheep who were raised for purpose of being slaughtered, for the shepherds had not cared for them; they only used them for personal gain. The prophet then proclaims that Jerusalem will be secure from warring nations and that they will be blessed further through spiritual reconciliation with God. The Lord will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the house of David and on Jerusalem, and they will mourn for the one they pierced. On that day a fountain will be opened to wash away their sin and impurity. Living water from Jerusalem will flow in abundance. Like the prophet Isaiah, Zechariah predicts that the nations will come from all around to worship the God of Israel. 

Zechariah 10 - 1:04 . 

Zechariah 11 - 3:47 . 

Zechariah 12 - 7:32 . 

Zechariah 13 - 11:42 . 

Zechariah 14 - 14:06 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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