As we start a new series on the book of Nehemiah it is important to understand some of the background to the story in order to better understand its historical context. That is why we will begin our series looking at the books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Ezra before diving into Nehemiah. Imagine opening up a novel to the middle of the story and expecting to understand everything you are reading. That is what it is like when we read the book of Nehemiah without taking a look at what happened before.

One thing to keep in mind is the way the books of the Bible are complied. The Bible is not organized chronologically. The books are organized by size and literary style. The Law, History, Poetry, Major Prophets, and Minor Prophets. So even though Ezra and Nehemiah do not fall anywhere close to Haggai and Zechariah in the pages of the Bible, they are right next to each other chronologically. In fact, these men were contemporaries and no doubt knew each other.

Below is a timeline I put together to help illustrate the events regarding the prelude to Nehemiah.