“The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah (and Esther) cover about 100 years, closing the Old Testament historical books. The books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles closed with the Southern Kingdom (“Judah”) going into captivity. These post-exile books record the return from Babylon after its fall to the Persians under Cyrus, the rebuilding of the Temple and Jerusalem, and the reestablishment of the national life.”
[PDF, The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah by Chuck Missler]
The events in the Book of Esther occurred between those recorded in Ezra 6 and Ezra 7. Ten years involved in the Book of Esther from 483 BC, in the third year of the reign Ahasuerus (Xerxes) when the king held something of a marathon feast.
Esther 1:3, “In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him”
Because of Queen Vashti’s refusal to be put on display before her husband’s drunken princes she lost her position and a search began for her replacement. The search brought Esther into “the house of the women” for a lengthy period of preparation for her night with the king and her selection as queen.
By chapter 3 the evil Haman had been promoted above the other princes. Haman convinced the King to exterminate the Jewish population. Esther 3:7, casting “Pur” to determine that the extermination would begin after a year. Esther and her guardian Mordecai used that time to successfully opposite Haman’s plan of the extermination of the Jews.
Timeline leading to the exile and the return from exile including relevant information concerning Daniel:
587 BC, Zedekiah ignores Jeremiah’s and Ezekiel’s warnings and rebels resulting in the 3rd siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple and the city by King Nebuchadnezzar. This begins 70-year “Desolations of Jerusalem”
556 BC, Daniel’s vision of the 4 beasts.
554 BC, Daniel’s Ram and He-goat vision
539 BC, King Belshazzar was disrespectful of the golden vessels taken from the temple and thus the famous Hand writing on the wall appeared. The Persian Empire conquered Babylon without a battle. Daniel showed Cyrus (538–530) God’s letter to Cyrus detailed in Isaiah 44.
538 BC, Daniel’s Vision of seventy weeks
538 BC, the first return led by Zerubbabel (Ezra 1-6) to rebuild the Temple as ordered and financed by Cyrus. However, only about 50 thousand Israeli returned to Israel in this regathering of the remnant.
536 BC, the foundations of the second Temple were laid
Daniel survived The Lions’ Den during the reign of Darius I (521–486 BC).
515 B.C, Temple rebuilt
[From 483 BC, Xerxes’ 3rd year, Esther 1:3]
Esther saved the Israel race from the plotting of Haman in this time, between Ezra chapters 6 and 7.
[To 473 BC Esther 3:7]
“Chronologically, it (The Book of Esther) antedates the Book of Nehemiah by about 30 years. Esther makes possible Nehemiah. It was Esther’s marriage to the King of Persia that ultimately leads to the rebuilding of Jerusalem.”
[The Books of Ruth and Esther by Chuck Missler]
458 BC second return of 2,000 Israeli was under Ezra (Ezra 7-10)
444 BC, the third return led by Nehemiah in who through Artaxerxes I (464–423) had gained authority to rebuild the city (and walls) of Jerusalem. This triggers the 69 weeks of Daniel 9:25.
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