Sproul challenges christians to resist cultural pressure to compromise or marginalize the gospel. The rebuilding of the walls of jerusalem met resistance. Nehemiah a2 classic bible study guide 3 nehemiah 1. Nehemiah and his people responded to the enemys opposition by lifting their voices in prayer, putting their hearts into the work, and by vigilantly keeping their eyes on the enemy.
The other seven chapters of the book are occupied with some details of nehemiahs government of the people after the completion of the walls. Nehemiah chapter four opens with the walls of jerusalem being rebuilt, and the opposition gathering its forces. Others may say nehemiah is a book that encourages christians of all gender and race to perform their god given duties no matter the consequences. This book, as was true in the book of ezra, has copies of letters, decrees, registers and other documents. Nehemiahs opposition nehemiah 4,6 last week we learned about how nehemiah and the people living in jerusalem began to rebuild jerusalems walls. Nehemiah is an exciting and inspiring book about this man, nehemiah, and the work of rebuilding the walls of jerusalem. The book of nehemiah jerusalem walls summary overview.
To comprehend the context of nehemiah, we must understand old testament redemptive history. God sent nehemiah to judah in order to do a special task. Apr 17, 2019 the prophet nehemiah provides modern day leaders a wonderful model of leadership. Were just finishing up the section in nehemiah that started in chapter 2. Their evident wealth helps explain why many jews stayed behind in persia. Inquisitive concerning the state of the jews and jerusalem v. Old testament student study guide prepared by the church educational system published by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints salt lake city, utah. This was a case of external opposition as jerusalem was again becoming fortified at an. The books of ezra and nehemiah were originally combined into a single book. You can go to church and even pray and read your bible, and he wont mind. Nehemiah is the cupbearer to artaxerxes, king of persia. In spite of the opposition from outside of nehemiahs camp, and the opposition and abuse that came from within, the task is completed in only fiftytwo 52 days an accomplishment that even the enemies of israel had to attribute to gods hand moving. If ezra was the writer, he was copying from the journal of nehemiah. A single book originally ezra nehemiah was considered a single unit in the hebrew canon just as we today view 1st and 2nd chronicles but were first treated separately by christians around the 3rd century.
Near 520 bc after the takeover by nebuchadnezzar, ultimately king cyrus of persia arose to power, and he decided to aid the jews to return to jerusalem. As you recall, weve spent the last several weeks looking at the matter of opposition from chapter 4. We know that this is the same artaxerxes as found in the book of ezra due to ezra and nehemiahs joint participation in jerusalem cf. Nehemiah 2 commentary the opposition of the adversaries. Nehemiah wrote it to records the events of returning to jerusalem and rebuilding the walls in 445 b. Nehemiah was the governor of jerusalem who helped rebuild the city wall 1. Ezra is a scribe, a persian official and a levitical priest. T hough no author is claimed in the book of nehemiah it is believed that ezra or nehemiah wrote the book. In spite of the opposition from outside of nehemiahs camp, and the opposition.
Nehemiah 4 continuing the lords work in the face of fear. Nehemiah s prayer for remnant at jerusalem, chapter 1. Point out that in the book of nehemiah we learn about the opposition nehemiah. Though the people are hard pressed by opposition, the lord. Some believe that most of it is an autobiography of nehemiahs life. He was a person who understood that his life belonged to. Old testament student study guide the church of jesus. Here is a thought dont turn the book of nehemiah into a story of leadership only, it is that, but primarily it is. There were priests, rulers, goldsmiths, perfumemakers and women who helped repair the walls. Gods will and without a real understanding of christian service is not. Week 5, nehemiah 4 hook prestonwood baptist church. Book of nehemiah overview insight for living ministries.
The walls of the city were still broken down, and the burned gates had never been replaced. A long time ago, nehemiah was called by god to rebuild the walls of jerusalem. Upon learning of the distress of his people, nehemiah receives permission from the king he was serving to go help them. Whitcomb, nehemiah, in the wycliffe bible commentary, pp. Explain that nehemiah was a jew who served as the cupbearer to the. Does the consideration of its low estate cause you any grief. A perusal of the book of nehemiah perceives from its protagonist. Jerusalem had a temple but there was no protection for the city from further attack. Book of ezra and nehemiah covers the events of the jews returning from the babylonian captivity. The enmity of the serpents seed against the cause of christ is confined to no age or nation. City gates and gatekeepers 14 list of exiles who returned 569 temple servants 4656 sons of the servants of solomon 5760 contributions for the work 7073 8. The prophet nehemiah provides modern day leaders a wonderful model of leadership. The book of nehemiah starts by describing the circumstances that brought nehemiah to jerusalem. As such, these books are fitting models for christians of the new covenant.
It happened nearly twentyfive hundred years ago in a land across the world from where you and i live today. The book of nehemiah is often viewed as a manual on biblical leadership. This morning were going to move into chapter 5 of the book of nehemiah. Thats where nehemiah comes to jerusalem after he heard of the jews plight and after he petitioned king artaxerxes to be able to come and rebuild jerusalem and help his jewish brethren. Free bible lessons published on by twelve years after the last events of the book of ezra, a jew named nehemiah received bad news about jerusalem. Here we first meet with nehemiah at the persian court, where we find him, i. We discovered that many people worked on different sections of the walls. He was a highranking official in the persian kings court. Sproul shows that nehemiah wasnt bitter, angry, or complacent.
Nehemiah, who was a contemporary or served around the same time as ezra, was a cupbearer to the king in the persian empire. Finally, 4 they kept their minds focused on the lord. Nehemiahs prayer for remnant at jerusalem, chapter 1. Date of book nehemiah was a jewish captive and served as the cup bearer to king artaxerxes during the twentieth year of his reign 444 bc see notes below at kings of persia neh. The book itself is a story that tells us of the rebuilding of jerusalem by nehemiah, a jew who is a high official at the persian court.
Nehemiah yahweh has comforted, is a famous cupbearer, who never appears in scripture outside of this book. The book of nehemiah records an important time period in jewish history, which included the rebuilding. Nehemiah led by example, giving up a respected position in a palace for hard labor in a politically insignificant district. And it came to pass in the month chisleu, in the twentieth year, as i was in shushan the palace, that hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of judah. Such is the rise of this great man, by piety, not by. Because of the opposition of the jews neighbors, artaxerxes sent a. So lets briefly survey how we got to this point in the story. The book is a first person account of the events from the perspective of nehemiah. Nehemiah is governor of jerusalem from for 14 years, from 444 b. Apr 22, 2018 the book of nehemiah overview and walkthrough. The book of nehemiah is the continuation of the account that begins in the book of ezra. The case of nehemiah for more information on how a church can begin to get involved in community building, consult the following references. Summary of the book of nehemiah the story of the bible.
This book covers the rebuilding of the walls of jerusalem. This summary of the book of nehemiah provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of nehemiah. Under nehemiahs leadership, the jews withstood opposition and came together to accomplish their goal. Chapter 5 is about opposition also, but whats different is that in chapter 5, the opposition is from within. Horonite, tobiah the ammonite, and geshem the arab. Key personalities include nehemiah, ezra, sanballat, and tobiah.
A single book originally ezranehemiah was considered a single unit in the hebrew canon just as we today view 1st and 2nd chronicles but were first treated separately by christians around the 3rd century. Nehemiah was a contemporary of ezra and a cupbearer to the king in the persian palace. Specifically, the book shows how the broken down walls of jerusalem and the failing. Opposition to the rebuilding continues 114 wall completed in 52 days 1519 7. Despite obstacles and opposition, he discerns a challenging vision and leads the people in accomplishing it. We will see this opposition persist on through the books of ezra and. He partnered with ezra, who also appears in this book, to solidify the political and spiritual foundations of the people.
The book was divided into two books in the third century a. Nehemiah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. As with the books of ezra and esther, named after his contemporaries, the book recounts selected events of his leadership and was titled after him. Thats where nehemiah comes to jerusalem after he heard of the jews plight and after he petitioned king artaxerxes to be able to come. In the hebrew bible the book of nehemiah comfort of jah forms a unity with the preceding book of ezra compare with the notes on ezra. Nehemiah s distress for the misery of jerusalem, his prayer. The book of nehemiah teaches us that discouragement and distraction will come our way, but we are to stand firm in the task at hand. Nehemiah was a man of character who loved and feared god. Nehemiah would help the jews to build the walls round jerusalem again. When met with opposition, remain faithful and seek wisdom. Along with the book of ezra, the book of nehemiah concludes the last historical chapters of the hebrew bible. In october 20, tom hanks starred in the true story of the cargo ship, alabama. The books of ezra and nehemiah originally made up one book in the hebrew scriptural canon. In general, the book seeks to show how god favored his people, so recently exiled, by.
The jews are counted and are permitted to return to judah to rebuild the temple. Under nehemiah s leadership, the jews withstood opposition and came together to accomplish their goal. Instead, he boldly called gods people to return to godliness. The other seven chapters of the book are occupied with some details of nehemiah s government of the people after the completion of the walls. Nehemiah was a person of prayer who risked his life of power, privilege and lux ury to bring stability, reform and spiritual awakening to the people of jerusalem. Nehemiahs distress for the misery of jerusalem, his prayer.
In the old testament, book of nehemiah, we read that before nehemiah lays even one stone. It tells the story of a man whose name was nehemiah. It happened nearly twentyfive hundred years ago in a land across the world from where you and i. Although the books bear different names they follow each other without paragraph and the numeration of the masorah is listed at the end of nehemiah for both books. The book of nehemiah takes bible readers to the end of the historical account in the old testament, some 400 years before the birth of christ. At the end of his leave of absence from the king he came back to babylon, and after certain days he came again to jerusalem nehemiah 2. The film, captain phillips, chronicled the ordeal of the captain and crewmembers of the ship after it was overtaken by somali pirates in 2009. Nehemiah 1 commentary matthew henry commentary on the. When god gives a command let us do all within our power to.
The book of nehemiah also tells us of how the city of jerusalem was dedicated to gods laws. He was a very important official who worked for the king of persia. Nehemiah led the third 3rd exodus back to jerusalem, 94 years after zerubbabel 1st exodus of approx. Nehemiahs prayer indicates a right understanding of the character of god and. Book of ezra covers the events of the jews returning from the babylonian captivity.