Episodes
Monday Jun 26, 2017
Nehemiah: Rebuilding A Community: The Problem. Nehemiah 4:1-23
Monday Jun 26, 2017
Monday Jun 26, 2017
Nehemiah: Rebuilding A Community
The Problem
Nehemiah 4:1-23
The Naysayers Return (v. 1-6)
- Sanballat: Leading political official of Samaria residing at Beth-horon in Ephraim
- His anger at the rebuilding of the wall was because he saw it as a threat to his influence in the area
- Anger is often the world’s response to God’s work because it threatens the powerful and the status quo
- He even questions the builders’ commitment to God (v. 2b)
- His anger at the rebuilding of the wall was because he saw it as a threat to his influence in the area
- Tobiah: An Ammonite official whose family claimed to Jewish roots to Jerusalem
- He tries to undermine the quality of their work (v. 3)
- Even though archaeological excavations found Nehemiah’s wall to be about 9 feet thick
- Nehemiah’s response:
- Prayer (v. 4-5): Trusting God to deal with these accusers
- Determination (v. 6): The work continued
The Plot (v. 7-14)
- The naysayers’ anger turns to plots of violence to stop the work (v. 7-8)
- Again, Nehemiah and the people turn to God in prayer (v. 9)
- And they set guards where the wall was the weakest/shortest
- The work in these areas was overwhelming for those who lived closest (v. 11)
- So they asked for help! (v. 12)
- Their neighbors stepped up to help defend the gaps (v. 13)
- Being encouraged by Nehemiah to trust God (v. 14)
The Plan (v. 15-23)
- They continued working despite the opposition
- Keeping defenses close at hand throughout the work
- If an attack came, they had a plan to rally to where they were needed (v. 20)
- Nehemiah encouraged those from outside the city to stay in the city while the work took place (v. 22)
- Which meant people opened their homes to one another
- They stayed ready for battle at all times (v. 23)
So What?
- As we seek to do God’s work in our community, we will face opposition
- Because it means a change to the status quo
- We must trust God to fight for us
- As we continue with diligence and prayer
- The Church must model love and support
Meditation Verse: Neh. 4:
Saturday Jun 24, 2017
Nehemiah: Rebuilding A Community: The Participants, Nehemiah 3:1-32
Saturday Jun 24, 2017
Saturday Jun 24, 2017
Nehemiah: Rebuilding A Community
The Participants
Nehemiah 3:1-32
The Participants (v. 1-5)
- The chapter is thought by many to be a list of unpronounceable names and gates
- The text shows us much more than that
- It reveals a process: All were involved
- It reveals a plan : 10 gates and 40 groups
- It reveals a purpose : Build where you live
- Building begins with Eliashib the high priest and the other priests
- Begin with the Sheep Gate
- Close to the Temple
- An example for the rest of the builders
- Only section that was consecrated
- Thus consecrating the whole project
- The narrative continues a path around the city
- Jericho (v. 2)
- Not local: 20 miles from Jerusalem
- References the Tekoites (v. 5)
- Royals called out for not being involved
- Possibly out of fear of Geshem the Arab
- Royals called out for not being involved
More Get Involved (v. 6–14)
- We start to see the actual occupations of some of the builders (v. 8)
- People worked in front of their own homes (v. 10)
- Increased sense of responsibility
- Not far away from home during construction
- Knew the area better than anyone else
- Father and daughters worked on the wall (v. 12)
- Did their portion and then did more (v. 13)
- Their gate was the Dung Gate (v. 14)
- Also known as the Refuse Gate
- Led out to where the refuse was taken
- No portion was beneath them
Work Continues (v. 15–32)
- Beth-Zur (v. 16)
- Town 4 miles N of city
- We begin to see groups working on more than one (v. 19)
- Tekoites do another section of the wall (v. 27)
- Tekoah was a town approx. 12 miles south
The Big Picture
- Nehemiah used everyone to accomplish this work
- Goldsmiths, perfume makers, merchants
- Men and women
- Priests to people from outside the city walls
- Walls would have been totally overwhelming
- Gates controlled access to city but the walls connected the gates
- Modern analogy for the gates
- Gates reflect the needs of our community
- Walls reflect the commonality of the needs
So What?
- As we seek God’s vision for rebuilding our community:
- Do we see our role in the work?
- Do we see our needs and those of our neighbors?
Meditation Verse: Phil. 2:4
Monday Jun 12, 2017
Nehemiah: Rebuilding A Community. The Plan, Nehemiah 1:11bc-2:20
Monday Jun 12, 2017
Monday Jun 12, 2017
Nehemiah: Rebuilding A Community
The Plan
Nehemiah 1:11bc-2:20
An Audience with the King (1:11c-2:8)
- Nehemiah served as Artaxerxes’ cupbearer (1:11c)
- A food taster to the king who ensured that the royal meals were of high quality, and not poisoned
- In some instances, they would act as counselors to the king as well
- He already had the ear of the king
- Shows God’s providence in the situation
- Nehemiah waited and prayed from Kislev (1:1; Nov/Dec) until Nisan (2:1; March/April)
- 4 to 5 months of prayer waiting for the right opportunity
- When the time was right, Nehemiah let his guard down before the king
- Letting the king see that something was bothering him
- And surprisingly, the king notices and cares!
- Nehemiah shares what is on his heart
- And the king’s response is to ask him how he could help
- But, before Nehemiah asks for help, he prays, again! (2:4b; see 1:5-11)
- Then he asks for permission to rebuild Jerusalem
- Along with letters to guarantee his safety on the journey back
- And material support to finish the project
- This was risky, since Artaxerxes had actually halted the rebuilding of Jerusalem previously (Ezra 4:17-22)
- Out of fear of rebellion
- But the king & queen* gives him everything he asks for
- Asking only when Nehemiah would return
- Which shows that the king valued him greatly
- Nehemiah sees all of these events as God’s hand upon the work
- Asking only when Nehemiah would return
Surveying the Problem (2:9-20)
- When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he met with the leaders of the region
- He received opposition from Sanballat and Tobiah
- He then went out at night to survey the damage to the city walls in secret
- He had not sought out the Jewish people’s help yet
- He wanted to see the extent of the work that needed to be done first
- After his survey, he gathers the people and explains what God has laid on his heart to do
- And he includes himself in their troubles (v. 17)
- While explaining how God has already begun the work through Nehemiah’s relationship with the king
- The people were so inspired that the took up the call right away (v. 18)
- As the people rallied to Nehemiah’s side, the naysayers started in (v. 19)
- Accusing them of rebellion against the king
- But, Nehemiah places his hope firmly in God (v. 20)
So What?
- Nehemiah sought God throughout the process
- And he used his secular connections to help with God’s work
- As well as calling God’s people to step up
- As we seek to rebuild our community, we must do the same:
- Constantly seek God
- Use our connections, both within and outside the Church
Meditation Verse: Nehemiah 2:20a
Monday Jun 05, 2017
Monday Jun 05, 2017
Nehemiah: Rebuilding A Community
The Passion and The Prayer
Nehemiah 1:1-11b
The Passion (v. 1-3)
- Nehemiah is the author of this book
- Probably written around 430 BC
- Not much is known about Nehemiah before this
- His father is Hakaliah and his brother is Hanani
- Kislev is a month that would commonly include parts of Nov. and Dec.
- 20th year = 20th year of the reign of the Persian King Artaxerxes
- Nehemiah shows his heart by asking about the city of Jerusalem and more important the condition of the people there
- He is told that the survivors* were in great trouble and disgrace
- Since there was no simple way to communicate, this would have been devastating news to receive
- He is told that the survivors* were in great trouble and disgrace
Prayer of Confession (v. 4-7)
- Begins with brokenness
- His concern for the people and the city of Jerusalem led him to tears, to fasting and to mourning and most importantly, to prayer
- This portion of his prayer shows us his clear understanding of who God is
- Praise before petition
- His confession was personal and not superficial
- He understands that their inability to follow God’s commands had time and time again gotten them into trouble
- This was no exception
- He understands that their inability to follow God’s commands had time and time again gotten them into trouble
The Petition (v. 8-11b)
- Nehemiah reminds God of his promise to his people
- Done to show his utmost confidence in the covenant God had made with his people (2 Chron. 7:14)
- He references the Exodus and God leading his people out from Egypt (v. 10)
- He understands that the time for action in at hand (v. 11)
- He was asking God to act and showed the confidence of being in his will
So What?
- Do we have a heart for the “survivors” in our community?
- Do we understand that before we can be a part of restoration in our community, we need to restore our relationship with God?
Meditation Verse: Neh. 1:11a