"OVERVIEW OF NEHEMIAH PART II"

Tonight we are going to be picking up where we left off last week with the book of Nehemiah -

The outline –

1-7 – The reconstruction of the wall

8-13 – The restoration of the people

Interrogative question –

What characterizes a godly individual?

Secondly, what characterizes an ungodly individual?

This evening I want us to examine seven characteristics of a godly individual as we do a fly by of the book of Nehemiah together.

1. Nehemiah is a man of prayer – 1:4-11

2. Nehemiah was a man of patience – 2:1-5

3. Nehemiah is a man that trusted the Lord – 4:4-9, 4 is key 6:1-9 –

Nehemiah 4:4–9 (NASB95)

4 Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders.

6 So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. 7 Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry.

8 All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. 9 But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.

Nehemiah 6:1–9 (NASB95)

1 Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, 2 then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.

5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.

7 “You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.”

9 For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

Nehemiah trusted God in the midst of difficult times. He did not know if Sanballet was going to try to attack him or not. He just trusted in the Lord knowing that His will his going to be accomplished.

Once again Sanballet was unhappy that Nehemiah and his people were rebuilding the wall. He tries again to trick Nehemiah so that he could take advantage of him. And again we see how Nehemiah trusts in the Lord.

How do you and I do with trusting the Lord? It is very easy to say that we trust in the Lord, the fact is you will find out if you trust the Lord when difficult things happen and you do not understand why.

Proverbs 3:5–6 NASB95

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

Transition – The next thing that characterizes the life of Nehemiah -

4. Nehemiah is a man that deals with sin – 5:1-13, 13:23-25

Nehemiah 5:1–13 (NASB95)

1 Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live.” 3 There were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.”

4 Also there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 “Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6 Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. 7 I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them.

8 I said to them, “We according to our ability have redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?” Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 Again I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?

10 “And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. 11 “Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them.”

12 Then they said, “We will give it back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.

13 I also shook out the front of my garment and said, “Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this promise.

USURY

[YOU zhu ree] -- interest paid on borrowed money. In the Bible the word usury does not necessarily have the negative connotations of our modern meaning of lending money at an excessive interest rate. Instead, it usually means the charging of interest on money that has been loaned. Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers

The situation here is that the Jewish people were lending money to other Jewish people and they charged interest on the money that they borrowed. Therefore, when they were suppose to pay it back they were unable to pay back the full amount only the amount that they borrowed minus the interest. The people who let the people borrow the money said well you can’t pay back the full amount so give me you’re your grain field.

Vs. 12 tells how the people respond to the confrontation of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 13:23-25 – Nehemiah deals with the mixed marriages.

Nehemiah 13:23–25 (NASB95)

23 In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. 24 As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people.

25 So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

The fifth thing that a godly person does is that he -

5. Nehemiah set’s the example – 5:14-17

Nehemiah 5:14–17 (NASB95)

14 Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance.

15 But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God. 16 I also applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.

17 Moreover, there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.

Nehemiah was the governor. All of the governors who proceeded him were dishonest and unfaithful, but Nehemiah was a man who set a godly example. He did what was right.

How about you and I, do we set an example that others can follow b/c we know that what we doing is right and glorify for others to follow? Maybe it is setting a godly example for your brothers and sisters to follow your example.

Next we see that Nehemiah had a very sincere desire to -

6. Nehemiah Loves God’s Word – 8:2-3

Nehemiah 8:2–3 NASB95

2 Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

Obviously the word of God had a very high priority in Nehemiah’s life as well as the lives of the people. Can you image just listening to someone read the word for half the day?

What is the priority of the word in your own life?

Do you view spending time in it as a burden or as a joy?

The last thing that we see evident in Nehemiah’s life is that he confessed his sin to the Lord –

7. Nehemiah understands the greatness of God – 9

Nehemiah 9 (NASB95)

1 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them. 2 The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God. 4 Now on the Levites’ platform stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Chenani, and they cried with a loud voice to the Lord their God.

5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, said, “Arise, bless the Lord your God forever and ever! O may Your glorious name be blessed And exalted above all blessing and praise!

6 “You alone are the Lord. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You. 7 “You are the Lord God, Who chose Abram And brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees, And gave him the name Abraham.

8 “You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give him the land of the Canaanite, Of the Hittite and the Amorite, Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite— To give it to his descendants. And You have fulfilled Your promise, For You are righteous.

9 “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, And heard their cry by the Red Sea. 10 “Then You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, Against all his servants and all the people of his land; For You knew that they acted arrogantly toward them, And made a name for Yourself as it is this day.

11 “You divided the sea before them, So they passed through the midst of the sea on dry ground; And their pursuers You hurled into the depths, Like a stone into raging waters. 12 “And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day, And with a pillar of fire by night To light for them the way In which they were to go.

13 “Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. 14 “So You made known to them Your holy sabbath, And laid down for them commandments, statutes and law, Through Your servant Moses.

15 “You provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger, You brought forth water from a rock for them for their thirst, And You told them to enter in order to possess The land which You swore to give them. 16 “But they, our fathers, acted arrogantly; They became stubborn and would not listen to Your commandments.

17 “They refused to listen, And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them; So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a God of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness; And You did not forsake them.

18 “Even when they made for themselves A calf of molten metal And said, ‘This is your God Who brought you up from Egypt,’ And committed great blasphemies, 19 You, in Your great compassion, Did not forsake them in the wilderness; The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, To guide them on their way, Nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go.

20 “You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst. 21 “Indeed, forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not in want; Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell.

22 “You also gave them kingdoms and peoples, And allotted them to them as a boundary. They took possession of the land of Sihon the king of Heshbon And the land of Og the king of Bashan. 23 “You made their sons numerous as the stars of heaven, And You brought them into the land Which You had told their fathers to enter and possess.

24 “So their sons entered and possessed the land. And You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, And You gave them into their hand, with their kings and the peoples of the land, To do with them as they desired. 25 “They captured fortified cities and a fertile land. They took possession of houses full of every good thing, Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, Fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled and grew fat, And reveled in Your great goodness.

26 “But they became disobedient and rebelled against You, And cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets who had admonished them So that they might return to You, And they committed great blasphemies. 27 “Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their oppressors who oppressed them, But when they cried to You in the time of their distress, You heard from heaven, and according to Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who delivered them from the hand of their oppressors.

28 “But as soon as they had rest, they did evil again before You; Therefore You abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they ruled over them. When they cried again to You, You heard from heaven, And many times You rescued them according to Your compassion,

29 And admonished them in order to turn them back to Your law. Yet they acted arrogantly and did not listen to Your commandments but sinned against Your ordinances, By which if a man observes them he shall live. And they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck, and would not listen.

30 “However, You bore with them for many years, And admonished them by Your Spirit through Your prophets, Yet they would not give ear. Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 “Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them, For You are a gracious and compassionate God.

32 “Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and lovingkindness, Do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before You, Which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria to this day.

33 “However, You are just in all that has come upon us; For You have dealt faithfully, but we have acted wickedly. 34 “For our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers have not kept Your law Or paid attention to Your commandments and Your admonitions with which You have admonished them.

35 “But they, in their own kingdom, With Your great goodness which You gave them, With the broad and rich land which You set before them, Did not serve You or turn from their evil deeds. 36 “Behold, we are slaves today, And as to the land which You gave to our fathers to eat of its fruit and its bounty, Behold, we are slaves in it.

37 “Its abundant produce is for the kings Whom You have set over us because of our sins; They also rule over our bodies And over our cattle as they please, So we are in great distress. 38 “Now because of all this We are making an agreement in writing; And on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests.”

The whole chapter deals the confession of the sins of the people. In the midst of the whole confession we see that they constantly are reminded of the awesomeness of how great God is.

SO WHAT?

Nehemiah was a man who had very intense struggles yet he remained very faithful to the Lord. We have just briefly looked at the different characteristics that were evident in his life. We all know that none of us possess all of these characteristics right now, what I want you to do is pick one that you are currently struggling with and make it a goal this next week to make it a characteristics of your life. (not only this week but the rest of your life)

The role of prayer in the life of Nehemiah is striking. It is instructive to study the series of problems, reactions, and prayers of Nehemiah presented in this book (see 1:5–11; 2:1–4, 19–20; 4:1–6, 7–10, 11–14; 6:9,14). Nehemiah demonstrated a balanced blend of dependence and discipline, prayer and planning. His prayers were generally short but fervent. Chapters 1–7 are filled with leadership principles, 8–10 with spiritual principles, and 11–13 with moral and social principles. Wilkinson, B., & Boa, K. (1983). Talk thru the Bible (p. 126). T. Nelson.

We do not think much about city walls these days, and so the news Nehemiah hears about the sad state of Jerusalem’s walls may not seem like a big deal to you. But actually, a city’s walls were arguably more important than its army. Without walls, a city would be at the mercy of whatever band of marauders came through. It could not control its own affairs. Thus the proverb: “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control” (Prov. 25:28). Such a man is destroyed by any passing temptation or outside influence. Dever, M., & Goldsworthy, G. (2006). The Message of Nehemiah: Rebuilding. In The message of the old testament: promises made (p. 417). Crossway.

Pray

Patience

Trust in the Lord

Deals with sin

Love’s God word

Set an example

Understands the greatness of God