Week #2 (2)
Nehemiah • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Ezra Chapter 1
The Decree of Cyrus that the Jews Could Return (536 BC) –
Chapter 1 1:1,2 – Cyrus, king of Persia, decreed that the Jews could return and rebuild the temple.
1:3-6 – Those who returned were to bring provisions.
1:7-11 – The people were permitted to bring back the furnishings from the destroyed temple.
Ezra Chapter 2
Names of Those Who Returned – Chapter 2
Ezra Chapter 3
Laying of the Foundation of the Temple – Chapter 3
The Sacrificial Offerings Restored
3:1-3 – The altar was restored and sacrifices were offered
3:4-6 – The Feast of the Tabernacles and required sacrifices were observed
The Foundation of the Temple Laid 3:7-9 – Work on the temple was begun.
3:10,11 – When the foundation had been laid, the people worshiped God.
Ezra Chapter 4
People of the Land Oppose the Work – Chapter 4
4:1-3 - Religious Compromise
4:1,2 – People of the land sought to participate in the work, claiming they too were servants of the true God.
The first tactic of the adversaries was to try to become part of the group working on the temple.
4:3 – The leaders of Israel refused to allow the people of the land to participate.
4:4,5 – Harassment
4:4,5 – The people of the land tried to frustrate the work.
Having been forbidden a role in the work, the people of the land became a hindrance, trying to discourage the work. They made trouble and even hired people to try to frustrate the work. We are told some more about the methods that were used in the book of Nehemiah. These efforts continued until the times of king Darius.
4:11-16 – The people’s letter claimed that the Jews would rebel against the king.
The people wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes informing him that the Jews were building the city of Jerusalem, repairing the walls, etc., and that if they were allowed to succeed, they would end up rebelling against the rule of Persia
4:17-22 – The king responded that the work of rebuilding the city should cease.
King Artaxerxes responded that he had searched the archives and found that the Jews had indeed been a rebellious people.
Ezra Chapter 5
Prophets Encourage the Work to Continue –
Chapter 5 5:1 – Haggai and Zechariah prophesied to the people.
5:2 – The people returned to work on the temple.
5:11-16 – The Jews responded that King Cyrus had authorized them to rebuild their temple.
5:17 – The governor asked the king to search the archives and give a ruling in the matter.
Ezra Chapter 6
The Temple Completed –
Chapter 6 6:1-5 – King Darius found the decree of Cyrus that authorized the Jews to rebuild the temple.
6:6-8 – Darius decreed that the work should be allowed to continue and even supported at government expense.
6:9-12 – Provisions were given for the work, and anyone who altered the edict would be cursed.
6:13-15 – The people continued work on the temple till it was completed.
6:16-18 – With many sacrifices the people dedicated the temple and organized the priesthood.
6:19-22 – The people then celebrated the Passover.
Part 2: Spiritual Restoration of the People – Chapter 7-10
Ezra Chapter 7
Ezra Decreed to Lead Another Group to Return (458 BC) –
Chapter 7 7:1-6 – Ezra is introduced to the story as a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses.
Ezra Chapter 8
Preparation and Journey Led by Ezra – Chapter 8
Ezra Chapter 9
The People Put Away Foreign Wives and Children - Chapter 9,10
Nehemiah
The history of the period according to the reigns of several great Persian kings :
Cyrus — He overthrew Babylon in 538 BC. The first group of Jews returned to Palestine under Zerubbabel’s leadership in 536 BC.
Darius the “Great” — During his lifetime, the temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt.
Xerxes — This is the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. He eventually chose Esther as his queen, and by her influence he saved the Jews from destruction.
Artaxerxes — This man was son of Xerxes and stepson of Esther. He ruled from about 465-423 BC.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah were written during his reign. Ezra’s record begins with the first group that returned under Cyrus. But Ezra himself became personally involved in the story during the 7th year of the reign of Artaxerxes, when Ezra led a group of Jews back to Palestine (458 BC).
In the 21st year of the reign, Nehemiah led another group of Jews to return, and rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem.
10 Characteristics of Spiritual Leadership from Nehemiah:
10 Characteristics of Spiritual Leadership from Nehemiah:
He was a man of compassion | “…he sat down and wept” (1:4).
He was a man of prayer | “I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven” (1:5).
He was a man of vision | He saw the work of God that had to be accomplished.
He was a man of faith | “The God of heaven, he will prosper us” (2:20).
He was a man of organization | He organized an entire nation into families and 42 different work groups.
He was a man of hard work | “So built we the wall” (4:6). He didn’t just tell others to do it; he got his hands dirty. He led by example.
He was a man of vigilance | He set a watch against the enemies day and night (4:9). He was willing to build and battle.
He was a man of courage | He instructed the people, “Be not afraid of them” (4:14).
He was a man of rebuke | He was willing to rebuke even the nobles and the rulers among the people (5:7).
He was a man of determination | “I cannot come to him” (6:3). He refused to be distracted from his duty.
In Nehemiah, we learn the principles of building up that which has been broken down.
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel,
Month of Chislev - Our November or December
20th year many believe that thats the 20th year of reign for the king Artaxerxes he reigned from 465-424 bc
he was the son of Xerxes (Ahasuerus) queen Esthers husband
So this made him queen Esthers step son most believe
In Shushan the citadel: Nehemiah lived in Shushan, the capital city of the Persians, and he lived in the citadel – that is, the fortified palace of the Persians. Right away, we know Nehemiah is someone important, living in the palace of the king of Persia.
that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”
So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Jerusalem-a distant city he had never been to, and a people he was a stranger to. Yet, because his heart was for the things of God, his heart was not for himself, but for others.
Nehemiah had the heart of Psalm 137:5-6
If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill!
If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth— If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.
Look at his heart for the people- Survivors,
in distress & Reproach
Distress refers to severe anguish, trouble, misery, or a state of affliction.
Reproach (Hebrew: cherpah; Greek: oneidos or oneidismos) implies shame, scorn, disgrace, and public mockery.
left in a city without walls,
defenseless against temptations, emotions, and external spiritual attacks.
Vulnerability and Lack of Self-Control:
In the ancient world, a city without walls was a city completely open and vulnerable to its enemies. They had no defense, no protection at all.
ii. An unwalled city was always vulnerable, unable to safely house people and valuables. If there were anything of value in an unwalled city, it could be stolen away easily because there was no defense to stop it.
Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.
When I heard these words; I sat down and mourned
God was going to use Nehemiah to do something about this situation.
But first, God did something in Nehemiah. Any great work of God begins with God doing a great work in somebody.
i. God prepared this long ago, with Nehemiah’s important position in Persia, with a heart curious about the welfare of Jerusalem and its people. Now we see that he had a heart that broke over their needy state.
Remember this is about God’s providence for the jewish people, Just like putting Esther in the right place at the right time. To save a nation.
God put Nehemiah in the right place and right time. Some believe that this queen in 2:6 is Esther not that she was the wife of Artaxerxes but the terminology in Scripture could be queen mother, or grandmother. Some believe that thats why he had influence when it came to Jerusalem.
And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.
ii. God saw the need in heaven, but little would be done until the right man also felt the need. God would do something great to meet that need through Nehemiah.
iii. But there is no way Nehemiah could do this alone.
