Bonus Material for Nehemiah

Doctrine of God. God is introduced as the God of heaven (1:4–5). He is great, mighty, powerful, and awesome (1:5; 6:16; 9:32). The one whose name is Yahweh is the only being worthy to be called God (9:6). Multitudes of heaven bow down before their Creator, who made all their host and gave life to all (9:6). This great Lord is exalted above all blessing (9:5).

God also enters into covenant with men. He brought Abram out of Ur and changed his name to Abraham (9:7). He was able to look into the man’s heart and know that he was faithful. He himself makes his promises and fulfills them (9:8). Yahweh is reliable and can be counted on to do what he says (9:32). He preserves his covenant and lovingkindness for those who love him and keep his word (1:5). He fulfills his promises because he is righteous (9:8).

Yahweh is the redeemer who brought his people out of Egypt by his great power and strong hand (1:10). He first saw their affliction and then delivered them with wondrous signs (9:9). He is their lawgiver from Mount Sinai and their preserver and sustainer in the wilderness.

He is not only the God of redemptive history; he is also the God who was favorable to Nehemiah (2:18). Nehemiah recognized that all of his thoughts prompting him to rebuild were put into his heart by God (2:12). The carrying out of these thoughts was done by the help of his God (4:14).

The greatest emphasis on the nature of God in this book concerns his lovingkindness, grace, and mercy. The remnant based their hopes for survival on the ancient “mercy confession” of . The Lord is a God of forgiveness, grace, and compassion, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness (9:17). Therefore he did not forsake Israel because of the golden calf episode (). He had great compassion on Israel in the wilderness, providing for all their needs (9:27–31).

For the small group of refugees God’s mercy was not only a historical event but also a present reality. They base their ability to survive as a nation on it. Although God is compassionate, however, he is also just and righteous. Everything he brought upon the rebellious people was fair and just (9:33).

DAVID GUZIK OUTLINE OF NEHEMIAH

Nehemiah’s Prayer ()

A. Nehemiah Hears of Jerusalem’s Sorry State (1:1–4)

1. Some 1,000 Years after the Time of Moses, Some 400 Years before the Birth of Jesus, the Nation of Israel and the Jewish People Were in a Desperate State

2. Nehemiah Hears of Jerusalem’s Condition (1–3)

3. Nehemiah’s Reaction to the News about Jerusalem and Its People (4)

B. Nehemiah’s Prayer (1:5–11)

1. Prayer Is Essential to Leadership; If Your Vision Is so Big that Only God Can Accomplish It, Then You Obviously Must Pray. If Prayer Isn’t Absolutely Necessary to Accomplish Your Vision, Your Goal Isn’t Big Enough

2. Nehemiah Comes to God in Humility (5–7)

3. Nehemiah Comes to God Looking to God’s Promises (8–10)

4. Nehemiah Prays with a Heart Ready to Do Something (11)

Nehemiah’s Commission ()

A. Nehemiah the Cupbearer (2:1–8)

1. Nehemiah Stands before the King (1–2)

2. Nehemiah’s Response (3)

3. Nehemiah’s Request (4–8)

B. Nehemiah Comes to Jerusalem (2:9–20)

1. Arrival and Opposition (9–10)

2. Nehemiah Makes a Secret Tour of Jerusalem and Her Walls (11–16)

3. Nehemiah Meets with the Leaders of Jerusalem (17–18)

4. The Opposition Rises in Response to the Work of God (19)

5. Nehemiah’s Answer to His Opponents (20)

The Building of the Walls ()

A. The Record of the Builders (3:1–32)

1. Builders near the Sheep Gate (1–2)

2. Builders near the Fish Gate (3–5)

3. Builders near the Old Gate (6–12)

4. Builders near the Valley Gate (13)

5. Builders near the Refuse Gate (14)

6. Builders near the Fountain Gate (15–25)

7. Builders near the Water Gate (26–27)

8. Builders near the Horse Gate (28–30)

9. Builders near the Miphkad (Muster or Assembly) Gate (31–32)

B. Observations on

1. This Chapter Shows the Need for Believers to Work Together to Accomplish Something

2. The Work Done Was a Reflection on the Family—Almost Everyone Mentioned Is Mentioned as the Son of Someone

3. Evidence of Nehemiah’s Leadership

Enemies Try to Stop the Work ()

A. Sanballat and Tobiah Ridicule the Work of God (4:1–6)

1. The Attempt to Discourage the Workers (1–3)

2. Nehemiah Comes against the Discouraging Attack with Prayer (4–5)

3. The Result after the Attack and Nehemiah’s Defense in Prayer: The Work Continues on with Greater and Greater Strength (6)

B. Sanballat and Tobiah Plan to Lead a Violent Attack against the Work (4:7–9)

1. The Conspiracy to Attack the Work (7–8)

2. The Attack Defended by Prayer and Watching (9)

C. Challenges from the inside and the Outside (4:10–23)

1. The Challenge from the inside: Discouragement among the People Because the Work Is Too Big (10)

2. The Challenge from the outside: The Enemies Plan a Surprise Attack (11)

3. God Allows the Jews to Be Warned about the Coming Attack (12)

4. Nehemiah Organizes the Defense (13–14)

5. The Enemies Shrink Back (15)

6. The Sword and the Trowel (16–18)

7. Plans Are Made to Keep a Ready Defense (19–23)

The Work Is Threatened Internally ()

A. Financial Problems Threaten the Work (5:1–13)

1. A Great Outcry of the People Stops the Work of Rebuilding the Wall (1)

2. The Reason for Strife among God’s People: Money Problems (2–5)

3. Nehemiah’s Immediate Reaction: Anger (6)

4. Nehemiah’s Wise Response: Confronting Those Who Were in the Wrong (7–11)

5. The Response of the Rulers and Nobles Who Had Done Wrong (12–13)

B. Nehemiah’s Godly Example (5:14–19)

1. Nehemiah Did Not Tax the People (14–16)

2. Nehemiah’s Example of Generosity (17–18)

3. Nehemiah’s Prayer, Asking God to Remember His Good Deeds (19)

The Walls Completed ()

A. Nehemiah Is Attacked in Three Phases (6:1–14)

1. The Snare of the Enemy’s Friendship (1–4)

2. The Subtlety of the Enemy’s Slander (5–9)

3. The Scandal of the Enemy’s Religion (10–14)

B. Completion of the Wall (6:15–19)

1. The Wall Is Completed in 52 Days (15–16)

2. The Work Is Finished despite Some Who Were Friends with the Enemy Tobiah (17–19)

The Wall Guarded ()

A. Watchmen Provided for the Walls (7:1–3)

1. The Appointment of Hanani and Hananiah (1–2)

2. Awatch Set on the Walls (3)

B. List of the Returned Families (7:4–73)

1. The Need to Develop Jerusalem (4–5)

2. The Citizens of Jerusalem Who Returned from the Babylonian Captivity (6–73)

The Spirit of God, Working through the Word of God, Brings Revival ()

A. Hearing God’s Word Sparks Revival (8:1–8)

1. The People Gather and Ask Ezra to Read God’s Word (1–3)

2. How God’s Word Was Received (4–6)

3. God’s Word Is Presented so the People May Understand (7–8)

B. Response to God’s Word Makes Revival Flow (8:9–18)

1. The People Respond with Weeping (9–11)

2. The People Choose to Rejoice (12)

3. The Leaders Gather for More Study of God’s Word (13)

4. The People Keep the Feast of Tabernacles (14–18)

Israel Confesses Their Sin ()

A. A Repentant Nation Gathers (9:1–3)

1. An Assembly of Humble Repentance (1)

2. An Assembly to Separate Themselves (2)

3. An Assembly to Hear God’s Word and to Worship Him (3)

B. The Prayer of Repentance (9:4–21)

1. Those Leading the Congregation (4–5a)

2. Praise to the God of All Creation (5b–6)

3. Praise to the God Who Chose Abraham and Made a Covenant with Him and His Descendants (7–8)

4. Praise to the God Who Delivered Israel from Egypt and Provided for Them in the Wilderness (9–15)

5. The Sinful Response of Man to God’s Goodness (16–17a)

6. God’s Gracious Reply to Rebellious Israel (17b–21)

7. The Cycle of Israel’s Relationship with God (22–31)

8. A Plea to God for Intervention (32–37)

9. Conclusion: A Point of Decision (38)

What about My Relationship with Men?

What about My Devotion to God?

Israel’s Covenant with God ()

A. Roster of Those Who Signed the Covenant (10:1–27)

1. Nehemiah and the Priests Signed the Covenant (1–8)

2. The Levites Who Signed the Covenant (9–13)

3. The Civic Leaders Who Signed the Covenant (14–27)

B. The Terms of the Covenant (10:28–39)

1. The Making of the Covenant with God (28–29)

2. Their First Area of Decision: We Will Be Faithful to God When It Comes to Our Romantic Relationships (30)

3. Second Area of Decision: We Will Be Faithful to God When It Comes to Doing Business (31)

4. Third Area of Decision: We Will Be Faithful to God When It Comes to Supporting God’s Work (32–39)

5. Thoughts on the Idea of Covenant

The Citizens of Jerusalem ()

A. Recruiting Citizens of Jerusalem (11:1–2)

1. Those Who Will Live in Jerusalem (1)

2. Blessing the Citizens of Jerusalem (2)

B. Roster of Those Living in Jerusalem and in Judea (11:3–36)

1. Leaders Who Lived in Jerusalem (3–24)

2. Jewish Villages and Towns throughout Judea (25–36)

Dedication of the Wall ()

A. Priestly and Levitical Families (12:1–26)

1. Priests and Levites in the Days of Zerubbabel, the High Priest (1–11)

2. Priests in the Days of Joiakim (12–21)

3. Levites during the Reign of Darius the Persian (22–26)

B. The Dedication Ceremony (12:27–47)

1. Gathering the Levites for the Dedication Ceremony (27–29)

2. Purification (30)

3. Two Choirs Lead Jerusalem’s Great Joy (31–43)

4. Other Aspects of This Day of Joy (44–47)

Nehemiah’s Reforms ()

A. True Worship Leads to the Nation’s Obedience (13:1–3)

1. Hearing the Law Brings a Call to Obedience (1–2)

2. After Hearing God’s Command, Israel Obeys and Separates from the Mixed Multitude (3)

B. Nehemiah’s Reforms (13:4–31a)

1. Temple Reforms (4–9)

2. Financial Reforms (10–14)

3. Priority Reform (15–22)

4. Relationship Reform (23–31a)

5. Conclusion: Remember Me, O My God, for Good! (31b)

David Guzik, Nehemiah, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2000).