Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction into Nehemiah

The use of the first person pronoun in gives the impression that Nehemiah was the writer.

If Ezra was the writer, he was copying from the journal of Nehemiah.

This book, as was true in the Book of Ezra, has copies of letters, decrees, registers, and other documents.

The same man wrote both books.

The writer perhaps was Ezra.

The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah are one in the Hebrew canon.

Nehemiah was a layman; Ezra was a priest.

In the Book of Ezra the emphasis is upon the rebuilding of the temple; in the Book of Nehemiah the emphasis is upon the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

In Ezra we have the religious aspect of the return; in Nehemiah we have the political aspect of the return.

Ezra is a fine representative of the priest and scribe.

Nehemiah is a noble representative of the businessman.

Nehemiah had an important office in the court of the powerful Persian king, Artaxerxes, but his heart was with God’s people and God’s program in Jerusalem.

Chronologically this is the last of the historical books.

We have come to the end of the line as far as time is concerned.

As far as the Jews are concerned, the Old Testament goes no further with their history.

The Book of Ezra picks up the thread of the story about seventy years after 2 Chronicles.

The seventy years of captivity are over and a remnant returns to the land of Israel.

The return under Ezra took place about fifty years after the return of Zerubbabel.

Nehemiah returned about fifteen years after Ezra.

These figures are approximate and are given to show the stages in the history of Israel after the Captivity.

Let’s read...

Historical and Cultural Background

For a city to be without a good wall on an ongoing basis was unthinkable in the ancient Near East, since it was actually the principal element in a city’s defense.

If the wall was broken down, the city was vulnerable to attack, and this was a source of shame to the city’s residents.

This explains Nehemiah’s reaction when he hears about the state of Jerusalem’s wall.

The possibility of further attack and destruction and the associated shame experienced by the Judeans were the opposite of the peace and security associated with restoration.

Thus, Nehemiah perceives a need for further action by God to fulfill his promises.

In this passage we will see that Nehemiah’s strength of character was forged from his study of God’s Word.

We will see that he knew he could rely on the one true and living God to answer his prayers because he knew from his study of the Bible what God had promised to do.

And we will see that the boldness that grows from Bible study and the blessing that falls when prayers are answered enable leadership that draws others to stand for the cause of all that is good and right and sacred.

In the first chapter of the book, Nehemiah gets a report in Susa from one of his brothers about how things are in Jerusalem—not good.

He responds to this report with earnest prayer to God.

ebuild the city.

In 2:1-8 the Persian king grants Nehemiah’s request to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city.

So if we’re going to own the Promises of God: getting ready to do anything great and wonderful in the name of Jesus…Taking our trials, our worries, our persoanl struggles anf placing them with Christ…turning them into Hope, I would propose we start with these 3 steps to get focused on His Promises and Hope instead of our worries and pain.

We need to stop and Visualize what is crumbling our walls of hope/faith.

Next, take the time to truly agonize over that cause and take it to God.

Don’t trivialize or ignore it.

Lastly, once ownership and a better understanding of the cause of the pain has been seen and taken to God, we then must act on it…Organize and move forward with the hope and promises of Christ in our lives.

So...let’s get started...

Visualize the “Walls”

The first of these steps is to stop and Visualize…to conjure up and envision what is creating the worry…the stress…the pain.

Let’s read the fist three verses again

Now Nehemiah is in Persia, and he has seen certain brethren who have recently been in Jerusalem.

And they had no television; they had no radio; they had no newspapers, as we know them; they had no telephones.

And so he’s wanting some news.

He said, “What is the city of God like?

The people of God, what is their condition?

I want to know.

Tell it to me, so I can visualize it, so I can see it.”

Now Nehemiah is in Persia, and he has seen certain brethren who have recently been in Jerusalem.

And they had no television; they had no internet; they had no newspapers, as we know them; they had no cell phones.

And so he’s wanting some news.

He said, “What is the city of God like?

The people of God, what is their condition?

I want to know.

Tell it to me, so I can visualize it, so I can see it.”

And they brought this report.

They wept, I’m certain, as they said, “Oh, Nehemiah, you cannot believe the degradation.

You cannot believe the desolation.

You cannot believe the danger.

You cannot believe the poverty.

The city is in disarray.

The gates have been burned with fire.

The walls have crumbled.

The streets are filled with weeds and trash and debris.

The people are discouraged.

The people are in poverty.

The people are in hunger.”

And Nehemiah saw this, a city with walls that had crumbled.

And you’re going to find out that the book of Nehemiah, a large part of the book of Nehemiah, is the story of the rebuilding of these walls.

Now these walls were literal walls in that day, but we’re asking a question—not only “What did it mean then?” but “What does it mean today?”—because, you see, walls are also symbolic.

Walls stand for protection.

Walls are symbolic of separation.

Walls speak to us of conservation.

Walls spoke of the glory of God.

Walls, in the Bible, and especially around the city of Jerusalem, had a symbolic meaning.

They spoke of the glory of God; they spoke of the salvation of God; they spoke of the protection of God over His people.

And the walls had fallen.

Now, what does this mean to us this morning?

Think of it this way, we, too, are called to rebuild some walls that are in decay.

And Kerry and I want you to think with us for a moment about some walls today that have begun to fall to the ground, some walls that are in disarray.

Personal Walls

We will use this time to discuss as a class.

Question: “What personal events can cause our walls to crumble?”

There are the very clear and obvious ones that we have already, as a class, been and continue to deal with: Loss of a loved one, Loss of Trust due to Infidelity.

But what are some other ones?

I do not believe that anything is too trivial, especially if it is causing or has caused a crumbling of your walls.

Theological Walls

Now, let’s use this time to discuss our Theological Walls.

Question: “What theological debates, misunderstandings, events can cause our walls to crumble?”

Again, I do not believe that anything is too trivial, especially if it is causing or has caused a crumbling of your walls.

-Pastors failing to preach the Word of God as the inerrant, infallible Word of God?

-Cafeteria Christians

- “Let’s be tolerant of other views/religions.”

-The more tolerant the more we will evaporate into oblivion

Agonize

Now, the second step: If you would change problems into possibilities, not only must you visualize; but, secondly, you must agonize.

Continue to look here in the Scripture.