Nehemiah 6:15-8:18

 Homiletics                                                         Study:        Exile & Return                               

Lesson    25                                                     Passage:    Nehemiah 6:15-8:18

Content (List of Topics or Events)

Walls and Doors to Jerusalem in Place (Nehemiah 6:15-7:4) 1. Walls completed in 52 days, done with help of God (6:15-16) 2. Letters to and from Tobiah to nobles of Judah telling of Nehemiah’s words with Tobiah trying to intimidate (6:17-19) 3. Doors of Jerusalem set in place with gatekeepers, musicians and Levites appointed (7:1) 4. Nehemiah put his brother in charge of Jerusalem along with Hananiah as commander of citadel; they were men of integrity and feared God (7:2) 5. Nehemiah instructed when gates to be opened with gatekeepers on guard; appointing residents as guards (7:3) 6. Jerusalem summarized as large and spacious with few residents (7:4)

Registration of Returnees to Jerusalem and Judah (Nehemiah 7:5-7:73a) 1. Nehemiah assembled nobles, officials and common people calling for a census matching to genealogical records of first returnees (7:5) 2. People coming from captivity to Jerusalem and own towns in company of Zerubbabel: a. List of men of Israel (7:7-38) b. Priests (7:39-42) c. Levites (7:43) d. Musicians (7:44) e. Gatekeepers (7:45) f. Temple Servants (7:46-56) g. Descends of Solomon’s servants (7:57-60) h. Those could not show descended from Israel (7:61-62) i. Among priests and excluded from priest as unclean (7:63-65) j. Totals include slaves, singer, and animals (7:66-69) 3. Funds added to treasury 7:70-72) 4. Priest, Levites, gatekeepers, temple servants and rest of Israelites settled in their towns (7:73)

Teaching the Law and Celebration the Festival of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 7:73b-8:18)  1. People come together at Water Gate telling Ezra to bring out Book of the Law (7:73b-8:1) 2. Ezra reads aloud the Book of the Law to people assembled (8:2-5a) 3. As Ezra read the people stood up, they praise the Lord “Amen” (8:5b-6) 4. Levities read the book giving meaning (8:7-8) 5. Nehemiah declares “Holy day”, no more weeping (8:9) 6. Nehemiah tells to have choice food and sweet drinks “Lord is your Strength”; a holy day (8:10-12) 7. Heads of families, priests and Levites gather giving attention to the Law; learning of temporary shelters of branches and doing it (8:13-16) 8. Returnees from exile built temporary shelter and celebrated with joy (8:17) 9. Seven days Ezra read the Book of the Law (8:18)

Divisions (Main Blocks of Thought)

Walls and Doors to Jerusalem in Place	Nehemiah 6:15-7:4
Registration of Returnees to Jerusalem and Judah	Nehemiah 7:5-7:73a
Teaching the Law and Celebration the Festival of Tabernacles	Nehemiah 7:73b-8:18

Subject Sentence (Summarizes the contents of the Divisions – No more than 10 words)

Wall protection, census, law reading brings celebration of tabernacle feast

Aim (Main Teaching Point of the Passage)

CTATL that doing what God has for us requires focus, removing distractions, pure motives and prayer.

Application Questions

How are you guarding those sacred things in your life?

In what ways are you taking inventory of the blessings given to you? (Count them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.)

How are you being doers of the word and not hearers only?

Principles to Remember

Those of Good Report are Blessed

Faithful Families Count

Experiencing God is cause for celebration

Characteristic of God

Carries us through

Theme

Nehemiah shares the completion of the wall, vigilance in watching and celebration of God’s truth.

Nehemiah 4:1-6:14

 Homiletics                                                         Study:        Exile & Return                               

Lesson    24                                                     Passage:    Nehemiah 4:1-6:14

Content (List of Topics or Events)

Restoration and Defense (Nehemiah 4) 1. Sanballat and Tobiah’s anger over restoration ridiculing Jews (4:1-3) 2. Prayer for God to deal with them for the insults (4:4-5) 3. People continued building with all their heart (4:6) THREATS and RESPONSE 4. Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, Ammonites, and people of Ashdod became angry and plotted to fight against Jerusalem (4:7-8) 5. Response: Prayed and posted guard (4:9) 6. Concern about effort needed and attacks with repeated warnings (4:10-12) 7. Response: Posted people and encouragement to remember Lord (4:13-14) 8. Enemies frustrated as work on wall completed under guard (4:15-23)

Fairness and Community (Nehemiah 5) 1. Outcry against fellow Jews because mortgaging fields for food (5:1-3) 2. King’s tax requires borrow money subjecting children to slavery (5:4-5) 3. Nehemiah hearing became angry challenging nobles and officials for charging interest (5:6-8) 4. Nehemiah directed them to stop charging interest and give money back along with interest (5:9-11) 5.  Agreement to give back money and interest with a reminder to keep promise and they did (5:12-13) 6. Nehemiah appointed to be governor and didn’t tax people for food and wine as prior governors (5:14-15) 7. Nehemiah and his men devoted himself to rebuilding the wall and didn’t acquire any land (5:16) 8. Food was prepared for Nehemiah and 150 others without a food allotment on the people; request to remember him with favor (5:17-19)

Prayerful Focus among distracting plots (Nehemiah 6)  1. Sanballat, Tobiah, Greshem along with other enemies sent word to meet scheming to harm (6:1-2) 2. Nehemiah responds “he is busy with great project and can’t go”; four requests with same answer (6:3-4) 3.Fifth time a messenger with unsealed message claiming a Jewish revolt and threat that message will get King (6:5-7) 4. Nehemiah responds you’re just making this stuff up; just trying to frighten (6:8-9) 5. Nehemiah goes to house of Shemiah, and he suggest that they meet in the Temple, close the doors because men are trying to kill you (6:10) 6. Nehemiah realized that Shemiah was hired to intimidate him causing sin and discredit (6:11-13) 7. Nehemiah prayed to remember Tobiah and Sanballat for trying to intimidate (6:14)

Divisions (Main Blocks of Thought)

Restoration and Defense	Nehemiah 4
Fairness and Community	Nehemiah 5
Prayerful Focus among distracting plots	Nehemiah 6

Subject Sentence (Summarizes the contents of the Divisions – No more than 10 words)

Nehemiah faces insults, unfair taxes and plots distract from purpose.

Aim (Main Teaching Point of the Passage)

CTATL that doing what God has for us requires focus, removing distractions, pure motives and prayer.

Application Questions

How do you guard against frustrations in your work for the Lord?

Where do you find unfairness and how do you respond?

What things tend to distract and lead you to not being your best?

Principles to Remember

Enemies will come; be on guard.

Encourage fairness; reminders may be necessary

Focus brings reward; don’t get caught up in unfounded rumors

Characteristic of God

Encourager

Theme

Nehemiah faces enemies to insult, situations to discourage and plots to entrap; each requirement faithful commitment.

 

Nehemiah 1-3

 Homiletics                                                         Study:        Exile & Return                               

Lesson    23                                                     Passage:    Nehemiah 1-3

Content (List of Topics or Events)

Report and Prayer for people and Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1) REPORT 1. Hanani, a brother came from Judah providing report of Jewish remnant and Jerusalem (1:1-2) 2. Exile Survivors are in trouble, disgrace; walls are down and burnt (1:3) 3. Hearing Nehemiah mourned, fasted and prayed to God (1:4) PRAYER 4. Praise – Great and awesome God; keeps covenant of love; Hear my prayer for the people of Israel Hear my prayer for the people of Israel (1:5-6a) 5. Confession – Sins of Israelites and father’s family: acted wickedly, disobeyed commands, decrees given to Moses (1:6b-7) 6. Calling out promise – “unfaithful” scattered and “return and obey commands” gather and bring to dwelling for your name (1:8-9) 7. Petition – Your servants and people you redeemed through Your strength; give success and favor with the king (1:10-11)

Request, Permission and Preparation for Return to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:1-10) 1. Nehemiah brings wine to king; displaying sadness with king asking “why” (2:1-2) 2. Nehemiah describes Jerusalem in ruin (2:3) 3. King asks Nehemiah what he wants?” with the response to send him to rebuild it (2:4-5) 4. King asks “how long will it take?”; setting a time (2:6) 5. Nehemiah asks for letters of safe-conduct and for timber to rebuild gates, walls and residence; request granted. (2:7-8) 6. Nehemiah gives letters to governors and king also provided army officers and calvary for protection (2:9) 7. Sanballat and Tobiah heard and were disturbed that welfare of Israel was promoted (2:10)

Survey, Responsibility, and Encourage Rebuilding Walls and Gates (2:11-3:32) SURVEY 1. Nehemiah went to Jerusalem; after 3 days privately surveyed examining walls, gates saying nothing toe the Jews, priests, nobles or officials who would be doing the work (2:11-16) 2. Nehemiah shares findings, and God’s hand and King’s words (2:17-18a) 3.They replied “Let’s start rebuilding” (2:18b) 4. Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem mock and ridicule “What are you doing, rebelling?” – Response God is with us and you have no part (2:19-20) 5. Rebuilding Gates and Walls of Jerusalem – High priest and priests, rulers, Levites, and priests from surrounding region (3)

Divisions (Main Blocks of Thought)

Report and Prayer for people and Jerusalem	Nehemiah 1
Request, Permission and Preparation to Jerusalem	Nehemiah 2:1-10
Survey, Responsibility and Encourage Rebuilding Walls and Gates	Nehemiah 2:11-3:32

Subject Sentence (Summarizes the contents of the Divisions – No more than 10 words)

Nehemiah hears Jerusalem condition, prays, petitions and directs rebuilding efforts

Aim (Main Teaching Point of the Passage)

CTATL that God is faithful to His people and directs their efforts for those who are faithful to Him.

Application Questions

What is your response to hearing devastating news? What do you take to God in prayer?

How do you act and respond when you know something is wrong? How do you engage?

In what ways do you encourage others in their faith walk and service?

Principles to Remember

God engages with us

God encourages us

God enables our efforts

Characteristic of God

Strength

Theme

Nehemiah is used by God to recognize the need, respond responsibly and encourage Jerusalem’s rebuilding.