Journey through the Old Testament- Chapter 37- Nehemiah
When Nehemiah came back to Jerusalem, he dealt with three issues head on:
1. Tithing- Nehemiah 13:10-14 2. Honoring the Sabbath- Nehemiah 10:15-22 3. Intermarriage- Nehemiah 10:23-25
Nehemiah was a royal official,
A cupbearer to Artaxerxes.
Nehemiah's ancestors, like Ezra's, decided to stay in Babylon
After the Persian conquest rather than go back to Israel.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 7. ABILITY TO MAINTAIN POISE UNDER PRESSURE-Nehemiah 4:14-15, 22: And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one of the with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.
Not only was the Feast of Tabernacles a recollection of the past, but second, it was also an anticipation of the future.
Because as they were in the wilderness, they though about the Land of Promise, the land flowing with milk and honey.
Worship means that God's people remember the past- that they think about what God has done for them in Christ, on the Cross, and in the Resurrection, which is their real deliverance.
Believers anticipate in worship the future blessings of God-that there is a real heaven and a real earth. But they also celebrate the present blessings of God that they have today.
The greatest lesson to be learned from Ezra and Nehemiah is that people can build all the walls, temples, structures, all the things that are material- as wonderful as they may seem-
But the greatest rebuilding that happens is on the rebuilding of the heart.
Covenant
Expresses the nature of God. God has demonstrated, in the Old Testament in Hebrew, His love.
Nehemiah served as governor of Judah
For 12 years, followed by a brief return to the court of Artaxerxes.
Covenant love means that God has made a covenant with mankind to redeem him and
God is faithful to the covenant. At times, man is not faithful to God; but God is always to man.
Nehemiah grew up as a Jew
In Persia.
The Feast of the Tabernacles was first, a recollection of the past-the people lived in booths.
The Orthodox Jews will actually live in these booths, temporary dwelling places, because it commemorates the time that they were in the wilderness and they lived in a temporary dwelling place before they inherited the Land of Promise.
The Feast of the Tabernacles helps the people to remember the past,
The bondage in Egypt, and how God brought them out of Egypt though the parting of the Red Sea-the deliverance from Egypt.
Renewing the Covenant: The Feast of the Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8): 3. The celebration of the Feast of the Tabernacles-Nehemiah 8:12-18
The feast was a harvest festival, celebrating God's blessings and propensity. The feast was instituted when the Jews came out of Egypt into the wilderness. It was also a festival that commemorated God's redemption.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 4. REALISTIC PLANNING-Nehemiah 2:13: And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem,
which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
Third, the Feast of the Tabernacles was a celebration of the present blessings of God.
When the church comes together, it should remember what God has done in the past with Christ, what God is going to do I. The future, and give God praise for who He is and what He is doing today.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 2. PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN SOLVING PROBLEMS-Nehemiah 1:4: And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept,
and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 2. PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN SOLVING PROBLEMS-Nehemiah 2:11: So I came to Jerusalem,
and was there three days.
Of all that the Book of Nehemiah teaches, this book I stills in its readers what it means to
Lead others, to bring a team together, to motivate them, to share what's in their hearts, to help press through during times of discouragement, and then to finish what God has called them to do.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 5. ABILITY TO MOTIVATE OTHERS- Nehemiah 2:17-18: Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 13. ENCOURAGED PEOPLE IN THEIR SPIRITUAL WALK-Nehemiah 8:9-10: And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
The Feast of the Tabernacles helps the people remember God's protection in the wilderness.
They remember how God fed them in the wilderness with manna, how God gave them the pillar of fire by night, the cloud by day, and how the protective hand was upon them.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 9. DEVOTION TO HIS WORK-Nehemiah 5:16: Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land:
and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 6. WILLINGNESS TO SHARE THE CREDIT FOR SUCCESS: Nehemiah 4:6: So built we the wall;
and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 12. GOD JUDGEMENT IN CHARACTER IN SELECTING QUALIFIED LEADERS-Nehemiah 7:2: That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem:
for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 11. PERSISTENCE TO COMPLETE A TASK-Nehemiah 6:15: So the wall was finished
in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 3. A VISION FROM GOD-Nehemiah 2:12: And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem:
neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
Throughout the Book, Nehemiah moved to a place of national leadership.
He began as a "cupbearer" to King Artaxerxes (1:11), them to "builder" (2:12), and finally to "governor" (8:9).
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 8. FAIRNESS FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED-Nehemiah 5:9-11: Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
Under Nehemiah's direction, the Israelites rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem
In only 52 days, thus fortifying the security of Jerusalem.
Renewing the Covenant: The Feast of the Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8): 1. The ministry of the Word-Nehemiah 8:1-6
In preaching, there is a proclamation:
Renewing the Covenant: The Feast of the Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8): 2. The teaching ministry of the Levites-Nehemiah 8:7-11
In teaching, one takes time to break the Word down and to give people the understanding.
While Ezra brought spiritual reforms, Nehemiah provided the
Leadership necessary to regain the nation's sense of identity through the restoration of Jerusalem.
Leadership
Means influence
Cupbearer
More than an errand boy, more than someone who just did certain kinds of secretarial functions for the king: a close confidant to the king.
Renewing the Covenant: The Feast of the Tabernacles:
Nehemiah Chapter 8
Nehemiah returned to Persia after being in Jerusalem for 12 years. Nehemiah
Nehemiah then returned to Jerusalem as governor (13:7) and brought spiritual reform by reinstituting the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship (13:15-22) and by strengthening the family unit.
Nehemiah's life changed after he learned of the difficult living conditions back in his homeland.
Nehemiah was moved by the Spirit of God with a deep compassion for his people and he sought to help them. Artaxerxes gave him permission to return home.
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 10. DEPENDENCE ON DIVINE STRENGTH-Nehemiah 6:9: For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done.
Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
Twelve years after Ezra came back to Jerusalem, Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem with a mission to
Rebuild the walls that were destroyed during the Babylonian invasion. (Nehemiah 1:3).
The covenant renewal service-Nehemiah 9
1. Fasting and Repentance-Nehemiah 9:1-3 2. Celebration before God-Nehemiah 9:3 3. Pledge of Faithfulness to God-Nehemiah 9:38-10:29
Literary Division of the Book of Nehemiah:
1. Rebuilding the Wall-Chapters 1-7 2. Renewing the Covenant-Chapters 8-13
The Feast of the Tabernacles served a threefold purpose that is important to know, because that is what worship today is all about.
1. Recollection of the past 2. Anticipation of the future rest in the Promised Land 3. Protection from the wilderness
As a leader, Nehemiah exhibited the following principles of leadership: 1. CONCERN FOR OTHERS-Nehemiah 1:3: And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach:
3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
Nehemiah came to on an appointment by King Artaxerxes
As governor of Israel.
