Chronological Bible Study – Sep 26
Key Themes (Nehemiah)
The book of Nehemiah is a historical narrative in the Old Testament that continues the story of the Jewish exiles returning from Babylon, focusing on the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and the renewal of the Jewish community under Nehemiah’s leadership. Nehemiah, a cupbearer to the Persian king, plays a central role in this process, demonstrating strong leadership and devotion to God. The key themes include:
- Rebuilding and Restoration: A major theme in Nehemiah is the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, which symbolizes the restoration of the Jewish community and its identity. The reconstruction of the walls is not just about physical security but also represents the reestablishment of Jerusalem as a holy city, protected and set apart for God’s people. This theme highlights the importance of restoring what was lost during the exile and reestablishing a sense of purpose and identity.
- Leadership and Vision: Nehemiah is portrayed as a model of effective leadership. His vision, determination, and strategic planning are crucial in rallying the people to rebuild the walls despite opposition. This theme underscores the importance of godly leadership that is committed to the welfare of the community and to carrying out God’s plans, even in the face of significant challenges.
- Prayer and Dependence on God: Throughout the book, Nehemiah is depicted as a leader who is deeply dependent on God, frequently turning to prayer for guidance, strength, and protection. This theme emphasizes the power of prayer and the need for continual reliance on God, especially when undertaking difficult tasks. Nehemiah’s prayers reflect his trust in God’s sovereignty and his recognition that success comes from God alone.
- Opposition and Perseverance: The book of Nehemiah highlights the opposition that the Jewish people faced from surrounding enemies who sought to discourage and disrupt the rebuilding efforts. Nehemiah’s response to this opposition, through both prayer and practical measures, exemplifies the theme of perseverance. The narrative encourages steadfastness and courage in the face of adversity, illustrating that God’s work will prevail despite obstacles.
- Covenant Renewal and Reform: Alongside the physical rebuilding, Nehemiah also emphasizes the spiritual renewal of the Jewish people. The book details the reading of the Law by Ezra, the communal confession of sins, and the renewal of the covenant with God. This theme highlights the importance of aligning the community’s spiritual life with God’s commandments and the need for ongoing reform to maintain faithfulness to the covenant.
- Community and Social Justice: Nehemiah also addresses issues of social justice within the Jewish community, such as the exploitation of the poor through usury. He insists on fair treatment and calls for reforms that protect the vulnerable, emphasizing that a restored community must also be a just and compassionate one. This theme underscores the need for a community that reflects God’s values in its social practices.
The book of Nehemiah is a powerful narrative of rebuilding, both physically and spiritually. It portrays the importance of strong, prayerful leadership, perseverance in the face of opposition, and the need for both communal and individual commitment to God’s laws. Through Nehemiah’s efforts, the book illustrates how a community can be restored and strengthened when it aligns itself with God’s purposes and values.
What I Noticed Today (Nehemiah 1-5)
Nehemiah 1
Note: Nehemiah was cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia. At the time when the book of Nehemiah opened, he was serving the king in the winter capital of Susa.
In verses 1-3, in the month of Chislev (November-December) of the 20th year of Artaxerxes (444 B.C.), some men from Jerusalem came to Susa and reported that Jerusalem remained in poor condition with the walls broken down and the gates burned.
In verse 4-11, this news upset Nehemiah greatly. He fasted and prayed for days to the Lord, asking God to forgive the people for their sins and grant him success in his plan.
- Verse 5 Nehemiah acknowledged the greatness of God and His covenant with the people.
- Verses 6-7 Nehemiah confessed the sins of the people and himself, referring to himself as God’s servant.
- Verses 8-11 Nehemiah reminded God of His promise to restore those who repented and asked God to give him success.
Nehemiah 2
In verses 1-4, in the month of Nissan (4 months later) King Artaxerxes noticed Nehemiah was depressed and asked him what was wrong.
In verses 4b-6, Nehemiah prayed to God and asked Artaxerxes permission to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the city.
- The king asked how long Nehemiah would be gone and Nehemiah gave him a specific time (we don’t know what).
In verses 7-8, additionally, Nehemiah asked for letters for safe travel, and timber to be provided from the king’s forest.
- Artaxerxes granted all of Nehemiah’s requests, because as Nehemiah says, “the good hand of my God was upon me” (Nehemiah 2:8).
In verses 11-20, Nehemiah went to Jerusalem and stayed three days without saying why he was there.
- Then at night, he took a small group out on a tour around the city to assess the work that needed to be done.
- After completing the assessment, he gathered the priests, nobles, officials, and Jews to challenge them to begin the rebuilding process in earnest.
- There were detractors (Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem) who opposed the work, but Nehemiah prevailed in securing the agreement of the people to rebuild.
Nehemiah 3
Nehemiah 3 lists the people who participated in the repair and rebuilding of the city walls and gates.
In verses 1-2, the record begins with Eliashib the high priest and the other priests who rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They also rebuilt part of the city wall.
In verses 3-5, the sons of Hassenaah rebuilt the Fish Gate. Meremoth, Meshullam, Zadok, and the Tekoites made repairs next to Hassenaah.
In verses 6-12, repairs made on the West Wall:
- In verses 6-8, Joiada and Meshullam repaired the Old Gate. Next to them, repairs were made by Meliath, Jadon, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah. Next to him was Uzziel, and Hananiah who made repairs to the wall.
- In verses 9-12, Next to them was Rephaiah, Jedaiah, Hattush, Malchijah, and Hasshub. Beside him was Shallum.
In verses 13-14, repairs made on the South Wall:
- Hanun and the people of Zanoah rebuilt the Valley Gate, 500 yards of the wall, and the Dung Gate.
In verses 15-27, repairs on the Southeast Wall:
- In verses 15-16, Shallun repaired the Fountain Gate and repaired part of the wall. Next to him, Nehemiah (son of Azbuk) repaired part of the wall.
- In verses 17- 19, Levites repaired part of the wall, and Hashabiah repaired walls in his district. Next to him, other Levites made repairs and Jeshua made repairs up to the armory.
- In verses 20-27, Baruch, Meremoth, some priests, Benjamin, Hasshub, Azariah, Binnui, Palal, Pediah, the temple servants, and Tekoites each repaired a section of the wall.
In verses 28-32, repairs on the Northeast Wall:
- In verses 28-30, priests made repairs on the wall opposite their own houses. Next to them, Zadok, Shemaiah, Hananiah made repairs to another section of the wall.
- In verses 30b-32, next to them Meshullam, Malchijah, the goldsmiths, and merchants completed repairs on the wall up to the Sheep Gate.
Note: Those who participated in the rebuilding included the high priest and other priests, gatekeepers, women, families, temple servants, merchants, and goldsmiths. Only a few of the nobles refused to help in the work.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- Once again, the Lord’s hand was on Nehemiah in securing permission to rebuild Jerusalem and to obtain provisions from the king’s resources. I am impressed by Nehemiah humbling himself before the Lord, praying on behalf of the people and the city of Jerusalem. Leaders today would do well to imitate this humble man of God!
Nehemiah 4
In verses 1-3, when Sanballat (a Samaritan official in Persia) heard about the rebuilding, he mocked the Jews. Tobiah (an Ammonite who was possibly governor and a Jew) also taunted the people rebuilding the wall.
Note: There are two long prayers in Nehemiah (1:4-11 is private, and 9:1-37 is public). There are also six short prayers in Nehemiah (4:4-5, 5:19, 6:9, 6:14, 13:14, 13:22). Nehemiah’s short prayers were either to ask God for help or to ask God to note the effort of the people to fulfill God’s purpose.
In verses 4-5, Nehemiah prayed to God, asking for the insults of Sanballat and Tobiah to be returned to them.
In verse 6, the people continued rebuilding the wall.
In verses 7-9, Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites were angry about the work continuing, so they surrounded Jerusalem plotting to fight against the exiles.
- Nehemiah prayed and set in place guards to protect the city.
In verses 10-14, the people themselves became discouraged because there was so much work to do, and they were being attacked by their enemies.
- Nehemiah stationed guards to protect the workers at the lowest points of the wall.
- Nehemiah reminded everyone they were building for the Lord.
In verses 15-21, as if external issues were not enough, even some of the Jews started to lose confidence in their ability to finish the wall.
- Nehemiah encouraged the people and took precautions against a surprise attack by having half of the people stand guard while the other half worked.
- Nehemiah also put in place a warning system, so if they were attacked, a trumpet would sound an alarm for the people to gather for the fight.
Nehemiah 5
Nehemiah 5 describes the issue of social injustice that Nehemiah had to face.
In verses 1-5, the wealthy Jews had taken advantage of the poorer people by charging them interest on loans, which led to people losing their land and being sold into slavery.
Note: Jews charging interest to other Jews was a direct violation of Exodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:35-38, and Deuteronomy 23:19-20.
In verses 6-11, Nehemiah was angry and confronted the nobles and officials telling them they needed to restore the people’s land and repay interest.
- He had them swear an oath to the Lord that they would do as they had promised and even called out a curse on those who did not keep their promise.
In verses 12-13, the people agreed that they would return the property and the interest. He even summoned the priests and made the people take an oath before the Lord.
In verses 14-19 Nehemiah set an example to the nobles and officials in that for 12 years as governor of Jerusalem, he did not take a salary that was due him for being governor of the people.
- Instead, he paid for his own expenses, and even personally paid for the care of his servants and some 150 men who ate at his table.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.