By Mary Fairchild
1581 Bunting Clover Leaf Map; Israel in the center.
We all have problems…. Nehemiah had many problems, and from him we learn how to
deal with problems.
1. Don’t miss the problem.
2. Don’t ignore the problem.
3. Don’t excuse the problem.
4. Don’t tolerate the problem.
Nehemiah kept his eyes wide open and saw wrong accurately. Often we see the problems of others, but we are blind to our own problems. Nehemiah admitted the wrong and dealt with the situation “head on.” He dealt sternly with the problem. He felt the same way God feels about wrong. His actions were not diplomatic nor gentle; he knew he was dealing with deadly sin. He acted to permanently correct the wrong. After eliminating the wrong, he replaced the wrong with right. When we stop doing wrong, we must start doing right. He kept his eyes on the Lord, not on his own actions. “Remember me, O my God, for good.” Nehemiah knew that whereas he had acted against wrong, he was never immune from wrong himself. He stayed in close fellowship with the Lord.
Nehemiah 1-3: The narrative opens in Susa (Sushan), the capital of Persia, where we find Nehemiah, a Jewish exile, serving as Artaxerxes’ honored cupbearer. In December of 445 B.C. Nehemiah’s brother, Hanani, came to Susa and reported the desperate condition of the Jews living in Jerusalem.
1. This firsthand information overwhelmed Nehamiah and he fasted and prayed and mourned.
2. Nehemiah had outstanding leadership qualities. He was a courtier for the Persian throne, but
his visits to the throne of Heaven reveal the real secrets of his success. His prayer reveals 1) his respect and reverence for God, 2) his persistence—he prayed day and night, 3) his willingness t identify with the disobedience and rebellion of his people, even though he was not personally guilty.
3. His personal confession (Though he was not guilty of the same rebellion as the Jews in Jerusalem, he was not blind to his own sins, which he considered equally displeasing to the Lord.)
4. His claim to the promises God had mad to Israel (If Israel sinned, they would be scattered[this happened] ; if Israel repented and obeyed, they would be regathered.)
5. His sensitivity to the will of God and the earthly obstacles
6. His specific request (“Grant me mercy in the sight of this man.”).
Nehemiah 2:1-8: Four months of prayer had passed, and then one day the king noticed Nehemiah’s apparent sadness. Nehemiah was shaken when the king asked about his sad countenance and Nehemiah instantly prayed to the God of Heaven; then he voiced his request to the king. Artaxerxes responded with concern (which was a direct answer to Nehemiah’s prayer) and listened to Nehemiah’s request that the Jews be allowed to return to Jerusalem. The king told Nehemiah he could submit a formal request of letters for safe passage, and he also gave Nehemiah provisions for rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Artaxerxes assigned military officers and a cavalry to assure Nehemiah’s safe passage over the dangerous miles.
WALLS ARE IMPORTANT: Walled cities had been essential in those days because they provided protection against enemies and they gave security to the people living inside the city.
A SPIRITUAL PARALLEL IN OUR LIVES TODAY:
1. OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES NEED WALLS OF PROTECTION. Nehemiah had three principal enemies, and our three enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil. If we do not recognize our enemies influence in our lives, then we are spiritually blind, and thus will be defeated. When our walls of protection are broken down, we are headed for spiritual disaster.
2. OUR WALLS OF PROTECTION: God knows that young people do not have the maturity to build their own walls of protection, thus he gives the parents and other authority figures standards and rules to set up for walls of protection in their lives. Standards and rules may seem restrictive and unnecessary, but God uses them as protective walls about our lives. For example, your parents may have a rule that you cannot date until a certain age: Because your friends date earlier, you resent your parents’ restrictive rule.
1) But this rule will protect you from forming and emotional attachment that will hinder your academic preparation for the future.
2)It will also protect against restricting yourself to one person’s company too soon and thus becoming poorly adjusted socially.
3) It will protect against marriage plans before it is God’s will for you to marry.
4) It will protect against becoming so physically involved with a person of the opposite sex that it leads to immorality. 5) It will allow you to concentrate on the most important task at this period of your life—getting an education. 6) It will allow you to develop lasting friendships with your own sex as well as varied friendships with the opposite sex. 7) It will allow you to date when you are old enough to profit from this important phase in your preparation for marriage. 8) It will allow you to gain the maturity necessary to attain high standards for your dating.
Until you have enough mature convictions and self-discipline to set and keep your own personal standards, these imposed standards protect you from the temptations. By resisting and breaking these standards, you tear down your walls of protection. Be sure to remember that your enemies (world, flesh, and devil) are powerful, and their influence can destroy your life; therefore appreciate your walls of protection.
NEHEMIAH 4-6
After Nehemiah was appointed governor, he accepted no salary from the Persian government. For twelve years he provided for the salaries of 150 of his government assistants. But God did not allow Nehemiah to rebuild the wall without opposition. He will not permit your responsibilities to be completed without problems either. If we would accomplish great things for God, then we must be prepared to do combat with our enemies while we work for the Lord.
1. Our fist line of defense is prayer. Ask the Lord to show you any sin which is weakening and blinding you; then confess that sin and turn from it. Focus your thinking on the Lord, not on the source of your discouragement. Praise the Lord for His mercy and deliverance from discouragement. Ask the Lord to show you how He can use your problem (or pressure) for His glory.
2. Our weapon is the Word of God. Spend time alone with God, encouraging yourself in Him. God’s Spirit communes with your spirit, especially through the Psalms. Read the Word of God, because reading the Scriptures increases your faith in the Lord. Faith is the shield against the attacks of Satan (Eph. 6:16).
3. Action—do it now. Get back to work for God. Stay away from “negative Nellies” and “fearful Freddies.”
First, the work is ridiculed just when progress was being made on the wall. Sanballat’s anger erupted and he spoke of the stupidity of the project to the army of Samaria. His friends joined in and aimed their ridicule at the quality of the work claiming “A fox could break it down.”
Nehemiah responded by giving the opposition to God with no resentment. He did not take the criticism personally; he considered it against the work of God. He continued with positive leadership and encouraged the builders to continue as if nothing had been said.
Second, they attacked by threatening the workers by military attacks by Sanballat,
Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites. Their response was to
pray for protection, and they prepared t defend themselves and their work.
When the wall was half finished the newness had worn off; those engaged I clearing the rubble were getting tired and slowing down. They lost sight of their goal. Rather than looking up and rejoicing, they looked down at all of the work left to do and lost confidence in their ability to finish.
In response, Nehemiah did not ignore this serious problem of discouragement. He organized a defense and called for courage. He organized the families so that they could defend themselves and he reminded the people that GOD WAS FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN THEIR ENEMIES, AND HE WAS ON THEIR SIDE. Then all the people went back to work in spite of a threatened attack.
Nehemiah did take reasonable precautions. He assigned half the workers to guard and all
the workers to carry a sword. He also kept a trumpeter by his side, who would sound an alarm and summon everyone to a central location in case of attack. Everyone worked from inside the wall while Nehemiah and his supervisors kept a constant guard against the enemy.
Nehemiah 5: The people were in financial trouble because Persian taxes had increased and a famine had greatly cut back their resources. Some people mortgaged their property to meet rising costs, and some had borrowed money and were charged high interest rates from greedy fellow Jews. Some families actually sold their children into slavery to pay their debts. Nehemiah was angered at the Jews who disobeyed the Lord’s instructions regarding lending money and taking slaves. “I consulted with myself”; Nehemiah controlled his anger and planned a way to solve the problem.
God had given His people monetary principles already (Ex. 22:25; Deut. 23:19-20):
1. You may lend money with interest to a non-Jew.
2. You may lend money to a fellow Jew, but you may not charge him interest.
3. A Jew was to redeem another poor Jew who had been sold into slavery. Jews were not
to sell each other into slavery. They were charging their fellow Jews interest on loans, and they were selling Jews into slavery, just as the heathen did. Nehemiah told the people to stop charging their brethren interest. “…I pray you, let us leave off this usury [interest]” (5:10b). He told them to do it now
and give back what they had taken and the interest money they had charged. Then the people promised God that they would follow through with this action. “We will restore them, ad will require nothing of them…” (5:12a). Nehemiah warned the people that God expected them to keep their promise. The people obeyed.
The third attack was when the wall was almost finished. Five different approaches were used to stop the work before it was completed:
1. DIALOGUE: Four times Nehemiah was invited to meet with the enemy. Perhaps Sanballat and Geshem wished to assonate him, or at least wear him down with dialogue. Nehemiah refused.
2. FALSE ACCUSATIONS: When Nehemiah would not meet, Sanballat sent a letter accusing him of leading a rebellion against Persia, and intending to make himself king, organizing a promotion committee to put himself on the throne. Nehemiah refuted these false accusations which had no basis for truth; they originated in the imagination of the accusers.
3. BLACKMAIL: Irritated by Nehemiah’s wisdom, Sanballat then promised to inform the king of Persia that Nehemiah was a traitor.
4. FEAR: Sanballat bombarded Nehemiah and the people with psychological pressure saying that they were weak and that they could not possibly finish the job.
5. PRESUMPTION: Assuming that Nehemiah would succumb to spiritual suggestion, Sanballat hired a disobedient prophet to instruct Nehemiah to seek safety in the Temple; by doing this, Nehemiah would not only admit fear but would profane the sanctuary, since he was not a priest. This action would have brought reproach from God and from the people. Nehemiah refused to be tricked into this; he chose to believe the Lord and to react in faith rather than in fear.
Fifty-two days after work on the wall began, it stood completed. It was a testimony to the faithfulness of God. Even the enemies “perceived that this work was wrought of our God.”
NEHEMIAH 7-13
At this time, Nehemiah the governor now directed his attention toward guarding and guiding the people. He appointed his brother, Hanani, to the general charge of security, for it was Hanani who had at first reported the sad condition of his people in Jerusalem. The singers and the Levites were to help the gatekeepers in guarding the gates and walls. In order to adequately defend the city, Nehemiah asked 1/10 of the people from other cities to move to the capital because the population of Jerusalem was very small.
As the population was redistributed, Nehemiah discovered the old list of those who had returned to Judah under Zerubbabel more than 90 years earlier. Nehemiah recorded this list of pioneers because they deserved to be remembered. Though they were a remnant (minority), they fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy in Jeremiah 25:11-12, which foretold 70 years of captivity followed by an opportunity to return to the land that God had chosen for them. The majority of Jews had remained in the East.
The leading tribes were Judah and Benjamin; however, Cyrus had invited any Jew to return. All tribal distinction was lost; although the majority of the people were from Judah, it is possible that some who had lived in Israel also returned. The people who made up this remnant are later referred to in Scripture as Jews or Israelites.
Nehemiah 8:1-13—Now it was time to listen to God, after building a fortification, as He sought to build their lives. These Hebrews had been born in Babylon, and though they were Jewish by birth, they were Chaldean in language and culture. They had returned to the land, had rebuilt the wall, were making a living, but they had not heard the Scriptures which would tell them how to live. Ezra and 13 other men carefully explained the Scriptures to these Hebrews who were strangers to the Hebrew text. When the people heard the Law, they began to weep. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites encouraged them: “Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved” (8:11). Truly they had been ignorant, guilty, and spiritually disinterested, but now they responded with open hearts to the Word of God.
Nehemiah 8:14-18—When the people heard the command to erect booths (open shelters mad out of tree limbs) and live in them for seven days, they obeyed. Though the Feast of Tabernacles had been observed many times, the literal erection of booths had not been carried out since the days of Joshua, about a thousand years before.
Nehemiah 9:1-38—After the Feast of Tabernacles, the men and women assembled at he water gate again. Their appearance was much different from that of the first meeting, 23 days earlier. This day they wore sackcloth (a loosely woven, ugly fabric mad of goats’ hair which hung over their bodies with no fastenings). On their heads and faces they had rubbed dirt and ashes which spoke of their total humility before God. Their prayer of confession is the longest prayer recorded in the Bible.
Nehemiah 10:1-39—In chapter 9 the people were on their knees praying, and in chapter 10 they are on their feet planning to obey. The plan was put in writing, first signed by Nehemiah, and then signed by the priests and Levites. Thus the promise was sealed.
1. The first promise involved their determination to pattern their lives after the truths they had learned in the Word of God. This promise released them from outsides pressure to be conformed to their heathen neighbors.
2. The second promise involved their homes and their loyalty to God. They would not give their daughters to the heathen, nor take wives for their sons from the heathen. Since this practice had led their nation into idolatry and captivity, this was very important promise.
3. The third promise contained two parts regarding the Sabbath and the sabbatical year
(every seventh year). The people determined not to continue commercial activities on the Sabbath. Since the Jews were highly motivated businessmen, this weekly abstinence helped them keep their lives in perspective. They promised to keep the sabbatical year, which meant that every seventh year no crops were to be planted or harvested and that debt were to be dissolved. Observance of the sabbatical year kept the economy in proper balance.
4. The fourth promise concerned the Temple. They promised to take care of the place of God’s presence by a.) paying toward its support, b) providing wood for the altar, c.) giving tithes and first-fruit offerings, d.) supporting the priests and Levites.
Nehemiah 12:27-43—This chapter is filled with joy and happiness because the people did what God wanted done. As they built the wall, they were determined to build their lives to the truth of the Scriptures.
Nehemiah 13:6-31—After being governor for 12 years in Jerusalem, Nehemiah returned to the Persian court according t his original agreement with Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:6). The exact time Nehemiah was away from Jerusalem (probably about two years) is not given, nor is the reason he was allowed to return mentioned. When he returned to Jerusalem, he discovered that the people had already broken the promises they had made.
1. Compromise: Tobiah, the slick, pious enemy (6:19) whom Nehemiah continually resisted would not allow to enter the walls of Jerusalem, had moved into the Temple.
2. Greed: Because the people had stopped giving to support the Levites, the Levites had fled to the country.
3. Commercialized Sabbath: The people had forgotten their promise to keep the Sabbath. They were carrying on business as usual.
4. Marrying the heathen: After having heard the results of this horrible practice and promising not to continue it, the people began again to give their daughters to unbelievers and to allow their sons to marry idolatrous women.
The book of Nehemiah is the last Old Testament biography that God chose to give us. With this book, the Old Testament closed 17 centuries of the history of God’s people. Four hundred years passed before God began to write history again in the New Testament.
WORKS CITED
- Revelation and Church History
- Church Age
- Old Testament Study
- KING JAMES BIBLE
- MATTHEW HENRY COMMENTARY
- A Beka Book High School Bible Series “United Kingdom: Kings of Israel A;” 1995 Pensacola Christian College.