Further Thought: Ellen G. White, “Rejoicing in the Lord”, pages 115–126, in Steps to Christ. “As he set before them God’s commands and threatenings, and the fearful judgments visited on Israel in the past for this very sin, their consciences were aroused, and a work of reformation was begun that turned away God’s threatened anger and brought His … Continue reading –>
Concerning Jesus, the Pharisees said, Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? John 7:47-48 NLT In Luke 24:13-34 Jesus uses Scripture to explain to a couple of friends who the Messiah is, while they don’t even recognize Him. Jesus … Continue reading –>
Nehemiah’s zeal for the Sabbath day is admirable. Nehemiah was so passionate about observing the Sabbath correctly that he even promised to “lay hands” on the merchants from other nations. In other words, he would have personally intervened if he had caught them in the city or by the gates on the Sabbath again. As … Continue reading –>
Read Nehemiah 13:15-16. What is the issue that Nehemiah addresses here? It is not easy to stand up for God when you are in the minority. Because God said that the Sabbath was to be a holy day on which no one was to do any work, Nehemiah intended to make sure that this command was … Continue reading –>
Hymn 297, “God Be Merciful to Me” opens our singing for Sabbath School this week in the cleansing process learned in the Memory Text. Nehemiah 13:22 goes on to request that Sabbath be a sanctified day: Hymn 381, “Holy Sabbath Day of Rest” and Hymn 388, “Don’t Forget the Sabbath”. Nehemiah came back to the … Continue reading –>
Here’s an example of backsliding! Did your jaw drop an inch when you read the description at the opening of our lesson describing the backsliding of God’s people while Nehemiah had been away from Babylon? Imagine if this were your church–no more tithes or offerings, secular meetings held on sabbath in the church, young people encouraged … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: When Nehemiah returned, the people had stopped giving tithes and offerings, stopped keeping the Sabbath properly, and were intermarrying with other nations around them.. . December 14, 2019 1. Have a volunteer read Nehemiah 13:1-9. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is. Who … Continue reading –>
Nehemiah’s reforms of the temple services included the implementation of tithes and offerings. Read Numbers 18:21-24; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 23:23; 1 Corinthians 9:7-14; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8; and Hebrews 7:1-2. What do these texts teach us about the importance of tithes and offerings, not just in the temple service, but for today as well? Without the collection of tithes and offerings the … Continue reading –>
Read Nehemiah 13:10-14. What is Nehemiah seeking to remedy here? The singers, gatekeepers, and other temple servants had to go back to working in their own fields in order to feed their families, because the work for God was not being supported. The whole tithes-and-offerings system that was so painstakingly established now lay in ruins. Nehemiah … Continue reading –>
Nehemiah chapter 13 begins with a concern about Ammonite and Moabite foreigners/idolaters in their midst (Neh. 13:1-3). These verses do not speak about driving away individuals from a different nation or race who followed God, but rather they refer to sending away those who were of a different faith — not converts, but idolaters. (See also Deut. 23:3-6). … Continue reading –>
