Sabbath: Nehemiah
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study: Nehemiah 1:1-2:20, Deut. 7:9, Ps. 23:1-6, Num. 23:19.
Memory Text: “So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said: ‘I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments’ ” (Nehemiah 1:4-5, NKJV).
To date, two groups of captives have returned to Judah in at least partial fulfillment of God’s promises to the Hebrew nation.
But there is one more company of exiles that God is preparing. The last group of captives is commissioned to fix a problem. Although the first two groups returned to rebuild Jerusalem and to complete part of that project by finishing the temple, the rest of the construction was abandoned as opposition from the surrounding nations arose. The people from the surrounding area didn’t want the Israelites to build the city and its walls because they were afraid that the Israelites might become a mighty nation as they had once been (Ezra 4:6-24). Thus, the return of the Israelites appeared to be a threat, one that they were determined to stop. But God didn’t call His people in order to abandon them in the process of doing what He had called them to do.
Thus, He was preparing another man to carry out His will and to accomplish His purposes. His name was Nehemiah, and to him and his work for the Lord we turn.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 12.
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The really interesting message that I get from my initial reading of the story of Nehemiah was that he was a man of action. He saw problems, prayed about them, devised plans and carried them out. That is how spiritual life really works.
If you want to become a good athlete, you don’t just read about it and watch videos and sing songs about it. You work out every day, building your power and endurance until you can perform well.
Sometimes we can be inclined to “wait on the Lord” and “study to show ourselves approved” to the extent that our spiritual muscles atrophy because they don’t get any exercise.
Jesus said:
Nehemiah man of action.
Maurice, how fitting the analysis of exercise with our need for action spiritually.
When the reformation from darkness to light took place, it was a long and painful process.
Reformation began in 1300 to present slowly brought light from darkness.
Each reformer brought small truth.
The people became complacent with the truth.
Then God brought forth another reformer to lead the people.
Thus until the restoration of the law and grace was made complete God continued to bring truth to the people.
There are truth still to be revealed unto us.
We believers are called to study and be lead by the Word of God into greater truth.
Nehemia was a man of action. The walls that were destroyed was his main concern. Nehemiah had a relationship with his God, and he prayed day and night for help in restoring the destroyed walls. God was the help in restoring the walls that Nehemia needed. We seek help from God for our daily needs and thank Him daily.
Guidance from the Holy Spirit.
There are two recurring phrases that I am seeing both spoken about Ezra and Nehemiah, Neh 1: 4-5, “ those who love the Lord and keep his commandments”. These words go hand in hand with each other. We can’t say we love the Lord and not his commandments. His commandments point us to him and visa versa.
Nehemiah, like Ezra studies the word of God. When the messenger came to him and he inquired about his home Jerusalem, what he heard was terrible, sadness took hold of him.
He prayed for guidance how to approach the situation, and he prayed what to asked for. This man life was full of prayers.
We who are called by God must live a life of prayer, praying about every situation, several times a day and live a life of prayer.
He needed to pray and be in constant connection with God because his enemies were on every side trying to stop the plan God had for them.
So it is with us leaders, we have to be in constant prayer, believing by faith what Jesus says, but let works also have its place in the plans for the church.
But never forget the enemies are/will arise from within and without.
Pray pray pray.
What walls do we need to build personally and/or as a community of faith?
Are the the same or do they have different purposes?
Indeed,Nehemia could see the need and fix it.His heart was burning with a zeal to build up a wall that had long been destroyed by the enemies.As I go through this story is three issues come into my mind I would wish members to help me digest:
1.What was in this wall that Israelites had to reconstruct even amid sharp criticism and opposition from their neighbors?
2.Was construction of the wall the only major business Israelites were to concentrate on other than some other important issues that led into captivity?
3.What and where was their priorities after returning home from exile?
An interesting verse in Isaiah reads:
"but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise".” ~ Isaiah 60:18
In Bible times, a wall around a city offered protection from enemies, it also allowed the citizens to have control over who and what entered into the city as one could only enter through the gates.
Another interesting text:
“He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” ~ Proverbs 25:28
I suppose we could call the walls "boundaries" based on the Holy Spirit writing God's law on our hearts and minds.
God's law is like a wall of protection.
And the gates are to allow only the things that are a praise for God into the life.
Other ideas of walls --
There should be a wall of love, respect, and faithfulness around every Christian home. That wall is furiously attacked in the world today resulting in millions of collapsed marriages.
A more political wall --
The wall between church and state.
That too, is receiving demolition attacks.
However, a wall we build ourselves probably would crumble if even a fox climbed on it. But a wall that is built through our relationship with Christ would be sturdy.
Thanks Ulrike for your wonderful insight concerning my question,may God bless you abundantly.
God demonstrated to the people for whom He had done so much that He would not serve with their sins. He wrought, not through those who refused to serve Him with singleness of purpose, who had corrupted their ways before Him, but through Nehemiah; for he was registered in the books of heaven as a man. God has said, “Them that honor me I will honor.” Nehemiah showed himself to be a man whom God could use to put down false principles and to restore heaven-born principles; and God honored him. The Lord will use in His work men who are as true as steel to principle, who will not be swayed by the sophistries of those who have lost their spiritual eyesight. 3BC 1135.4