Nehemiah let us rise and build The Kettering Weekend 11-13 March 2016

Nehemiah let us rise and build Introduction what, who and when Session 1 Rebuilding the walls Session 2 SATURDAY Problems inside the walls Session 3 The body of Christ Devotional Problems outside the walls Session 4 Prayer remember me, O God Session 5 SUNDAY Covenants made and broken Session 6 The good hand of God Exhortation Nehemiah let us rise and build The Kettering Weekend March 2016

But which Andrew Walker is speaking?

AIMS Nehemiah let us rise and build the body is one many parts prayer instant in prayer responding to problems inside & out loyalty to God preparing for the messenger remembering and being remembered Nehemiah let us rise and build The Kettering Weekend March 2016

QUESTIONS Nehemiah let us rise and build Why are there so many people mentioned in Nehemiah? Why are we given minute details about things like the walls? How does Nehemiah deal with problems inside and out? Was Nehemiah right to pluck out people’s hair?! Nehemiah let us rise and build The Kettering Weekend March 2016

Who, what and when? 1. Introduction Nehemiah let us rise and build The Kettering Weekend March 2016

THEN AND NOW SESSION 1

THEN AND NOW SESSION 1

THEN AND NOW SESSION 1

Timeline (pre-Nehemiah) Revived nation small and weak Enclave among hostile groups Ezra 1-6, Haggai & Zechariah describe initial restoration following Decree of Cyrus 538BC Local opposition halts rebuilding Temple completed 516BC following further decree by Darius OVERVIEW SESSION 1

Persian kings KINGS SESSION 1 Xerxes 1 Darius 1 Artaxerxes 1 522-486 = Ahasuerus 486-465 Darius 1 522-486 Artaxerxes 1 465-423 KINGS SESSION 1

Who came back & when? EXILES RETURN 42,360 + singers & servants with Zerubbabel 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, 6,720 asses Ezra 2 & Neh 7 virtually identical 6-7,000 with Ezra (Ezra 8) Why all the lists? EXILES RETURN SESSION 1

Who was in the land? IN THE LAND SAMARITANS SESSION 1 Dinaites Apharsathchites Tarpelites Apharsites Archevites Babylonians Susanchites Dehavites Elamites + Remnant of Israelites SAMARITANS Led by Sanballat – Governor of Samaritans according to one of Elephantine papyri IN THE LAND SESSION 1

Timeline (Ezra & Nehemiah) 486 Complaint by “people of the land” to Xerxes (Ahasuerus) Ezra 4:6 458 Ezra’s journey from Babylon (Artaxerxes) Ezra 7:7 ?450 Samaritans complain again: command to stop building city Ezra 4:7-23 Dec 446 Hanani tells Nehemiah of affliction of Jews in Jerusalem. Neh 1:1&2 Mar 445 Nehemiah seeks leave of absence. Goes to Jerusalem Neh 2:1ff 445-443 • Walls built • Opposition from Sanballat • Hanani given charge of Jerusalem • Neh 3-7 TIMELINE [1] SESSION 1

Timeline (Ezra & Nehemiah) ?443 Ezra leads rededication of people Neh 8 Mixed marriages tackled; atonement sought; promises made Ezra 8; Neh 9, 10 ?441 Nehemiah returns to Susa ?435 Malachi speaks out against corruption of priests and people. Warns that Nehemiah will come as a refiner’s fire Mal 1-3 433 Nehemiah gets permission from Artaxerxes to return to deal with Eliashib’s corruption Neh 13:6&7 TIMELINE [2] SESSION 1

TIMELINE JERUSALEM Artaxerxes stops building work [464-458 BC] PERSIAN RULERS CYRUS CAMBYSES SMERDIS DARIUS I XERXES ARTAXERXES I 464-424 485-465 521-486 530-522 559-530 Artaxerxes stops building work [464-458 BC] Edict of Cyrus [538 BC] 540 530 520 510 500 490 480 470 460 450 440 550 Zerubbabel + first exiles return and begin to build temple [536 BC] Temple finished [515 BC] Second wave of exiles return with Ezra [458 BC] Nehemiah returns + begins rebuilding of walls [444 BC] Timeline based on The Bible Knowledge Commentary TIMELINE JERUSALEM

What is there to learn? LESSONS SESSION 1 Ezra a ready scribe He entreated God, who heard Ezra & Nehemiah confessed people’s sins Nehemiah leads building; Ezra deals with mixed marriages Reading with meaning Ezra taught the people Preparation Trust Intercession Leadership Hearing Teaching LESSONS SESSION 1