Nehemiah Restoration of a People (Restoration of the Wall)

Similarities to Ezra:  Favor of God  Favor of kings God  Favor in travel  Opposition from enemies  Favor of God in spite of enemies  Public covenant agreement by all people  Restoration of Pre-exilic practice or festivals

Background  444B.C. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem  Purpose to rebuild the wall and restore social and economic life  Spiritual vitality restored by Ezra  Possibly still under threat of Enemies of Ezra Ch 4  Concerns from Hanani were exclusive to wall …proposing concerns for security  Wonderful thesis of leadership…used as model of corporate training…

Date:  70 years of Babylonian exile ended with building of temple (586 to 515)  Influence of Ezra still in place  Nehemiah leaves with unknown number of people  Nehemiah return for second time in nd year of Artaxerxes II  Book written by Nehemiah after events completed…approx 430

Persian kings during Post Exilic Period  Cyrus  Cambyses  Smerdis 522  Darius  Xrexes  Artaxerxes  Darius II

Adversaries  People of the Palestine mix of Hebrew left by Assyria and other nations brought in to intermarry (2 Kings 17:23-24)  Strategies against attack: People stationed in families to protect portion of wall, prayed for wisdom and courage, stationed half to fight while other half continued work, worked with tool in one hand and weapon in the other

Leadership  Usury removed…people obeyed with no protest  Nehemiah set the example by not taking a food allowance  Enemy plot foiled by shrewd action  Nehemiah prayed an imprecatory prayer against his enemies

Wow moment  Wall completed in 52 days  Ezra read the Book of the Law of Moses  People responded by standing and weeping and finally celebrating  Day of Holiness prepared  Feast of Tabernacles restored

Finally my brethren  Wall dedicated with praise and worship 12:27-30  Levites and priest and singers and gatekeepers assignment restored 12:31-45  To honor the Word..Tobiah..the same one who had threatened the work..was removed from the temple storeroom  Tithe restored to the Levites  The Sabbath Restored...no work was allowed on Sabbath  Priest had married Sanballat’s daughter  Nehemiah went off on those who had married the enemy

Key Motif:  “Remember me oh my God for good” 5:19, 6:14, 13:14, 29, 31  Nehemiah used this whenever he made or took righteous action  Priest and Levites mentioned 77 times  So goes the Priest so goes the people  The Priest took on foreign wives

The End