Grace Community Chapel
Education Ministry | Bible Study Curriculum 2011, Nehemiah
Table of Contents
Welcome Letter...……..………………………………………………………………..……... 43
Calendar and Bible Study Introduction..……………………………………………...… 54
Introduction to Nehemiah………………………………...………………………………. 76
Introductory Quotations………………………………………………………………… 143
Text & Commentary……...……………………….….……...……………………………… 154
Appendices…………...…………………………..………………………………………...... 510
Welcome Letter
January 2011
Dear kingdom builders of GCC!
What started out as a humble beginning in 2005 with a group of dedicated young men and women has now become achurch with three sitesin Cherry Hill, South Brunswick, and BergenCounty. Men and women are being trained indiscipleship, growing in vibrant and lovingcellgroups, joining in passionateworship, and going forth with determination for local and globalmissions.
Over the past 5 years, we have experienced God’s grace through the building up of disciples and communities. There are some plans we had envisioned that have not come into fruition but God has shown us new sites and a vision greater than our initial plans. According to Matthew 28:19, God has called us to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Therefore, we will obey God’s call by continuing to build up the next generation of God’s servant-leaders in the next year.
More specifically, thenextstepof our GCC vision will consist of:
1) Fulfilling the biblical mandates of our church
2) Striving to become a self-sustaining church
3) Experiencing growth in terms of converts into believers, hunger for the Word of God, and concern for the weak.
I hope that you can join us in experiencing what God will be doing in our church for the upcoming year!
In His Grace,
Pastor Jae Park
[S1]
Preparing for Bible Study Sessions
Prior to each session:
-Read the corresponding material.
-Briefly scan the discussion questions.
-Read the corresponding supplementary materials (optional).
-Pray for God to illumine your mind and our church with His word.
After each session:
-Read and meditate on the reflection points.
-Pray for God’s word to be rooted in your heart and to bear fruit.
-Discuss cell group questions together with cell group members.
Introduction to the Book of Nehemiah
Theme
The theme of Nehemiah is the Lord's protection of his people and the need for their faithfulness in keeping the Torah (the Mosaic law) and their faithfulness in worship.
Purpose, Occasion, and Background
The Jewish community was struggling to maintain its identity as the people of the Lord, as it faced internal and external pressures. The community was located in Jerusalem and in towns and villages in the territory of the former kingdom of Judah. Its position was somewhat insecure for at least two reasons. First, the community was composed of those who had been away in exile for a long period—70 years according to Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11). (This may be reckoned, as a round number, either from the first wave of exiles in 605b.c.to the return in 538–535, or from the destruction of the temple in 586 to the building of the new one in 516.) They returned as strangers to a land that had a population consisting of Jews who had not been taken into exile, along with persons of other ethnic origins who had begun to settle there. In addition, leaders in Samaria (the old northern capital) who now held power in the Persian province Beyond the River (see note onEzra 4:1–2) resented the resurgence of Jerusalem as a separate administrative and political center. The returnees therefore had to press their claim to ancient entitlements in the land against local opposition. They were able to do so by virtue of providential help from a succession of Persian kings, though this support was variable. The persistence of opposition from enemies is clear inEzra 4andNehemiah 4; 6.
Second, the Jewish community was insecure because of the severe moral and religious challenge presented by the need to remain a distinctive people faithful to the Lord. The time that elapses in the narrative of Ezra and Nehemiah allows this challenge to appear. When Ezra arrives in Jerusalem, he finds the people intermarrying with non-Jews (Ezra 9–10), which poses a threat to the community because it implies a loosening of the covenantal bond between the Lord and his people. This explains the strong emphasis in both books on keeping strictly separate from the so-called peoples of the land, who, because they do not hold to the religion of the Lord, are morally identified with the old inhabitants of the land whom Israel was long ago commanded to drive out (9:1; see alsoDeut. 7:1–5). Ezra is often blamed for exclusivism in his attitude towards the mixed marriages. But the issue is essentially religious, and also a matter of survival. It has to be balanced by the openness of the community to non-Jews, who were welcome to adopt the religion of the Lord (Ezra 6:21). In this respect Ezra is no different from the book of Ruth. Marriages to such converts, and to their children, were not part of Ezra's concern inEzra 9–10, but only marriages that were leading to apostasy (as is clear inNeh. 13:23–24). The problem was acute, however. Under Ezra's leadership the people agree to face up to this danger, but the same issue reemerges late in Nehemiah's time (Neh. 13:23–29), about 15 years after Ezra's arrival, when Ezra is apparently no longer on the scene. Finally, another challenge to faithfulness came from economic pressures, which emerge clearly when Nehemiah requires sustained manpower to complete the city wall (Nehemiah 5).
Several issues occasioned the writing of both books. Zerubbabel and Jeshua rebuilt the temple, since this is the first and indispensable mark that the Lord is once again the center of worship in Jerusalem, the ancient Davidic capital. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah also helped to bring this project to fruition (Ezra 5:1). Ezra, “a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses” (7:6), called the community back to covenant loyalty and thus to obedience to the Mosaic law contained in the Pentateuch. Nehemiah rebuilt the city walls so that the community could enjoy security against possible outright attack by enemies who might take advantage of any weakening in the imperial protection of Judah.
These separate missions were closely associated. Ezra, though responsible for the law, is also charged by the Persian authorities with gifts for the temple, so that he continues the provision for the temple originally made by King Cyrus through Zerubbabel. The books also make it clear that the work of Ezra and Nehemiah overlapped, sinceNehemiah 8indicates that Ezra leads the great covenant-renewal ceremony that followed the completion of the city walls. Again, at the dedication of the wall, each plays a part in the ceremony (Neh. 12:33, 38). And most importantly, this ceremony concludes in the temple, so that the projects of the temple and the securing of the city are finally seen to be one.
The author of Ezra and Nehemiah balances these various concerns. There is a note of thankfulness to God for his faithfulness in restoring the community despite enormous odds. Indeed, this repopulation of the ancient Promised Land after exile was nothing less than a fulfillment of prophecy (seeIsa. 40:1–11;Jer. 25:11). But there is also regret that the community is prone to failure in its vocation as a faithful people. The author records a number of great gatherings of the people for the purpose of celebration (Ezra 3:1–13; 6:19;Nehemiah 8), or of communal repentance (Ezra 10;Nehemiah 9). The pervasive concern is the need for the community to remain absolutely faithful to the Lord, because of the conviction that its very life depends on it. The knowledge that the Lord has already judged his people with a great exile is very present in the author's mind.
Timeline of Exile
Year / Event606 B.C. / Babylon defeats and overthrows Assyria. Judah was a client state of Assyria at this time.
597 B.C. / Under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon sieges Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar pillaged
both the city and the Temple. King Jeconiah of Judah and his court, prominent citizens,
craftsmen, as well as a sizable portion of the Jewish population of Judah were deported to Babylon.
586 B.C. / Zedekiah, appointed king of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, revolted and formed an
alliance with the Pharaoh of Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar once again began a siege of Jerusalem and conquered the city by breaking through Jerusalem's walls. Jerusalem was destroyed and the Temple was burnt down. Most of the inhabitants were taken into captivity in Babylon.
539 B.C. / Babylon is captured by Persia under the rule of Cyrus the Great. The decree of Cyrus ends
the exile and allows the Jews to return home. Cyrus the Great also allows the Jews to rebuild their Temple.
536 B.C. / The first wave of exiles returns under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. The foundations for the altar and The Second Temple are laid under the direction of Zerubbabel.
516 B.C. / The SecondTemple is completed under the rule of Persian King Darius I.
457 B.C. / The second wave of exiles return under the leadership of Ezra.
445 B.C. / The third wave of Jews return to Jerusalem
after the completion of the wall of Jerusalem under Nehemiah's leadership.
Chronology of Nehemiah
Event / Year and Month445 B.C. / 445 B.C. / 445 B.C. / 443-
432 B.C.
Hanani brings Nehemiah a report from Jerusalem (20th year of Artaxerxes I) / Month 1
Nehemiah before King Artaxerxes / Month 1
Nehemiah arrives to inspect wall / Month 1
Wall is finished / Month 6
Day 25
People of Israel gather / Month 7
People of Israel celebrate Feast
of Booths / Month 7
Day 15-22
People of Israel fast and confess
sins / Month 7
Day 24
Nehemiah returns to Israel
(32nd year of Artaxerxes I)
Key Themes
1. The Lord hears prayer (1:4–6).
2. The Lord works providentially, especially through powerful rulers, to bring about his greater purposes (e.g.,2:8).
3. The Lord protects his people; therefore, they do not need to be afraid (4:14).
4. The Lord is merciful and faithful to his promises despite his people's persistence in sin (9:32–35).
5. Worship is at the center of the life of God's people, and it includes the willing, joyful giving of their resources (10:32–39).
6. God's people need to be on their guard against their own moral weakness (ch. 13).
History of Salvation Summary
After the exile, God is renewing his people in the land, in order to carry out what he promised to Abraham. God's people must renew their commitment to covenant faithfulness, laying hold of God's forgiveness and seeking to practice purity in their corporate and private lives. God in his mercy raised up Ezra the priest and teacher, and Nehemiah the governor, to lead his people in the hard work that this renewal requires. The public ceremonies ofChapters 8–10enact this renewal, confessing past unfaithfulness and recognizing that everything—including the fulfilling of Israel's mission to bring light to the world—depends on God's grace and steadfast commitment to his promises (9:32–38).
Literary Features
Nehemiah is a sequel to Ezra. Two main actions occur: the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem and the recommitment of the returned exiles to fulfill their covenant obligations. There is something for virtually everyone—a general's diary, a governor's report, a civil record, a management handbook, and a memoir—all in one short book. The events covered span approximately 13 years. Part of the liveliness of the book stems from the striking character of Nehemiah, who emerges from the pages as a godly and decisive leader.
The book of Nehemiah displays the same mixture of narrative and documentary material (lists, inventories, genealogies) as Ezra, but it possesses a stronger narrative flair. The rebuilding of the city wall becomes a full-fledged conflict story, replete with suspense and heroism. The covenant-renewal ceremony (chs. 8–9) is one of the grand dramas in the Bible. The title character, Nehemiah, is such a commanding figure that the overall story is also a hero story. But documentary material continually interrupts the flow of the narrative, showing the historical impulse of the author. Since much of the book is cast in first-person narrative, the book also has the flavor of a memoir.
Outline
I. Nehemiah Returns to Jerusalem to Rebuild Its Walls (1:1-2:20)
A. Nehemiah learns of Jerusalem's dilapidation (1:1–11)
B. Nehemiah gains permission to return and inspects Jerusalem's walls (2:1–16)
C. First signs of opposition (2:17–20)
II. The Wall Is Built, Despite Difficulties (3:1–7:4)
A. The people work systematically on the walls (3:1–32)
B. Opposition intensifies, but the people continue watchfully (4:1–23)
C. Nehemiah deals with injustices in the community; Nehemiah's personal contribution to the project (5:1–19)
D. A conspiracy against Nehemiah, but the wall is finished (6:1–7:4)
E. A record of those who returned from exile (7:5–73)
III. The Reading of the Law, and Covenant Renewal (8:1-10:39)
A. The law is read (8:1–8)
B. The people are to be joyful (8:9–12)
C. The people keep the Feast of Booths (8:13–18)
D. A prayer of confession, penitence, and covenant commitment (9:1–38)
E. Signatories and specific commitments (10:1–39)
IV. The Population of Jerusalem and the Villages; Priests and Levites (11:1–12:43)
A. Those who lived in Jerusalem and the villages of Judah (11:1–36)
B. High priests and leading Levites since the time of Zerubbabel (12:1–26)
C. Dedication of the walls (12:27–43)
V. Nehemiah Deals with Problems in the Community (12:44–13:31)
A. The administration of offerings for the temple (12:44–47)
B. Ejection of Tobiah the Ammonite from the temple (13:1–9)
C. Dealing with neglect of the offerings (13:10–14)
D. Dealing with Sabbath breaking (13:15–22)
E. The problem of intermarriage again (13:23–29)
F. Summary of Nehemiah's temple reforms (13:30–31)
Map of Jerusalem during Nehemiah’s Time
Introductory Quotations
“I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.”
-- Nehemiah 6:3
“I am afraid that our prayers are often clouds, and we get mists for answers. Nehemiah's prayer meant business. I wish we could always pray in this way… Plead the promise, believe it, receive the blessing. God is ready to give, and go about your business. The prayer of Nehemiah and his companions meant business.”
--Henry C. Spear
“To see a need and take it as your own,
To lose yourself in some heroic task,
Is placing love upon the motive throne,
By giving help before the needy ask.
To turn deaf ears on ridicule and jest,
Be unafraid at threats of violence,
Gives victory to efforts of the best,
Assures the aid of righteous Providence.
To stay aloft at tasks of service great,
And not come down to parley with the crowd,
To be above self-seeking forms of hate,
Will line with silver every threat’ning cloud.
Devotion of a builder building high,
Will cause the things of low estate to die.”
-- C.H. Spurgeon
the text of
Nehemiah
Commentary
in the English Standard Version
Taken from the ESV Study Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright ©2008 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Text of Nehemiah 1
Report from Jerusalem
1The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital, 2that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”
Nehemiah's Prayer
4As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. 7We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
Now I was cupbearer to the king.
Text of Nehemiah 2
Nehemiah Sent to Judah
1In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.” 6And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 7And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.