The Book of Nehemiah Chapter 1 Nehemiah is in the king's court. (Artaxerxes who is Xerxes son) Chapter 2 Nehemiah asks the king to help him with letters and supplies in order to go and rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. This took great courage, but God is with us when we are a mission for him. We can ask those in power to help us if we are on a quest for God and God will move their hearts! Chapter 3 Many people helped in the repair o the wall of Jerusalem. This is sort of like building a church or organization for God...it takes all kinds of people to pull it off. It takes many individuals to do God's work, each to his own calling and ability. Chapter 4 Nehemiah has to devide his work force to both build and defend the wall. Half the people do the building while the other half defend the builders from attack. When we are building for God we have to be of two minds. We do the building, but we defend the building and our fellow builders as Christians. Chapter 5 As leader of his people Nehemiah did not take the governer's share of the people's production. Althought this was his right, as it is sometimes the right of our leaders to take a share. Leaders should not overly tax their followers. In a modern church there should be consideration of the plight of many church goers. Chapter 6 Enemies of Nehemiah were scheming against the work of God even to the point of hiring false prophets to intimdate him into hiding! None of this worked. As we are completing God's work in ourselves and in our minds/hearts many will come to thwart us, many false testemonies will come to us. As I read this chapter I came across books at the bookstore that claimed to counter (once and for all) the creation story, other books about science disproving God, etc. etc. I saw these statements in print and was attracted to them...as Satan would have had me read them and caste doubt. I don't think that they are evil in and of themselves, but I am not of strong faith and I am vulnerable. Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Ezra rads the law of Moses to the people. Now that they have fortified the walls of the city, thanks to God, it is time to remind the people what God expects in return. As we build and begin to gain the benefit of the house of God, we have to continually remind us that this comfort is for a purpose that he has for us...we have to remind ourselves to fulfill the duty that he gives us as he blesses us with these protective walls. Chapter 9 In this chapter there is a prayer sent to God that gives a great history of God's people from Moses time forward. A testtement to God's forgiveness of his people over and over.
We live by obeying God's commands. Not only do we live forever, but we are alive in the world ONLY when we obey. That is when we really experience living. Chapter 10 The people are bound with a curse and an oath to follow the Law. Specific rules are spelled out:
Chapter 11 In this chapter we see that new residents are chosen to live in Jerusalem. Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Even while Nehemiah was away to the King the people failed so quicly by not doing as was told. Granting special favors to people was common. Do our churches fail in this way as well? Is this story to warn leaders of the flock that this is the sort of behavior that will come about when they are left to their own? Granting special favors? At the same time the book is clear to point out the work of Nehemiah and that he wants to distance himself from the wrongdoings of his flock. |