Nehemiah

1
(No Transcript)
2
Nehemiah

• Part 2, The Man

3
Nehemiah

• 486-464 BCE Ahasuerus was King of Persia
• Greek name was Xerxes, husband of Esther
• Esther would be stepmother to Artaxerxes I
• Perhaps influential in helping Nehemiah become
  cupbearer to the King
• Nehemiah is named as a book, was a cupbearer,
  governor, and leader
• What kind of man would he have been?

4
What Kind of Man was Nehemiah

• He was a trustworthy worker
• He was ever prayerful
• And loyal to his brethren

5
What Kind of Man was Nehemiah

• He was a trustworthy worker
• He was ever prayerful
• And loyal to his brethren
• He set great store by knowledge

Nehemiah was knowledgeable of Gods word and
stood for it.
6
Nehemiah 19

• 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.

Knew about restoration promises
7
Nehemiah 59

• So I said, The thing that you are doing is not
  good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our
  God to prevent the taunts of the nations our
  enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my
  servants are lending them money and grain. Let us
  abandon this exacting of interest

Knew about usury
8
Nehemiah 764-65

• 64 These sought their registration among those
  enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found
  there, so they were excluded from the priesthood
  as unclean. 65 The governor told them that they
  were not to partake of the most holy food until a
  priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.

Knew about lineage
9
Nehemiah 137-8

• I asked leave of the king 7 and came to
  Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that
  Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a
  chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And
  I was very angry, and I threw all the household
  furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber.

Knew about Gentiles in the Temple
10
Nehemiah 1310-11

• 10 I also found out that the portions of the
  Levites had not been given to them, so that the
  Levites and the singers, who did the work, had
  fled each to his field. 11 So I confronted the
  officials and said, Why is the house of God
  forsaken? And I gathered them together and set
  them in their stations.

Knew about tithing
11
Nehemiah 1315-17

• 15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading
  winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps
  of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also
  wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which
  they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.
  And I warned them on the day when they sold food.
  16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought
  in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on
  the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem
  itself! 17 Then I confronted the nobles of Judah
  and said to them, What is this evil thing that
  you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

Knew about the Sabbath
12
Nehemiah 1323-25

• 23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had
  married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And
  half of their children spoke the language of
  Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of
  Judah, but only the language of each people.
  25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat
  some of them and pulled out their hair. And I
  made them take oath in the name of God, saying,
  You shall not give your daughters to their sons,
  or take their daughters for your sons or for
  yourselves.

Knew about the danger in mixed marriages
13
Nehemiah 211-16

• 11 So I went to Jerusalem and was there three
  days. 12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few
  men with me. And I told no one what my God had
  put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was
  no animal with me but the one on which I rode.
  13 I went out by night and I inspected the
  walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its
  gates that had been destroyed by fire. 15 Then
  I went up in the night by the valley and
  inspected the wall, and so returned. 16 And the
  officials did not know where I had gone or what I
  was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the
  priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest
  who were to do the work.

Gained knowledge before he went to work set to
work
14
Hosea 46

• My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
• because you have rejected knowledge,
• I reject you from being a priest to me.
• and since you have forgotten the law of your God,
• I also will forget your children.

Our God is a TEACHING God with disciples
15
What Kind of Man was Nehemiah

• He was a trustworthy worker
• He was ever prayerful
• And loyal to his brethren
• He set great store by knowledge
• Was personally active in the work

• No vision, he asked permission to go
• No work list or personal invitation
• Wasnt nagged, persuaded, or procrastinating

16
Luke 14 18, 24

• 7 And at the time for the banquet he sent his
  servant to say to those who had been invited,
  Come, for everything is now ready. 18 But they
  all alike began to make excuses...
• 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were
  invited shall taste my banquet.

Visiting, encouraging, inviting, work lists,
etc..
17
What Kind of Man was Nehemiah

• He was a trustworthy worker
• He was ever prayerful
• And loyal to his brethren
• He set great store by knowledge
• Was personally active in the work
• He was conscious of his example

18
In ALL his works he was conscious of his example

• Food allowance a burden? He wouldnt take it
• Did not buy land, busied self/servants with
  the work
• Fed others at own expense
• Lent money grain without interest

What was the result of his good example? The
people listened to him!
19
Nehemiah 218

• 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had
  been upon me for good, and also of the words that
  the king had spoken to me. And they said, Let us
  rise up and build. So they strengthened their
  hands for the good work.

To work
20
Nehemiah 414-15

• 14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles
  and to the officials and to the rest of the
  people, Do not be afraid of them. Remember the
  Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for
  your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your
  wives, and your homes. 15 When our enemies heard
  that it was known to us and that God had
  frustrated their plan, we all returned to the
  wall, each to his work.

To put down fear
21
Nehemiah 57-13

• 7 I brought charges against the nobles and the
  officials. I said to them, You are exacting
  interest, each from his brother. 8  They were
  silent and could not find a word to say. 9 So I
  said, The thing that you are doing is not good.
  Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to
  prevent the taunts of our enemies? 10  Let us
  abandon this exacting of interest. 11 Return to
  them this very day their fields, their vineyards,
  their olive orchards, and their houses, and the
  percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that
  you have been exacting from them. 12 Then they
  said, We will restore these and We will do as
  you say.. And all the assembly said Amen and
  praised the Lord. And the people did as they had
  promised.

To deal kindly with others
22
Nehemiah 1323-25

• 23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had
  married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And
  half of their children spoke the language of
  Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of
  Judah, but only the language of each people.
  25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat
  some of them and pulled out their hair. And I
  made them take oath in the name of God, saying,
  You shall not give your daughters to their sons,
  or take their daughters for your sons or for
  yourselves.

To cleanse themselves
23

• 1 Peter 212
• 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles
  honorable, so that when they speak against you as
  evildoers, they may see your good deeds and
  glorify God on the day of visitation.
• Colossians 45
• 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the
  best use of the time.

We have an example to set toward outsiders
24

• Matthew 186-7
• 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who
  believe in me to sin, it would be better for him
  to have a great millstone fastened around his
  neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

We have an example to set toward those tender in
faith
25

• Galatians 62
• 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the
  law of Christ.
• 1 Thessalonians 511
• 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one
  another up, just as you are doing.

We have an example to set toward our brethren
26
Traits of Great Leadership
Our example says who we are better than our words.

• A trustworthy worker
• Ever prayerful
• Loyal to brethren
• Gaining knowledge
• Personally active in the work
• Conscious of example

Where are you, in your leadership for the Master?