By Bruce Van Antwerp
Audio | Outline | Poem | Fear of the Lord
Nehemiah Audio
Nehemiah Outline
Introduction
Nehemiah, the last historical book in the Old Testament was one book with Ezra in the Hebrew Scriptures. Ezra, the priest was Nehemiah’s contemporary: Haggai and Zechariah were post-exilic prophets (Ezra 5:1).
The Biblical order of Esther and Nehemiah is backward in chronology: Nehemiah went to Jerusalem many years after Esther became the Medo-Persian queen, over 125 years after God told Ezekiel, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. (Ezek. 22:30). The mystery: the sovereign God seeks intercessors to move his hand in history.
Somewhat parallel to Isaiah, whom God showed a need and asked, “Whom shall I send?” (Isaiah 6:1-8). Nehemiah saw a great need for God’s people. Like Esther (Esther 4:15-17) and Ezra before him (Ezra 8:21-23), he didn’t just pray, he mourned and fasted and prayed.
A Bible Study tip: My Life Application Bible Study notes Nehemiah prayed–but fails to include his fasting. Commentaries offer additional understanding, but they are not Scripture.
Outline
I. Rebuilding the Wall (Neh. 1:1-7:73)
A. Nehemiah sees a problem: Jerusalem’s walls in ruin, the returned exiles in great trouble
1. He responds: weeping, fasting, praying–a prayer worth studying (Neh 1:1b-12)
2. Nehemiah prays almost like The Lord’s Prayer, honoring God, confessing sins.
3. He asks God to remember his conditional promise of post-exile restoration.
B. He prays God’s Word back to him, asking him to hear the prayer of his servants who
delight in revering his name, to help him successfully gain the king’s favor (Neh. 1:8-11)
C. Nehemiah endangers his life when he can’t hide his sadness from the King, but the King
grants all his requests, along with provisions, protection, and written authority (Neh 2:5-9)
D. Journey to Jerusalem, nighttime inspection of the wall and gates, call to officials to
rebuild the wall, construction begins (Neh. 2:11-20)
E. Opposition begins. Nehemiah encourages the workers, naming all and their work (Neh 3)
F. Hostility escalated, enemies plot uncovered, Nehemiah prays (Neh 4)
1. The people worked with all their heart (Neh 4:1-6)
2. Nehemiah posted officers plus half the workers as guards. All carried weapons.
3. He encouraged them to not fear, to remember the Lord is great and awesome.
G. Nehemiah confronts nobles & officials over their sin of greed, even obvious to enemies.
Asks, “Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God?”
1. Nehemiah angry: the rich were enslaving their fellow Jews, plus charging interest.
2. He makes them vow to the priests to stop this and restore everything.
3. He notes revering God kept him from taking his salary, devoted to work on the wall.
H. Nehemiah faces & overcomes more schemes from enemies, Gentiles and Jews, and the
wall is completed in 52 days (Neh 6)
I. Promoted to co-govern Jerusalem: Hanani and Hannaniah–a man of integrity who feared
God more than most men do (Hen 7:1-3). God moves Nehemiah to assemble and honor
by families those who first returned to Jerusalem (Neh 7:4-73).
II. Reforming the People (Neh. 8:1-13:31)
A. The people told Ezra the scribe to read the law of Moses to all who could understand–
who listened attentively from daybreak to noon Neh 8:1-8
1. Ezra led the people in praising God with upraised arms. Show, don’t tell.
2. They bowed down in worship with their faces to the ground.
3. The levites taught the Law of God, so the people could understand it.
B. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites tell the people who were mourning their sins of
Ignorance to stop grieving, for “the joy of the LORD is your strength.” They feasted.
C. The next day the heads of families, priests, and Levites gathered to study the Law
with Ezra. They learned of the Feast of Tabernacles and celebrated it.
D. Israel holds a national day of fasting, confessing, their and their fathers’ sins, hearing the
Law of God read, then praising their Creator God. (Neh 9:1-38)
E. They make a binding oath/agreement to follow and obey the Law of God ((Neh 9:38-10:39)
F. Volunteers commended for living in Jerusalem, not on their ancestral land (Neh 11:1-36)
G. Dedication of the wall led by antiphonal choirs and instruments as prescribed by David
over 500 years before In joyful songs of praise and thanksgiving (Neh 12:22-47; Ezra 3:10
What does this teach about maintaining historical music with contemporary music?
H. Nehemiah’s final reforms: keeping the Sabbath, purifying the temple worship, priests, and
Levites, putting away foreign spouses (Neh 13:1-31). When Ezra discovered foreign
Intermarriages, he pulled out some of his hair and beard; Nehemiah pulled out theirs.’
Key lessons:
- Seeking power with God through fasting, prayer, and confessing sins before doing God’s work (Neh:1-2:4;9:1-37; Ezra 8:21; 10:1-6; Daniel 9; Isa, 58; Acts 13:1-3)
- God’s ears are attentive to the prayers of his servants who delight in revering his name (Neh 1:11)
- Praying God’s promises back to him, making specific requests (Neh 1:8-11; 2:4-8)
- Nehemiah assesses the challenge before challenging others to join him (Neh 2:11-16)
- Motivating God’s people to trust and work wholeheartedly for God (Neh.2:17-18; 4:6-15)
- Facing opposition with courage.(Neh. 2:19-20; 4;1-23; 6:1-19)
- Not quitting as Zerubbabel did for years before finishing rebuilding the temple (Ezra 4)
- Wisely dealing with and resolving interpersonal/social strata conflicts (Neh. 5:1-19)
- Model for confronting open sin: Statement “What you are doing is not right.”Question: “Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?”
- Nehemiah didn’t exercise his rights as governor so as to not overburden the people out of reverence for God. Instead, he devoted himself to the work God put on his heart (Neh 2:12; 5:14-18; I Cor. 9:6-18; I Thess. 2:9)
- Nehemiah appointed Hananiah as co-mayor of Jerusalem because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do. (Neh 7:2; Ps. 103:13; 147:11)
- Our God is patient, a gracious and merciful God. He is great, mighty, and awesome, and keeps his covenant of love, remaining faithful, even while we disobey (Neh 9:30-33)
- Critical Warning on marriage: Do not marry outside of your faith. Unbelievers will lead you into sin. E.g. King Soloman (Neh 13:23-30;Deut 7:3-4; Ex. 34:15-16; Josh. 23:12-13)
Nehemiah Poem
The Call
After my brother and some others
returned from Jerusalem,
I was overcome with grief
upon hearing this report from them:
“Jerusalem’s wall is broken down,
it’s gates destroyed by fire;
the people are greatly troubled, disgraced,
their prospects bleak and dire.”
Convinced this challenge could not be solved
without Heaven’s merciful aid,
I sat down and wept--several days--
and mourned, and fasted, and prayed.
“O LORD God of Heaven, please hear;
you are so awesome, very great.
I confess it’s because we’ve disobeyed
we’re in this awful state.
“Though we’ve been wicked and rebelled,
you long to keep your covenant love.
Remember your promise to Moses,
reach down in mercy from above.
Regather a remnant who fears your name
to your dwelling place;
and show your strength to your redeemed–
We have no hope without your grace!
“O Lord, please turn a list’ning ear
to your servant’s prayers today,
who delights to revere your Name,
who faithfully follows your way.
Give me success as I go soon
to bear the cup of the king.
Do grant me favor before him,
your blessing in everything.”
I’d never been sad around the king–
for that could get you dead.
Now you must know I feared for life,
when seeing my gloom, he said,
“Why does your face look oh, so sad?
It’s clear that you’re not ill.
This can be nothing but sadness of heart.
So tell me why, if you will.”
I said, “May the king live forever,
why shouldn’t my face look sad?
The city of my fathers is destroyed,
its ruins worse than bad.”
At once the king responded,
“What, Nehemiah, do you seek?”
So I prayed to the God of heaven,
“Would you now help me speak?”
“If it pleases you, O King,
if I’ve found favor in your sight,
A pilgrimage to my fatherland
would be my heart’s delight.
I long to rebuild jerusalem,
restore its gates and walls.
I’ve loved to serve you all these years,
but the land of my fathers calls.”
The king with his queen beside him, asked,
”How long will this journey take?
What provisions will you need?
I’ll do what I can for your sake.”
“Well, I’ll need safe travel, timber,
letters to governors, your behests.”
Since God’s gracious hand was on me,
the king granted all requests.
The Wall & The Stall
I met the regional governors,
gave letters from the king,
protected by the cavalry--
the king had thought of everything.
When Sanballat and Tobias heard this news,
oh, they were so disturbed
that we had come to help the Jews–
and grew increasingly perturbed.
Under the cover of night,
I went to assess the gates and wall,
not having shared with others
my heart’s burden to rebuild--my call.
I needed to scope the project out
to remove the land’s disgrace.
Once I knew what must be done,
I’d meet the locals face to face.
I told the officials and laborers,
“You see the trouble we’re in.
So let’s rebuild the city wall;
there’s no better time to begin.
When we restore the city wall,
we’ll no longer dwell in disgrace.
God’s good hand is upon me,
and the king sent me to this place.”
They replied, “Let’s start right now,”
and without delay began to work.
But when Sanballat and Tobias heard,
they nearly went berserk.
“What are you doing?” they asked.
“Are you rebelling against the king?:
I said, “God will give us success.
You can’t lay claim to anything.”
The tradesmen, the rulers, even priests
all worked with a ready heart.
To rightly honor their service,
I cited all who did their part.
When Sanballat and Tobias came,
they angrily mocked us all.
“What will you weaklings achieve?”
“Why, just a fox could break your wall.”
Feeling their scorn, I prayed, “Hear us, O God,
for we have been despised.
Turn their slander back on them;
and give them judgment that’s God-sized.”
The people worked with all their hearts,
the wall soon reached to half its height.
That’s when Sanballat and his motley crew
plotted to stir up a fight.
The Crawl
We prayed for courage, bravery,
and posted a guard both night and day
to counter their threatened harm,
prepared for whatever came our way.
Meanwhile, the people in Judah faltered,
they’d oh so weary grown.
They’d never toiled so hard before,
had worked their fingers to the bone.
They said, “Our strength is sapped,
we’ve nearly, dearly given our all.
With so much rubble lying about,
how can we rebuild this wall?”
Our enemies declared a war:
Like lightning they’d come to kill.
When neighboring Jews reported this,
some workers lost their will.
Therefore I stationed some as guards
to relieve them of their cares.
While soldiers posted with weapons,
there’d be no attack unawares.
Next I reviewed our forces and said,
“Remember our awesome LORD.
Defend your families, homes, and wives
with bow and arrows, spear, and sword.”
Our enemies thought we’d run and hide,
intimidated, yes, cowed;
But God’s good favor, the strength He gives,
nearly made us laugh out loud.
When they learned we’d heard their plans,
this frustrated their crafty plot.
We all returned to work on the wall,
each one to their family spot.
From then one half worked construction,
while the other defended all.
The laborers carried their swords,
steadfastly rebuilding the wall.
The officers stood sentry behind,
the porters, armed all could see;
but the trumpeter, who’d sound the battle call,
he came along with me.
Next I told the whole construction crew,
“This work is so spread out.
We’re too far apart at our own spots
to hear one another shout.
So when you hear the trumpet sound,
come quickly from far and wide.
United, we’ll have each other’s back.
Remember God’s on our side.”
So we continued to work half and half
from dawn till the stars appeared,
staying each night in Jerusalem,
to make our defense more feared.
Not one of us disrobed at night,
for we had far too much at stake;
and no one set his weapon down,
not even for a water break.
The Pall
But people raised a great outcry
against some Jews who had wealth,
who’d forced them to sell their children,
right in the open, no stealth.
Now helpless, they had no other choice.
They’d lost their houses and land
to their usury-charging fellow Jews–
far more than they could stand.
All this had happened so they could eat,
survive a famine’s dearth.
When I heard these charges made,
I was the angriest man on earth.
I pondered accusations made,
confronted the leaders for their crime:
“How dare you, who were once enslaved,
do this to Jews at such a time?”
Seeing they had no good defense,
these officials didn’t say a word;
Then I declared, “This is so wrong.
Where is your fear of the LORD?
As much as possible we’ve redeemed
our brothers who’d been enslaved,
We’re lending them money and grain,
without usury, from what we’ve saved.
Besides, Moses’ law forbids
charging usury to fellow Jews.
How can you not become a reproach
to our enemies if you don’t choose
to stop exploiting your brothers, the poor,
and turn your lives around?
Restore at once their children,
the money you stole, their family ground.”
“We’ll give it back,” they all replied,
“and not demand anything more.
We’ll do as you say immediately;
all you named we’ll restore.”
I made the nobles and officials
seal their promise with a vow,
then warned them, “If you renege one thing,
God will shake you down--and how!”
At this the assembly said “Amen,”
and praised the LORD with joyful hearts;
The leaders did what they promised,
and gave the poor fresh starts.
The King made Nehemiah governor;
he served in Judah twelve years,
not burdening the people with taxes,
or controlling them with fears.
When Sanballat and his foul fiends
heard there were no gaps in the wall,
they tried to trick me to meet with them–
a ruse for which I didn’t fall.
Since they were scheming only harm,
I sent a message, this reply:
“I’m in the midst of a work so great.
Have NO time for you. Goodbye.”
He wouldn’t take “No” for an answer,
time after time after time.
The fifth try he said,
“It’s rumored you’re plotting rebellious crime.
They say you’re building the wall,
so you can set yourself up as king.
If you don’t stop to parley now,
the king will hear this very thing.”
I replied, “You’re quite the creative guy.
Nothing of this is true.
You made up stories in your head;
you’ve bats in the belfry, you do.
You’re trying still to frighten us,
while hoping we’ll stop our work;
but you’ll not scare or discourage us,
you evil, conniving jerk.”
And so I paused and prayed again,
“O LORD, please give me strength
to encourage all who are building
the entire city wall’s length.”
I needed God’s help to persevere:
a Jewish prophet tried to frighten me
by urging, “Flee to the temple
to escape a hit man--believe my plea.”
I discerned he wasn’t sent by God,
but hired to intimidate,
that I might sin from craven fear
my reputation meet its fate.
Since Sanballat’s lot had schemed this plot,
I prayed, “God, remember them all
and pay them back what they have earned
relentlessly trying to make me stall.”
The All
When the wall was finished in fifty-two days,
our foes grew quite afraid.
They lost their cocky self-confidence,
for they knew God gave us aid.
But Jewish nobles, closely aligned
with Tobiah through marriage ties,
kept sending letters of his good deeds
to undermine me with lies.
The Law
Once settled in their towns,
people gathered in the Water Gate Square.
I told Ezra the priest, “Bring the Law of Moses
and read it to them there.”
When Ezra opened the Book,
the people stood as one; and then--
as Ezra praised the great LORD God--
with hands raised high, they cried “Amen!”
So Ezra read to the assembled throng,
all who could understand.
He read from daybreak to noon,
the crowd attentive to each command.
Then all bowed down and worshipped God
with their faces to the ground.
And the Levites taught the Scriptures,
their instruction clear and sound.
.
Now, as they listened to the Law,
the people broke down in tears.
They realized they’d disobeyed
in ignorance all those years.
Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites said,
“Do not mourn or weep.
This day is sacred to the LORD.
We’ve a celebration to keep.”
The Ball/The Feast
I said, “Go enjoy choice food, sweet drinks,
share some with those in need.
The joy of the LORD is your strength;
this is a holiday indeed.”
Then all the crowd left to celebrate,
to feast and give gifts with great joy;
And so the poor also savored the fest–
for nobody’s gift was a toy!
The next day all the heads of families,
the Levites, and the priests
gathered around Ezra to hear the Law;
this wasn’t a day for feasts.
When they read of the Feast of Tabernacles,
to be celebrated that very week,
They broke a disobedience run,
a Joshua to Nehemiah streak.
To remind them of the wilderness journey,
they built booths, lived there the whole feast,
joyfully celebrating God’s faithful care,
from the highest to the least.
Day after day, one whole week,
Ezra read from the book of the Law.
And the people, gathered as prescribed,
listened those hours in awe.
The Fast
In two weeks all Judah assembled again,
held a solemn fast;
Standing three hours, they confessed their sins,
and their wicked fathers’ past.
They continued to stand, heard the law read
another quarter day,
then mourned all day in sackcloth and ashes
and worshiped God this way:
Up and down the platform stairs,
the Levites stood to loudly proclaim,
“Arise and praise the LORD your God,
who’s everlastingly the same.
We exalt your glorious name,
blessed Creator and giver of life;
You kept your promise, delivered us
from bondage, oppression strife.
“Our fathers rebelled, forsook your laws--
but you stayed faithful as you’d vowed;
Because of your great compassion
you led them by fire and cloud.
When they thirsted in the wilderness,
they forgot your mghty hand.
Then stiff-necked, they turned away,
refused to enter the Promised Land.
Since you're a forgiving God,
so gracious, compassionate, and kind,
slow to anger, abounding in love,
you didn’t call their sins to mind,
abandon them in the desert
when they worshiped the golden calf.
Awesome God, see our distress,
reach down in mercy on our behalf.”
The Wall Parade
To celebrate the dedication
of Jerusalem’s new wall,
the Levites were summoned to lead us
in a joy-filled day for all.
They called for songs of thanksgiving
with harps and cymbals and lyres.
I assigned Judah’s top officials
to follow two grand choirs.
They went to the top of the wall,
one to the left, one to the right,
with priests blowing their trumpets
and praising God with all their might.
With David’s musical instruments,
more Levites were close at hand.
They circled to the house of God,
and, united, took their stand.
They offered God great sacrifices,
and all the people rejoiced.
The sound was heard quite far away,
so greatly their joy was voiced.
We do not read that some complained,
“This worship is irreverent.
Stop this noise, and quiet doown.
You’re out of line; you must repent.”
The Last
Nehemiah, hero of faith,
at restoration, number one,.
fasted, worshiped, confessed and prayed
upholding truth till his job was done.
God blesses wholehearted obedience,
gives favor to those who honor His Word.
When you pray like Nehemiah prayed,
God promises you will be heard.
So remember, it’s not enough to just pray
but then do nothing more.
If God should burden your heart,
perhaps that’s what he put you here for.
God’s always seeking for those
who’ll faithfully stand in the gaps;
and where God leads, you will succeed,
avoiding the enemy’s traps.
--Mr. Bruce
The Fear of the Lord
A study by Bruce Van Antwerp beginning with Nehemiah & Ezra
The fear of the LORD is a very important topic, in Nehemiah
Nehemiah 5:9,15; 7:2
Also Ezra 9:4 Everyone who trembled at the words of God
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of Knowledge Pr.1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom Pr. 9:10, 15:33; Ps. 111:10
Contentment: Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. Pr. 15:16
Health: Humility + Fear of the LORD= Health Pr.3:7-8; 14:27; 19:23
Hope; Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Pr.23:17-18; 24:19-20; Ps. 37,73
To fear the LORD is to hate evil. Pr 8:13; 16:6
He whose walk is upright fears the LORD. Pr. 14:2,16
The LORD’S love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children Ps.103:17-18
The believer’s bond: I am a friend to all who fear you Ps. 61:5;119:63,74,79
He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. Pr. 14:26
;
Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD. Ps. 115:12-13; 128:1-4; 127:3-5; 107:41-43; Pr. 28:14; Deut. 6:1-9; 11:1,13-21,26-28;13:1-3; 26:16; Blessings for obedience: Deut. 28:1-14 vs. curses for disobedience: Deut. 28:15-48,58-64; Jer. 29:4-14
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