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Nehemiah 2:1-8Page 404 in Pew Bibles

Nehemiah 2:1-8Nehemiah 2:1-81.During the month of Nisan in the

twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence,

2. so the king said to me, "Why are you sad, when you aren't sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." I was overwhelmed with fear

3.and replied to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

4.Then the king asked me, "What is your request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven

5.and answered the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah

and to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I may rebuild it."

6.The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you return?" So I gave him a definite time, and it pleased the king to send me.

7. I also said to the king: "If it pleases the king, let me have letters written to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah.

8.And let me have a letter written to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuild the gates of the temple's fortress, the city wall, and the home where I will live." The king granted my requests, for I was graciously strengthened by my God.

Rebuilding Broken LivesRebuilding Broken Lives

Nehemiah 2:1-8

• Babylonian Exile, 70 years: in punishment for sins of Judah.

• Jeremiah had predicted a 70-year exile (Jeremiah 25)

• Temple was destroyed in 586 BC and was rebuilt in 516 BC.

• The people were carried into exile in several waves and Jews returned to Jerusalem in several waves.

• A wave of Jews returned home with Ezra in 457 BC

• Nehemiah comes to rebuild walls: 444 BC

Quick HistoryQuick History

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NehemiahNehemiah

• Was the key agent for rebuilding walls of Jerusalem

• Was one of the key leaders in rebuilding the spiritual life of the people.

• Gives us a pattern for rebuilding our personal lives and helping others in rebuilding theirs’.

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Six Steps to Six Steps to Getting StartedGetting Started

1. Preparation1. Preparation• PrayerPrayer

– 1:4 “When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

– 1:1 “During the month of Chislev [November-December] in the twentieth year”

– 2:1 “During the month of Nisan [March-April; thus, 4 months] in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes”

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1. Preparation1. Preparation

• PlanningPlanning– Vs. 6 The king… asked me, "How

long will your journey take, and when will you return?" So I gave him a definite timedefinite time…

– When the opportunity came, Nehemiah was prepared

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1. Preparation1. Preparation●● PlanningPlanning

– Vs. 7 I also said to the king: "If it pleases the king, let me have lettersletters written to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that they will grant grant me safe passageme safe passage until I reach Judah.

– VS. 8 And let me have a letter written to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuildtimber to rebuild the gates of the temple's fortress, the city wall, andand the home where I will livethe home where I will live."

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2. Authorization2. Authorization

• God opens doorsGod opens doors• Proverbs 21:1: “A king’s heart is a water

channel in the Lord’s hand: He directs it wherever He chooses.”

• Vs. 6 “The king, with the queen seated with the queen seated beside himbeside him, asked me…”

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2. Authorization2. Authorization

• The King SaidThe King Said– Vs. 1-2 “I had never been sad in his

presence, so the king said to me, ‘Why are you sad, when you aren't sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.’ I was overwhelmed with fear…”

• The King AskedThe King Asked– Vs. 4 “Then the king asked me, ‘What

is your request?’”

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2. Authorization2. Authorization

• The King AskedThe King Asked– Vs. 6 “The king, with the queen seated

beside him, asked me, ‘How long will your journey take, and when will you return?’”

• The King GrantedThe King Granted– Vs. 8 “The king granted my requests,

for I was graciously strengthened by my God.”

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3. Examination3. Examination• Vs. 12-13 “I got up at night and took a

few men with me. I didn't tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the one I was riding. I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent's Well and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.”

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3. Examination3. Examination• Vs. 12-13 “I got up at night and took a

few men with me. I didn't tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the one I was riding. I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent's Well and the Dung Gate, and I inspectedinspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.”

. > Medical term for probing a wound to see the extent of damage

4. Recommendation4. Recommendation• Appropriate PersuasionAppropriate Persuasion1. Give an Honest Appraisal

– Vs. 17 “So I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned down.’”

2. Envision the Results– Vs. 17 “’Come, let's rebuild

Jerusalem's wall, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.’”

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4. Recommendation4. Recommendation●● Appropriate PersuasionAppropriate Persuasion

3. Testify of God’s Involvement– Vs. 18 “I told them how the gracious

hand of my God had been on me, and what the king had said to me.”

4. Invite Them to Join You in Action– Vs. 17 “Come, let's rebuild

Jerusalem's wall”

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4. Recommendation4. Recommendation●● Appropriate PersuasionAppropriate Persuasion

5. Give them space to determine their own response

– Vs. 18 “They said, ‘Let's start rebuilding,’ and they were encouraged to do this good work.”

– KJV: “And they said, ‘Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.’”

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Nehemiah 2:9-Nehemiah 2:9-20209. I went to the governors of the region

west of the Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me.

10. When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.

11. After I arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days,

12. I got up at night and took a few men with me. I didn't tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the one I was riding.

13. I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent's Well and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been

broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.

14. I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but farther down it became too narrow for my animal to go through.

15. So I went up at night by way of the valley and inspected the wall. Then heading back, I entered through the Valley Gate and returned.

16. The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews, priests, nobles, officials, or the rest of those who would be doing the work.

17. So I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned down. Come, let's rebuild Jerusalem's wall, so that we will no longer be a disgrace."

18. I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me, and what the king had said to me. They said, "Let's start rebuilding," and they were encouraged to do this good work.

19. When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, "What is this you're doing? Are you rebelling against the king?"

20. I gave them this reply, "The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem."

5. Confrontation5. Confrontation• Vs. 10 “When Sanballat the Horonite

and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.”

• Sanballat:Sanballat: Akkadian name: “ Sin has given life” Sin=Moon god, not our word for doing wrong. His sons had Jewish names. Sanballat was governor of Samaria

• Tobiah:Tobiah: had a Jewish name, was governor of the Ammonites (present Jordan)

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5. Confrontation5. Confrontation• Geshem the Arab:Geshem the Arab: He may well have been

in charge of a powerful north Arabian confederacy that controlled vast areas from northeastern Egypt to northern Arabia and southern Palestine. He may have been opposed to Nehemiah’s independent domain out of fear that it would interfere with his own lucrative trade in myrrh and frankincense.

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5. Confrontation5. Confrontation

• Vs. 10 “When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to seek the someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israeliteswell-being of the Israelites, they were greatly displeasedgreatly displeased.”

• Notice the depth of their animosity.Notice the depth of their animosity.• Genesis 3:15 “I will put hostility

between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed.”

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5. Confrontation5. Confrontation• Vs. 19 “When Sanballat the Horonite,

Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised usmocked and despised us, and said, ‘What is this you're doing? Are you rebelling against the king?’”

• Notice their mockeryNotice their mockery• Nehemiah had urged the people to

rebuild so we will “no longer be a disgrace, a mockery, something to be derided”.

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5. Confrontation5. Confrontation• Vs. 19 “When Sanballat the Horonite,

Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, ‘What is this you're doing? Are What is this you're doing? Are you rebelling against the king?you rebelling against the king?’”

• Notice their accusations & implicationsNotice their accusations & implications• In verse 18 they heard about the

authorization Nehemiah had from King Artexerxes himself, with the letters to & military escort to prove it. They’re lying!

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5. Confrontation5. Confrontation

• A Christian that says he is one who is– completely fearless,– continually cheerful,– and constantly in trouble!

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6. Determination6. Determination• Vs. 20 “I gave them this reply, ‘The God

of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.’”

• A Clear DistinctionA Clear Distinction– “We His servants” / “You have no share,

right or historic claim”

• A Definite Focus of TrustA Definite Focus of Trust– “The God of Heaven… will grant us

success”. .

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