Rebuilding

Lessons From Nehemiah

What Do These Things Have in Common?

• Pentagon after 9/11?

• Iraq/Afghanistan?

• Much of the Gulf Coast?

• New Orleans?

• Our economy?

All Need to Be Rebuilt!

Many Things Can Benefit From Being Rebuilt

• Towns, homes

• Engines, sport teams

• Lives, families

• Local churches

Require Skillful Rebuilding

NehemiahRebuilding the Walls

To Rebuild Successfully, We Need…

• Good leadership

• People who are willing to work

• Willingness to battle persistent enemies

• Ability to overcome discouragement

• Reverence for God and His Word

• To be serious about repentance

• Devotion to prayer

Nehemiah’s Background

• One of the last OT books written; the last historical.• Written 141 years after the Babylonians destroyed

Jerusalem (586—445 B.C.)• Two separate groups returned after the captivity.– Group led by Zerubbabel– Group led by Ezra

• The temple was not rebuilt until the remnant had been back for 21 years!

• Moral and spiritual conditions were far from satisfactory.

• The walls still were not repaired; Jerusalem was still vulnerable.

• Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer.• He left Persia to return to Jerusalem

and help rebuild the city.• Helped lead the religious restoration• Ezra—Restoration• Nehemiah—Reconstruction• Esther—Preservation

Nehemiah’s Background

• 1:1-4—1:1-4—Received bad news; his heart was broken.

• 2:17-20—2:17-20—The people responded.

• 4:1-8—4:1-8—Enemies tried to stop the work from progressing.

• 5:6,7—5:6,7—There were problems among God’s people.

Overview of Nehemiah

• 6:15,16—6:15,16—Enemies tried new tactics; people resolved to continue the work.

• 7:1ff—7:1ff—People organized.

• 8:1-3—8:1-3—People complete the walls and open their hearts to the Law.

• 9:1-38—9:1-38—Confession and prayer

Overview of Nehemiah

Keys to Successful Rebuilding

• Someone has to care enough to get involved, take risks, and start things.

• Taking an honest and accurate appraisal of the situation.

• Those who have ownership must have minds to work.

• Be prepared for intense opposition.

• Keep your mind and focus on the goal, in spite of the conflicts.

• Be loyal to God.

• Pray, pray, and pray again!!

Keys to Successful Rebuilding

Things That Changed

• The people learned things they had not previously known.

• They began to work together.• They signed their names to a covenant,

promising to obey the Law.• They contributed money to the project; people

moved back to repopulate Jerusalem.• Problems (Sabbath violations, etc.) were

addressed and corrected.

Are there things in your life that show signs of neglect,

abandonment, or destruction?

MarriageFamilySpiritual lifeCongregation

Nehemiah can help

you!