NEHEMIAH
OBSERVATION:
NEHEMIAH (THE LORD’S COMFORT) WAS A VISIONARY LEADER AND ESTABLISHED VISION TO THOSE WHO TRUSTED HIM. HE WAS ALSO A POWERFUL MAN OF PRAYER, A SHAKER AND MOVER FOR GOD. KEY PLAYERS IN THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH ARE ARTAXERXES A PERSIAN KING WHO GAVE NEHEMIAH PERMISSION TO REBUILD THE BROKEN DOWN WALLS OF THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. SANBALLAT, A PAGAN, WHO OPPOSED RESTORING THE WALLS AND EZRA A JUDAIC PRIEST WHO RESTORED JEWISH WORSHIP. THE RESTORATION WAS FINISHED AROUND 516 B.C.
INTERPRETATION:
READ NEHEMIAH 13: 30-31
POINTS TO PONDER:
NEHEMIAH’S REBUILDING OF THE BROKEN DOWN WALLS AROUND THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM WAS STELLAR. HE WAS ALSO STELLAR IN CORRECTING CORRUPT, INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS AMONG THE JEWS.
HE WANTED HIS PEOPLE TO BE STRONG, SAFE AND SECURE. HE ADDRESSED UNGODLY INTERMARRIAGES WITH PAGAN WOMEN (NEHEMIAH 10:30), BUYING AND SELLING ON THE SABBATH (NEHEMIAH 10: 31), SUPPORT FOR THE WORK OF GOD WITH MONEY (NEHEMIAH 10: 32-39). UNFORTUNATELY, ISRAEL REVERTED TO ITS PREVIOUS ACTIVITIES SOME FIFTEEN YEARS LATER (NEHEMIAH CHAPTER 13).
APPLICATION:
JESUS UPON ENTERING THE SYNAGOGUE AT NAZARETH DEFINED THE WORK OF THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH IS TO PREACH THE GOSPEL, BUILD UP BROKEN DOWN LIVES, SET THE CAPTIVE FREE FROM SIN, FREE CAPTIVES FROM OPPRESSION AND PREACH THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD. READ LUKE 4: 18-19.
