Studies of Courageous Saints in the Old Testament - Nehemiah, Sun/Wed Bi-monthly Series, Post 4, July 31, 2019

​Welcome, welcome, welcome my friends. 
​Let us start to study another book of the Holy Bible with another courageous man, Nehemiah, who God used in a powerful manner, just as He did with Joshua. [See the series in this room, from February 24, 2019 - June 19, 2019,]

For today, Wednesday, July 31, 2019, since your 'first read', Sunday, July 21, 2019, as we continue from Wednesday, July 24, 2019; Sunday, July 28, 2019, let's continue our study in 'Nehemiah' in more detail.  First some background information.  We will continue to post on a 'weekly' basis with this material.

“Historical and Theological Themes”: [audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html]

Careful attention to the reading of God’s Word in order to perform His will is a constant theme. [Remember Joshua 1:1-9 [audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html]

This is as true today for 'believers', as it was in Nehemiah's day.
[1 Corinthians 10:11; 2 Peter 2:6. [audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html] 

The spiritual revival came in response to Ezra’s reading of “the book of the law of Moses” (8:1). After the reading, Ezra and some of the priests carefully explained its meaning to the people in attendance (8:8). The next day, Ezra met with some of the fathers of the household, the priests, and Levites, in order to “gain insight into the words of the law” (8:13). The sacrificial system was carried on with careful attention to perform it “as it is written in the Law” (10:34, 36). So deep was their concern to abide by God’s revealed will that they took “a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law” (10:29). When the marriage reforms were carried out, they acted in accordance with that which “they read aloud from the book of Moses” (13:1).

Remember, 'faith comes by hearing; hearing by the Word of God, even today. And oh, my, the great success! [Romans 10:17-21 audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html] Why do we 'read' and study God's Word?

​A second major theme, the obedience of Nehemiah, is explicitly referred to throughout the book due to the fact that the book is based on the memoirs or first person accounts of Nehemiah. God worked through the obedience of Nehemiah; [James 1:22], however, He also worked through the wrongly-motivated, wicked hearts of His enemies. Nehemiah’s enemies failed, not so much as a result of the success of Nehemiah’s strategies, but because “God had frustrated their plan” (4:15, cf. Isaiah 54:17). God used the opposition of Judah’s enemies to drive His people to their knees in the same way that He used the favor of Cyrus to return His people to the Land. To fund their building project, and to even protect the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s walls, not surprisingly, Nehemiah acknowledge the true motive of his strategy to repopulate Jerusalem: “my God put it into my heart” (7:5). It was He who accomplished it. [audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html] 

[This is even true of - for the Passion and Crucifixion of Our Lord and Savior, is the perfect example.  The murder of Christ was an evil act, but through it God redeemed His elect and “disarmed the [demonic] powers and authorities” [Colossians 2:1, [audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html]. And, it was the High Priest Caiaphas who advised the Jews to do this.  As is often the case, [1 Corinthians 2:8], he was unawares that he was actually speaking 'prophetically' about the required 'redemption' Jesus was accomplishing, all in the 'Divine plan of the Father'; [Genesis 3:15], for whosoever would believe on Him. [Mark 14:32-42;Luke 22:39-46; John Chapter 3; 11:50; 18:14; Romans 8:26-29] For 'no one took Jesus' life, He 'freely laid it down and picked it back up, all in obedience to God's plan. [John 10:18]

Do linger in this section a while, my Friends. 

audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html

Another theme in Nehemiah, as in Ezra, is opposition. Judah’s enemies started rumors that God’s people had revolted against Persia. The goal was to intimidate Judah into forestalling reconstruction of the walls. In spite of opposition from without and heartbreaking corruption and dissension from within, Judah completed the walls of Jerusalem in only 52 days (6:15), experienced revival after the reading of the law by Ezra (8:1), and celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles (8:14; ca. 445 B.C.). [audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html] This is true for each of us today. [John 16:33]

The book’s detailed insight into the personal thoughts, motives and disappointments of Nehemiah makes it easy for the reader to primarily identify with him, rather than “the sovereign hand of God” theme and the primary message of His control and intervention into the affairs of His people and their enemies. But the exemplary behavior of the famous cupbearer is eclipsed by God who orchestrated the reconstruction of the walls in spite of much opposition and many setbacks; the “good hand of God” theme carries through the book of Nehemiah (1:10; 2:8, 18).  [audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html[

We shall continue with more on the 'the themes' on our Post 5, Sunday August 4, 2019.  Thank you for returning. 

Take you time and glance through the Book of Ezra [audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html] as well as Esther, as well.  [audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html[  You will get a better understanding as we discuss the 'final touches' through 'Nehemiah'.  Amen. Amen. audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html.  Amen. Amen.

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