What is the historical background to this book?

Nehemiah Chapter One: WE HAVE NOT OBEYED

1. THE FALL OF SAMARIA AND JUDAH

• The deportation of the northern kingdom by the Assyrians in 721 B.C.

• The subsequent destruction and exile of the southern kingdom by the Babylonians in 587 B.C.

• Nehemiah himself was among the Jewish exiles living in the Persian capital of Susa.

2. THE RISE OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE

• The collapse of the Babylonian empire in 539 B.C.

• The Persian emperor during Nehemiah’s time was Artaxerxes I (465-424 B.C.)

3. THE RETURN OF THE JEWISH EXILES TO

ISRAEL• Zerubbabel led the first return in 536

B.C. and rebuilt the temple • Ezra the priest led the second return in

458 B.C. and rebuilt the people • Nehemiah led the third return in 444

B.C. and rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem

MESSAGE• What is a cupbearer? Nehemiah 1:11• A high and responsible position

requiring

- intellectual prowess

- administrative ability

- total trustworthiness.

A/ THE ADVERSE REPORT ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND THE WALL OF JERUSALEM

• Nehemiah enquired about his homeland from his visiting brother Hanani and other Jewish brethren (verse 2)

• The people and the wall of Jerusalem were in a sorry state of existence (verse 3)

B/ THE PERSONAL RESPONSE OF

NEHEMIAH TO THE DEPRESSING NEWS

• HOW DID NEHEMIAH RESPOND TO THE DEPRESSING SITUATION IN JERUSALEM?

Nehemiah took the following action steps:

1. wept and mourned (verse 4a)2. fasted and prayed (verse 4b)3. hatched a plan to rebuild the Jerusalem wall (verse 11a)

• What is the significance of Jerusalem wall?

WHAT KEY SPIRITUAL LESSONS CAN WE GLEAN FROM

NEHEMIAH’S ACTIONS: • Nehemiah’s proactive stance teaches

us to avoid the following pitfalls:

- Far easier to be negative than to be positive- Far easier to be critical than to be prayerful- Far easier to be detached than to be involved

• WHAT WAS THE UNDERLYLING CAUSE OF THE NATIONAL CALAMITY WHICH BEFELL JERUSALEM?

• Nehemiah correctly diagnosed the problem as being due to

- the sinful behaviour of God’s people (verse 7a)

- the willful disobedience to God’s commandments (verse 7b)