INTRO:

• Chapters 1-6 focuses on God’s work through Nehemiah and the people to rebuild the Jerusalem walls.
• Chapters 7-13 focuses on the work of God in the hearts of the people.

RECAP:

• Nehemiah was called to restore a community of people whose hearts were given over to Yahweh living in the land… loving and obeying and worshipping the Lord… demonstrating and declaring God’s goodness to the nations around them… waiting expectantly for the promise of the return of the Messiah.

#1) REORGANIZATION (Chapter 7)

Observation #1: Repopulation

• So if Jerusalem was going to be a city that would radiate the Glory of God, it would need to be filled with people devoted to Him.

Observation #2: 1st Round Draft ‘Early Birds’

• Nehemiah was not interested in repopulating Jerusalem with just anyone, especially not with those who had allegiance to false gods. He wanted people who had passion for the Lord’s honor and His people.

Observation #3: Reactivation of Roles

• Jeremiah understood that for the city to become what God wanted, it needed the right people that can contribute to the Lord’s honor.

#2) GOD’S WORD (Chapter 8)

Observation #1: Hunger

• These people were taking in the Word, meditating in it, completely invested in it.

Observation #2: Understanding

• When we understand what we are reading, it will transform us… it will have an impression on you. You will have a reaction.

Observation #3: Response

• We are called to respond to His Word.

Observation #4: ‘Not Today’

• When redemption is here we don’t need to stay in mourn because God turns our mourn into joy.

Observation #5: Dependent

The Feast of Booths/Tabernacles

            (1) A reminder that we needed to depend on Him.

            (2) A healthy perspective on what to set their eyes on.

            (3) Strengthened their identity as one nation.

Observation #6: Obedience

• They Heard the Word. They Believed the Word. They Obeyed the Word.

#3) REPENTANCE (Chapter 9)

Observation #1: Corporate Confession

Nehemiah 9:1-3 ESV

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with earth on their heads. And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped the LORD their God.

Observation #2: Levites Lead

Nehemiah 9:4 ESV

On the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani; and they cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God.

Nehemiah 9:5 ESV

Then the Levites… said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

Observation #3: Worship in Prayer

Nehemiah 9:6 ESV

“You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.

Observation #4: Comparison

Nehemiah 9:16-17 ESV

“But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments. They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

• In verses 6-15, we are reminded of what God has done.
• In verses 16-31, we are reminded of what God’s people had done.
• Comparing ourselves to God is the only righteous comparison. Comparing ourselves to one another is a sin.
• Verse 25b says, “…So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness.”

Observation #5: Idolatry

• There was a huge focus on idolatry when it came to the corporate sin. (V. 18 — the golden calf)
• Whoever is first in your life, is your idol.

Mark 12:30 ESV

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

Exodus 20:1-6 ESV

And God spoke all these words, saying,

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

• Idolatry is spiritual adultery.

Observation #6: Request (v. 32-38)

Nehemiah 9:38 ESV

“Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.

#4) COVENANT (Chapter 10)

• Covenant = Two or more people establish a bound to each other.

Observation #1: Sealed

• Verse 1-27, begins with seals of the leaders, levites, and priests.
• In Verse 28-29a, the rest of God’s children joined the covenant.

Observation #2: Renewal

• In Verses 29b-39, we see the details of the covenant.

Nehemiah 10:29b ESV

… and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and his rules and his statutes.

The covenant renewal has two main focuses:

(1) Obedience to God’s Law & Commandments (v.29b-31)

(2) Not Neglect God’s House (v.32-39)

Nehemiah 10:39b ESV

… We will not neglect the house of our God.”

CONCLUSION

So what can we learn from Nehemiah in these two chapters 9-10?

(1) Put God First.

(2) Don’t Neglect His House.

Matthew 6:33 NKJV

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.