Lessons from Nehemiah, Parts 3 and 4

The conclusion of our series on Lessons from Nehemiah by Bob Jamison, Director of Family Guidance, Inc.

Review of last week’s class (10/31):

When the Israelites are half-done with the wall, they get discouraged. There is opposition. The builders need armed guards to protect against immanent attack. It is a lesson of perseverance.

Today (11/7) we read Chapter 8, in which.....

The people assembled before the Water Gate. Ezra the priest brought the Book of Moses and read it aloud. The people bowed down and worshipped God. The Levites explained the Book of Moses to the people. All the people had been weeping as it was read. But Nehemiah said, “Let’s party! Be joyful!” They built booths to celebrate the holy day of the 7th month, as the Book of Moses instructed them to do.

This generation of Israelites had never heard the Book of Moses. A modern equivalent – when the Soviet Union lost control over Eastern Europe – the Eastern Europeans were getting their identity back, but it had been several generations since the people had lived with that identity.

Another example - Richard Wurmbrand was a Romanian pastor during the Soviet occupation of Romania. (see also Voice of the Martyrs) The Soviets suppressed Christianity but Wurmbrand shared the gospel with a soldier who became a Christian after hearing the gospel for the very first time.

How do the people respond to the word of God?

- they regard the word of God as holy.

- they weep when they hear it.

- they bow down and worship God.

- they do what the law says – instant obedience.

- they remember the time when they were lived in tents and were protected only by God (just at the moment when they have finished building their wall of protection)

Why are the people weeping?

- Maybe they are feeling the conviction of their own sin. This is the first step of turning back to God.

- Maybe they are feeling let down now that all the work is done.

- They recognize God’s faithfulness to them and see that God would have taken care of them, if only they had turned to God.

Why should they celebrate? Nehemiah says, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

The people of Israel realize that God is giving them himself – he is restoring the covenant, restoring their relationship with God. God gave the people so much more than just a wall.

Bob told us the story of Duncan Campbell, a man who went to the Hebrides Islands to revive the church there.

In conclusion, our pastor urges us to read Nehemiah Chapter 9, which summarizes the Old Testament in one chapter. It’s like “The Old Testament for Idiots.”