Nehemiah

• Cup Bearer to the King
• Rusty’s DISC
• Current situation between Israel & Iran

 
586 BC – King Nebuchadnezzar came in, destroyed the Temple at Jerusalem, and took the Israelites into Babylonian captivity.
 
Artaxerxes I (465-424 BCE): Artaxerxes is the king mentioned in the Book of Ezra who allows Ezra to return to Jerusalem to teach the Law and implement reforms (Ezra 7:1-28).

• He is also the king during Nehemiah's time, who permits Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city's walls (Nehemiah 2:1-8).
• In Judah, the Jews did not continue to fortify Jerusalem.
• The years of history that this book covers are 445-431 B.C., or perhaps a few years after that.

 
NEHEMIAH 1
1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah:
 
NEWS FROM JERUSALEM
During the month of Chislev in the twentieth year, when I was in the fortress city of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile. 3 They said to me, “The remnant in the province, who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned.”
 
NEHEMIAH’S PRAYER
4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens. 5 I said,
Lord, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands, 6 let your eyes be open and your ears be attentive to hear your servant’s prayer that I now pray to you day and night for your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins we have committed against you. Both I and my father’s family have sinned. 7 We have acted corruptly toward you and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances you gave your servant Moses. 8 Please remember what you commanded your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. 9 But if you return to me and carefully observe my commands, even though your exiles were banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have my name dwell.” 10 They are your servants and your people. You redeemed them by your great power and strong hand. 11 Please, Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to that of your servants who delight to revere your name. Give your servant success today, and grant him compassion in the presence of this man.
At the time, I was the king’s cupbearer.
 
NEHEMIAH SENT TO JERUSALEM
NEHEMIAH 2
1 During the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, 2 so the king said to me, “Why do you look so sad, when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was overwhelmed with fear 3 and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
4 Then the king asked me, “What is your request?”
So I prayed to the God of the heavens 5 and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I may rebuild it.”
6 The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So I gave him a definite time, and it pleased the king to send me.
7 I also said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let me have letters written to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah. 8 And let me have a letter written to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuild the gates of the temple’s fortress, the city wall, and the home where I will live.”, The king granted my requests, for the gracious hand of my God was on me.
9 I went to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to pursue the prosperity of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.
 
PREPARING TO REBUILD THE WALLS
11 After I arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days, 12 I got up at night and took a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the one I was riding. 13 I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent’s Well and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14 I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but farther down it became too narrow for my animal to go through. 15 So I went up at night by way of the valley and inspected the wall. Then heading back, I entered through the Valley Gate and returned.

• Perhaps Nehemiah only surveyed the southern parts of Jerusalem's wall because those were the only sections still standing.

16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, for I had not yet told the Jews, priests, nobles, officials, or the rest of those who would be doing the work. 17 So I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been burned. Come, let’s rebuild Jerusalem’s wall, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.” 18 I told them how the gracious hand of my God had been on me, and what the king had said to me.
They said, “Let’s start rebuilding,” and their hands were strengthened to do this good work.
19 When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
20 I gave them this reply, “The God of the heavens is the one who will grant us success. We, his servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”[1]
 
[1] He established a reasonable and attainable goal.
[2] He had a sense of mission.
[3] He was willing to get involved.
[4] He rearranged his priorities in order to accomplish his goal.
[5] He patiently waited for God's timing.
[6] He showed respect to his superior.
[7] He prayed at crucial times.
[8] He made his request with tact and graciousness.
[9] He was well prepared and thought of his needs in advance.
[10] He went through proper channels.
[11] He took time (three days) to rest, pray, and plan.
[12] He investigated the situation firsthand.
[13] He informed others only after he knew the size of the problem.
[14] He identified himself as one with the people.
[15] He set before them a reasonable and attainable goal.
[16] He assured them God was in the project.
[17] He displayed self-confidence in facing obstacles.
[18] He displayed God's confidence in facing obstacles.
[19] He did not argue with opponents.
[20] He was not discouraged by opposition.
[21] He courageously used the authority of his position.

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ne 1–2:20.

586 BC – King Nebuchadnezzar came in, destroyed the Temple at Jerusalem, and took the Israelites into Babylonian captivity.
 
Artaxerxes I (465-424 BCE): Artaxerxes is the king mentioned in the Book of Ezra who allows Ezra to return to Jerusalem to teach the Law and implement reforms (Ezra 7:1-28).

• He is also the king during Nehemiah's time, who permits Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city's walls (Nehemiah 2:1-8).

 

• A period of 58 years separates Ezra 6 from Ezra 7 (515-458 B.C.). During this time, the events in the Book of Esther took place in Persia and, specifically, in Susa, one of the Persian capitals.
• In Judah, the Jews did not continue to fortify Jerusalem.
• They were content to worship at the temple.
• Their earlier zeal to return to the Mosaic Law, which included separation from non-Jews, waned.
• Over this 58-year period, some of them intermarried with unbelieving Gentiles (9:1-2).
• Evidently, the Levites neglected the teaching of the Law (7:25; cf. Neh. 8:1-12), and temple worship became more formal than heartfelt (7:23).

 
EZRA’S ARRIVAL
EZRA 7
1 After these events, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra--

• In Jerusalem, Ezra's ministry consisted primarily of leading the people to return to observance of their Law.
• Since his time, the Jews have regarded Ezra as a second Moses, because he re-established Israel on the Mosaic Law.

Seraiah’s son, Azariah’s son,
Hilkiah’s son, 2 Shallum’s son,
Zadok’s son, Ahitub’s son,
3 Amariah’s son, Azariah’s son,
Meraioth’s son, 4 Zerahiah’s son,
Uzzi’s son, Bukki’s son,
5 Abishua’s son, Phinehas’s son,
Eleazar’s son, the chief priest Aaron’s son
6 —came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he requested because the hand of the Lord his God was on him. 7 Some of the Israelites, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants accompanied him to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
8 Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, during the seventh year of the king. 9 He began the journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month since the gracious hand of his God was on him.

• Ezra and his companions left Babylon in the spring of 458 B.C.
• Ezra and his fellow travelers completed their 900-mile journey exactly four months later because of God's enablement.[

10 Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

• Ezra's resolve provides an excellent example for every believer.
• He first proposed to study the Law of God, then to apply that teaching to his own life, and then to teach others the revealed will of God.
• This was the key to Ezra's impact.
• He is a model reformer in that what he taught he had first lived, and what he lived he had first made sure of in the Scriptures.

 
LETTER FROM ARTAXERXES
11 This is the text of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, an expert in matters of the Lord’s commands and statutes for Israel:

•  Ezra held a position in the Persian court equivalent to Secretary of State for Jewish Affairs.
• Artaxerxes gave any of the Jews in his kingdom permission to return to the Promised Land, if they chose to do so.

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens:
Greetings.
13 I issue a decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including their priests and Levites, who want to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14 You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your possession. 15 You are also to bring the silver and gold the king and his counselors have willingly given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 and all the silver and gold you receive throughout the province of Babylon, together with the freewill offerings given by the people and the priests to the house of their God in Jerusalem. 17 Then you are to be diligent to buy with this money bulls, rams, and lambs, along with their grain and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem. 18 You may do whatever seems best to you and your brothers with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God. 19 Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles given to you for the service of the house of your God. 20 You may use the royal treasury to pay for anything else needed for the house of your God.
21 I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers in the region west of the Euphrates River:
Whatever Ezra the priest, an expert in the law of the God of the heavens, asks of you must be provided in full, 22 up to 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of oil, and salt without limit. 23 Whatever is commanded by the God of the heavens must be done diligently for the house of the God of the heavens, so that wrath will not fall on the realm of the king and his sons. 24 Be advised that you do not have authority to impose tribute, duty, and land tax on any priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

• And he allowed the temple personnel to be tax-free.
• All this was to be done "diligently" and "with zeal".

25 And you, Ezra, according to God’s wisdom that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the region west of the Euphrates who know the laws of your God and to teach anyone who does not know them. 26 Anyone who does not keep the law of your God and the law of the king, let the appropriate judgment be executed against him, whether death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s mind to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, 28 and who has shown favor to me before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officers. So I took courage because I was strengthened by the hand of the Lord my God, and I gathered Israelite leaders to return with me.[1]
 

• Artaxerxes' decisions were influenced by a combination of respect for the Jewish people's religious traditions, the desire for political stability, and trust in the leadership abilities of Ezra and Nehemiah.

 
THOSE RETURNING WITH EZRA
EZRA 8
1 These are the family heads and the genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:

• 2-14 lists all the people and their descendants who returned to Israel with Ezra.
• Seems as if Ezra is writing in first person now.

15 I gathered them at the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there for three days. I searched among the people and priests, but found no Levites there.

• No Levites had volunteered to return to Judah.
• In view of his plans for the restoration, Ezra needed more Levites than those already in Judah.
• Ezra gathered leaders and sent them to Casiphia where he knew there were temple servants.
• 250+ Levite men came to Ezra.

 
PREPARING TO RETURN
21 I proclaimed a fast by the Ahava River, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us, our dependents, and all our possessions.

• Fasting in the New Covenant is a personal decision that can be used to refocus on Christ and His grace.
• It is not a requirement or a means to gain spiritual merit, but rather an opportunity to remember and celebrate the freedom and blessings we have in Jesus.

22 I did this because I was ashamed to ask the king for infantry and cavalry to protect us from enemies during the journey, since we had told him, “The hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his fierce anger is against all who abandon him.” 23 So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and he was receptive to our prayer.
24 I selected twelve of the leading priests, along with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers. 25 I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the articles—the contribution for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites who were present had offered. 26 I weighed out to them 24 tons of silver, silver articles weighing 7,500 pounds, 7,500 pounds of gold, 27 twenty gold bowls worth a thousand gold coins, and two articles of fine gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold. 28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, and the articles are holy. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your ancestors. 29 Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the Lord’s house before the leading priests, Levites, and heads of the Israelite families in Jerusalem.” 30 So the priests and Levites took charge of the silver, the gold, and the articles that had been weighed out, to bring them to the house of our God in Jerusalem.
 
ARRIVAL IN JERUSALEM
31 We set out from the Ahava River on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. We were strengthened by our God, and he kept us from the grasp of the enemy and from ambush along the way. 32 So we arrived at Jerusalem and rested there for three days. 33 On the fourth day the silver, the gold, and the articles were weighed out in the house of our God into the care of the priest Meremoth son of Uriah. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him. The Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui were also with them. 34 Everything was verified by number and weight, and the total weight was recorded at that time.
35 The exiles who had returned from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, and seventy-seven lambs, along with twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering for the Lord. 36 They also delivered the king’s edicts to the royal satraps and governors of the region west of the Euphrates, so that they would support the people and the house of God.[2]
 
ISRAEL’S INTERMARRIAGE
EZRA 9
1 After these things had been done, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the surrounding peoples whose detestable practices are like those of the Canaanites, Hethites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. 2 Indeed, the Israelite men have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has become mixed with the surrounding peoples. The leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”

• The Mosaic Law strictly forbade intermarriage with the native Canaanites (Exod. 34:11-16; Deut. 7:1-5; cf. Lev. 18:3).

3 When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and robe, pulled out some of the hair from my head and beard, and sat down devastated.
 
EZRA’S CONFESSION
4 Everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me, because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, while I sat devastated until the evening offering. 5 At the evening offering, I got up from my time of humiliation, with my tunic and robe torn. Then I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God. 6 And I said:
My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face toward you, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt is as high as the heavens. 7 Our guilt has been terrible from the days of our ancestors until the present. Because of our iniquities we have been handed over, along with our kings and priests, to the surrounding kings, and to the sword, captivity, plundering, and open shame, as it is today. 8 But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from the Lord our God to preserve a remnant for us and give us a stake in his holy place. Even in our slavery, God has given us a little relief and light to our eyes. 9 Though we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us in the presence of the Persian kings, giving us relief, so that we can rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
10 Now, our God, what can we say in light of this? For we have abandoned the commands 11 you gave through your servants the prophets, saying, “The land you are entering to possess is an impure land. The surrounding peoples have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness by their impurity and detestable practices. 12 So do not give your daughters to their sons in marriage or take their daughters for your sons. Never pursue their welfare or prosperity, so that you will be strong, eat the good things of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.” 13 After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and terrible guilt—though you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have allowed us to survive,--14 should we break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit these detestable practices? Wouldn’t you become so angry with us that you would destroy us, leaving neither remnant nor survivor? 15 Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we survive as a remnant today. Here we are before you with our guilt, though no one can stand in your presence because of this.[3]

• Ezra's prayer contains four primary characteristics: solidarity, confession, readiness to change, and faith in God's mercy.

 
SENDING AWAY FOREIGN WIVES
EZRA 10
1 While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, an extremely large assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly. 2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, responded to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples, but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 Therefore, let’s make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the law. 4 Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we support you. Be strong and take action!”

• Even today, some Jewish leaders view intermarriage with non-Jews as the significant threat to the continuation of Judaism:
• Therefore, the greatest danger to Jewish survival outside Israel today is not anti-Semitism but assimilation, epitomized by the threat of intermarriage.

5 Then Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said; so they took the oath. 6 Ezra then went from the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night. He did not eat food or drink water, because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
7 They circulated a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather at Jerusalem. 8 Whoever did not come within three days would forfeit all his possessions, according to the decision of the leaders and elders, and would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.
9 So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. 10 Then the priest Ezra stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. 11 Therefore, make a confession to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the surrounding peoples and your foreign wives.”
12 Then all the assembly responded loudly, “Yes, we will do as you say! 13 But there are many people, and it is the rainy season. We don’t have the stamina to stay out in the open. This isn’t something that can be done in a day or two, for we have rebelled terribly in this matter. 14 Let our leaders represent the entire assembly. Then let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each town, in order to avert the fierce anger of our God concerning this matter.” 15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.
16 The exiles did what had been proposed. The priest Ezra selected men who were family heads, all identified by name, to represent their ancestral families. They convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter, 17 and by the first day of the first month they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.
 
THOSE MARRIED TO FOREIGN WIVES
18 The following were found to have married foreign women from the descendants of the priests:
from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 They pledged to send their wives away, and being guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their guilt;
20 Hanani and Zebadiah from Immer’s descendants;
21 Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from Harim’s descendants;
22 Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from Pashhur’s descendants.
23 The Levites:
Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 The singers:
Eliashib.
The gatekeepers:
Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 The Israelites:
Parosh’s descendants: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah;
26 Elam’s descendants: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah;
27 Zattu’s descendants: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;
28 Bebai’s descendants: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
29 Bani’s descendants: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth;
30 Pahath-moab’s descendants: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;
31 Harim’s descendants: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;
33 Hashum’s descendants: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei;
34 Bani’s descendants: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu, 38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph;
43 Nebo’s descendants: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All of these had married foreign women, and some of the wives had given birth to children.[4]
 

• Ezra then returned to Babylonia, where tradition said he died and where his alleged tomb may still be visited.
• The Book of Ezra-Nehemiah presents Ezra as a strong personality.

He did not emphasize the law as an end in itself; instead, he was convinced that the covenant community needed to return to God by taking seriously his revelation and applying it to every aspect of life.

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 7:1–28.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 8:1–36.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 9:1–15.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 10:1–44.

Books of the Bible

• 5-12-5-5-12    4-1-21-1

 
586 BC – King Nebuchadnezzar came in, destroyed the Temple at Jerusalem, and took the Israelites into Babylonian captivity.
 
Cyrus the Great (559-530 BCE): Cyrus is the Persian king who conquered Babylon in 539 BCE and issued a decree in 538 BCE allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (Ezra 1:1-4).

• This marked the end of the Babylonian Captivity.

 
Cambyses II (530-522 BCE): Although not mentioned in the Bible, Cambyses was Cyrus's successor.

• His reign is a transitional period between Cyrus and Darius.

 
Darius I (522-486 BCE): Darius is mentioned in the Book of Ezra as the king who confirmed the decree of Cyrus and supported the completion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

• The temple was completed in the sixth year of Darius's reign, around 516 BCE (Ezra 6:1-15).

 
Xerxes I (486-465 BCE): Known as Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther, Xerxes is the king during whose reign the events of Esther take place.

• Esther becomes queen, and through her courage, she saves the Jewish people from Haman's plot to annihilate them (Esther 1:1, 2:16-17).

 
Artaxerxes I (465-424 BCE): Artaxerxes is the king mentioned in the Book of Ezra who allows Ezra to return to Jerusalem to teach the Law and implement reforms (Ezra 7:1-28).

• He is also the king during Nehemiah's time, who permits Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city's walls (Nehemiah 2:1-8).

 
THE DECREE OF CYRUS
EZRA 1
1 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah, the Lord roused the spirit of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation throughout his entire kingdom and to put it in writing:
2 This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Any of his people among you, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 Let every survivor, wherever he resides, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.”
 
RETURN FROM EXILE
5 So the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone whose spirit God had roused—prepared to go up and rebuild the Lord’s house in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors supported them, with silver articles, gold, goods, livestock, and valuables, in addition to all that was given as a freewill offering. 7 King Cyrus also brought out the articles of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and had placed in the house of his gods. 8 King Cyrus of Persia had them brought out under the supervision of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 This was the inventory:
30 gold basins, 1,000 silver basins,
29 silver knives, 10 30 gold bowls,
410 various silver bowls, and 1,000 other articles.
11 The gold and silver articles totaled 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought all of them when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.[1]
 
THE EXILES WHO RETURNED
EZRA 2
1 These now are the people of the province who came from those captive exiles King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had deported to Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah… [2]

• List of descendants

 
64 The whole combined assembly numbered
 
         42,360
 

65 not including their 7,337 male and female servants,
and their 200 male and female singers.
66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,
67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
 
GIFTS FOR THE WORK
68 After they arrived at the Lord’s house in Jerusalem, some of the family heads gave freewill offerings for the house of God in order to have it rebuilt on its original  site. 69 Based on what they could give, they gave 61,000 gold coins, 6,250 pounds of silver, and 100 priestly garments to the treasury for the project. 70 The priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and some of the people settled in their towns, and the rest of Israel settled in their towns.[3]
 
SACRIFICE RESTORED
EZRA 3
1 When the seventh month arrived, and the Israelites were in their towns, the people gathered as one in Jerusalem. 2 Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his brothers began to build the altar of Israel’s God in order to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God. 3 They set up the altar on its foundation and offered burnt offerings for the morning and evening on it to the Lord even though they feared the surrounding peoples. 4 They celebrated the Festival of Shelters as prescribed, and offered burnt offerings each day, based on the number specified by ordinance for each festival day. 5 After that, they offered the regular burnt offering and the offerings for the beginning of each month, and for all the Lord’s appointed holy occasions, as well as the freewill offerings brought to the Lord.
6 On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, even though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid. 7 They gave money to the stonecutters and artisans, and gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so they would bring cedar wood from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, according to the authorization given them by King Cyrus of Persia.
 
REBUILDING THE TEMPLE
8 In the second month of the second year after they arrived at God’s house in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers, including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began to build. They appointed the Levites who were twenty years old or more to supervise the work on the Lord’s house. 9 Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah and of Henadad, with their sons and brothers, the Levites, joined together to supervise those working on the house of God.
 
TEMPLE FOUNDATION COMPLETED
10 When the builders had laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites descended from Asaph, holding cymbals, took their positions to praise the Lord, as King David of Israel had instructed. 11 They sang with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord: “For he is good; his faithful love to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s house had been laid.
12 But many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads, who had seen the first temple, wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this temple, but many others shouted joyfully. 13 The people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shouting from that of the weeping, because the people were shouting so loudly. And the sound was heard far away.[4]
 
OPPOSITION TO REBUILDING THE TEMPLE
EZRA 4
1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles, were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the family heads and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria brought us here.”
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.” 4 Then the people who were already in the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build. 5 They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.
 
OPPOSITION TO REBUILDING THE CITY
6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, the people who were already in the land wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes.[5]
 

• Timeline of Temple Rebuild

 
11 This is the text of the letter they sent to him:
To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River:
12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations. 13 Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer. 14 Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king, and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king 15 that a search should be made in your predecessors’ record books. In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. 16 We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.
 
ARTAXERXES’S REPLY
17 The king sent a reply to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River:
Greetings.
18 The letter you sent us has been translated and read, in my presence. 19 I issued a decree and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts in it. 20 Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates River, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them. 21 Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me. 22 See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests will suffer.
23 As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.[6]
 
EZRA 6
13 Then Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues diligently carried out what King Darius had decreed. 14 So the Jewish elders continued successfully with the building under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and King Artaxerxes of Persia. 15 This house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
 
TEMPLE DEDICATION AND THE PASSOVER
16 Then the Israelites, including the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of God’s house they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, and four hundred lambs, as well as twelve male goats as a sin offering for all Israel—one for each Israelite tribe. 18 They also appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their groups to the service of God in Jerusalem, according to what is written in the book of Moses.
19 The exiles observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 All of the priests and Levites were ceremonially clean, because they had purified themselves. They killed the Passover lamb for themselves, their priestly brothers, and all the exiles. 21 The Israelites who had returned from exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the Gentiles of the land, in order to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 They observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with joy, because the Lord had made them joyful, having changed the Assyrian king’s attitude toward them, so that he supported them in the work on the house of the God of Israel.[7]
 
This is religion.
 
Ezra-Nehemiah is a scriptural manual on revival.

• God's people wax and wane during their spiritual journey, and God has given in Ezra-Nehemiah a book to address this consistent issue.

 
God does not discard what He has chosen, but He remakes it when it fails.
 
In today’s cancel culture, with most people, if someone fails a few times, that person is out.
With God, if a person fails, he gets many other opportunities.

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 1:1–11.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 2:1–2.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 2:64–70.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 3:1–13.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 4:1–7.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 4:11–23.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ezr 6:13–22.

Nehemiah 11
1 Now the leaders of the people stayed in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots for one out of ten to come and live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine-tenths remained in their towns. 2 The people praised all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
         - Perfect example of why people quit coming to church today.
         - Too much work & judged harshly.
         - High expectations from pastor.
         - This re-population effort was needed to protect the city of Jerusalem and, consequently, the temple.
         - Living in the city was not an attractive option because Jerusalem lay in ruins.[1]
3 These are the heads of the province who stayed in Jerusalem (but in the villages of Judah each lived on his own property in their towns —the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants — 4 while some of the descendants of Judah and Benjamin settled in Jerusalem):

Judah’s descendants: Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of Perez’s descendants; 5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, a descendant of the Shilonite. 6 The total number of Perez’s descendants, who settled in Jerusalem, was 468 capable men.

7 These were Benjamin’s descendants: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah, 8 and after him Gabbai and Sallai: 928. 9 Joel son of Zichri was the officer over them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second in command over the city.

10 The priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jachin, and 11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the chief official of God’s temple, 12 and their relatives who did the work at the temple: 822. Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah 13 and his relatives, the leaders of families: 242. Amashsai son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, 14 and their relatives, capable men: 128. Zabdiel son of Haggedolim, was their chief.

15 The Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; 16 and Shabbethai and Jozabad, from the leaders of the Levites, who supervised the work outside the house of God; 17 Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, the leader who began the thanksgiving in prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his relatives; and Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. 18 All the Levites in the holy city: 284.

19 The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their relatives, who guarded the gates: 172.

20 The rest of Israel, the priests, and the Levites were in all the villages of Judah, each on his own inherited property. 21 The temple servants lived on Ophel; wZiha and Gishpa supervised the temple servants.

22 The leader of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, of the descendants of Asaph, who were singers for the service of God’s house. 23 There was, in fact, a command of the king regarding them, and an ordinance regulating the singers’ daily tasks. 24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was the king’s agent in every matter concerning the people.

25 As for the farming settlements with their fields:
Some of Judah’s descendants lived in Kiriath-arba and its villages,
Dibon and its villages, and Jekabzeel and its villages;
26 in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth-pelet,
27 Hazar-shual, and Beer-sheba and its villages;
28 in Ziklag and Meconah and its villages;
29 in En-rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth, and
30 Zanoah and Adullam with their villages;
in Lachish with its fields and Azekah and its villages.
So they settled from Beer-sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
31 Benjamin’s descendants:
from Geba, pMichmash, Aija,
and Bethel —and its villages,
32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,
33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
35 Lod, and Ono, the Valley of Craftsmen.
36 Some of the Judean divisions of Levites were in Benjamin.

Nehemiah 12
1 These are the priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua:
Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,
5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah.
These were the leaders of the priests and their relatives in the days of Jeshua.
8 The Levites:
Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel,
Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah —
he and his relatives were in charge of the praise songs.
9 Bakbukiah, Unni, and their relatives stood opposite them in the services.
10 Jeshua fathered Joiakim,
Joiakim fathered Eliashib,
Eliashib fathered Joiada,
11 Joiada fathered Jonathan,
and Jonathan fathered Jaddua.
12 In the days of Joiakim, the leaders of the priestly families were: …

22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the leaders of the families of the Levites and priests were recorded while Darius the Persian ruled. 23 Levi’s descendants, the leaders of families, were recorded in the Book of the Historical Records during the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 24 The leaders of the Levites—Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, along with their relatives opposite them—gave praise and thanks, division by division, as David the man of God had prescribed. 25 This included Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, and Obadiah. Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. 26 These served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe.

27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 The singers gathered from the region around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30 After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
         - The process of purification included ritual bathing and shaving, putting on clean garments, fasting, abstaining from sexual intercourse, and offering sacrifices[2]

31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large processions that gave thanks. One went to the right on the wall, toward the Dung Gate. 32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed, 33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets, and Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph followed 36 as well as his relatives—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe went in front of them. 37 At the Fountain Gate they climbed the steps of the city of David on the ascent of the wall and went above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.

38 The second thanksgiving procession went to the left, and I followed it with half the people along the top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39 above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped at the Gate of the Guard. 40 The two thanksgiving processions stood in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials accompanying me, 41 as well as the priests:
Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin,
Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah,
and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar,
Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer.
Then the singers sang, with Jezrahiah as the leader. 43 On that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy. The women and children also celebrated, and Jerusalem’s rejoicing was heard far away.
44 On that same day men were placed in charge of the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tenths. The legally required portions for the priests and Levites were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to the priests and Levites who were serving. 45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, as David and his son Solomon had prescribed. 46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were leaders of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for the descendants of Aaron.

Nehemiah 13         - 433 BC – Nehemiah returns to Artaxerxes in Persia
         - 432 BC – Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to enforce the Law
1 At that time the book of Moses was read publicly to the people. The command was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 because they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam against them to curse them, but our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 When they heard the law, they separated all those of mixed descent from Israel.
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was a relative of Tobiah 5 and had prepared a large room for him where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, and the tenths of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.
            - Tobiah mentioned in Neh 2:10 - When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.[3]

6 While all this was happening, I was not in Jerusalem, because I had returned to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. It was only later that I asked the king for a leave of absence 7 so I could return to Jerusalem.
         - Rumor must have been serious enough…
Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room in the courts of God’s house. 8 I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the room. 9 I ordered that the rooms be purified, and I had the articles of the house of God restored there, along with the grain offering and frankincense. 10 I also found out that because the portions for the Levites had not been given, each of the Levites and the singers performing the service had gone back to his own field. 11 Therefore, I rebuked the officials, saying, “Why has the house of God been neglected?”
         - Everything he had worked so hard for was being neglected.
         - He was taking this personal as well representing his God.
I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts. 12 Then all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, with Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah to assist them, because they were considered trustworthy. They were responsible for the distribution to their colleagues.

14 Remember me for this, my God, and don’t erase the deeds of faithful love I have done for the house of my God and for its services.
         - Begging God not to include him in with the negligence of his people.

15 At that time I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in stores of grain and loading them on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.
         - They had just made an oath and signed a document not to do this.
So I warned them against selling food on that day. 16 The Tyrians living there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them: “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His anger against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”
19 When shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem just before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the gates be closed and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my men at the gates, so that no goods could enter during the Sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem, 21 but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I’ll use force against you.” After that they did not come again on the Sabbath. 22 Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.
Remember me for this also, my God, and look on me with compassion in keeping with Your abundant, faithful love.
23 In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples but could not speak Hebrew. 25 I rebuked them, cursed them, beat some of their men, and pulled out their hair. I forced them to take an oath before God and said: “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or yourselves! 26 Didn’t King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations. He was loved by his God and God made him king over all Israel, yet foreign women drew him into sin. 27 Why then should we hear about you doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
28 Even one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. So I drove him away from me. 29 Remember them, my God, for defiling the priesthood as well as the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
30 So I purified them from everything foreign and assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites. 31 I also arranged for the donation of wood at the appointed times and for the firstfruits.
Remember me, my God, with favor. [4]

Hebrews 4:9-10 - Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people.
        -  It’s not about a duty or responsibility… chill out… trust God… He will work through you… especially if you figure out the “Sabbath Rest”.
        -  Know Him… know His heart.
        -  What Christ did on the cross was complete.
        -  We are capable of resting from our own works.
10 For the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His. 11 Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.
      -  Effort!! First… just stop doing things!!
Sit at His feet.

[1] Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ne 11:1). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[2] Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ne 12:30). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[3] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ne 2:10). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ne 13:1–31). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

Nehemiah 9
1 On the twenty-fourth day of this month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting, wearing sackcloth, and had put dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the guilt of their fathers. 3 While they stood in their places, they read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day and spent another fourth of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God. 4 Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the raised platform built for the Levites and cried out loudly to the LORD their God. 5 Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah —said, “Stand up. Praise Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting.” 

    Praise Your glorious name, 
    and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. 
    6 You alone are Yahweh. 
    You created the heavens, 
    the highest heavens with all their host, 
    the earth and all that is on it, 
    the seas and all that is in them. 
    You give life to all of them, 
    and the heavenly host worships You. 
    7 You are Yahweh, 
    the God who chose Abram 
    and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, 
    and changed his name to Abraham. 
    8 You found his heart faithful in Your sight, 
    and made a covenant with him 
    to give the land of the Canaanites, 
    Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, 
    Jebusites, and Girgashites— 
    to give it to his descendants. 
    You have kept Your promise, 
    for You are righteous. 

    9 You saw the oppression of our ancestors in Egypt 
    and heard their cry at the Red Sea. 
    10 You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, 
    all his officials, and all the people of his land, 
    for You knew how arrogantly they treated our ancestors. 
    You made a name for Yourself 
    that endures to this day. 
    11 You divided the sea before them, 
    and they crossed through it on dry ground. 
    You hurled their pursuers into the depths 
    like a stone into churning waters. 
    12 You led them with a pillar of cloud by day, 
    and with a pillar of fire by night, 
    to illuminate the way they should go. 
    13 You came down on Mount Sinai, 
    and spoke to them from heaven. 
    You gave them impartial ordinances, reliable instructions, 
    and good statutes and commands. 
    14 You revealed Your holy Sabbath to them, 
    and gave them commands, statutes, and instruction 
    through Your servant Moses. 
    15 You provided bread from heaven for their hunger; 
    You brought them water from the rock for their thirst. 
    You told them to go in and possess the land 
    You had sworn to give them. 

    16 But our ancestors acted arrogantly; 
    they became stiff-necked and did not listen to Your commands. 
    17 They refused to listen 
    and did not remember Your wonders 
    You performed among them. 
    They became stiff-necked and appointed a leader 
    to return to their slavery in Egypt. v
    But You are a forgiving God, 
    gracious and compassionate, 
    slow to anger and rich in faithful love, 
    and You did not abandon them. 
    18 Even after they had cast an image of a calf 
    for themselves and said, 
    “This is your God who brought you out of Egypt,” 
    and they had committed terrible blasphemies, 
    19 You did not abandon them in the wilderness 
    because of Your great compassion. 
    During the day the pillar of cloud 
    never turned away from them, 
    guiding them on their journey. 
    And during the night the pillar of fire 
    illuminated the way they should go. 
    20 You sent Your good Spirit to instruct them. 
    You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, 
    and You gave them water for their thirst. 
    21 You provided for them in the wilderness 40 years 
    and they lacked nothing. 
    Their clothes did not wear out, 
    and their feet did not swell. 

    22 You gave them kingdoms and peoples 
    and assigned them to be a boundary. 
    They took possession 
    of the land of Sihon king of Heshbon 
    and of the land of Og king of Bashan. 
    23 You multiplied their descendants 
    like the stars of heaven 
    and brought them to the land 
    You told their ancestors to go in and take possession of it. 
    24 So their descendants went in and possessed the land: 
    You subdued the Canaanites who inhabited the land before them 
    and handed their kings and the surrounding peoples over to them, 
    to do as they pleased with them. 
    25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land 
    and took possession of well-supplied houses, 
    cisterns cut out of rock, vineyards, 
    olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. 
    They ate, were filled, 
    became prosperous, and delighted in Your great goodness. 

    26 But they were disobedient and rebelled against You. 
    They flung Your law behind their backs 
    and killed Your prophets 
    who warned them 
    in order to turn them back to You. 
    They committed terrible blasphemies. 
    27 So You handed them over to their enemies, 
    who oppressed them. 
    In their time of distress, they cried out to You, 
    and You heard from heaven. 
    In Your abundant compassion 
    You gave them deliverers, who rescued them 
    from the power of their enemies. 
    28 But as soon as they had relief, 
    they again did what was evil in Your sight. 
    So You abandoned them to the power of their enemies, 
    who dominated them. 
    When they cried out to You again, 
    You heard from heaven and rescued them 
    many times in Your compassion. 
    29 You warned them to turn back to Your law, 
    but they acted arrogantly 
    and would not obey Your commands. 
    They sinned against Your ordinances, 
    which a person will live by if he does them. 
    They stubbornly resisted, 
    stiffened their necks, and would not obey. 
    30 You were patient with them for many years, 
    and Your Spirit warned them through Your prophets, 
    but they would not listen. 
    Therefore, You handed them over to the surrounding peoples. 
    31 However, in Your abundant compassion, 
    You did not destroy them or abandon them, 
    for You are a gracious and compassionate God. 

    32 So now, our God—the great, mighty, 
    and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant — 
    do not view lightly all the hardships that have afflicted us, 
    our kings and leaders, 
    our priests and prophets, 
    our ancestors and all Your people, 
    from the days of the Assyrian kings until today. 
    33 You are righteous concerning all that has come on us, 
    because You have acted faithfully, 
    while we have acted wickedly. 
    34 Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors 
    did not obey Your law 
    or listen to Your commands 
    and warnings You gave them. 
    35 When they were in their kingdom, 
    with Your abundant goodness that You gave them, 
    and in the spacious and fertile land You set before them, 
    they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways. 

    36 Here we are today, 
    slaves in the land You gave our ancestors 
    so that they could enjoy its fruit and its goodness. 
    Here we are—slaves in it! 
    37 Its abundant harvest goes to the kings 
    You have set over us, 
    because of our sins. 
    They rule over our bodies 
    and our livestock as they please. 
    We are in great distress. 


38In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement in writing on a sealed document containing the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests. 

Nehemiah 10
1 Those whose seals were on the document were: 

    Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah, 
    2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 
    3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, 
    4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 
    5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 
    6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 
    7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 
    8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. 
    These were the priests. 

    9 The Levites were: 
    Jeshua son of Azaniah, 
    Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel, 
    10 and their brothers 
    Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 
    11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, 
    12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 
    13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu. 

    14 The leaders of the people were: 
    Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, 
    15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 
    16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 
    17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, 
    18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, 
    19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 
    20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 
    21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, 
    22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 
    23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, 
    24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, 
    25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 
    26 Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, 
    27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah. 

28 The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with their wives, sons, and daughters, everyone who is able to understand and who has separated themselves from the surrounding peoples to obey the law of God— 29 join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath lto follow the law of God given through God’s servant Moses and to carefully obey all the commands, ordinances, and statutes of Yahweh our Lord. 


    30 We will not give our daughters in marriage to the surrounding peoples and will not take their daughters as wives for our sons. 
    31 When the surrounding peoples bring merchandise or any kind of grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or a holy day. We will also leave the land uncultivated in the seventh year and will cancel every debt. 
    32 We will impose the following commands on ourselves: 
    To give an eighth of an ounce of silver yearly for the service of the house of our God: 33 the bread displayed before the LORD, uthe daily grain offering, the regular burnt offering, the Sabbath and New Moon offerings, the appointed festivals, the holy things, the sin offerings to atone for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. 
    34 We have cast lots among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our ancestral houses at the appointed times each year. They are to bring the wood to our God’s house to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law. 
    35 We will bring the firstfruits of our land and of every fruit tree to the LORD’s house year by year. 36 We will also bring the firstborn of our sons and our livestock, as prescribed by the law, and will bring the firstborn of our herds and flocks to the house of our God, to the priests who serve in our God’s house. 37 We will bring a loaf from our first batch of dough to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God. We will also bring the firstfruits of our grain offerings, of every fruit tree, and of the new wine and oil. A tenth of our land’s produce belongs to the Levites, for the Levites are to collect the one-tenth offering in all our agricultural towns. 38 A priest of Aaronic descent must accompany the Levites when they collect the tenth, and the Levites must take a tenth of this offering to the storerooms of the treasury in the house of our God. 39 For the Israelites and the Levites are to bring the contributions of grain, new wine, and oil to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are kept and where the priests who minister are, along with the gatekeepers and singers. We will not neglect the house of our God. 

[9:5] - List:
            1. God’s provision/promise
            2. Jews disobedience
            3. God curses
            4. Jews repentance

 [9:37] - The prayer is structured in the sequence of events that follows, as indicated by the verse numbers:
         6               Creation
         7–8           Covenant with Abraham
                 A You, God created heaven and earth, and gave land to our father Abraham (verses 6–8)
         9–11         Exodus from Egypt
                 B God worked wonders in Egypt, the Red Sea and the desert (verses 9–12)
         12–21       Wilderness wanderings
                 C God spoke by giving his law through Moses (verses 13–15)
                 D God forgives and is merciful; they blaspheme (verses 16–18)
                 E God gave them his good Spirit and blessing in the desert (verses 19–21)
         22–25       Possession of the land
                 E’ God in his goodness gave them prosperity in the promised land (verses 22–25, land occurs 7 times)
         26–31       Rebellion
                 D’ God delivered them in his mercy; they blaspheme (verses 26–28)
                 C’ God warned them by the prophets (verses 29–31)
         32–37       Final plea[1]
                 B’ God acted faithfully; we acted wickedly (verses 32–35)
                 A’ God gave land to our fathers; but we are slaves on it (verses 36–37)[2] 

[10:33] - According to Exodus 30:11–16 the temple gift was to be one-half a shekel annually, but here it was valued lightly.
         - These temple offerings gave the priests and Levites money for maintaining the bread on the table of the Presence, for making various offerings, for celebrating monthly and annual festivals, and carrying out other duties.[1]

[1] Getz, G. A. (1985). Nehemiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 691). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.  
[1] Noss, P. A., & Thomas, K. J. (2005). A Handbook on Ezra and Nehemiah. (P. Clarke, S. Brown, L. Dorn, & D. Slager, Eds.) (pp. 423–424). New York: United Bible Societies.
[2] Noss, P. A., & Thomas, K. J. (2005). A Handbook on Ezra and Nehemiah. (P. Clarke, S. Brown, L. Dorn, & D. Slager, Eds.) (p. 424). New York: United Bible Societies.

Nehemiah 6
1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it —though at that time I had not installed the doors in the gates — 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of the Ono Valley.” But they were planning to harm me. 
3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” 4 Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply. 
5 Sanballat sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written: It is reported among the nations—and Geshem kagrees—that you and the Jews plan to rebel. This is the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king 7 and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: “There is a king in Judah.” These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together. 
8 Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.” 9 For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying, “They will become discouraged in the work, and it will never be finished.” 
But now, my God, strengthen me.
10 I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said: 
    Let us meet at the house of God 
    inside the temple. 
    Let us shut the temple doors 
    because they are coming to kill you. 
    They are coming to kill you tonight! 
11 But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can I enter the temple and live? I will not go.” 12 I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 He was hired, so that I would be intimidated, do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me. 
14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me. 
15 The wall was completed in 52 days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. 16 When all our enemies heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God. 
17 During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. 19 These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah’s good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me. 

Nehemiah 7
1 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. 2 Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most. 3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.” 
4 The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet. 5 Then my God put it into my mind to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found the following written in it: 
6 These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his own town. 7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. 
The number of the Israelite men included: 
    8 Parosh’s descendants       2,172 
    9 Shephatiah’s descendants       372 
    10 Arah’s descendants       652 
    11 Pahath-moab’s descendants: 
    Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants       2,818 
    12 Elam’s descendants       1,254 
    13 Zattu’s descendants       845 
    14 Zaccai’s descendants       760 
    15 Binnui’s descendants       648 
    16 Bebai’s descendants       628 
    17 Azgad’s descendants       2,322 
    18 Adonikam’s descendants       667 
    19 Bigvai’s descendants       2,067 
    20 Adin’s descendants       655 
    21 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah       98 
    22 Hashum’s descendants       328 
    23 Bezai’s descendants       324 
    24 Hariph’s descendants       112 
    25 Gibeon’s descendants       95 
    26 Bethlehem’s and Netophah’s men       188 
    27 Anathoth’s men       128 
    28 Beth-azmaveth’s men       42 
    29 Kiriath-jearim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s men       743 
    30 Ramah’s and Geba’s men       621 
    31 Michmas’s men       122 
    32 Bethel’s and Ai’s men       123 
    33 the other Nebo’s men       52 
    34 the other Elam’s people       1,254 
    35 Harim’s people       320 
    36 Jericho’s people       345 
    37 Lod’s, Hadid’s, and Ono’s people       721 
    38 Senaah’s people       3,930. 
39 The priests included: 
    Jedaiah’s descendants of the house of Jeshua       973 
    40 Immer’s descendants       1,052 
    41 Pashhur’s descendants       1,247 
    42 Harim’s descendants       1,017. 
43 The Levites included: 
    Jeshua’s descendants: of Kadmiel 
    Hodevah’s descendants       74. 
44 The singers included: 
    Asaph’s descendants       148. 
45 The gatekeepers included: 
    Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, 
    Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, 
    Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants       138. 
46 The temple servants included: 
    Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants, 
    Tabbaoth’s descendants, 47 Keros’s descendants, 
    Sia’s descendants, Padon’s descendants, 
    48 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants, 
    Shalmai’s descendants, 49 Hanan’s descendants, 
    Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants, 
    50 Reaiah’s descendants, Rezin’s descendants, 
    Nekoda’s descendants, 51 Gazzam’s descendants, 
    Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants, 
    52 Besai’s descendants, Meunim’s descendants, 
    Nephishesim’s descendants, 53 Bakbuk’s descendants, 
    Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants, 
    54 Bazlith’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants, 
    Harsha’s descendants, 55 Barkos’s descendants, 
    Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants, 
    56 Neziah’s descendants, Hatipha’s descendants. 
57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants included: 
    Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants, 
    Perida’s descendants, 58 Jaala’s descendants, 
    Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants, 
    59 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants, 
    Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, Amon’s descendants. 
    60 All the temple servants 
    and the descendants of Solomon’s servants       392. 
61 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their families and ancestors were Israelite: 
    62 Delaiah’s descendants, 
    Tobiah’s descendants, 
    and Nekoda’s descendants       642 
63 and from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai—who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name. 64 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 65 The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim. 
    66 The whole combined assembly numbered       42,360 
    67 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves, 
    as well as their 245 male and female singers. 
    68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 
    69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 
70 Some of the family leaders gave to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury. 71 Some of the family leaders gave 20,000 gold coins and 2,200 silver minas to the treasury for the project. 72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments. 73 So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, 

Nehemiah 8
1 all the people gathered together at the square in front of the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses that the LORD had given Israel. 2 On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. 3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively to the book of the law. 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 
7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah, who were Levites, pexplained the law to the people as they stood in their places. 8 They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. 9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the LORD is your stronghold.” 11 And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve.” 12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, send portions, and have a great celebration, because they had understood the words that were explained to them. 
13 On the second day, the family leaders of all the people, along with the priests and Levites, assembled before Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law. 14 They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month. 15 So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, just as it is written.” 16 The people went out, brought back branches, and made booths for themselves on each of their rooftops, and courtyards, the court of the house of God, the square by the Water Gate, and the square by the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole community that had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. They had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. And there was tremendous joy. 18 Ezra read out of the book of the law of God every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly, according to the ordinance.

Nehemiah 6
    [2] Ono Valley - 25 miles NW of Jerusalem… similar to going from Fishers, IN to Lebanon or Frankfort, IN
         - Jerusalem sat much higher geographically than the rest of Israel.
    [9] - Who invents these rumors?
         - Nehemiah prays again.
    [11] - We know Nehemiah as a leader, builder and a governor… not a priest. He is a layman.
         - Numbers 18:7 - But you and your sons will carry out your priestly responsibilities for everything concerning the altar and for what is inside the veil, and you will do that work. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but an unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary will be put to death.” [1]
         - Septuagint: Hebrew Bible translated into Greek suggests that Nehemiah was eunich in 2:6. Doubly worse!
      [14] - Another Nehemiah prayer!
      [15] - Remember… they were laughing at them and saying it couldn’t ever be done by them.
         - Josephus regards this relatively brief time frame as improbable; he refers to a period of two years and four months (Ant. 11.5.8).[1]

Nehemiah 7
      [73] - When the seventh month came (6 days passed into the month of Tishri)

Nehemiah 8
      [12] - It was Super Sunday!
      [18] - A day of nothing… rest from the celebration!
         - You see what has occurred here…
         - The Lord has delivered His people…
         - The Lord protected His people…
         - They celebrated what the Lord has obviously done!
         - You have more reason to celebrate today other than a football team winning a game.
[1] Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ne 6:15). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

Nehemiah 5
1 There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen. 2 Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.” 3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.” 4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.” 
6 I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 7 After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.” So I called a large assembly against them 8 and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back.” They remained silent and could not say a word. 9 Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies? 10 Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest. 11 Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil that you have been assessing them.” 
12 They responded: “We will return these things and require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” 
So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath to do this. 13 I also shook the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing!” 
The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised. 

14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, 12 years —I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor. 15 The governors who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking food and wine from them, as well as a pound of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but I didn’t do this, because of the fear of God. 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn’t buy any land. 
17 There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table. 18 Each day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every 10 days. But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy. 
19 Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people. 

The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Nehemiah 5). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

Did you survive?
         - Blue Monday… 3rd Monday of January
         - The most depressing day of the year
         - Weather conditions, debt level (the difference between debt accumulated and our ability to pay), time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling of a need to take action.
         
         - 5:1–5. Up to this point Nehemiah’s challenges as a spiritual leader focused primarily on those outside of Judah.
         - But before the walls were finally rebuilt, he encountered the most difficult and intense kind of problem almost every spiritual leader has to face sometime—problems within.
         - For Nehemiah, those problems centered not on Sanballat, Tobiah, or Geshem but on his own people, the Jews.
         - There were four such difficulties.
         1) First, the people face a food shortage. They said they needed to get grain for food to keep themselves and their families alive (v. 2). The work on the wall hindered their tending their crops. And this crop failure was called a famine.
         2) Second, others had grain (buying it from others), but to get it they had to mortgage their fields … vineyards, and homes (v. 3).
         3) Third, others, not wanting to mortgage their property, had to borrow money from their Jewish brothers to pay property taxes to King Artaxerxes (v. 4). This problem was compounded by the fact that they were charged exorbitant interest rates by their own Jewish brothers.
         4) This led to a fourth problem. To repay their creditors they had to sell their children into slavery (v. 5). This of course left them in a hopeless state.[1]

         [6] - What do you think Nehemiah did during this time he was “seriously considering the matter.”?
         - Deuteronomy 15:7-11

         [9] - Have they already forgotten about their ancestors who suffered through the Egyptian bondage and Babylonian captivity?

         [10] - “Hundredth part” – 1% a month = 12% a year
         - Nehemiah wasn’t asking them to do anything he hadn’t already done or was willing to do.

         [12] - Nehemiah knew that some of the noble people would struggle with actually following through with their commitment so he basically added a curse if they didn’t.
         - It was like brushing the dust off your feet.
         - Asking the Lord to have nothing to do with them.
         - At least for a season.
         - Promise Keepers

         [15] - Interesting that Nehemiah chose to do this out of the “fear of God”. 
         - Today, there is not a need to do it out of fear… we do it because the Spirit leads us to do it.
         [16] - I set myself apart from previous leaders.

         [18] - This statement leads us to believe that Nehemiah provided much of this out of his own expense.
         [19] - Nehemiah closes this chapter by praying.
         - This is the same way he closes the whole book. (13:31)

What would you do for your kids?
Matthew 7:11
I trust that the heavenly Father is going to take care of my needs far more than I could ever imagine.

[1] Getz, G. A. (1985). Nehemiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 683). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Ezra 3
Ezra 4

Ezra – Nehemiah Timeline
         - 465–425 BC - Artaxerxes Reign
         - 464–446 BC – Construction in Jerusalem stopped (Ezra 4)
         - 444 BC – Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2)

“At the time, I was the king’s cupbearer.”

Nehemiah 2
         - Have you ever been overwhelmed with fear?

         - Court etiquette required those in the king’s presence to have a cheerful countenance;
         - thus, sadness on his part could lead to his dismissal.
         - Alternatively, Nehemiah may have feared for his life.
         - If Artaxerxes suspected foul play, Nehemiah could be imprisoned or executed.
         - It is also possible that the king might be unwilling to grant his request.
         - Nehemiah waited months, and the crucial moment had finally arrived.

         - Ancestral tombs were universally respected throughout the ancient Near East, especially among the nobility and royalty.

         - Nehemiah returns to Susa after 12 years in Jerusalem, suggesting he requested a 12-year leave of absence (5:14; 13:6)

         - The Persian province “across the river,” referring to the area from the Euphrates to Egypt, which included Syria-Palestine.

         - Ezra (7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31)
_________________________________________
         - 444BC now
         - Time enough to gather supplies

         - Nehemiah’s governorship effectively took away any authority the governors had over the region of Judah.
         - Their hands were tied.
         - Israelites were permitted to regroup, fortify & build strength.

         - Ezra’s caravan also rested for three days following its journey to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:32)

         - A donkey is more probable since it is quieter than a horse.

         - Temple mount – 144,000 Square Ft. 20 football fields.
         - Probably located near the southwest corner of the city, opening into the Hinnom Valley (Gehenna).
         - Probably destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC.
         - This the place in the city where they came to the wall and dumped their… dead bodies… and it constantly smelled.
         - Jesus and others often referred to this place in comparison with eternal punishment of the wicked.

         - Pool of Siloam… south of temple.
         - Same pool that Jesus told the blind man to wash the mud out of his eyes.

         - Kidron Valley – East side… where Jesus traveled with his disciples from the Passover to the Garden at Gethsemane.

         - Each individual is likely the governor of his respective region.
         - Together, they represent the nations surrounding Jerusalem and the territory of Judah on all three sides—Samaria to the north, Ammon to the east, and Arabia to the south (the Mediterranean Sea borders Judah to the west).

         - Nehemiah is claiming that the opponents of the Jews have no civic, legal, or cultic rights in the Jerusalem community.[1]

Nehemiah not only had the backing of the King…
But he had the confidence that God had favor on him.
It is “knowing”… that carries you through fear.

[1] Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ne 2). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.