Nehemiah 8

Overview Chapter 7, then read chapter 8.

  1. How would you sum up this chapter in a phrase or a sentence?
  2. This is the first time Ezra has made an appearance in this book, even though he returned to Jerusalem before Nehemiah and reinstituted sacrificial worship at the temple.   What is his role here? What do we learn about him in this chapter?
  3. Why do you think the people gathered together and asked Ezra to read the Law at this point, rather than earlier in the rebuilding process?
  4. Describe in detail how Ezra went about reading the Law and basically leading worship in verses 3-8. What was the probably significance or meaning of each action?

Action Significance/Meaning

  1. What parallels do you see in various worship styles today?
  2. In verse 9, how did the people react to hearing the Law read? Why?
  3. What did Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites encourage the people to do instead? Why was this appropriate?
  4. Who gathered together the next day? What was the purpose of this assembly, and what came out of it?
  5. Read Leviticus 23:39-43. What did the Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles) commemorate?
  6. Joy is mentioned twice in this chapter, both as a response to Scripture (10) and the Feast of Booths (17). What is the connection between these things and joy?
  7. What do we learn from this chapter about Scripture and/or worship?
  8. What key elements that are important in a major work are introduced or reiterated in this chapter?
  9. Where are you personally in comparison? Rebuilding?   Rediscovering Scripture and worship?   In between and in need of revival?   Celebrating in joy? How does this chapter encourage or challenge you to grow in your faith?

Nehemiah 6.1-7.3

  1. Recap: In previous chapters, how did the opposition try to stop the rebuilding?

  2. Who or what did the opposition focus on in this passage?

  3. At the beginning of the chapter, how much of the wall was rebuilt?

  4. What was the first scheme of Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem in verses 2-4? What were the strategies behind it?

  5. What was Nehemiah's response? How did he counter their strategies?

  6. What did Sanballat add to this scheme in verses 5-7? What was he trying to accomplish by this?

  7. How did Nehemiah react this time?

  8. What was the third attack in this section? How did Nehemiah identify it and handle it?

  9. What other attempts are hinted at in verse 14? What does this prayer show about Nehemiah's attitude toward these people and God?

  10. What was the outcome of all these attempts (15)?

  11. Even after the work was completed, how did Tobiah continue to attempt to undermine Nehemiah?

  12. In the beginning of chapter 7, what steps did Nehemiah take to guard against the threats?

  13. Summarize the strategies of the enemy in this chapter. How does Satan use these against us today?

  14. What does Nehemiah teach us about how to respond to these attacks?

  15. Have you ever been attacked or your work hindered like Nehemiah? Compare your response to Nehemiah's.

  16. Are you currently facing any opposition that we can pray about for you?

Nehemiah 2-3

  1. Review: Looking back at Nehemiah 1, what were some important things that Nehemiah did that would be key elements in any major undertaking?
  2. Read Nehemiah 2 together as a group.
  3. How was Nehemiah's prayer from the last chapter answered in this one?
  4. Let's look more in depth at how Nehemiah approached King Artaxerxes. First of all, when did this conversation take place, as compared to the previous chapter?
  5. Who actually initiated the conversation, and why?
  6. Why was Nehemiah afraid? How did he deal with his fear?
  7. What three requests did Nehemiah make of the king, and how did the king respond?
  8. How is the way Nehemiah approached the king similar or different from the way he approached God in the last chapter?
  9. In verse 10 there is a bit of foreshadowing. Who was not happy about Nehemiah's plan?
  10. Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem in verse 11. After resting a few days, he inspected the walls. Why do you think he went about the inspection the way he did?
  11. How did he present his vision to the officials in Jerusalem? How did this encourage them to take up rebuilding again? (Attempts at rebuilding for the past 130 years had failed.)
  12. How did Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem initially oppose the rebuilding in verse 19?
  13. How did Nehemiah respond to their opposition? Do you think this was a good response?
  14. Individually, find the five references to God in chapter 2. What does each one show about how God was involved in this work?
  15. What can we learn from this section about how to interact with earthly authorities?
  16. With a partner, skim chapter 3 and answer the following questions. It may initially seem boring, but we can glean some insights from it! We will discuss the questions as a group after 5-10 minutes
  17. Chapter 3 lists various people who helped rebuild the wall. What different kinds of people were involved? What was the general pattern for each listing?
  18. What were the exceptions to this pattern? Why were these additional details added?
  19. Why do you think the time was taken to record all of these people?
  20. Concluding Discussion
  21. Continuing our list from the review of Nehemiah 1, what key elements of rebuilding or starting anew do you see in these chapters?
  22. If you are honest like yourself, who are you most like in terms of being involved in ministry: Nehemiah, one of the people listed in chapter 3, the nobles of Tekoa, or Sanballat and Tobiah?
  23. Is that where you are supposed to be, and if not, what do you need to do to change it?

 

Nehemiah 4

  1. Sum up what this chapter is about in a word or a phrase.

  2. How did Sanballat and Tobiah oppose the rebuilding in verses 1-3? How was this similar to or different from what we discussed in 2:19?

  3. How did Nehemiah respond to them?

  4. Read Psalm 28:1-5 and Matthew 5:38-48 and evaluate Nehemiah's response.

  5. How did all of this affect the workers in verse 6? What does it meant to “have a mind to work” or “work with all their heart”?

  6. What form did the opposition take next?

  7. How did this affect the workers in verses 10-12? Why was this different from verse 6?

  8. How did Nehemiah counter this threat?

  9. How did his words and actions encourage the people in the second half of the chapter? Take a few minutes to jot down the various ways Nehemiah encouraged the people. Be specific and include the verse.

  1. What key ingredients to starting anew or rebuilding are introduced or reiterated in this chapter?

  2. What kind of “ridicule” does Satan use to discourage believers today?

  3. What kind of opposition do you face in your life right now? Given what we've discussed tonight, what is a godly response?

Nehmiah 1

  1. How would you begin to describe Nehemiah from reading this chapter for the first time?
  2. What news did Nehemiah's brother bring of the situation in Jerusalem?
  3. Why are the walls and gates important? What functions do they serve? Are there any equivalents in our lives, whether individually or corporately?
  4. What is Nehemiah's reaction to this distressing news?
  5. Have you ever had a similar experience when you heard the news of a major disaster?
  6. Take a few minutes to reread Nehemiah's prayer. What are the different aspects or parts of his prayer? (Like the “ACTS” acronym: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication)
  7. In the beginning of his prayer, what aspects of God's character does Nehemiah focus on?
  8. Does anything from his confession stand out to you as being different from what one of us might say today?
  9. What is the importance of the “remembering” section from verses 8-10?
  10. What were Nehemiah's petitions?
  11. What can we learn from Nehemiah's prayer? Are there any aspects of it that you need to incorporate more often into your prayer life?
  12. How are these things important in beginning the process of rebuilding or starting anew?
  13. Is there anything in your life that needs rebuilding? How about in our congregation or community? Take some time this next week to pray like Nehemiah and bring it before the Lord.

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