Sermon Outline

CHOSEN PEOPLE

“BREAKING DOWN THE WALLS IN YOUR LIFE IN ORDER

TO BUILD GODLY ONES!!!”

Nehemiah 1-2

Introduction

Backgrounder and Stuff:

Sources: The Holy Bible KJV Version; Explore The Bible Lifeway Bible Study; The World And The World: An Introduction to the Old Testament by Eugene H. Merrill, Mark F. Rooker, and Michael A. Grisanti; Easton's Bible Dictionary; Blue Letter Bible (blueletterbible.org), Halley's Bible Handbook with the King James Version, Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, and Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Bible Commentary.Author: Unknown (many say Ezra persisent to Jewish tradition due to I and II Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah being just one book. Some say Nehemiah may have written his own book pointing to the accounts given in the book as well. Others say from maybe another, but no one knows for sure.)Date: Unknown (Possible guesstimate, c. 444 or 432 B.C.)Destination/Location: Babylon (Nehemiah Chapter 1) and later in Jerusalem nearly 100 years after the decree of Cyrus in the backround of the Achaemenid Persian empire (c/ 550-330) as part of the reign of King Artaxeres (465-425 B.C.), son of King Xeres (486-465), and step-son of Queen Esther the Jewss (who may have been alive and still influential at the time).Occasion/Reason: Nehemiah who came as a civil governor, with authorithy from the King of Persia to rebuild the Wall and to restore Jerusalem as a fortified city following the Babylonian Captivity.Theme: Nehemiah and also Ezra represents a precusor of the the Lord Jesus Christ serving as the priest/king to rebuild not just Jerusalem, but rescue the people from spiritual captivity as well. Key Verses: Nehemiah 1:4-11

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Proposition:

Key Controversy: Are Ezra and Nehemiah Connected? (Bold added for emphasis and * parts are very important!!!) Per The World And The World: An Introduction to the Old Testament:

Quick Hits:

A. Even though Philo and Jerome seperated the two which is a policy that became practice in the church, Judaism persisted in viewing the work as a unit until the advent of the printed Hebrew Bible in the early fifteenth century.

B. Eartly texts call the book Ezra or Ezra-Nehemiah. In the LXX(Septugiant) call Esdras b and proceeds the apocryphal work know as Esdras a. The Vulgate(Latin Bible) designates Ezra by 1 Esdras, Nehemiah by 2 Esdras, Esdras a by 3 Esdras and the apocryphal Esdras by 4 Esdras. Finally, the Roman Catholic communities refer to Ezra and Nenhemiah by their Hebrew names Esdrasa as 1 Esdras and 4 Esdras as 2 Esdras.

C. It is not just a "memoir". Half of the text is, but it also includes prayer (Nehemiah 1:5-11; Ezra 9:6-15; Nehemiah 4:4-5; 5:19; 6:14;9:5b-37; 13:14, 22b, 29, 31b, all in first-person narratives), decrees (Ezra 1:2-4), inventories (Ezra 1:9-11a; 8:24-30), lists (Ezra 2:3-69; 8:1-14; 10:18-44; Nehemiah 3:1-32; 7:6-72; 10:1-27;11:3-12:26), historical narrative (Ezra 3:1-4:6), letters (Ezra 4:7-10, 11-16, 17-22; 5:7-17; 6:6-12; 7:11-26), genealogy (Ezra 7:1-5), benediction (Ezra 7:27-28a), itinerary (Nehemiah 2:13-15), and a partial covenat text (within a prayer) (Nehemiah 9:6-37).

D. Outline Of The Book(s):

Ezra

I. Return from Exile (Chapters 1-2) A. Proclamation of Permission (Chapter 1) B. List of Returnees (Chapter 2) II. Rebuilding of Cultus and Community (Chapters 3-6) A. Preparation for Rebuilding (Chapter 3) B. Opposition to Rebuilding (Chapter 4) C. Continuation of Rebuilding (Chapter 5) D. Completion of Rebuilding (Chapter 6)

III. Return of Ezra (Chapters 7-8) A. Arrangements for His Return (Chapter 7) B. Entourage with His Return (Chapter 8)

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IV. Ministry of Ezra (Chapters 9-10) A. Sin of the People (Chapter 9:1-4) B. Ezra's Prayer for the People (Chapter 9:5-15) C. Ezra's Leadership in Reformation (Chapter 10) Nehemiah

V. Nehemiah's Dilemma (Chapter 1) A. Report of Jerusalem's Condition (Chapter 1:1-3) B. Nehemiah's Prayer (Chapter 1:4-11)

VI. Nehemiah's Plan (Chapter 2) A. His Request of the King (Chapter 2:1-8) B. His Return to Jerusalem and Plan to Rebuild (Chapter 2:9-20)

VII. Nehemiah's Building (Chapters 3-4) A. His Organization (Chapter 3) B. His Opposition (Chapter 4)

VIII. Nehemiah's Domestic Reforms (Chapter 5)

IX. Nehemiah's Determination (Chapters 6:1-7:4)

X. List of Returnees (Chapter 7:5-73a)

XI. Covenant Renewal (Chapters 7:73b - 10:39) A. In Preparations (Chapters 7:73b-9:4) B. Its Proclamation (Chapters 9:5-10:27) C. Its Stipulations (Chapters 10:28-39)

XII. Rededication of Jerusalem (Chapters 11:1-13:3) A. Lists of People and Priests (Chapters 11:1-12:26) B. Ceremony of Celebration (Chapters 12:27-13:3)

XIII. Return to Former Sins and Second Reformation (Chapters 13:4-31)

Conclusion(Very Important!!!): Do not fail to understand that the positioning of these books do not degrade or take away from the importance of them. The open-endedness of Chronicles itself, which closes with a view toward redemption, one carried forward by the edict of a pagan king and fleshed out in the account of Ezra-Nehemiah by others who, consciously or not, found themselves God's agents in achieving His saving designs. Failure to grasp the import of Ezra-Nehemiah results also in an inability to see that God knows no "silent years", no time when He is not in process of bringing to pass His dominion over all things. The book bears witness to the bridging of the OT promises and the NT fulfillments.

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Introduction

I. The “Physical” Wall Broken Down!!!– Nehemiah 1:1-3 (Key verses: Esther 1:10-12) A. 10-12. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine--As the feast days advanced, the drinking was more freely indulged in, so that the close was usually marked by great excesses of revelry.      he commanded. . . the seven chamberlains--These were the eunuchs who had charge of the royal harem. The refusal of Vashti to obey an order which required her to make an indecent exposure of herself before a company of drunken revellers, was becoming both the modesty of her sex and her rank as queen; for, according to Persian customs, the queen, even more than the wives of other men, was secluded from the public gaze. Had not the king's blood been heated with wine, or his reason overpowered by force of offended pride, he would have perceived that his own honor, as well as hers, was consulted by her dignified conduct.

II. The “Spiritual” Wall Broken Down!!!– Nehemiah 1:4-11 (Key Verses: 1:6-11)

A. "The Call" Nehemiah 1:4-6.

Verse 4. when I heard these words, that I sat down. . . and mourned. . . and fasted, and prayed--The recital deeply affected the patriotic feelings of this good man, and no comfort could he find but in earnest and protracted prayer, that God would favor the purpose, which he seems to have secretly formed, of asking the royal permission to go to Jerusalem.

B. "The Confession" Nehemiah 1:7-8. C. "The Comeback to God" Nehemiah 1:9-11.      Verse 11. I was the king's cupbearer--This officer, in the ancient Oriental courts, was always a person of rank and importance; and, from the confidential nature of his duties and his frequent access to the royal presence, he possessed great influence.

III. The “Royal” Wall Broken Down!!!– Nehemiah 2:1-8 (Key Verses: 2:1-6) Note: The fear and faith of Nehemiah!!!

A. Verses 2-5. the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad?--It was deemed highly unbecoming to appear in the royal presence with any weeds or signs of sorrow ( Esther 4:2 ); and hence it was no wonder that the king was struck with the dejected air of his cupbearer, while that attendant, on his part, felt his agitation increased by his deep anxiety about the issue of the conversation so abruptly begun. But the piety and intense earnestness of the man immediately restored [Nehemiah] to calm self-possession and enabled him to communicate, first, the cause of his sadness ( Nehemiah 2:3 ), and next, the patriotic wish of his heart to be the honored instrument of reviving the ancient glory of the city of his fathers.

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      B. Verses 6-9. the queen also sitting by him--As the Persian monarchs did not admit their wives to be present at their state festivals, this must have been a private occasion. The queen referred to was probably Esther, whose presence would tend greatly to embolden Nehemiah in stating his request; and through her influence, powerfully exerted it may be supposed, also by her sympathy with the patriotic design, his petition was granted, to go as deputy governor of Judea, accompanied by a military guard, and invested with full powers to obtain materials for the building in Jerusalem, as well as to get all requisite aid in promoting his enterprise.

IV. The “Wall of Obstacles” To Be Broken Down!!!– Nehemiah 2:9-20 (Key Verses: 2:12-20)

A. Verses 1, 12. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days--Deeply affected with the desolations of Jerusalem, and uncertain what course to follow, he remained three days before informing any one of the object of his mission [ Nehemiah 2:17, 18 ]. At the end of the third day, accompanied with a few attendants, he made, under covert of night, a secret survey of the walls and gates [ Nehemiah 2:13-15 ].

      B. Verses 13-15. I went out by night by the gate of the valley--that is, the Jaffa gate, near the tower of Hippicus.      even before the dragon well--that is, fountain on the opposite side of the valley.      and to the dung port--the gate on the east of the city, through which there ran a common sewer to the brook Kedron and the valley of Hinnom.

      14. Then--that is, after having passed through the gate of the Essenes.      I went on to the gate of the fountain--that is, Siloah, from which turning round the fount of Ophel.      to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass--that is, by the sides of this pool (Solomon's) there being water in the pool, and too much rubbish about it to permit the passage of the beast.

      15. Then went I up. . . by the brook--that is, Kedron.      and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned--the gate leading to the valley of Jehoshaphat, east of the city. He went out by this gate, and having made the circuit of the city, went in by it again [BARCLAY, City of the Great King].

      C. Verses 16-18. the rulers knew not--The following day, having assembled the elders, Nehemiah produced his commission and exhorted them to assist in the work. The sight of his credentials, and the animating strain of his address and example, so revived their drooping spirits that they resolved immediately to commence the building, which they did, despite the bitter taunts and scoffing ridicule of some influential men.

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Application/Conclusion:

I. Be Real With God!!!

II. Physical, mental, and even spirituals walls must be broken down in order for us to be used and in God's will!!!

III. Remember to make your petitions before God, but be ready to listen and to sacrifice what is need to accomplish the goal at hand!!!

IV. Fight your battles on your knees for that is where your strengthen is and then leave all the consequences to him!!!

V. Lastly, remeber that He that has caused you to do a great work and will provide the means to finish it in the end!!!

VI. Altar Call/Close.

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