The questions are there to draw you in. The paragraphs before and after are not really answers but hopefully they frame the questions in ways that make you think. Read this and the passage in the Word and study your supplementary materials and then add to the discussion. Feel free to post as many comments as you need. Don't worry about length; it can be as long or as short as you want. Read and respond to what others write as well and pray for each other (and those who have quit) as this study goes on.
The study of the history leading up to the events here in the first Chapter is not only useful but also very interesting. The Old Testament is ignored too often. The Bible is a history of God's love. His provision. His justice. There is no other way to learn about who He is. There is no other way to learn about how He loves. No other way to learn about grace, truth, provision, justice. No other way to know Holy.
What is holiness?
Nehemiah takes place during the later part of the captivity after captives had already started to go back to their homeland. In fact, the first Chapter shows Nehemiah talking with his brother about how things are going in Judah (Jerusalem was in the Southern Kingdom of Judah). Nehemiah himself had responsibilities and a livelihood in Susa (some translations say Shushan). The city was a capital of the Babylonian empire and where Artaxerxes was staying (Artaxerxes is the son of Xerxes-- from '300'-- and the step-son of Esther) but Nehemiah had good standing with the king in the court. To be a cup-bearer in those days would be like being the head of security these days. His number one body-guard. He was in the know. He was in the money. He was in captivity but he was treated well.
Is God always sovereign?
It doesn't say how Nehemiah got the job of being the cup-bearer but if the answer to the above question is 'yes' (hint: it is) then we know that God had a plan for Nehemiah to be there. God is always working His purpose out. One thing that Begg mentioned in his sermons has to do with the first verse. Nehemiah was the son of Hacaliah (some guy who no one has any information on because this is the only time his name is mentioned in the Bible).
Who does God use?
What does our passion say about us? As Christians? As individuals? What are we devoted to? What breaks our heart? What does it mean to be faithful?
What stuck out to me in the first chapter was that Nehemiah prayed and fasted for "some days" before he went to go talk to the king. Sometimes we get so focused on what we think we need to do to solve a problem that we forget to go to God and ask Him what He thinks we should do. I am often guilty of telling God what I think He should do as opposed to wholeheartedly seeking His will. I wonder what would happen if Nehemiah had done the same thing!
ReplyDeleteverse 4 says that Nehemiah wept. and you ask what breaks our hearts.
ReplyDeleteim often convicted that i rarely feel broken for the lost and hurting. at least not enough to spend days mourning and fasting like we read that Nehemiah did. how often to i sit down and weep before God? it is encouraging to see his compassion for the remnant.
The praying aspect of the first chapter is important. The second post will focus mainly on that. Being in prayer and being willing to follow God's plans even when we have plans of our own.
ReplyDeleteFeelings in themselves are only motivators and rarely carry the 'ends' rather than the 'means'. By that I mean, feelings aren't accomplishments in themselves but they definitely can reveal our hearts to us. We are commanded to love the lost and pray for our enemies. What is better? That we FEEL like doing those things or that we actually DO those things?
Good points.
He was broken for all the sins comitted by his people. He didn't pass along the blame. He took part... He was truly hurting and he took all of it to God.
ReplyDeletewhat really got to me was that too many times I look around and see sin, but i tend to have this shrug it off attitude. Almost like me saying well it's not my responsiblility... but it is us as a whole, as a people who need to show our hearts to God, and come to him. Truly convicted of the sin in our lives... It definetely makes me look at my prayer life and see How often or not often that I go before God truly broken and expressing everything on my heart.
It is definitely our responsibility. But how do we go about it? Those themes are covered throughout Nehemiah. Hopefully we'll have a better understanding of our responsibilities as leaders of the faith as we continue the study.
ReplyDeletei don't think i've thought of it like that. first go to God in prayer (doing). then it will begin a cycle of more compassion (feeling) and more prayer. thanks for that reminder.
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