WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday April 18, 2021

 

Over 267,000 readers worldwide

larrydalexander.blogspot.com

 

THE RESTORING BUILDER

(Nehemiah goes to Jerusalem)

(Nehemiah 2)

 

   The book of Nehemiah continues the story of the Jews’ return to Judah following their 70 years of captivity in Babylon. The book takes its name from its central figure and author, Nehemiah, who was granted governorship of Judah by King Artaxerxes of Persia. Nehemiah had been serving as a high official (Cupbearer) in Artaxerxes’ royal court.

    The book of Nehemiah focuses primarily on the re-building of the wall around the city of Jerusalem, which had been torn down by King Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian forces during their final invasion and annihilation of Judah in 586 B.C.

    Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem around 446 B.C., about 100 years after the first group of Jewish exiles had returned home. Perhaps the greatest value of the book of Nehemiah lies in the biographical study of Nehemiah himself. He was a wealthy official in the Persian Empire who sacrificed comfort and riches, in order to serve GOD, and his people, in a then, desolate and forsaken land.

    Nehemiah’s great courage in the face of the stiff opposition that he found in his arch enemies, Sanballat and the Samaritans in the north, Tobiah and the Ammonites in the east, Geshem and the Arabs from the south, and many men from Ashdod (a Philistine city west of Jerusalem) is prominently displayed throughout this terse, but powerful book. Also highlighted in this biblical account, is Nehemiah’s commitment to GODliness, and his unwavering trust in GOD, along with his fierce determination to spur his people toward righteousness while living under duress.

    In Nehemiah 2, verses 1-4, about 4 months after Nehemiah’s prayer to GOD to grant him “access” to King Artaxerxes so that he could obtain his permission to go to Jerusalem to rebuild its wall, GOD places Nehemiah in “a position of opportunity” to make that happen. Nehemiah already knew that his request would be a bold one, because only a few years earlier, the king had put an end to the rebuilding in Jerusalem. He fully realized that he would be putting his life on the line by asking Artaxerxes to reverse his previous edict.

    And so, to soften the blow, Nehemiah avoided naming Jerusalem in particular, and instead, requested to go to Judah to rebuild the city where his ancestors were buried. By stating it that way, he was appealing instead to King Artaxerxes’ “sense of respect for the dead”. Artaxerxes’ heart responded to Nehemiah’s statement, and he in turn, willingly offered Nehemiah his help in any way that he could.

    Artaxerxes’ permission to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, is the decree that the prophet Daniel had prophesied some 95 years earlier (539 B.C.) (Daniel 9:25). Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem two to five months later, only to face opposition from the enemies of the Jews, from all sides of the city.

    Three days after Nehemiah arrived, he took a few men and slipped out into the night to survey the ruins of the wall. At that point he had not exposed to anyone, the plans that the LORD had given him for Jerusalem, not even to the city officials. When he finally told the religious and political leaders of his mission, and how the LORD, and King Artaxerxes, had given him approval, they were all overfilled with joy and enthusiasm to get started on the rebuilding.

    A relationship with GOD that is nurtured by regular prayer time is the context by which we can also have our “instant prayer requests” answered favorably. We are taking the lead in the eyes of GOD when we seek to follow and obey HIS Word. In other words, “we lead best, when we follow GOD”, and oftentimes that requires us to make bold moves that only the person to whom GOD has given the vision can fully understand.

    Nehemiah’s personal testimony that he mentions here in verse 18 of this passage, was a key motivating factor to help spur the Jew’s enthusiasm to rebuild their city. The “courage to act” comes from the conviction that GOD is with us in our efforts to do that which HE has called us to do. And we will often face ridicule from those around us, who satan uses, both wittingly and unwittingly, to discourage us from following GOD’s plan.

    Mockery has kept a many Christians from living out, his or her faith. That is why we can all use the example of Nehemiah’s leadership in our own leadership endeavors, and in other trials. His example will help to encourage us to keep our eyes on GOD, especially while being under duress from the spirits of satan.

 

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

 

 

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

 

Larry D. Alexander's Books and Publications Spotlight

 

Larry D. Alexander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

                                 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website

 

Clinton Family Portrait - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia