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NEHEMIAH 8
THE WORD OF GOD THAT LEADS TO WORSHIP
LESSON #15
MEMORY VERSE: 1THESSALONIANS 2:13
READ NEH 8:1-12 REVIVAL THROUGH THE READING OF THE LAW
IN THE JEWISH CALENDAR, ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH WAS THE CELEBRATION OF THEFEAST OF TRUMPETS (A CALL TO REPENTANCE). THE DAY OF ATONEMENT WAS ON THE TENTH DAY (ATIME OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND FORGIVENESS OF SIN), AND THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES WAS FROM THEFIFTEENTH DAY TO THE TWENTY FIRST DAY (A WEEK OF REJOICING IN FORGIVENESS). IT WAS APERFECT TIME TO GET THEIR RELATIONSHIP RIGHT WITH THE LORD.
THE WALLS ARE RESTORED, NEHEMIAH IS GOVERNOR OF THE CITY, HE HAS ESTABLISHED ORDER,AND PROTECTION, BUT EVERYTHING IS NOT YET AS IT SHOULD BE. THERE IS A SPIRITUAL VOID.NEHEMIAH CHAPTERS 8-13 DEAL WITH THIS SPIRITUAL VOID. HEARING THE WORD OF GODAND UNDERSTANDING IT:
NOTE THE LOCATION WHERE THE LAW WAS READ TO THE PEOPLE:
AT THE WATER GATE (1)
REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WATER GATE BEING THE WASHING WITH THEWATER OF THE WORD. EPH 5:26
THERE IS NEVER A REVIVAL APART FROM THE PREACHING AND TEACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD.
THE JEWS STOOD WHILE THE LAW WAS READ AND EXPLAINED–FOR FIVE OR SIX HOURS. THIS LASTED AWEEK.
THERE ARE THREE RESPONSES TO THE WORD OF GOD IN NEHEMIAH:
1. HEARING THE WORD (8:1-8) = THE MIND
2. REJOICING IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORD (8:9-12) = THE HEART
3. OBEYING THE WORD (8:13-18) = THE WILL
ALL THREE RESPONSES ARE NECESSARY FOR CHANGE IN THE WHOLE PERSON: MIND, HEART, AND WILL.
**WHY DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE WEPT WHEN THEY HEARD GOD’S WORDS OF LAW? (8:9)
HEARING THE WORDS OF GOD’S LAW USUALLY BRINGS GUILT. THE PEOPLE FELT HOPELESS BECAUSE THEYHAD NOT LIVED ACCORDING TO GOD’S LAW. THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE POSSIBILITY OFEXPERIENCING GOD’S MERCY AND FORGIVENESS.
**WHY DID THE PEOPLE’S RESPONSE UPSET NEHEMIAH SO THAT HE COUNSELED THEM TO ACTDIFFERENTLY? (8:10)
THE WORD OF GOD IS SUPPOSED TO BRING LIGHT FOR REPENTANCE AND CHANGE, NOT CONDEMNATION.SATAN IS THE AUTHOR OF CONDEMNATION. GOD SHOWS US WHERE WE ARE WRONG, BUT HE ALSO SHOWS USHOW WE CAN GAIN FORGIVENESS.
VS. 9 SAYS THEY HEARD THE WORDS BUT THE HEBREW INDICATES IT’S A HEARING WITHOUTUNDERSTANDING
NOTE VS. 12 SAYS THEY ‘UNDERSTOOD’ THE WORDS OF GOD’S LAW.
APPLICATION:
EVEN AFTER IT APPEARS WE HAVE THE WALLS OF PERSONALITY BUILT, THERE IS ALWAYS NEED FORFURTHER EXPOSURE TO THE TRUTH OF THE WORD OF GOD. THE TRUTH MAKES US FREE AND KEEPS USFREE. JOH 8:32
WE OFTEN HEAR GOD’S WORD AND RESPOND THE SAME WAY WITH GUILT AND CONDEMNATION. THAT IS NOTHOW WE SHOULD RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD. THE PROPER RESPONSE: JOY THE LIGHT OFGOD’S WORD SHINES ON OUR HEARTS SO WE MIGHT LEARN TO WALK IN THE JOY OF THAT LIGHT. ITPOINTS OUT OUR FAILURES SO THAT WE MIGHT MAKE THE CHANGES TO CAUSE US TO WALK IN THELIGHT. JOH 3:17 JOH 8:11 2TI 3:16 HEB 12:5-11
READ NEH 8:13-18 RESULTS OF REVIVAL
A PLANNED OBEDIENCE: A CHANGED LIFE FEAST OF TABERNACLES RESTORED THEY HAD NOT SET UP THEBOOTHS SINCE THE DAYS OF JOSHUA (17), BUT THEY HAD KEPT SOME SEMBLANCE OF THE FEASTIN THE DAYS OF KING SOLOMON. (2CHR 8:13)
UNDERSTANDING ALONE DOESN’T PRODUCE A CHANGED LIFE
INSIGHT IS NECESSARY–THE PURSUIT OF INSIGHT: 8:13-15
IT TAKES TIME
IT TAKES PEOPLE
IT TAKES THE RIGHT ATTITUDE
IT TAKES THE RIGHT SOURCE
IT TAKES THE RIGHT RESPONSE
THE PRODUCTS OF INSIGHT: 8:16-17
PERSONAL EFFORT IN SPITE OF DIFFICULTY
UNDERSTANDING = KNOWLEDGE/INSIGHT = OBEDIENCE
WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE IN SPITE OF TRADITION
IT’S WELCOMED BY THOSE WHO ARE CONVINCED GOD MEANS WHAT HE SAYS.
GREAT REJOICING IN SPITE OF NEWNESS OF EXPERIENCE:
OBEDIENCE BRINGS A HAPPY HEART.
THE PRESERVATION OF INSIGHT: 8:18
BE CONSISTENT IN SPENDING TIME EACH DAY WITH GOD’S WORD.
SPEND TIME IN A GROUP IN SOLEMN CELEBRATION AND WORSHIP.
DO YOU REALLY DESIRE INSIGHT?
IS YOUR LIFE CHARACTERIZED BY CHANGE?
PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP:
[29] A GODLY LEADER WILL MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THE STANDARD OF AUTHORITY NOT JUST THE DO’S AND DON’TS BUT HOW FAR WILL THE LEADERS MOVE OFF THE FOUNDATION.
INTEGRITY OF THE LEADERSHIP
HOMEWORK FOR NEHEMIAH 9 & 10
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF NEHEMIAH 8
IN PRAYER, JOYOUSLY PRAISE GOD FOR YOUR FAILURES, YOUR MISTAKES, THOSE TIMES WHEN YOU HAVEFALLEN SHORT IN THE AREAS OF YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.
DETERMINE TO RECEIVE THE CORRECTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH JOY AND THANKSGIVING THISWEEK.
WITH THE AREAS OF YOUR LIFE YOU’RE WORKING ON IN MIND, HONESTLY ANSWER THE FOLLOWINGQUESTIONS:
ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT WORKING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PRODUCE CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE?
ARE YOU SERIOUSLY WILLING TO SPEND TIME WORKING ON THESE AREAS?
ARE YOU WILLING TO CHANGE IN SPITE OF THE DIFFICULTY INVOLVED?
READ PHILIPPIANS 2:12-16. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE GOD WANTS YOU TO WORK ON THESE AREAS OFYOUR LIFE WHEN HE SAYS “WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING”?
RENEW YOUR COMMITMENT TO PERSEVERE IN YOUR PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS SET BEFORE YOU.
PREPARATION FOR NEHEMIAH 9
READ NEHEMIAH 9:1-38
THIS IS THE LONGEST RECORDED PRAYER IN THE BIBLE. IDENTIFY ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OFPRAYER YOU CAN FIND. FOR EXAMPLE, PRAISE, CONFESSION, THANKSGIVING, ETC.
MEMORY VERSE: JAMES 5:16b
“THE PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN IS POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE.”
