NEHEMIAH
NEHEMIAH
March 13, 2005
“The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength”
Neh. 8:10
We finished last week with chapter 6. I was given the opportunity to walk out what I preached. The Lord is Good.
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In Chapter 6, Nehemiah had built the walls and now will begin to establish Government and order within the City. Control and defenses will be established. But there are those who will still cater to Tobiah, the Flesh (Carnal Mind). The walls are up, and some are WORKING TOWARD THEIR OWN CONFUSION AGAIN! Don’t submit to unhealthy relationships (6:15-19). Don’t get drug into other people’s unhealthy relationships. We are to accept responsibility for our own self-control, according to Romans 6: 11-22 “Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Lot not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yields you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments or righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
After the walls of our identify in Christ and the Gates of control are re-established, let us consider ourselves dead to fleshly desires (Tobiah), and put the Old Man away!
In Chapter 6: 1-19, we see the PRESSURES OF LEADERSHIP;
(1) 6:1-4 - The problem of pretence and craftiness, which was solved by work and wisdom.
(2) 6:5-9 – The problem of bluff and slander, solved by denial and prayer
(3) 6: 10-14 – The problem of treachery and attempted assassination, which was solved by prayer and self-control.
(4) 6:15-19 – The problem of subversion and the cliques of compromising brethren, which was solved by fearless trust in God.
“SO THE WALL WAS FINISHED’ (6:15) In spite of the enemy’s best efforts to hinder or stop the worked of the Lord, THIS IS STILL THE BOTTOM LINE!
6:1-4 PATIENCE AND CRAFTINESS - “At that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates.” Then Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem say come let us meet together. However, Nehemiah has discernment. He says, “they sought to do me mischief. “evil wickedness.” They wanted to kill or capture Nehemiah.
He said, I am doing a Great Work so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease and come down to you. This must be the posture of every man or
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NEHEMIAH
“The Joy of The Lord is Our Strength”
woman of God, especially in times of devotion, in prayer and in the study of the Word
BLUFF AND SLANDER –
They had appointed their prophets, “yes men” – Verse 13, Nehemiah discerned that the prophet was hired that they might have a matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. Remember in Chapter 5:19, where Nehemiah said, “ Think upon me, my God for good, according to all that I have done for this people.” Now he says, “My God think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.” WHOAAAAAAAAAA That is a prayer.
TREACHERY AND ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION
They tried to lure him in the temple. This is one man who does not have leaving on his mind. – Verse 11, “should such a man as I flee?”
SUBVERSION AND THE CLIQUES OF COMPROMISING BRETHREN
These disloyalties will persist until Chapter 13. It reveals the principle of the love of POWER AND STATUS.
In the opening of chapter 7, provisions were made for the defense of the City. At last Jerusalem was a fortified city again. Hananaiah was given charge over Jerusalem because “ HE WAS A FAITHFUL MAN’ AND HE FEARED GOD ABOVE MAN.’
Now the city was large but the people were few therein. And the houses were not builded. And my God put it in my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at first. (Principle of FIRSTFRUITS).
When the seventh month came the children of Israel were in their cities.
Chapter 8 is the principle of the reading of the Word and the Feast of Tabernacle.
The Law was read before the Water Gate. The 1st day of the 7th month (September-October) was a day of convocation. The effect of the Word moved the people into revival and the keeping of the Feast of Tabernacles.
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NEHEMIAH
“The Joy of The Lord is Your Strength”
The key to this chapter is the attitude of the people. They came with earnestness, attentiveness, reverence, worship, contrition, and joy. Most of all, they obeyed and practiced that which they heard. They walked it out beginning in this chapter to the end of the book. This is the second part of the book of Nehemiah: the reading of the law, and the reform that followed. Ezra now appears on the scene. The most logical reason for his not being mentioned until now is that he had no direct part in the work that was done in the first 6 chapters. The sword and the trowel were laid down and the people began to gather around the Book. From WORK AND WAR, WE TURN NOW TO WORSHIP. THIS WAS A BACK TO THE BIBLE MOVEMENT. It is significant in Verse 13 that on the Second Day of the convocation, Ezra and the other Leadership met and discovered the Scriptures concerning the Feast of Tabernacles. So it was in the late 1940’s that the Leaders of the Body who were yet in the SECOND DAY OF THE FEAST OF PENTECOST BEGAN TO DISCOVER THE THIRD DIMENSION OF THE MOST HOLY PLACE.
As the scene now unfolds before us of a great assembly at Jerusalem in the seventh month, the crown of the religious year. Nehemiah had lost no time: the wall had been completed only a few days before this. Yet a sizeable platform had been erected and constructed for this great occasion.
Neh. 8: 1-10 reveals a Pattern for Maintaining the Cloud (of God’s Presence)”
- 8:3,5 – Everything is based upon the WORD
- 8:1-3, 5-6 – The Leadership of Era (pastor) was the key to unity.
- 8:4, 7-8 – There was a plurality of leadership to balance Ezra.
- 4. 8:7 There was operating the principle of placement
- and the principle of Body Ministry.
We see the POWER OF THE WORD;
THE Point in Time was the 7th month for 6 hours.
The place was the street that was before the Water Gate.
The purpose was to hear the Word
The Ministry Team was Ezra plus 13 others
And the Partakers were all the people as one man
THE RESULTS BROUGHT REVIVAL
THE PEOPLE ROSE FOR THE Word which is the principle of Reverence and Respect. The Response of the people was Worship. They had Understanding and Comprehension They had remorse for sin – Conviction and confession. They had a
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NEHEHMIAH
“The Joy of The Lord is Your Strength”
renewal of strength and Rejoicing. Restoration of Truth which will bring us into obedience.
The First day of the Seventh month is the time of the Feast of Trumpets ( hearing a clear Word of the Lord)
This revival was sparked by the HUNGER OF THE PEOPLE FOR THE WORD OF GOD
These 13 men have prophetic names. Grace, Faith, Prayer, Revelation Inheritance, Creation, Redemption, Sonship, Government Fruitfulness, Righteousness, Faithfulness, Mercy.
This is a tremendous picture of a Pastor and deacons standing together in one purpose. There is room for all on the platform.
IT WAS A DAY OF JOY – 9-12: ‘this day is holy unto the Lord Your God; mourn not, nor weep, for all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom noting is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord; neither be ye sorry; for the JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH. So the Levites still all the people saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieve, and all the people went their way to eat, and to drink and to send portions and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. THEN ON THE SECOND DAY.”
The people of Jerusalem had heard things about the Lord, but they did not know Him. They make mirth because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. On the Second Day they were gathered together “ Go forth unto the Mount (Zion , the Kingdom), and fetch Olive Branches and Pine Branches, and Myrtle Branches, and Palm Branches and Branches of thick trees to make booths, as it is written. The Olive is Oil (spirit. The Pine is Green (Life). The Myrtle Youth (Esther) the Palm is Praise and the Thick Trees is Unity.
Everyone man made booths on the roof of his house in the Courts of the Temple, and in the street of the Gates. This feast had not been kept since the days of Joshua (1000) years. Day by Day from the First Day unto the Last Day, he read in the book of the Law of God (8:18)
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-NEHEMIAH
“The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength”
After Easter if the Lord is willing, we will continue with Chapter 9. Next week we are having a Revival and the next Sunday is Easter. Chapter 9 begins with a public confession: reading, hearing, believing, and obeying God’s word always brings spiritual revival with humiliation, self-judgment, confession and true worship. Chapter 9 reveals the principle of the Day of Atonement.
(to be continued)
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.