Ezra 8- Nehemiah 2

Ezra 8- Families who Returned with Ezra

• 1-14- The families by name
• 15- Interesting 3 days is mentioned…..significant number
• 18- God GIVES them good leaders ...man of understanding
• 20- Levites again are set in place…
• 21-23- Fasting to Spiritual Breakthrough
• 24-30- Gifts for the temple
• 31-34- Precision of weights and measures
• 35-36- Final setup of order….

Ezra 9- Intermarriage with Pagans

• 1-5- Ezra quickly learns that those under Zerubbabel have disobeyed God’s basic command (Dt 7:1-4). His response of grief again reinforces his serious devotion to God.
• 7- He is concerned that Israel is repeating the sin pattern that had taken her into captivity less than 100 years earlier. 
• 8-15- Ezra’s sermon to the leadership

Ezra 10- Confession of Improper Marriage

• 1-8- Repentance and response to inter marriage….desire to set things straight leads to extreme measures
• 9- Shaken by God ...and by a heavy rain storm.
• 10- 14- A miserable day of rain and intense decisions made for a sad person during this period……
• 18-44- Pagan wives put away along with their children...a radical response to moral failure and lose of destiny 

Nehemiah was originally included with Ezra...the name means Yahweh Comforts. Nehemiah expresses the practical, everyday side of our faith in God. Ezra had led a spiritual renewal, while Nehemiah was the James of the Old Testament, challenging the people to show their faith by their works. The first section deals with the wall, the second addresses the people inside the walls. The covenant was renewed, and the enemies inside the wall were exposed and dealt with very firmly. 

In the last section the people of God are restored to obedience in God’s Word.

Four lasting principles stand out here ...compassion ...cooperation...confidence…..courage. Nehemiah. His main message was to call the people of God to remember the law. 

Nehemiah 1- Nehemiah Prays for his People

• 1- Shushan is where Daniel was during Belshazzar’s reign….it’s present day Iran. Esther, Mordecai and Haman were also here. 
• 1-5- Nehemiah will focus on rebuilding the actual walls and city where society can exist.
• 6-11- INTERCESSOR- NEHEMIAH INTERCEDES FOR HIS PEOPLE
• 10- REDEEMED- RELEASE ...PRESERVE...RESCUE...DELIVER...LIBERATE...CUT LOOSE
• 11- Request for God to HEAR his prayer AND to PROSPER him
• The King’s Cupbearer- God has gone before to put His man in the right place for the right time. The cupbearer was responsible to select and serve the wine, taste it to be sure it was not poisoned, and be a tactful companion to the king. As the latter he often offered informal counsel and enjoyed the king’s confidence.

Nehemiah 2-Nehemiah sent to Judah

• 1-2- Nissan was four months after Chislev. Nehemiah is afraid to appear sad at an inappropriate time before the king because the cupbearers were to hide their emotions for the king’s sake. To violate this was a death sentence.
• 4- PRAYERS ARE MEANT TO BE ANSWERED ...INTERCESSORY ANSWERS BEGIN HERE…
• 6- IMPORTANT- THE QUEEN WAS SUPPORTING THE DECISION ...PERHAPS EVEN INFLUENCING IT WITH GRACE
• 7-9- Prayers ANSWERED means ANSWERED…
• 9-10- Power to change things is THE RESULT
• 11- 3 days…...number of divine completion or perfection. Sometimes God will work in this time frame to accomplish a thing. You need spiritual wisdom to take note of it.
• 12- Many times it is best to GUARD or KEEP to yourself what God has told you
• 12-16- Investigate BEFORE you….
• 17- 18- THEN take that to the people who count...make it happen with order
• 18- DETERMINATION IS REQUIRED EVEN WHEN IN GOD’S WILL
• 19- Expect resistance but DO not let it stop you
• 20- NEHEMIAH HAD AN ANSWER ...SO DO YOU…..
• NOTE HIS PRAYER- THE GOD OF HEAVEN WILL PROSPER US!!!.....LET GOD DO HIS THING TODAY IN YOUR LIFE