Welcome to ABF LESSON 7PERSEVERING PART 2 RELIEVING

Welcome to ABF LESSON 7|PERSEVERING (PART 2): RELIEVING THE OPPRESSED NEHEMIAH 5 -6 NOVEMBER 12, 2017

Civil War Profiteering This lesson takes a look at two key challenges Nehemiah faced during his efforts to rebuild the wall: internal dissension and external distractions. In the midst of these challenges, we also get a glimpse of how Nehemiah dealt with his own sin. In preparation for this lesson, please consider the following questions: How should we respond from a Scriptural perspective when dissension threatens God's work in the church? , What steps should we take to effectively deal with our own personal sin? , In what ways could we get distracted when attempting to do the work of God? What are some steps we can take to keep from getting distracted when attempting to do the work of the Lord?

Civil War Profiteering “Elisha Brooks and his brothers, of Brooks Brother’s fame, were the first recipients of a Government military uniform contract. These uniforms were turned out in a matter of weeks and issued to the new recruits. However, they were missing buttons and button holes, were barely threaded together, fit poorly and were made from a wool substitute consisting of sawdust, scraps and threads, glued and ironed together, falling apart in the first rain. A total 48, 000 of these uniform frauds were paid for, before a government board of inquiry required Elisha Brooks to testify why he had used sub standard materials. ” http: //www. civilwarbummer. com/lincolns-war-profiteers-or-the-gruesome-twosome/

Outline of Nehemiah 5 -6 5: 1 -13 6: 1 -14 God’s People should be known for Compassion Discernment Justice Courage 5: 14 -19 6: 15 -19 God’s People should be known for Generosity Perseverance Sacrifice Trust

Nehemiah 5 Sodom/Hebrew slaves 1 Now there arose a great outcry of the people and 21: 12 -13 of their 12 wives against theirthe Matthew And Jesus entered temple and"With droveour outsons all who sold and bought in Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, and our the temple, heeat overturned the alive. " tables of 3 the daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that weand may and keep the seats of those who There were also those who said, "We are money-changers mortgaging ourand fields, our vineyards, 13 sold pigeons. 4 He said to them, "It is written, and our houses to get grain because of the famine. " And there were those who 'My house shall be called a house of prayer, ' said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. but you make it a den of robbers. " 5 Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards. " 6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. Why is Nehemiah so angry? Is this a righteous anger?

Nehemiah 5 Leviticus 25: 35 -37, 39 -40, 43 35 "If your himself Whatbrother Psalm does 34: 8 -11 itbecomes mean forpoor us toand walkcannot in the maintain fear of our God? with 8 Oh, you shall support him as though hetaste wereand a stranger sojourner, and. Blessed he shall is live see thatand thea. LORD is good! thewith 7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the you. 36 Take no interest from him or profit, fearrefuge your God, that your brother may live beside man whobut takes in him! 37 You. I shall 9 money officials. said not to them, "You interest, each from brother. " And I "If you. lend him yourare atthe interest, nor give yourhis food for profit. . 39 Oh, exacting fear LORD, you hishim saints, for those who fear him heldbrother a great assembly them and to to them, as far wehim areserve your becomes pooragainst besidehave you and sells said himself you, "We, you shall not as make no 8 lack! 10 as a slave: he shall back be with you as. The a hired worker and as want a sojourner. Hetoshall with young lions suffer and hunger; but those who you able, have 40 bought our Jewish brothers who have been sold theserve nations, 43 You seek until the year of the jubilee. not rulemay over him ruthlessly shallwere fear your God. the LORD lack nosold good but you even sell your brothersshall that they be tothing. us!"but. They silent and 11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of 9 could not find a word to say. So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. the LORD. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them Psalm 147: 10 -11 money and grain. Let us abandon exacting of interest. 10 His this delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, 11 but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Nehemiah 5 I took counsel and "The I brought charges Nehemiah 1: 3 And with they myself, said to me, remnant thereagainst in the nobles and the officials. I said them, "You are is exacting each from his brother. " And I province who hadto survived the exile in greatinterest, trouble and held a. The great assembly against them 8 down, and said shame. wall of Jerusalem is broken and to itsthem, gates "We, as far as we are have bought areable, destroyed by fire. "back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations taunts and my servants are lending them our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 7 What is the connection?

Justice and Righteousness Genesis 18: 19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him. “ Deuteronomy 4: 5 -8 5 See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 6 Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. ' 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8 And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?

Justice and Righteousness Psalm 146: 5 -7 5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; 7 who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; Isaiah 5: 7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; for righteousness, but behold, an outcry! Isaiah 42: 1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. Is the Church’s mandate to bring justice to the world?

Nehemiah 5 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them. " 12 Then they said, "We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say. " And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. 13 I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied. " And all the assembly said "Amen" and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised. 11 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 14

Nehemiah 5 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people. 15

Nehemiah 6 1 Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono. " But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you? " 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, "It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king.

Nehemiah 6 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, 'There is a king in Judah. ' And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together. " 8 Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind. " 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done. " But now, O God, strengthen my hands. 7

Nehemiah 6 Ephesians 6: 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night. " 11 But I said, "Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in. “ 12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. 14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, Otaunt my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

Nehemiah 6 15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. Tobiah Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. 19 Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid. 17

Concluding Thoughts Nehemiah 5: 9 So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? Ecclesiastes 12: 13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Acts 9: 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

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Tobiah Arah Eliashib Shecaniah Daughter Berechiah Tobiah Meshullam Jehohanan Daughter the Lord has shown mercy 4 Now 6 These 3: 4 And next to them Nehemiah 13: 4 -5 7: 6 -7, 10 before were this, the Meremoth the son of Uriah, son ofup people ofthe Eliashib the priest, province who wascame appointed Hakkoz repaired. nexthouse to them out ofthe over the chambers captivity. And of of those the exiles of our Meshullam thewas son related of Berechiah, son 5 of whomand God, Nebuchadnezzar who thetoking Tobiah, of Meshezabel (Another Section Babylon had prepared for repaired. Tobiah carried ainto large exile. chamber They 3: 30) returned where they to Jerusalem had previously and put Judah, the grain each to his town. offering, the 7 frankincense, They came with the vessels, Zerubbabel, and the tithes…of. The grain, number wine, of and theoil, men of the people which were given of Israel: by commandment. . . 10 The sonstoof Arah, the Levites, 652. singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.