What was the only hope of the exiles and what was their only defense?
(Nehemiah 9:1-31 Rom. 5:6-8) Blog Nov. 10-16, 2019
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell the story of the return of the Babylonian exiles to Judea. Three Persian kings made decrees for their return: Cyrus in 538 BC; Darius in 520 BC; and Artaxerxes in 457 BC. The temple had been completed in 516 BC with the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah so in 444 BC, when Nehemiah joined Ezra in Jerusalem they directed their efforts towards rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall and gates. They were men of strong faith and diligent effort whom God chose at an important time of prophetic history. They led out in the teaching of God’s Word and in obeying its precepts. In their efforts to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall they faced opposition from without and from within while also dealing with internal disputes.
Preparation (Dan. 9:1-19; Nehemiah 8:2. 13, 18; 9:1-6; )
1. What benefits come from fasting? The digestive system is allowed to rest allowing the mind to focus more clearly.
2. Of what is sackcloth a symbol? Of humility.
3. Of what is placing dust or ashes upon one’s head a symbol? Of mourning.
4. Why would the returned exiles gather again to read God’s law only one day after spending more than a week hearing it read during the Feast of Tabernacles and having spent two days at the beginning of that same month hearing it read and explained? Because they wanted to do everything in harmony with God’s law that they might have God’s blessing & not be like their ancestors who stepped out of God’s care.
5. When the law was read to the gathered people of God what was their response? They confessed their sins & worshipped the Lord.
6. As the gathered people of God confessed their sins what did the Levites encourage them to do? To stand up & bless the Lord.
The Prayer (Nehemiah 9:6-31; Romans. 2:4)
7. How did the gathered people of God begin blessing the Lord? They began by chanting that God was the only true God — that he was the Creator & Sustainer of heaven, earth, & sea & everything therein.
8. After declaring that the heavenly host worshipped God also, what did the people next recount? That it was God who chose Abraham & made a covenant with him to give the land of Canaan to his offspring.
9. After recounting the call of Abraham of what story of deliverance did the people next remind God? The deliverance from Egypt.
10. After remembering the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai where did the people’s prayer turn? To the sin of Kadesh Barnea & to the sin of the golden calf.
11. What reason did the people acknowledge for why God didn’t forsake his people when they so grievously rebelled in the wilderness? Because he is a God ready to pardon, gracious & merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.
12. What happened not long after God’s people began enjoying all the blessing of inheriting the promised land? They were disobedient, rebelled against God, placed his law behind their backs, & slew his prophets.
13. When overcome by their enemies in the time of the judges whom did God in his mercy send to deliver his people? The judges.
14. Whom did God send to bring his people back to his life-giving law during the time of the kings? His prophets.
15. What was the result of not hearing God’s prophets. Disaster, doom, & captivity to foreign powers.
16. How does this prayer demonstrate the accuracy of Romans 2:4? By recounting the goodness of God towards his sinful people they show what brings them to repentance.
The Petition (Nehemiah 9:32-38; Rom. 5:6-8)
17. As the post-exilic Jews end their prayer what characteristics of their God do they mention? That he is great, mighty, terrible, a covenant keeping God, & that he is a merciful God.
18. As the returned exiles end their prayer of what do they remind God? They remind God that while he has blessed them with a return to their promised land yet they are still under the control of their conquerors.
19. In verse 32 of Nehemiah 9 what do God’s people want him to consider? The enormity of what his people have undergone since the fall of the northern kingdom as a result of their sin.
20. What was the only hope of the exiles and what was their only defense? Their only hope (like ours today) was in the mercy of God & their only defense (like ours today) was in prayer.
21. What request did the returned exiles make at the end of their prayer? They requested that God be their Ruler rather than their conquering nations.
22. What has God done for us when we deserved it not? In the person of Jesus Christ he has lived a perfect substitutionary life & died a ransom for our sins while we were yet rebels.