Nehemiah | |||||
Nehemiah, contemporary of Ezra and cupbearer to the king in the Persian palace, leads the third and last return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. His concern for the welfare of Jerusalem and its inhabitants prompts him to take bold action. Granted permission to return to his homeland, Nehemiah challenges his countrymen to arise and rebuild the shattered walls of Jerusalem. In spite of opposition from without and abuse from within, the task is completed in only fifty-two days -- a feat which even the enemies of Israel must attribute to God's enabling. By contrast, the task of reviving and reforming the people of God within those rebuilt walls demands years of Nehemiah's godly life and leadership. | |||||
Focus | Reconstruction of the Wall | Restoration of the People | |||
1:1 7:73 | 8:1 13:31 | ||||
Divisions | Preparation to Reconstruct the Wall | Reconstruction of the Wall | Renewal of the Covenant | Obedience to the Covenant | |
1:1 2:20 | 3:1 7:73 | 8:1 10:39 | 11:1 13:31 | ||
Topics | Political | Spiritual | |||
Construction | Instruction | ||||
Place | Jerusalem | ||||
Time | 19 Years (444--425 B.C.) | ||||