Exam Time

Nehemiah 2:11-20

Love the Lord your God and keep His requirements, His decrees, His laws and His commands, always. Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: His majesty, His mighty hand, His outstretched arm; the signs he performed and the things He did… It was not your children who saw what God did for you in the desert… But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done.” Deuteronomy 11:1-7

1. Nehemiah seeks to understand the problem first hand.

• He spends the first 3 days listening to the people. Vs 11
• He scopes out the problem for himself. Vs 12
• He remains silent until he is ready to speak from a position of knowledge. Vs 17

2. Nehemiah identifies with the people.

• Nehemiah not only identified the problem, he also identifies with the people. Vs 17
• “We are in…” “Come, let us…” “We will no longer be in disgrace…” Vs 17
• They responded, “Let us start rebuilding…” Vs 18

3. Nehemiah points to the Gracious Hand of God?

The difficulties:

• A broken wall.
• A disgraced and discouraged people.
• Enemies that destroy with mockery and ridicule.

Encouragements to move forward:

• The testimony of God’s gracious hand.
• The promise of the king.
• Nehemiah’s very presence.

It is enough, and the work begins.

What has God put in your heart to do? Nehemiah 2:12