Week 5: Nehemiah facing struggles

Week 4: Nehemiah 5-8

Objective: 

• Nehemiah Deals with Oppression

• The Generosity of Nehemiah

• Conspiracy Against Nehemiah

• The Wall Completed

• The Captives Who Returned to Jerusalem

• Ezra Reads and Explains the Law

• The Feast of Tabernacles

Resources:

• Fr Tadros Y Malaty Commentary
• Catena Bible Commentary
• Fr Dawoud Lamie Bible study (Arabic)

Reading:

• Nehemiah 5: 1-19
  
• Nehemiah 6: 1-19
• Nehemiah 7: 1-6
• Nehemiah 8: 1-18

Key verse(s):

“We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.” Nehemiah 5:12

Comments:

• Nehemiah started to deal with problems with the people. Many of these problems were caused by usury.
• Usury is when a person lends money to another person and asks to return the money with extremely high-interest rates.
• Nehemiah met with the people and they all agreed to stop it and to help their brethren. We see Nehemiah's leadership in the society.
• Nehemiah's generosity is seen when he is appointed governor and invites many people to sit with him at the same table. A lot of food was prepared daily.
• Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab tried to stop Nehemiah from completing the wall. Nehemiah dealt with them wisely without losing hope in God's support. Nehmiah's faith and dedication led to the rebuilding of the walls in only 52 days.
  
• Again, there are names of those who returned to Jerusalem mentioned in chapter seven. Church Fathers look at this in a way where those people who believed in God, offered to work and serve, and left their luxurious, lives were worthy to have their names written in the Book of Life.
• Ezra the scribe was still alive and he led the people to read the law and to another spiritual reformation.

Review/recap questions:
**Servant may add more questions

1. What position did Nehemiah occupy in the land of Judah?
2. Why did Nehemiah not demand the governor’s provisions?
3. How many days did it take to rebuild the wall?
4. How many times did Sanballat send messages to Nehemiah?
5. Why did Nehemiah refuse to meet with Sanballat and his allies?
6. How did Nehemiah figure out that Shemaiah was a traitor?
7. Who read from the Book of the Law?
8. When was the last time the people made booths before that time?

Homework:
**Servant may add more questions

1. What position did Nehemiah occupy in the land of Judah?
   a) a priest b) a governor c) a scribe d) a singer
2. Who was invited to Nehemiah’s table?
   a) Jews b) rulers c) people from other nations d) all of these
3. How many times did Sanballat send messages to Nehemiah?
   a) 2 b) 3 c) 5 d) 10
4. How many days did it take to rebuild the wall?
   a) 15 b) 35 c) 42 d) 52