Nehemiah 13 - Need For Renewal

1 Why was God hard on the Ammonites and Moabites? What were the Israelites to do with them? Other verses which relate. Ex 34:15, 16; Deut 7:1 - 4 , Josh 23:12, 13; Mal 2:11, 12

2 After Nehemiah 13:3, Nehemiah returned to the palace in Susa to his old job in 432 B.C. , but Artaxerxes sent him back in 420 B.C. to a second term of governor of Jerusalem and Judea. What had Eliashib the priest done while Nehemiah was gone?

3 When a church disregards God's standards, can it expect the people to continue to support it with its finances? How should we respond if people's giving is not covering the cost of the church work? Does a prosperous church automatically indicate God's blessing?

4 Why did the storehouse have to be purified?

5 Who did Nehemiah question about the neglect of the temple? V 11

6 When everything was cleansed and in place again what was the next step? V 12

7 Why were Shelemiah, Zadok and Pedaiah put in charge of the storehouse? V. 13

8 The prophet Malachi was speaking to the people in Jerusalem during this time period. What did he say that the people were doing and what was his promise? Mal 3:8 - 12

9 Based on verse 14 do you think that Nehemiah felt that this was a hard thing to do or why would he have said this?

10 What was Nehemiah's concern about working on the Sabbath? V 18 Do you think that the Sabbath should be respected by Christians and God's wrath is upon those that ignore God's Sabbath? v. 15 - 22

11 Why do you think that God made a law that the Israelites were never to marry people from other nations? What insight did Nehemiah have on this? V. 23 - 29

12 Notice that Eliashib the high priest's family was guilty of this as well. What did Nehemiah do about this? Do you think his reaction was a little strong? What does this show about Nehemiah's character? Did his office give his authority which we might not have to carry out similar cleansing?

13 What does Gal 6:1 - 5 tell us to do? Why and in what spirit should this be done?

14 How are we to approach those in authority when we violations of the Word of God? Might that also include working or buying or selling on the Sabbath? Does going to restaurants on Sunday fall into this category as well?

15 Are we concerned about the wrath of God on our nation because we violate God's laws? Why or why not? Is there anything we should do about it?

16 How did Nehemiah treat those who had married wives from other counties and language groups?

17. What was Nehemiah’s model for why he felt it was important to purify his nation?

18. What did Nehemiah ask God to do because of the sins of the priests?

19. What did Nehemiah do organizationally to make sure that the Jewish faith would prosper?

20. What was Nehemiah’s last request? Why do you think he made it?