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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
All right, in order to understand this week’s lesson, we need a little context. Last week, in 2 Kings, we discussed the fall of both the kingdom of Israel, and the kingdom of Judah. During the time that 2 Kings takes place and the years of captivity that follow, control over the ancient world is going to pass through various hands and empires. The Assyrians are the empire that will conquer and scatter the Northern Kingdom. Then it’s the Babylonians that later come through and conquer the Kingdom of Judah. But while the Jewish nation is in exile, a new empire arrives and overthrows the Babylonians, and that would be the Persians. The Persians are the next big guys on the block. And so the next three books of the Bible, Ezra, Nehemiah, and then Esther (which we’ll study next week) represent the last of the historical books of the Old Testament. The continuity of the basically chronological order that we’ve been following this year is going to come to an end. The remainder of the Old Testament record contains writings, prophecies, and stories that fall somewhere within the timeline of 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, the times of the exile, and the return of the Jewish people to Jerusalem. And those remaining books are not in chronological order. So throughout the rest of the year, I’m going to try and do my best to help you to see where each of the books fit in, in terms of the overall narrative. But keep in mind that, to me, the historical and cultural details behind these books is secondary in importance to the relevance of the gospel principles that they teach. That’s where my main focus is going to rest.
But back to Ezra and Nehemiah. These books are going to cover what happens to the Jewish people after they have been exiled from Jerusalem for about 70 years. Most of the people wouldn’t even remember what it was like to have their own nation or country, and enclaves of Jews are scattered throughout the Persian kingdom. But all that is going to change when a Persian King named Cyrus comes to power. Now the Persians were a bit more tolerant of religious freedom than their Assyrian and Babylonian forebearers. And also, Cyrus is going to fulfill a prophesy that he finds made by Isaiah nearly 2oo years before I mean, can you imagine going to a library, picking out a 200-year-old book, and finding your name in it? And it starts talking about you and things you’re meant to accomplish in your life? That would be kind of mind-blowing, wouldn’t it. That’s kind of what happens to Cyrus. If you’re interested, you can check out that prophesy in Isaiah 44:28. Now I know that the Book of Isaiah comes much later in the Bible than the Book of Ezra, but not chronologically. Isaiah is writing that prophecy way before Cyrus is ever born. And so the king acts in accordance with the prophecy and allows a contingent of Jews to go back to Jerusalem to begin work on repairing the temple and reestablishing a Jewish community in the area. And that’s why when we get to Jesus in the New Testament, the Jews are well established as a nation in that area once again. Now with that as a background, let’s dig into the book itself.
THE GREAT RETURN
ICEBREAKER
For an icebreaker to this lesson, you could approach the book of Ezra with this little activity. Since the story of this book is all about a people making a journey, a return to Jerusalem, the activity is going to play off of that theme. I call it, “The Great Return”. What you’ll do is hand out to every student in your classroom a gameboard, some kind of game marker, and a dice. Now if you have a large class, you’re going to need a lot of dice. But they’re not very expensive. On Amazon, you can buy a set of 50 for like 7$. I’ll provide a link to that if you’re interested. And for game pieces you can do something really simple like giving everyone a penny, a dry bean, or even a little piece of paper that they roll up into a ball. Then, project the following list of principles up on the board or provide each student with a printout of the “principle list”. And how you’ll manage this activity as a teacher is you’ll read a set of verses from the Book of Ezra and give your students about 30 seconds to choose the principle that they feel is best being taught by that section. They can write their answers down in the answer spaces found on the left side of their gameboard. If they get the correct match, then they get to roll their dice and move their game marker that many spaces on their board. If they land on a space that has an instruction on it, they follow that instruction. So for example, if they land on a “move forward 2” space, then they will move two more spaces forward. If they land on a move back 5 spaces, they will move their marker 5 spaces back. If they land on the bridge, they can move their piece forward to that new square. So do you see how this works? The object of the activity is to try and be the first person to reach Jerusalem at the end. Perhaps you could reward the first three people to do so. Now you definitely want your students to see and feel the spiritual power behind the principles being taught and not just play a game. So be sure to either discuss the principles as you go and highlight their importance or save enough time in the lesson to go back and talk more deeply about the principles when the activity concludes.
SEARCH
I would introduce the game with a brief explanation of the historical context similar to what I shared at the beginning of the video. And then begin with the following question.
Ezra is a book about coming back. A people returning to a place they once knew but had lost because of wickedness and idolatry. Here we’re going to see them strive to reestablish themselves as the people of God. They are leaving Babylon, the worldly city, and returning to Jerusalem, the holy city. Knowing this, which of the first principles and ordinances of the gospel would be the best match as the major theme of Ezra?
And the match would be B, repentance. This, I feel, is the message that will make this ancient book most relevant to our lives. Ezra is more than just a description of a physical journey from point A to point B. No, it also describes a spiritual journey of sorts. Not only did the Jews need to physically travel to Jerusalem, but they also needed to get their spirits, and their hearts, and minds there too. The Book of Ezra is a great place to learn principles of repentance—principles of returning.
So our next question then. Which principle is the best match for the following verses:
Ezra 1:1-5
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.
4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.
What’s our match? H. God has prepared people in our lives that can help us to repent. In this instance, God had prepared the way for Cyrus to make this journey possible for the Jewish people. Without his blessing, this never could have happened. The Jews were not able to return on their own. They needed help. And how is that like repentance? Well, I believe that we cannot fully repent on our own power. God has raised up others to help us through that process. And who are some of those people? Bishops, parents, good friends, prophets, teachers. There is a network of helpers and shepherds and counselors all around us as members of the Church that can help us to make desired changes in our lives. And then there is one particular individual that we absolutely must rely on if we wish to repent. In fact, we cannot be forgiven without this individual’s help and power. Who am I talking about? Our Savior Jesus Christ. The power of Christ’s atonement is the only means by which we can be made worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. Cyrus, in one sense, could be considered a type of Christ. Interestingly enough, he isn’t even a “member of the Church” so to speak. And that brings up a very intriguing question to consider: Can God raise up, work through, and inspire people that aren’t members of the Church to accomplish his work on this world and further his plan? I believe so. I don’t think we have a monopoly on inspiration in this church. I believe that there are many people who have never been baptized, in this life, into the true Church of Jesus Christ, but have been directly inspired by God to do what they did or say what they said. Can you think of any possible examples? C.S. Lewis, the Reformers, the Founding Fathers of America, Martin Luther King Jr., Confucius, Buddha, Mother Theresa, etc. I feel that God can and continues to bring light and understanding to many of his children through inspiration to people other than just his prophets or members of his Church.
3:3-5
So a contingent of Jewish people are allowed to return to Jerusalem under Cyrus, and there they begin to repair and rebuild the temple. While doing so,
3 And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, even burnt offerings morning and evening.
4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;
5 And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the Lord.
What’s the match? R. Repentance requires sacrifice. If we wish to repent, we’re going to have to give something up. I believe that one of the hardest sacrifices we will ever have to make will be the sacrifice of our sins. We all kind of have our “pet sins,” don’t we? Those things that we know are wrong, that we really should give up, but it’s just hard to do so. There’s a part of us that doesn’t want to give it up—that wants to indulge, that wants to have its own way. But I like the way verse 5 describes it, they “willingly offered a freewill offering unto the Lord. That’s what repentance will require of us. God doesn’t really want our money, time, efforts, or worship as much as he wants our will. As Neal A. Maxwell has said:
“The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!”
Neal A. Maxwell (Conference Report, Oct 1995)
3:11-13
11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.
12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
Well, have you ever laughed so hard that you cried? Or been so happy that tears ran down your face? That’s kind of what’s happening here. Especially for those who were old enough to remember the original temple before it was destroyed. What is the principle of returning taught here? The answer is M: Repentance is a principle of joy. We should show gratitude for God’s goodness and mercy when we contemplate the principle of repentance. We should express joy at the fact that we have a way back, that there is a possibility of change, that we believe in a God that forgives and forgets. It’s a wonderful principle! One worthy of celebrating and weeping for joy over. I think sometimes we don’t always approach the topic of repentance with the best bearing or attitude. We say it almost like it’s a bad word, laden with shame. “Oh, I had to go and repent.” But no, those that make changes in their lives are to be celebrated and admired for their courage and determination and their faith God’s mercy. What was it that the father of the prodigal son did as soon as he saw him returning? He ran to him, embraced him, rejoiced, and threw a party. That’s how repentance should make us feel. And we give thanks to the Lord for that truth, because He is good.
4:4-5, 21
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
And then later the petition of the people’s enemies to the king:
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.
What’s the match, F. Repentance is not easy, expect opposition.
Now I believe I’ve said this before on this channel, but I believe that forgiveness from God does come easily. He is not hard to convince to forgive us. It’s not like we have to work and work and go through this checklist of items in order for God to finely deem us worthy of earning his forgiveness. The scriptures don’t seem to suggest that. Instead, it seems that all those who ask for forgiveness, get it, and almost always immediately. However, in saying that, I’m not suggesting that repentance is easy. Because what is repentance? My favorite definition of that principle comes from the Bible Dictionary. It says: “The Greek word of which this is the translation denotes a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. Since we are born into conditions of mortality, repentance comes to mean a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined.” (Bible Dictionary, Repentance) Now that’s the hard part. Repentance is change. We’ve got to change ourselves. That’s where we find the real work of repentance. We’ve got to turn our hearts and wills back to God. Now when we try to do that, there will be opposition. Our natural man will fight us, the adversary will fight us, our habits and addictions will fight us, perhaps old friends and worldly influences will strive to pull us back into their grasp. Satan is going to “hire counsellors against us” to try and “frustrate our purpose.” That’s when we’re going to have to exercise our spiritual muscles and really work to return. Just like the Jewish people in our story, we’ve got a long journey through the wilderness to get to Jerusalem. In the Book of Ezra, there are people who inhabit the lands around Jerusalem who aren’t wild about the idea of the Jews coming back. There are letters written back and forth between the Jew’s enemies and some of the Persian kings that come after Cyrus that aren’t as dedicated to the idea of the rebuilding of Jerusalem as he was. Eventually though, under King Darius, the people are told that they are not only allowed to continue building the temple, but they are even given money and support to make it happen. I believe that God can help us too to overcome those that would oppose our efforts to change.
5:1-2
Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.
2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
The match, O : With the help of prophetic and priesthood counsel, we can rebuild our temple worthiness. In these verses we see that as the people renew their efforts to rebuild the temple that there are prophets and local priesthood leaders there to help them. They’re not alone in their labors. We’ll study their books later this year. Haggai and Zechariah. Now we may not need to go and actually place bricks and mortar at a temple construction site in order to repent. But we can rebuild our temple worthiness, brick by brick. It may take some time and effort, but eventually, we will look up and see the beautiful walls of our righteousness rise above us. In our story, the temple IS successfully rebuilt and dedicated in chapter 6.
6:21
21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat,
The match G: Repentance requires that we separate ourselves from sin. In order to repent, we must forsake the sin. We can’t expect to be forgiven of sin if we continue defiantly in the offending behavior. Repentance requires that we forsake the sin. I’ve known people who are really good at confessing their sins, but not very good at forsaking them. Both steps are required for full repentance to take place.
7:6, 10
6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him.
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
Now we’re introduced to the man the book is named after. Ezra. Ezra the priest makes his way to Jerusalem to teach the people how to be disciples of Jehovah once again. And why was he chosen? What had he done that qualified him as someone to come and engage in this teaching? We learn that he was a “ready scribe in the law of Moses”, and that he had “prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach” it.
Our match, S: Studying and understanding the scriptures can help give us the power to change. This was a principle that we saw last week in the story of King Josiah. It was the words of the scriptures that motivated and inspired the people to change.
8:21-23
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.
The match, E: Fasting and prayer can help give us the power to change. When we struggle, or need the help of God, it’s very natural and common for us to fall to our knees in prayer and to petition God for help. But how often do we call upon the powers of heaven through fasting? Maybe not as much as we should. Do we only fast on fast Sunday? Or do we use this special and potent means of appealing to God on a more frequent basis. When going through the repentance process of changing your heart, don’t forget this valuable spiritual tool. It really can make a difference in the manner in which God assists us.
10:1, 11
1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
11 Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
The match, I: Confession and godly sorrow can help us to change. I've often heard students ask me what sins would cause someone to have to go and talk with the bishop. And I tell them that the wording of their question reveals a bit of a misunderstanding. See, they think confession is a punishment. When do I HAVE to go talk to the bishop? And I have to remind them that confession is not a part of the punishment of sin, but a part of the cure. God doesn't want you to go and speak to a priesthood leader in order to humiliate you, or to teach you a lesson, but to help you. The Lord knows that his priesthood leaders can help us. So we can go to the bishop when we need help, when we need counsel, when we need somebody to talk to, when we feel guilty and don't know what to do. It's true that the church tells us that serious sins should be resolved with a priesthood leader, but that's just because those are usually the kind of sins that require the most outside help in order to overcome. Just like with the word repentance, confession is a beautiful word and principle. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to confess a sin before God or a priesthood leader, you know how good it feels, how relieving, and how burden lifting it is. Ezra seemed to understand this idea. Also, feeling godly sorrow is a strong indicator that the heart is beginning to change. As a bishop, when individuals come to me to confess and work through their sins, at times, there has been need for some type of discipline, whether large or small, that I feel will help them to experience a change their heart. After explaining those disciplinary measure, I’ll often watch for the attitude. If there is resistance, bitterness, or frustration, I usually know that the process of repentance is probably going to take a little longer for that individual, that their heart may need a little more time to truly change. On the other hand, if they are humble, and contrite, and willing to accept whatever it takes to be right with God, then I know, that the repentance process is going to be much quicker for that individual. Godly sorrow accompanies true repentance.
10:4
4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
The match here, P: It’s our Nike slogan. Repentance, just do it. Repentance takes courage and resolve. Don’t waver, hesitate, or procrastinate in your efforts to change. Make the decision, and do it, now.
10:13
13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.
Our match here, L: Repentance takes time. It is not a quick fix. As I said a little earlier. I don’t believe that forgiveness from our Father in Heaven is a difficult thing to receive, but change is. Repentance is typically not a quick fix. It’s not the work of a day or two. We must be patient with the process and patient with ourselves. And I also believe that God will be patient with us. We may not be able to change “cold turkey” so to speak. There may be setbacks, relapses, and concentrated effort over time before we see the ways of Babylon fade from our lives. But we shouldn’t get discouraged or give up. It’s not going to be the work of days, but weeks, months, or even years.
And one more. This last question is actually a set of three different verses. Each one detailing the blessings of repentance. The lesson of Ezra would not be complete if we didn’t take a look at the promises that God makes to those who are willing to make the effort to return and repent.
8:31 God’s hand will be upon you, and he will deliver you out of the hands of your enemies
9:8-9 He’ll give you grace, he’ll give a nail in his holy place. A nail is something firm, embedded, secure. God will secure you in his holy place, in his house. I love that description. He will lighten your eyes or make you happier. He will give you reviving in your bondage.
9:13 And then I really love what the Lord says here in verse 13. God will punish us less than our iniquities deserve. Isn’t that typically the case? God lets us off easy. The actual consequences that we receive are usually a lot less than we really deserve. God is gracious in his justice and forgiveness.
So what’s our match? K: If I repent, God’s hand will be upon me, he will deliver me, give me his grace, revive me, and deliver me out of the bondage of sin.
Now aren’t those amazing principles! The Book of Ezra is such a great place to help your students understand the miracle of repentance and forgiveness.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
When you’ve completed the activity, be sure to give your students a chance to ponder and reflect on the principles they’ve just learned. You may also want to ask them to either write their answer to the following question on the back of their gameboard, or to share their answer with the class.
Which of the principles of returning that we’ve studied today is your favorite and why?
CONCLUSION
I am personally very grateful for the principle of repentance in my own life. It is one of the most hopeful principles of the entire gospel. All of us are probably going to stray into Babylon at some point in our lives. Isn’t it wonderful that our Father and Heaven and his Son Jesus Christ have prepared a way for us to come back. The holy city calls to us and awaits our return whenever we wander off into strange and forbidden paths. It’s important to remember that no one is ever really condemned for their sins, but because of their failure to leave them. If there’s anyone who is listening to this right now who is feeling lost, forsaken, or trapped by their less-than-ideal choices. I want you to know that there is hope! You don’t have to stay in Babylon! You can come back. And you will be welcomed into the loving arms of your Savior when you do! Don’t hesitate, don’t procrastinate. It’s time to return and rebuild!
NEHEMIAH-BUILDING THE WALLS
ICEBREAKER
A fun way to start a conversation and understanding of the Book of Nehemiah is to an activity geared towards the idea of building. That is the major theme of Nehemiah. Building something. So an icebreaker that works well for that theme is to bring in a bunch of Lego’s and challenge your students to build a wall as fast as they can. You can give them five minutes to build as high a wall as they can that is at least 15 studs long. You could even turn it into a contest between individuals or teams to see who can get their wall the highest in that amount of time.
TRANSITION
Transition to the scriptures by telling your students that a major theme of the Book of Nehemiah is building and asking them following question. What is it that Nehemiah wanted to rebuild according to Nehemiah 1:3, 2:5? Answer: The walls of Jerusalem. That’s basically the premise of the whole book. But who was Nehemiah and why should we care about his story? The following activity can help your students get to know this incredible but lesser-known character of the Bible.
SEARCH
Challenge your students to answer the following questions about Nehemiah using their scriptures. You could give them this activity as a handout.
1. Where does Nehemiah live? (Nehemiah 1:1 and footnote 1b)
2. What was Nehemiah’s profession? (Nehemiah 1:11)
3. Who was the king that he served? (Nehemiah 2:1)
4. What does Nehemiah do after hearing about the sad shape of Jerusalem? (Nehemiah 1:4, 11, 2:4)
5. What does the king’s question in Nehemiah 2:1-2 reveal about Nehemiah’s character?
6. What two people were upset to hear of Nehemiah’s quest to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem? (Nehemiah 2:10)
(Check your answers by reading the entry for “Nehemiah” in the Bible Dictionary on page 738)
Here are the answers:
Where does Nehemiah live? (Nehemiah 1:1 and footnote 1b)
He lives in the palace of Shushan. If you look at the footnote, we learn that this is another name for Susa, or the chief city of Persia or modern-day Iran. Remember, it’s the Persians that are in control of the ancient world at this time.
What was Nehemiah’s profession? (Nehemiah 1:11)
He was the king’s cupbearer. Now the fact that he’s the royal cupbearer tells you a little something about Nehemiah’s character. The job of the cupbearer was to assure that nobody sought to poison the king. The cupbearer would assure that the wine or water delivered to the king was safe and free of poison. This would need to be someone who was very trustworthy since the king’s life was basically in their hands. If you were going to bribe someone with money to attempt an assassination plot on the king’s life, the royal cupbearer would be a good place to start.
Who was the king that he served? (Nehemiah 2:1)
The name of the king that Nehemiah served under was a man named Artaxerxes. Now the Babylonian and Persian kings had such great names don’t you think. Artaxerxes, Darius, Nebuchadnezzar. Nabopolassar. If you’re trying to come up with some unique baby names for your children, maybe you could check out the Persian kings for some ideas.
What does Nehemiah do after hearing about the sad shape of Jerusalem? (Nehemiah 1:4, 11, 2:4)
He fasts and prays. This tells you something about Nehemiah’s character as well. He was a man of great faith and devotion to God. You can read that prayer in verses 5-11. It’s a very humble and contrite prayer. He pleads for strength to know how to approach the king with his desire to do something about the walls of Jerusalem. He pleads, “I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” And when the actual moment comes to breech the subject with the king in 2:4, he prays again with a brief prayer in his heart for help him to do this difficult thing that he’s scared to do. Have you ever done that before? When you’re about to do something hard? Ask God for help with a quick prayer in your heart? That can be a very effective and reassuring practice. And it works! Artaxerxes sympathizes with Nehemiah and allows him to return to Jerusalem. And not only that, but he also writes letters to all the governors of the area to allow Nehemiah safe passage through the kingdom and even gives him materials and financial support to rebuild the walls of the city. Artaxerxes sounds like a real decent monarch.
What does the king’s question in Nehemiah 2:1-2 reveal about Nehemiah’s character?
It tells us that he was a very happy and optimistic individual, even in less-than-ideal circumstances. The king notices that Nehemiah is not his usual cheerful self. So much so that he questions him and asks him why he appears so sad that day. Also, it’s apparent from the rest of the story that Nehemiah must have been a very charismatic and inspiring individual based on what the people are willing to do under his leadership. Nehemiah was capable of motivating them to expend great effort to complete a daunting task.
What two people were upset to hear of Nehemiah’s quest to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem? (Nehemiah 2:10)
Ah, here are the villains of the story. Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite. They are none too pleased about the prospect of Jerusalem being rebuilt or strengthened or anything done for the welfare of the children of Israel.
Now, a lot of this information can be confirmed and is distilled in the entry for Nehemiah in the Bible Dictionary. You could review that information by reading there. It also gives a good breakdown of how the book is organized.
(Check your answers by reading the entry for “Nehemiah” in the Bible Dictionary on page 738)
But now that we know a little more about Nehemiah the man, let’s look at what he and the Israelites under him were able to accomplish. Later in chapter two, Nehemiah takes a nighttime ride around the city of Jerusalem to survey the work that would need to be done to restore the wall to its former condition.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Before we continue, we always study the scriptures with an eye towards application and relevance. Nehemiah’s task was to build the walls of Jerusalem. In a spiritual sense, what have we been tasked with building? What is our latter-day construction project? It’s to build Zion, the new Jerusalem. That’s our task. And with that thought in mind, the book of Nehemiah can really come alive for us. There are some really nice phrases and ideas from this book that we can apply to our own efforts to build the Church of God up in the last days. And how do we build Zion? What are some of the things we do to create the holy city upon the earth? We preach the gospel. We redeem the dead. We perfect the Saints. We serve the poor and needy. We live obedient and righteous lives. We fulfill callings. We create forever families. We edify and strengthen others in word and deed. We strive to live virtuous lives. We make holy places out of our homes, our churches, and our temples. Let’s have these tasks in mind as we study the Book of Nehemiah. Perhaps he can inspire us in the same way he inspired them.
AN EXAMPLE
Before I send you into the scriptures to look for Zion building principles, let me give you an example of what kinds of things we’re looking for here. At first glance, chapter 3 may seem rather tedious and unimportant. It looks like just a big list of names of the people who helped to rebuild the walls and what parts of it they were assigned to work on. But upon closer examination, we find some really wonderful scriptures gems hidden in these verses. From the chapter heading we read that there are different families and groups of people that are assigned to different parts of the wall. What does that teach us? Everybody has a work to do in God’s kingdom. Now we don’t all have the exact same task, but a part of it. You part is not going to be the same as my part. Some will serve in different callings. Some have specific gifts and talents that will be used in one way, while another’s gifts and talents will be used in another. We will have different tasks to accomplish depending on our age, gender, health, prosperity, location, or stage in life. The point is, though, that it’s all work, and it’s all important. Some will lay Relief Society bricks, others Elder’s quorum bricks, and others Bishopric bricks, and Sunday School bricks, and Primary bricks, and youth program bricks, and Stake High Council bricks, and apostle bricks and prophet bricks. There are teaching bricks to lay, and administration bricks, facilities bricks, ministering bricks, healing bricks, missionary bricks, temple bricks, and on and on. We don’t all work on the same part of the wall, but that doesn’t mean that our contribution is less than any others. What if one group of people working on Nehemiah’s wall decided that their job was not very significant? That they had not been given a very prominent or notable portion of the work and they decided to neglect their duty or leave their portion unbuilt? What would happen if their enemies attacked the city? They would go straight to that unfinished portion and the entire city would fall. A city is only as strong as its weakest point. We must all do our part, different as those parts may be.
Look at verse 5. It tells us that there were some people that decided not to join in the effort. It says that the nobles of the Tekoites put not their necks to the work of their Lord. Hmmm. Why do you think they refused? They were nobles. The work of building walls was beneath them. We don’t get our hands dirty with such menial tasks. And therefore, they were not a part of the miracle. They missed out. In the work of the latter-day church there will also be people who will not join in the work. That will not accept certain callings or obey certain commandments because they feel they are above them. Beware of pride. When you miss out on the work, you miss out on the miracles.
Look at verse 12. And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters. I love that verse. Can you see that little family out there working hard on their part of the wall. Even though he was the ruler of half the city, he was out there sweating and getting his hands dirty. They’re working as a family, together, in a common cause. And this wasn’t just work for men. This wasn’t a patriarchal job. Everybody helped. Men and women. Young and old. Can you just see Halohesh out there and those amazing young women of his working on that wall—laying bricks, mixing mortar, hauling loads. The same happens in the Church today. Strong young women, dedicated fathers and mothers, devoted sons, grandparents, extended families, in-laws, all united in a common cause.
Verse 14. What’s the name of the part of the wall that Malchiah and his family were assigned to work on? The dung gate. Hmmm. Sound like a part of the wall you’d want to be assigned to? The dung gate? Sounds kind of smelly, dirty, insignificant? No, I’d rather be assigned to the gate of the fountain found in the next verse. But the dung gate? Do we have any “dung gate” kinds of callings or tasks in the church today? Maybe you feel like your calling isn’t very important. Your gifts and talents not very showy or impressive. Your part of the vineyard not as spectacular. A missionary may feel discouraged at the location she or he is called compared to others callings. A ward member may feel like they are less than others because they never seem to be called to the presidency, the leadership position, the more “prestigious” ranks. But as I said before, a city is only as strong as its weakest part. The dung gate was just as critical to the success and defense of the city as the fountain gate, or the sheep gate, or the horse gate.
Look who’s working in verse 16. Nehemiah is in there too. He didn’t consider himself too noble, too important, or too “in charge” to help in the work. He gets his hands dirty. No leader is too high and no task too low.
In verse 17 and 28 we see the priesthood working and helping. The Levites are there doing their part.
Can you tell what my favorite word in verse 20 is? Baruch the son of Zabbai “earnestly” repaired his part of the wall. Not half-heartedly, not reluctantly, not hastily, but earnestly. It makes me ask myself how I’m working on my part of the wall. Is my work earnest or shallow?
Well, those are just a few examples of some of the principles the Book of Nehemiah can teach us. Now it’s your turn.
SEARCH
As a teacher, provide your students with the following list of references and assign each student one of them by numbering them off from 1 to 8. Their challenge is to study their verse or verses and determine what principle of building Zion their scriptures are teaching. Then call on certain students to share what they learned from their assigned section. Now I encourage you to write the label “Principles of Building Zion” at the top of page 650 and mark each of these verses in a common color. And let’s go through each of these together.
1. Nehemiah 2:18
2. Nehemiah 2:19-20
3. Nehemiah 4:1-3, 7-9
4. Nehemiah 4:6
5. Nehemiah 4:13-14
6. Nehemiah 4:19-21
7. Nehemiah 6:1-4
8. Nehemiah 6:15-16
2:18
18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
Ah! Isn’t that inspiring. Let’s rise up and build. This is good work. The hand of the Lord is upon us. We too, can go out and strengthen our hands for this good work. Prepare your hearts and minds and hands to labor diligently in God’s kingdom.
2:19-20
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
We too will face opposition in our efforts to build Zion. The Sanballats and Tobiah and Geshem are going to laugh at us and despise us. But we just need to ignore them. We know that God will prosper us. So forget the naysayers. Haters gonna hate. But don’t worry about that. Let’s arise and build! Mmm. Don’t you just love that attitude.
4:6
6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
What a great thought in terms of the latter-days! Do we have a mind to work? I hope so.
4:1-3, 7-9
These next verses are similar in theme to what we saw in chapter 2. The mocking from the opposition continues. “What do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Even if they could build a wall, a fox could knock it over.” But their mocking turns to anger in verse 7 when they see that it’s actually starting to work. And they conspire against them and seek to hinder the work. Does that happen today? Yes. There are many enemies of the Church out there. They mock and they conspire, and they seek to hinder the work. They get angry at the efforts we make to stand for our morals, to build up and expand the church, and to promote the gospel message throughout the world. The anti’s, and the apostates, the critics, and the cynics. They’re out there in force. But verse 9, nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night. Parents would do well to set a watch against these forces. Ward leaders would do well to set a watch. Teachers would do well. Individuals would do well to set a personal watch against these forces in their own lives. Prophets and apostles are sometimes referred to as watchmen upon the tower. We would all do well to listen to them and heed their warnings.
4:13-14, 17
13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
Find strength in your families. Defend yourselves and don’t be afraid of the opposition. Fight for your brethren, your children, your husbands, and wives. This is a war we’re fighting. It is not a work to be taken lightly. It should be a priority and a requires significant effort on our part. So we all have a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other. We work simultaneously to build and defend the Church, the gospel, our virtue, our faith, our families.
4:19-20
19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
The work is great and large. You members of the Church of Jesus Christ are going to send missionaries to every country? What, you’re going to try and convert the whole world to your Church? You’re going to try and do temple work for every person who has ever lived? You’re going to try and fulfill a church calling and still have a career and family? You’re going to try and live a worthy lifestyle in a wicked world? Yes! We are. We know the work is great and very large. But our God will fight for us. And we will get it done.
6:1-4
And then probably my personal favorite part of the whole book. 6:1-4.
Now it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
Don’t you love the name of the place their enemies are trying to lure them into? The plain of O-No? What a fantastic coincidence, if we can even call it that. Our enemies are aways going to try to do us mischief by enticing to come down from our work and meet them in the plain of Ono. And they are persistent. Four times they send the same message to Nehemiah. Has the adversary ever tried this tactic on you? Have you ever been tempted to leave the great work of the city of God to go down to the plains of the world? Have friends or influences sought to pull you away from the work? What are we to do? We say what Nehemiah said:
“I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?”
A powerful, rhetorical question. One of the best ways to keep ourselves safe from our spiritual adversaries is to always be anxiously engaged in a good cause. Righteousness is not only a matter of not doing what is wrong, but the presence of doing good things as well. We must fill our lives so full of good things that there is no room for compromises. The more engaging and wonderful the work, the less likely we will be to leave it. Like the Doctrine and Covenants taught us: The work of the gospel is a “Marvelous work and a wonder”. Don’t go to the plain of ONO! Persistently resist their appeals and stay busy in doing good things, in building up Zion.
And what will be the result of this dedication?
6:15-16
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
Now I put an exclamation point at the end of that verse in my scriptures. That’s a big deal! That was a huge job. Jerusalem was not a small village. It was a huge city! And they build the wall in under two months?! How could they do that?
16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
Though they couldn’t physically see it with their own eyes. God was with them the whole time. This was a miracle, not just a result of their own mortal efforts. God was laying bricks with them all along. The same is true with us. We are not alone in the work. We have divine hands aiding and supporting us in our Celestial pursuits. God has and will continue to work miracles in his Church and among his people as long as they have a mind to work!
TRUTH
If I am anxiously engaged in building my part of Zion, then I will have added strength to resist temptation and, with God’s help, accomplish a great work.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Because of what we’ve learned from the scriptures today , what is one thing you feel Heavenly Father wants you to do? What brick do you feel he wants you to add to the wall of Zion?
CONCLUSION
Well don’t you just love Nehemiah? We didn’t even get a chance to study some of the other chapters in this book, but I encourage you to do so. You’ll see that Nehemiah not only sought to build walls, but to build the wills of the people of Jerusalem. He sets out not only to fortify the city, but their hearts and minds and spirits through the scriptures, and unity, and obedience, and gratitude, and repentance. You know, Nehemiah could have ignored the situation. He had a really cushy job back in King Artaxerxes court, but instead decided to go to the crumbling walls of the city of his ancestors to sweat and toil and build. He could have gotten discouraged and let his enemies dampen his spirits and hinder the work, but instead he fought back, ignored their taunts and temptations, and remained anxiously engaged. He could have lived out the rest of his life satisfied with the status quo and just accepted his current reality as the only possible reality, but instead, he engaged his optimism, idealism, and resolve to do something about it—to refuse to accept things as they were, and instead strove to make things as they could be. Nehemiah got up and got to work. We can do the same! We too are doing a great work, so that we cannot come down. We each have our own bricks to place in the great wall of Zion. And one day the world will see that this great work that we’ve been involved in, was wrought of our God.
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