That’s it! We are on day 40 of the 6 weeks journey through the book of Nehemiah. I would like to end with the Bible Project’s take on Nehemiah. The reason that PJ and I didn’t start with this video is that we feel that the author was trying too hard to be inclusive. Now that you have the chance to read the book for yourselves, you can evaluate if the author’s view on Tobiah, Sanballat, Geshem, and others would be acceptable or not.
Despite our different views on the minor issue in regard to the inclusivity to Tobiah, Sanballat, Geshem, and others. PJ and I are wholeheartedly agreed with the author on the downer’s ending of the book. But as PJ eloquently explained last Sunday in his sermon, the letdown was really to inspire us to look for the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Please text back to your group one last time on your parting comments.
Note: If you really like this Bible Reading format, please comment on the site so that we can learn how to do it better the next time.
Remember me with favor, O my God.
Nehemiah 13:31b
Some people think this sounds self-serving, that Nehemiah is concerned that God is going to forget him and not reward him adequately. But that is the wrong way to read this prayer. What he is doing is recognizing his own frailty and his own tendency to self-deception. He is saying in effect, Lord, I have done all this, but you may see it differently than I. You may see something in me that would cause you to blot this all out of your book. If you feel that way, show it to me. That is what he is asking.
It is really the same prayer that David prayed at the end of the much-loved Psalm 139. It is a great psalm about how we are fearfully and wonderfully made; how well God knows us; our sitting and our rising; that if we take the wings of the morning and travel to the uttermost parts of the earth, still God is there; how He watches over us; how He guards us and keeps us and knows our thoughts. Then it ends with this wonderful prayer, Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24). That is a wonderfully honest prayer. It is saying, Lord, I do not know myself very well. I deceive myself easily. I think I am doing fine, but you may see a lot of things that are terribly wrong with what I am doing. So Lord, search me and know me and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me to the point where I can see that, too. That is what the psalmist is asking.
And that is what Nehemiah is praying here. It is a great prayer for all of us. God has placed us in a critical moment of human history. The voices of all the great leaders of the past are silent, as far as this generation is concerned. Who is going to reach the drug addicts? Who is going to reach those who are trying to climb the ladder of success, seeking to satisfy themselves by material gain and possessions? Who is going to reach the hundreds of thousands of spiritually bankrupt people all around us? They do not come to church. Who is going to talk to them? God has called us to a ministry to reach out to them. And we need God’s help in doing so.
The video didn’t mention the opposition that Nehemiah faced but overall I agree that the books end the way they do to point to a need for Jesus to change us from the inside-out. Overall I enjoyed this format and being able to read and reflect before the sermons. I feel I got more out of the reading and sermons. Also glad to do this with my team and all of us keeping each other accountable through this process. Congrats guys on finishing this forty day journey!
Having not read much of the gospel before, and jumping into the story of Nehemiah and Ezra, seems very disappointing at first. Like the video mentioned, each book has a very anti-climatic ending… but I agree when the person in the video Says these books make us understand that we must change from the heart, and that we should read further to see how God will help us change from the inside-out. Even still, I felt the passages about rebuilding were very prevalent in today’s time and I appreciate being able to do this study here at RP with a great community. I loved this format and had fun doing it with this rag tag bunch of guys ? #noheartattackforcharles
After watching the video, sure the author did leave out some of the key points, but overall, the theme is the same. Everything is pointing to Jesus. Overall, it was such a pleasure to share this journey with you guys. I hope we can have more of this in the future as it’s a good way to encourage one another reading God’s words everyday. I appreciate all of the moments we have together!
#noheartattackforcharles
I agree with the Bible Project’s view on this book of Nehemiah. I definitely see the beginning started off with a lot of hope and it ended with disappointment because the people were not obeying the Law of Moses even though we see God’s faithfulness through rebuilding the city walls. The people need a holistic change in their hearts to turn back to God and remember what God has done.
The video clip does a good job capturing an overall big picture view of Nehemiah along side with the other books. It does leave out details about the many struggles and opposition they faced with building the wall. I really enjoyed reading through the book of Nehemiah with our group and appreciated everyone’s personal reflection. It truly helped me to unpack it and gleaned from it. Thanks girls! We did it! We finished!
Welp, its was a fun run. I enjoyed reading and chatting with you guys every night. Surprised we made this far and even more surprised that we never missed a day.
I didn’t get much out of the book but at least we learned new things. It was fun and cool thanks guys.
From brother Don
Regarding my thoughts on the matter of exclusivity regarding Tobiah, Sanballat, and Geshem, (and the Moabites and Ammonites in general,) it seems to me that there are some important points to consider.
The Moabites and the Ammonites were both tribes related by blood to Abraham as they descend from his nephew (Gen. 19:37–38 ). These peoples often brought much trouble for Abraham’s children. It was Moab that led Israel into Baal worship on its way into Canaan.
There’s another incident where both the Ammonites and the Moabites hired Balaam, a prophet, to curse Israel as it journeyed toward the Promised Land.
One of the prominent issues we see regarding the Moabites and the Ammonites is that whenever the people of God got closer to them they ended up sinning against God by indulging in sexual immorality and idol worship. The episode with Balaam also shows that the Ammonites and Moabites always meant harm and destruction to the people of God.
So it would seem that God’s command to separate them from the assembly of God had to do with distinction as the people of God and purity in worship to Him.
The same would be true for us today. We are called to be “set apart,” distinct from the world in our worship of God as well as our conduct. We are called to be “salt and light,” living testimonies to the power of God in our lives. In fact, the doctrine of election itself indicates a definite exclusivity, and, even more than that, the gospel itself is very exclusive. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” (John 14:6). That certainly seems to rule out inclusivity.
However, we are called to share the gospel of life with a dying world- to speak “the truth in love.” We sow the seed, and God gives the growth. God told Abraham, “and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice,” (Genesis 22:18). So, in that sense, salvation is wonderfully inclusive.
I didn’t think the author’s perspective of Tobiah, Sanballat, and Geshem was appropriate as it seemed to be more than just “oh hoping for a place with no walls”. Especially based off of their actions and what they did towards the city. However I am reminded of how God will continue to deliver even if we don’t see it in our age today.
I appreciate the humanity in Nehemiah’s letters and although his cry out to God was not as peppy as I would have anticipated it shows the humility and the self reflective behavior we should all have before coming to God. I wouldn’t have guess that Nehemiah was acknowledging his self deception but it makes sense because we are all humans in the end and God is God. Always good and always sovereign. With this in mind, I think having an earnest prayer and recognizing that regardless of how good I try to be, even like Nehemiah, sometimes it leads to another and the human heart can be deceitful and we can always tell that we are doing the right thing but sometimes we aren’t. That is why I think recognizing our need for God regardless of how we think and asking God to help us in the right direction is super important. I really appreciate the devotion because it highlights the brokenness of human beings but also points out the fruition when you have an intimate relationship with God that even though we are broken, our brokenness shouldn’t be the end. There is hope.