Nehemiah #1 – Study Questions
How’d we get here?
Nehemiah 1:1-11
INTRODUCTION: The events of Nehemiah took place toward the beginning of what’s called the Second Temple Period (around 516 BC – AD 70). God’s people had been in captivity, first under the Babylonians and then under the Persians. There were several groups that departed from Persia and returned to Jerusalem to re-establish God’s people in their own land. One wave was led by Ezra, another by Zerubbabel, and another by Nehemiah. Ezra was a scribe, so he helped with re-educating Israel; Zerubbabel was a priest and re-established the priesthood; and Nehemiah was the governor, who helped with social order. Each had their own place in God’s plan.[1] In the opening section, Nehemiah comes face to face with the weight and consequences of his own sin and the sin of generations before him. In this way, he recognizes that sin is both personal and corporate and has immediate and generational ramifications. The reality that we must confront in our lives is the same nature of sin in our context. If we desire to move forward with God, that will never be done by disconnecting from the past. The good news is that we are not called to bear the burden of the past on our own. Nehemiah confronts the past through the steadfast (hesed) love of God. The steady love of God allows us to reckon with the past, repent in the present, and move forward in faith.
GETTING STARTED – As you begin your group time, share about a time in your life when you were able to reckon with the past and move forward or take a leap of faith because of the support of someone else. Or, talk about a time that you experienced God’s presence in a way that prompted you to follow him into something new and challenging.
IN THE WORD – Let’s dig back into the passage. It is important to strengthen our muscles in reading God’s Word. On Sunday, we walked through the passage in the sermon. Hopefully, that helped you to see the landmarks of the passage with fresh eyes. Now, with your group, go back through it and see what God is saying to you specifically.
First, before you read the passage, take a moment to ask God’s Spirit to quiet your mind and heart and to illuminate the text to you. Second, read the passage aloud to the group. Then, follow the simple method below. (O.P.A)
Observe: Make 8-10 observations from the passage. Pay close attention to observe and note repeated words and phrases, names, places, and themes.
Principles: From your list of observations, what patterns or big ideas do you see emerging? Can you distill it down into 2-4 big idea truths?
Apply: Moving from your list of principles, it is time to apply God’s Word. Remember, we believe that God’s Word is living and active and that it can change the way we live Monday- Friday. What is one tangible way to apply a truth from your list above?
[1] Mason, Eric. Nehemiah For You: Strength to Build for God (God’s Word For You) (p. 6). The Good Book Company. Kindle Edition.