Study Questions – Nehemiah #4
Opposition – The first taste of being an exile.
Nehemiah 4:1-5:19
INTRODUCTION: Conflict is nothing new, and we live in a cultural moment that seems to thrive off of conflict in every form (intellectual, interpersonal, physical, religious, etc.). So we should not be surprised when conflict shows up at our front door and sits down on our couch. Nehemiah wasn’t surprised. Instead, he readied himself for what was ahead. The reality is that they were exiles in their own homeland, and their values were abnormal, to say the least. Peter tells us that we are foreigners in this world (1 Pet. 2:11). Peter also tells us that we are not to surrender to those desires or values of the world. The interesting thing here is that not only did they face conflict from the outside, but they faced it from the inside as well. Being exiles had impacted them, and it took great effort to contend with the external and internal forces that wanted to tear them apart. But, that is life being an exile. You’ll never quite fit in. However, that doesn’t mean that there is no hope; it means that we long for something better. Simply, exiles look forward to something better.
GETTING STARTED – As you begin your group time, share about an experience where something that should have felt familiar didn’t, and why that was. Or, talk about this question, what better thing or place do you find yourself longing for day to day?
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.
Here are some good questions to help make observations in this chapter:
- What has happened so far in the narrative? Have there been any major events, characters, or
themes? - What do you learn about the main characters in this section? How does the author describe
them? How do they describe themselves? - Is there a conflict or high point in the passage?
- What surprises are there?
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?