Sda 3rd Quarter Study Guide

Contents
1 Making Sense of History: Zerubbabel and Ezra—September 28–October 4 5
2 Nehemiah—October 5–11 18
3 God’s Call—October 12–18 31
4 Facing Opposition—October 19–25 44
5 Violating the Spirit of the Law—October 26–November 1 57
6 The Reading of the Word—November 2–8 72
7 Our Forgiving God—November 9–15 85
8 God and the Covenant—November 16–22 98
9 Trials, Tribulations, and Lists—November 23–29 111
10 Worshiping the Lord—November 30–December 6 124
11 Backslidden People—December 7–13 137
12 Dealing With Bad Decisions—December 14–20 150
13 Leaders in Israel—December 21–27 163

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The Teachers Edition components were written by the following:
The Overview, Commentary, and Life Application, Lessons 1—7: Jiří Moskala, seminary dean,
Andrews University, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, Berrien Springs, MI, USA.
The Overview, Commentary, and Life Application, Lessons 8—13: Andrea Jakobsons,
pastor for youth, collegiate, and young adults at Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church, Silver
Spring, MD, USA.
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prior authorization from the General Conference.
1
The Gospel
According
to Ezra
and
Nehemiah
E zra and Nehemiah were exceptional, God-centered, Word-oriented, and Spirit-led

leaders who deeply desired that God’s people prosper and that His name be uplifted
and proclaimed worldwide. Their lives modeled what God can do through dedicated,
faithful servant leaders.
Because of our sinful natures, cultivated habits, and hereditary traits, we can experience lasting
changes only through the study of God’s transforming Word and the Holy Spirit’s assistance.
Believers live “not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” (Zech. 4:6, NKJV) and by embrac-
ing God’s promises by faith (Hab. 2:4), resulting in a vibrant spiritual life.
This quarter’s lessons illustrate that life is complicated. As soon as we try to do good things,
obstacles appear and opposition arises. Even friends may openly or secretly oppose us and, per-
haps, become our enemies. Hurdles and resistance to good demonstrate that Satan is alive and
that sin is real. Fighting Satan is humanly impossible because evil is stronger than we are. Only
God can secure victory, revolutionize thinking, and give us power to live balanced lives. Life’s dis-
couragements are opportunities for change. Disappointments may help us focus on essentials and
accelerate our spiritual growth, as we obtain victory in each crisis through God’s empowerment.
Neither of the books of Ezra nor Nehemiah ends with optimism. Sin is a serious matter,
spreading easily and quickly. The biggest challenge does not come from outside—but from
infidelity to God with His own people not following His revealed will. To be faithful to
the Lord and persevere in following His instruction is the strongest test for God’s church.
As Ezra correctly understood, the only power to change comes through diligently searching,
2
comprehending, and internalizing the Scriptures.
In order to fulfill the starting point of the prophecies of the 70 weeks and the 2,300 evenings
and mornings (which both began in 457 b.c.), God graciously intervened and influenced King
Artaxerxes I to allow Ezra along with a group of Israelites to return to Jerusalem, to ensure the
safety of their journey, and even to supply needed physical and financial provisions for the
temple services (Ezra 7:11–28).
The key theological themes of these two books are God’s To be faithful to the Lord
providence, faithfulness, and covenant. God fulfilled His prom- and persevere in follow-
ises, even though His people were narrow-minded, disoriented, ing His instruction is the
distracted, and stubborn. Through His servants, He called them
strongest test for God’s
from their state of lethargy to revival and reformation.
“The work of restoration and reform carried on by the church.
returned exiles, under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and
Nehemiah, presents a picture of a work of spiritual restoration that is to be wrought in the
closing days of this earth’s history. The remnant of Israel were a feeble people, exposed to the
ravages of their enemies; but through them God purposed to preserve in the earth a knowledge
of Himself and of His law. They were the guardians of the true worship, the keepers of the holy
oracles.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 677.
Ezra and Nehemiah are historically linked, and they cover a crucial transition in the life of
God’s people. These 23 chapters form one big story—but with subunits; they are complemen-
tary and cover similar theological issues. By carefully studying the pattern revealed in the compo-
sition of these two books, we can discern God’s great historical actions and gracious leadership.
Keep in mind that not everything presented in these books is written in chronological order and
that some parts are composed in a thematic manner.
As we will see, the challenge for Ezra and Nehemiah was not to reconstruct the temple (it was
finished and dedicated in 515 b.c., more than 50 years before Ezra’s arrival) but to rebuild the
city of Jerusalem, its administration, and the national autonomy—all eventually paving the way
for the coming of the Messiah.
As we study God’s Word this quarter, may the Lord bless us by inspiring us, touching our
hearts, transforming our thinking, and enabling us daily to follow Him faithfully and enthusi-
astically.
Jiří Moskala, ThD, PhD, is dean and professor of Old Testament exegesis and theology at
the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. He joined the faculty
in 1999. Prior to coming to Andrews, Moskala served in various capacities (ordained pastor,
administrator, teacher, and principal) in the Czech Republic.
3
How to Use
This Teachers Edition
“The true teacher is not content with dull thoughts, an indolent mind, or a
loose memory. He constantly seeks higher attainments and better methods.
His life is one of continual growth. In the work of such a teacher there is a
freshness, a quickening power, that awakens and inspires his [class].”
—Ellen G. White, Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 103.
To be a Sabbath School teacher is both a privilege and a responsibility. A privilege

because it offers the teacher the unique opportunity to lead and guide in the study
and discussion of the week’s lesson so as to enable the class to have both a personal
appreciation for God’s Word and a collective experience of spiritual fellowship with class
members. When the class concludes, members should leave with a sense of having tasted
the goodness of God’s Word and having been strengthened by its enduring power. The
responsibility of teaching demands that the teacher is fully aware of the scripture to be
studied, the flow of the lesson through the week, the interlinking of the lessons to the theme
of the quarter, and the lesson’s application to life and witness.
This guide is to help teachers to fulfill their responsibility adequately. It has three seg-
ments:
1. Overview introduces the lesson topic, key texts, links with the previous lesson,
and the lesson’s theme. This segment deals with such questions as Why is this lesson
important? What does the Bible say about this subject? What are some major themes
covered in the lesson? How does this subject affect my personal life?
2. Commentary is the chief segment in the Teachers Edition. It may have two or
more sections, each one dealing with the theme introduced in the Overview segment.
The Commentary may include several in-depth discussions that enlarge the themes
outlined in the Overview. The Commentary provides an in-depth study of the themes
and offers scriptural, exegetic, illustrative discussion material that leads to a better
understanding of the themes. The Commentary also may have scriptural word study or
exegesis appropriate to the lesson. On a participatory mode, the Commentary segment
may have discussion leads, illustrations appropriate to the study, and thought questions.
3. Life Application is the final segment of the Teachers Edition for each lesson.
This section leads the class to discuss what was presented in the Commentary segment
as it impacts Christian life. The application may involve discussion, further probing
of what the lesson under study is all about, or perhaps personal testimony on how one
may feel the impact of the lesson on one’s life.
Final Thought: What is mentioned above is only suggestive of the many possibilities avail-
able for presenting the lesson and is not intended to be exhaustive or prescriptive in its scope.
Teaching should not become monotonous, repetitious, or speculative. Good Sabbath School
teaching should be Bible-based, Christ-centered, faith-strengthening, and fellowship-building.
4
L esson 1 *September 28–October 4
(page 6 of Standard Edition)
Making Sense of History:

Zerubbabel and Ezra
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Jer. 25:11, 12; Dan. 9:1, 2;
Ezra 4:1–7; Isa. 55:8, 9; Ezra 7:1–28.
Memory Text: “ ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the king-
doms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He
has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in
Judah’ ” (Ezra 1:2, NKJV).
I
n the writings of Jeremiah, God had promised that His people
would return home after 70 years of Babylonian exile. King Cyrus
was God’s instrument to allow this return to happen. Anointed by
God (Isa. 45:1), Cyrus issued a decree about 538 b.c., freeing up God’s
people to return to their country and to rebuild the temple.
It was God (not Cyrus) who spoke regarding Jerusalem” “ ‘Let it be
rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid’ ” (Isa. 44:28,
NIV). God was the guarantor that Jerusalem would be rebuilt, and He
stirred the heart of Cyrus to grant permission to build the temple.
It is always encouraging, too, to see God’s people respond positively
to the Lord’s actions: “Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin,
and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—
prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem” (Ezra
1:5, NIV).
Here we see an example of people responding positively to God’s
mighty and gracious acts. Our best performance comes from a realiza-
tion of who God is and what He has done, and from knowing how He
lovingly intervenes on behalf of His people.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 5.
5
S unday September 29
The First Return of the Exiles

Read Jeremiah 25:11, 12 and 29:10 and Daniel 9:1, 2. When did the
first return of the exiles happen? What prophecy was the return
fulfilling?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The Lord influenced Cyrus to allow the first return, in fulfillment
of Jeremiah’s 70-year prophecy. Jeremiah had written that the land
of Judah would lie desolate for 70 years under Babylon (this hap-
pened from 606/605 b.c. to 537/536 b.c.), but then God would open
the doors for the captives’ return. As Daniel studied the writings of
Jeremiah, he realized that the time had come for that promised return.
In Daniel 9, Daniel is distraught because the 70 years were nearly
up with no apparent change, and the new Persian Empire had now
risen to power. He mourned and turned to God, pleading for mercy
and the fulfillment of His promises. In the same chapter (Dan. 9:24–
27), God assured Daniel that He watches over everything and has a
future planned, with a Deliverer who will die for the people to atone
for their sins, bring righteousness, and fulfill the sacrificial system. In
effect, God was saying, “Daniel, don’t worry. Since the true Deliverer
[Jesus] will surely come, I also will send a deliverer for you now.”
Shortly afterward, God moved Cyrus, the king of Persia, to give the
command to release the captives. God is always true to His promises
(See Daniel 10 for how God intervened in order to secure the prosper-
ity of His people in their homeland.)
Ezra 1 records King Cyrus’s proclamation that the nation of Israel
was free to return to Jerusalem and to build the house of the Lord. The
command was given sometime between the years 539 and 537 b.c. Not
only does Cyrus let them go, but he also makes sure that they return
with gifts and offerings, including the original vessels from the temple,
which had been stolen by Nebuchadnezzar. This event reminds us of
the Israelites leaving Egypt many years before, when God also moved
the hearts of the people to present them with parting gifts. This first
group to return to Judah was composed of about 50,000 people, which
most likely included women and children from other territories.
What other historical prophecies have been fulfilled exactly as

promised in the Word, and how can we draw comfort from them
that God knows the future and that we can trust His promises
to us?
_____________________________________________________
6
M onday September 30
Overview of Kings and Events

The first group of returnees received the task of rebuilding the
temple of God. We will study about the opposition to the building of the
temple in a later lesson. Now, we will discuss the succession of Persian
kings during the temple’s prolonged construction and the rebuilding
of Jerusalem. It is important to know the history behind the stories of
Ezra and Nehemiah, as it provides a deeper insight into their messages.
Read Ezra 4:1–7. Who were the different kings mentioned during
whose reign the opposition to the building of the temple occurred?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Here is the list of Persian kings, in their chronological order, who are
connected with the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. It begins with Cyrus,
who established the Persian Empire and conquered Babylon in 539 b.c.:
Cyrus II “the Great” (559–530 b.c.)

Cambyses II (530–522 b.c.)
Darius I (522–486 b.c.)
Xerxes I (485–465 b.c.) (Also known from the book of Esther as
Ahasuerus.)
Artaxerxes I (465–424 b.c.)
As we study these books, it’s very important to know that the appear-
ance of these kings is not mentioned in Ezra in chronological order. For
example, Ezra 4:6–24 is inserted before chapter 5, which continues the
story of the opposition to the building of the temple. Consequently, the let-
ters involving Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) and Artaxerxes I described in Ezra 4
occurred after the events recorded in chapters 5 and 6, dealing with Darius
I. This sequence can seem perplexing to readers, and it may account for
some of the confusion that people have had over the centuries regarding the
books. As we go through the quarter, knowing the order of events will help
us better understand the messages of Ezra and Nehemiah.
How often have you found things in the Bible that have perplexed
you? How can you learn to trust God, and His Word, even when
you come across things that don’t seem to make sense? Why is it
important for you to do so? (See Isa. 55:8, 9.)
_____________________________________________________
7
T uesday October 1
The Second Return of the Exiles

In Ezra 7:1–10 and 8:1–14, we see that King Artaxerxes I allows Ezra
to return to Jerusalem (the year is 457 b.c.) and to take with him anyone
who would like to return. Not much is known about the relationship
between the king and Ezra, or whether Ezra worked for the court. Ezra
8 lists the heads of the families of those who returned, starting with the
priestly returnees, followed by the royal line, and ending with the general
Jewish population. Twelve families are named specifically, giving the
impression that this is a deliberate reminder of the 12 tribes of Israel.
The passage lists about 1,500 men, which would approximate 5,000
to 6,000 total, counting women and children. This was a much smaller
group than the first group that had returned with Zerubbabel and
Joshua.
Read Ezra 7:1–10. What does it teach us about Ezra?

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Ezra is a scribe with a priestly legacy. As a priest, he is a descen-
dant of Aaron (the brother of Moses), who was the first priest of the
nation of Israel. Because of the accounts recorded in Ezra, as well as
in Jewish tradition, Ezra’s name stands very high even today. Whether
Ezra served as a scribe in the court of King Artaxerxes is not known;
thus, this description of Ezra as a scribe refers either to his previous
responsibilities or to his abilities, which he begins to use after his
arrival in Judah. However, Ezra must have worked for Artaxerxes in
some close capacity in order for the king to send him out as the leader
of the expedition.
In Ezra 7:6 and 10, Ezra is labeled as a “skilled” and “devoted”
scribe or teacher. The word “skilled” literally means “rapid,” connoting
someone who is quick in comprehension and mental maneuvering of
information. Ezra had a quick mind—he was known for his knowledge
and mental astuteness regarding the law of God. Moreover, the fact that
the king chose Ezra to bring a group of Israelites to Judah is a testament
to Ezra’s courage and leadership abilities.
Notice, Ezra prepared his heart to seek “the law of the Lord”
(Ezra 7:10). How would we apply that principle to our own lives
now?
_____________________________________________________
8
W ednesday October 2
Artaxerxes’s Decree
Read Ezra 7:11–28. What were the components of the king’s decree?
Why were these instructions important for the people of Israel?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The decree of Artaxerxes resembles Cyrus’s first decree. The king
counsels everyone who is willing, especially from the priestly lines,
to make the journey to Jerusalem. Although according to the Murashu
historical documents, the majority of the Jews ultimately remained in
Persia (as demonstrated in the story of Esther), there were those who
had waited for the opportunity to start a new life in the homeland of
their ancestors. The king directed most of his comments to the treasur-
ers of the Trans-Euphrates territory. The treasurers were to provide Ezra
with whatever he needed to restore the city and “to beautify the house
of the Lord” (Ezra 7:27, NKJV). Ultimately, the king commissioned
Ezra to ensure the proper observance of the law of God, as well as the
law of the land, by setting up the judicial system. The order and organi-
zation that this command would produce are important aspects of any
society. Moreover, the king made it easier for Ezra and the Israelites to
restore their homeland.
Does the king’s concern for the rebuilding of the city and the temple
indicate that he had become a believer in Ezra’s God? Artaxerxes calls
God the “God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 7:15,
NKJV). The terminology the king uses about the God of Israel implies
that he saw the Lord as just another local deity who needed to be
appeased by gifts. He didn’t want this local god to be angry with him
and his sons (Ezra 7:23). Additionally, we should note that 457 b.c. also
is the year of an Egyptian revolt against the Persian government; thus,
it is likely that the amenable actions of the king were designed to gain
loyalty from the province of Judah.
Unfortunately, despite the interaction the king had with both Ezra
and Nehemiah, it didn’t make him a believer in God. At least nothing in
the texts indicates that he had become one, which means that the Lord
can use even unconverted people to do His will on earth.
Even amid so much pain and suffering, how can we learn to trust
in God’s sovereignty over the world, as seen here?
_____________________________________________________
9
T hursday October 3
Importance of Education
Read Ezra 7:6 and 10. What do these texts teach us about the impor-
tance of proper religious education?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Ezra’s wholehearted devotion to God and his decision to study,
practice, and teach the Word of God (Ezra 7:6, 10) prepared him
for greater ministry in Israel. The biblical text literally states that he
devoted himself to the studying, doing or making, and teaching of the
law of the Lord.
Ellen G. White provides an important insight: “Born of the sons of
Aaron, Ezra had been given a priestly training; and in addition to this
he had acquired a familiarity with the writings of the magicians, the
astrologers, and the wise men of the Medo-Persian realm. But he was
not satisfied with his spiritual condition. He longed to be in full har-
mony with God; he longed for wisdom to carry out the divine will. And
so he ‘prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it.’ Ezra
7:10. This led him to apply himself diligently to a study of the history
of God’s people, as recorded in the writings of prophets and kings. He
searched the historical and poetical books of the Bible to learn why the
Lord had permitted Jerusalem to be destroyed and His people carried
captive into a heathen land.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 608.
“The efforts of Ezra to revive an interest in the study of the Scriptures
were given permanency by his painstaking, lifelong work of preserving
and multiplying the Sacred Writings. He gathered all the copies of the
law that he could find and had these transcribed and distributed. The
pure word, thus multiplied and placed in the hands of many people,
gave knowledge that was of inestimable value.”—Page 609.
Notice that though Ezra had learned of the ways of the pagans, he
saw that they were not correct; thus, he sought to know the truth from
the source of truth, which was the Word of God and the “law of the
Lord.” He had to unlearn a great deal of what he learned at the worldly
universities, because, no doubt, much of what they taught was wrong.
After all, how much good were “the writings of the magicians and the
astrologers” going to do him?
In what ways, even today, might we need to unlearn a lot of what

we have been taught from the world?
_____________________________________________________
10
F riday October 4
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Ezra, the Priest and Scribe,”
pp. 607–617, in Prophets and Kings.
Consider Ezra’s diligent work: “Ezra became a mouthpiece for God,

educating those about him in the principles that govern heaven. During
the remaining years of his life, whether near the court of the king of
Medo-Persia or at Jerusalem, his principal work was that of a teacher.
As he communicated to others the truths he learned, his capacity for
labor increased. He became a man of piety and zeal. He was the Lord’s
witness to the world of the power of Bible truth to ennoble the daily
life.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 609.
“In the work of reform to be carried forward today, there is need
of men who, like Ezra and Nehemiah, will not palliate or excuse sin,
nor shrink from vindicating the honor of God. Those upon whom rests
the burden of this work will not hold their peace when wrong is done,
neither will they cover evil with a cloak of false charity. They will
remember that God is no respecter of persons, and that severity to a few
may prove mercy to many. They will remember also that in the one who
rebukes evil the spirit of Christ should ever be revealed.”—Page 675.
Discussion Questions:
 Yes, we have many wonderful promises from the Lord. At the
same time, however, God does not force Himself upon us. What
choices might we be making in our own lives that could hinder the
fulfillment of His promises to us?
 Read the prayer of Daniel 9:1–23. What are the principles you
see there that could be applied in a personal way to your own expe-
rience? That is, what was Daniel doing, what was his attitude, and
what was he asking for? What else do you see there that could be
applicable to us today?
 In Thursday’s study we read what Ellen G. White wrote about

how central the Word of God was to the ministry of Ezra and
about how diligently he worked to spread it among the people.
What is the obvious and important lesson here for us today
regarding the centrality that God’s Word should have in our lives
and church?
11
i n s i d e
Story
Attacked With Acid
By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission
Banza Mwela, the pastor of a Sunday church in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, nearly died when his wife and son doused him
with skin-burning acid on the day of his baptism into the Seventh-day
Adventist Church.
But Banza, his face permanently disfigured, clung to life and today
is an Adventist lay pastor preaching a powerful testimony that draws
crowds to Jesus.
“I praise the Lord that I belong to the Seventh-day Adventist family
and that the devil has been defeated,” Banza said.
The story began in October 2013 when Banza attended an evange-
listic campaign in the southeastern city of Likasi. Keen to know more
about Adventist doctrines, he enrolled in the pastoral training school
at the local Philip Lemon University.
On the day of his baptism, Banza returned home, happily singing a
hymn about the power of Jesus. As he entered the house, his adult son
lunged toward him and threw a pail of sulfuric acid on his face and
body. Blinded and burning with pain, Banza cried out in agony and
crumpled onto the floor.
Banza’s wife and son, enraged that he had left their church, had plot-
ted the attack and hoped that he would die on the spot, said Robert S.
Muhune, president of the East Congo Union Mission.
“But fortunately a miracle happened,” he said. “The man didn’t die.”
Neighbors heard Banza’s cry and rushed him to the hospital.
Doctors weren’t sure that he would make it. He lost an eye and
most of the skin on his body. He spent weeks in intensive care, and
skin grafts and other reconstructive plastic surgery are continuing
even now. The Adventist world church has helped cover the expensive
operations.
Banza’s wife and son disappeared after the attack and are on the run.
While Banza remains in pain, he spends little time in the hospital bed. He actively shares
his testimony in churches and at camp meetings. His favorite Bible passage is Isaiah
43:1–3, which he reads as he shares his story: “But now, thus says the Lord, who cre-
ated you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed
you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk
through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the
Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place’ ” (NKJV).
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
12 mission offerings to spread the gospel worldwide. Read new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Text: Ezra 1:1–3
Study Focus: Ezra 1, Ezra 4:1–5, and Ezra 7
Our God is the Lord of history. He intervenes in favor of His people to

fulfill His promises to bring them home. He took care of the Israelites and
will take care of our needs according to His flawless timing.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which were a unit originally, begin
with a lesson of God’s merciful work for Israel through King Cyrus. The
books focus specifically on the time line of the ministry of Zerubbabel
and Ezra. The first group of exiles, who returned to Israel in 537/536 b.c.,
was led by Zerubbabel, the governor, and Jeshua/Joshua, the high priest.
Zerubbabel’s experience with rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem is recorded
in Ezra 1 through Ezra 4:5. Ezra 7 then begins the retelling of the return of
the second group of exiles, under the leadership of Ezra some 80 years later.
This week’s study begins with the prophecies about the first return of the
exiles. These prophecies, found in the books of Jeremiah and Daniel, consist of
the prediction of 70 years of exile by the prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11, 12) and
the subsequent anguish of Daniel concerning the fulfillment of the prophecy in
Daniel 9. God assures Daniel that He is watching over the exiles and will fulfill
His Word. Medo-Persian King Cyrus fulfills prophecy and commands the Jews
to return and to rebuild their temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel.
The second group of returnees arrived in 457 b.c., about 60 years after
the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, in 515 b.c. Ezra 7, which details
their return, is an introduction to the person of Ezra, who is a scribe and an
expert in the law of the Lord. In other words, Ezra is a teacher of the Torah
and dedicates his life to serving God. He attempts to revive an interest in the
Word of God among the exiles.
Part II: Commentary

In order to understand the message of Ezra and Nehemiah, it is important
to recognize the simplified literary structures of these two books:
Literary Structure of Ezra (Simplified)

I. Return from Babylon to Jerusalem following the decree of Cyrus
1. In 537/536 b.c., Zerubbabel and Joshua, at God’s leading, bring back
to Judah the first group of Israelites (Ezra 1:1–4:5).
2. God’s temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt under the reign of different for-
eign kings (Ezra 4:6–6:22).
13
teachers comments
II. Return from Babylon to Jerusalem following the decree of Artaxerxes

1. In 457 b.c., Ezra, at God’s leading, brings back to Judah the second
group of Israelites (Ezra 7:1–8:36).
2. Ezra’s reforms (Ezra 9:1–10:44)
Literary Structure of Nehemiah (Simplified)

I. Return from Babylon to Jerusalem following letters of endorsement
from King Artaxerxes
1. In 444 b.c., Nehemiah, at God’s leading, brings back to Judah the
third group of Israelites (Neh. 1:1–2:10).
2. Wall of Jerusalem rebuilt (Neh. 2:11–7:3)
II. Study of God’s Word, as well as revival and reformation in Israel
1. Returnees are enumerated. They dedicate themselves to God, the
study of His Scriptures, and doing His will. Returnees celebrate the
dedication of Jerusalem’s wall (Neh. 7:4–12:47).
2. Nehemiah’s final reforms (Neh. 13:1–31)
Familiarize yourself with these structures, basic historical events, and dates.
Better yet, memorize them. This information will help you avoid confusion
concerning God’s three interventions in favor of His people to bring them back
to Jerusalem. Furthermore, it will aid in your understanding of the message
of these two books. What is that message? The Lord is faithful and fulfills
His promises. Bear in mind that some parts of these books are composed in a
thematic manner rather than in chronological order (especially Ezra 4:6–23).
Within the framework of the simplified literary structures of Ezra and
Nehemiah, note the decrees that facilitated the three returns of God’s people
to Jerusalem:
The three crucial Medo-Persian kings’ decrees:

1. Cyrus’s decree, in 538 b.c., in which the Jews return from the
Babylonian exile and begin to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem
2. Darius’s decree, in 520 b.c., in which the Jews return to Jerusalem
and resume construction of the temple (rebuilt and dedicated in 515
b.c.)
3. Artaxerxes’s decree, in 457 b.c., in which the city of Jerusalem is
rebuilt and the Jews obtain national autonomy
It should be stressed that the challenge for Ezra and Nehemiah was
not to reconstruct the temple (it was finished and dedicated for service in
515 b.c., i.e., almost 60 years before Ezra arrived in Jerusalem). Rather,
these men sought to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, its administration, and
achieve national autonomy for Israel.
The following table lists the kings of Persia and the groups that returned
to Israel under their reigns. Additionally, the fourth column specifically
lists the work each group did in Israel and what happened there during
the reign of each Persian king. The table is designed to give the teacher a
better idea of the time line of events.
14
teachers comments
A Time Line of Events During the Reigns of the Kings of Persia

(From the Period of 537 to 444 b.c.)
King of Persia Years of reign Group returning Rebuilding
and other signifi- that occurred
cant events under each
king
Cyrus “the Great” 559–530 b.c. 537/536 b.c.— Temple
First group returns construction
(Zerubbabel and begins
Jeshua)
Cambyses II 530–522 b.c.
Darius I 522–486 b.c. March 515
b.c.—Temple
completed and
dedicated
Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) 486–465 b.c. Esther marries Resistance
Xerxes I and to rebuilding
becomes queen Jerusalem
Artaxerxes I 465–425 b.c. 457 b.c.—Ezra The longest

returns with prophetic
second group period begins
(Dan. 8:14,
445/444 b.c.— Dan. 9:24–27)
Nehemiah returns
with third group Opposition
to rebuilding
Jerusalem
(Ezra 4:7–23)
Wall of
Jerusalem
rebuilt
First Return (537/536 b.c.)

In fulfillment of the prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah, King Cyrus pro-
claims: “The Lord God of heaven . . . hath charged me to build him an
house at Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:2). This statement does not mean that Cyrus
became a follower of God. Cyrus was trying to please the people of his king-
dom by acknowledging their gods and religious beliefs. The king credited
15
teachers comments
all gods, asking for a blessing from all of them, in an effort to gain the support
of his subjects. The pen of inspiration does tell us, however, that “just at the
time God had said He would cause His temple at Jerusalem to be rebuilt, He
moved upon Cyrus as His agent to discern the prophecies concerning himself,
with which Daniel was so familiar, and to grant the Jewish people their liberty.
“As the king saw the words foretelling, more than a hundred years
before his birth, the manner in which Babylon should be taken; as he read
the message addressed to him by the Ruler of the universe . . . his heart
was profoundly moved, and he determined to fulfill his divinely appointed
mission.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 557. Thus, Cyrus issued
the decree for the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem. The first return was
not a forced relocation; the Jews were free to choose to return to their land.
The split that came before the exile between the northern and southern king-
doms of Israel and the rift between the tribes had not healed during the exile.
Only the descendants of those who belonged to the southern kingdom of
Judah responded to the call to go back to the Promised Land.
King Cyrus appointed Sheshbazzar (meaning “Sin or Shamash protect the
father”) as the leader of the company. What clue does the name Sheshbazzar
give us about his identity? Here are two possibilities. The name Sheshbazzar,
along with the mention of him as leader, appears only in the beginning of
the return from Babylonian captivity. Moreover, the governor of the people
always is called Zerubbabel (meaning “the seed of Babylon”). Thus, it is com-
monly inferred that Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel are one and the same person
(both are Babylonian names, but the second could be more religiously neutral
and official). Or it may be that Sheshbazzar was the governor in the beginning
but died very early and was replaced by Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel brought the first group of returnees to Jerusalem and began the
construction of the temple. However, much opposition arose, and over several
years the work started and stopped a number of times. In the end, God sent
the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, in 520/519 b.c., to encourage the settlers
to complete the work on the temple. Consequently, it took 20 years after the
returnees’ arrival to finish and dedicate the temple (515 b.c.).
Second Return (457 b.c.)

Ezra 8 lists the exiles who came back with Ezra. Besides the priests and royal
families, 12 Jewish heads of families are mentioned. The return of the exiles
reminds the reader of the mighty Exodus from Egypt. Just as the 12 tribes
traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land, now, once again, 12 families trav-
eled to Israel.
The second return is made possible by King Artaxerxes, who sends a letter
with Ezra, opening the door for the Jews. Once again, it is emphasized that
anyone who volunteers to go up to Jerusalem may do so. Artaxerxes recog-
nizes the God of Israel, who to him is a regional “god.” Interestingly, the king
16
teachers comments
acknowledges Ezra’s intelligence and specifically mentions his “God-given

wisdom,” as he commissions him to be the leader of the expedition. Ezra’s job
was to teach his people the laws of God and to establish the religious culture of
his people. The king perceives his own role in this work too. He understands
that he facilitates the restoration of the religion of the Jews, as well as their
identity, by sending a group back with Ezra.
By his decree, which commands the restoration of Jerusalem and not just
of the temple, King Artaxerxes fulfills the 70-week prophecy in Daniel 9:25.
Year 457 b.c. is the starting point of the 70 weeks that are “cut off ” from the
2,300 day/year prophecy, thus making both periods begin that same year.
The 70-week prophecy ends in a.d. 34, which culminates in the stoning of
Stephen, coinciding with the proclamation of the gospel to the Gentiles after
Jesus’ crucifixion in a.d. 31 (middle of the week mentioned in Daniel 9:27).
The 2,300-year period then ends in 1844, making it the longest prophetic
period. Its close marks the beginning of the pre-Advent judgment in heaven
(the antitypical day of atonement). Therefore, the time of Ezra’s return to the
land of Israel plays a crucial role in prophecy. (For further study on this topic,
see lesson 3.)
Part III: Life Application
Ezra 1:1 states that “the Lord stirred up [moved] the spirit of Cyrus king
of Persia” so that he would give the command to allow the Jews to return to
the land of Israel. Cyrus responds to the moving of the Spirit of God, who
impresses the king to make the proclamation to the Jews to rebuild the temple
in Jerusalem. Incredibly, a pagan king responds to God’s prompting! “Stirred”
comes from the word ur, also meaning “to waken or rouse.” Thus, Cyrus, in a
sense, awakens to the call of God.
When God moves in our lives, we are awakened to His prompting and
leading. Such positive motivation comes from an appreciation of God’s
mighty and gracious acts in history and in our lives. This appreciation for God
empowers us to admire and follow Him and to persevere in our walk with Him
and in the work that He gives us to do. Our best performance comes from a
realization of who God is and what He has done, from knowing how He lov-
ingly intervenes in behalf of His people and how He moves them to action.
Discuss the following questions with your class after you share the mean-
ing of “stir up” or “roused” (Ezra 1:1, CSB) from the passage above:
 What motivates you to follow God’s leadership?
 In what ways have you felt God rouse or stir you to do something for
Him in your life?
17
L esson 2 *October 5–11
Nehemiah
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Nehemiah 1, 2, Deut. 7:9, Ps.
23:1–6, Num. 23:19.
Memory Text: “So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat
down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and
praying before the God of heaven. And I said: ‘I pray, Lord God of
heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and
mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments’ ”
(Nehemiah 1:4, 5, NKJV).
T
o date, two groups of captives have returned to Judah in at least
partial fulfillment of God’s promises to the Hebrew nation.
But there is one more company of exiles that God is preparing.
The last group of captives is commissioned to fix a problem. Although
the first two groups returned to rebuild Jerusalem and to complete part
of that project by finishing the temple, the rest of the construction was
abandoned as opposition from the surrounding nations arose. The peo-
ple from the surrounding area didn’t want the Israelites to build the city
and its walls because they were afraid that the Israelites might become
a mighty nation as they had once been (Ezra 4:6–24). Thus, the return
of the Israelites appeared to be a threat, one that they were determined
to stop. But God didn’t call His people in order to abandon them in the
process of doing what He had called them to do.
Thus, He was preparing another man to carry out His will and to
accomplish His purposes. His name was Nehemiah, and to him and his
work for the Lord we turn.
18
S unday October 6
Nehemiah Receives Bad News

The book of Nehemiah opens somewhat in the same way the book of
Daniel did (read Dan. 1:1, 2), and that was with bad news. Yes, many
had returned to their ancestral homeland, but things weren’t going too
well for them there.
Read Nehemiah 1:1–4. Why was Nehemiah so distressed? What was

his response to the bad news he received?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Some Jews taken captive years earlier were brought to Shushan,
one of the four administrative centers of the Persian Empire, where
Nehemiah served in the royal palace as a cupbearer. The term used
for “Hanani one of my brothers” most likely refers to a blood brother,
because there is a similar but more familial-sounding reference to
Hanani in Nehemiah 7:2, although it could be a reference to just a
fellow Israelite. The conversation with Hanani most likely happened
between mid-November and mid-December of 445 b.c., some 13 years
after Ezra’s return to Jerusalem. Hanani reports that the situation in
Jerusalem is dire. The people have not been able to rebuild Jerusalem,
and the enemy had destroyed the walls of the city, leaving it defenseless
and desolate.
It bears mention that King Artaxerxes crushed the hope of the return-
ees by stopping the progress of the construction after the people beyond
the river complained (Ezra 4). This allowed the enemies to destroy the
walls of the city (Ezra 4:23). Nehemiah would have heard rumors of
such disaster, but he didn’t have definite answers until this time.
Even though the temple was rebuilt, it wasn’t fully functioning
because the people needed for the temple service were unable to live
in Jerusalem. The situation saddened Nehemiah as the implications
of the news penetrated his soul: the Jews had not glorified God even
though they had returned for that purpose. Instead, they had neglected
the house of God and the Holy City, because of their fear of the enemy
and oppression.
Thus, Nehemiah automatically turns to God. He doesn’t complain
that the people of Judah lack faith or put them down as cowards, nor
does he just accept the situation as the status quo. Nehemiah just gets
down on his knees and starts praying and fasting.
At this bad news, Nehemiah wept, fasted, and prayed. What

should this say to us about how we, especially in times of trial,
need to appeal to the Lord?
19
M onday October 7
Nehemiah’s Prayer
Read Nehemiah’s prayer found in Nehemiah 1:5–11. What are the dif-
ferent components of the prayer? Why does he include himself in
the prayer as those who are guilty?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
1. God, You are great and have mercy (Neh. 1:5).
2. Hear me (Neh. 1:6).
3. Confession of sins (Neh. 1:6, 7).
4. Remember Your promises (Neh. 1:8, 9).
3. You have redeemed us (Neh. 1:10).
2. Hear me (Neh. 1:11).
1. God, grant prosperity and mercy (Neh. 1:11).
Nehemiah’s prayer is a beautiful composition recounting God’s great-

ness, their own sinfulness, and concluding with a cry for help. The
prayer resembles the prayer of Daniel in Daniel 9, and it is possible that
Nehemiah was familiar with that prayer. It is noteworthy that Nehemiah
doesn’t begin with a cry for help, but rather first states the truth about
who God is, great and awesome. He also points out that God keeps His
covenant and has mercy on those who love Him, as if to remind God
that He has always been faithful and cannot now be any other way.
The prayer is in a special structure (depicted above) that centers on
verse 8, where Nehemiah articulates God’s promises. Nehemiah says:
“Remember!” In other words: Remember, God, that You promised that
You will scatter us when we are unfaithful but that You also promised
to bring us back and restore everything. Since the first one has hap-
pened, now it is time to fulfill the other because we are returning to
You. Nehemiah is not afraid to claim God’s promises and to remind
God of them. Of course, it is not that God doesn’t know or remember
His promises. Instead, God takes pleasure in our willingness to claim
His promises. He wants us to believe in them and thus speak them out
loud to Him. By verbalizing what God has promised us, we can be
strengthened in our own resolve to trust in those promises, especially
when everything seems hopeless.
What are some of God’s promises that you can claim for yourself
right now? Why is it important never to give up claiming those
promises? (After all, if you do give up, what’s left?)
_____________________________________________________
20
T uesday October 8
Nehemiah Speaks Out

Nehemiah 1:11 says that Nehemiah is the king’s cupbearer. To us
this may seem like an unimportant job, but cupbearers could be men
of powerful influence, since they had constant and close access to the
king. Cupbearers tasted beverages for the king in order to prevent ill-
ness or death of the king. Herodotus points out that the Persians held
cupbearers in high honor, as they were regarded as high officials. For
instance, the cupbearer of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon also was the
chief minister of the kingdom. Thus, Nehemiah holds a high position
in the kingdom, and because of his access to the king, he pleads with
God to use him in speaking to the king about the situation in Judah.
Read Nehemiah 2:1–8. What happened as a result of Nehemiah’s

prayers and fasting?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The prayer is answered in the month of Nisan, which is roughly the
month of April of 444 b.c. Four months have passed since Hanani and
the Jews brought the disturbing news about Jerusalem to Nehemiah.
For four months, Nehemiah prayed and fasted, and every day it might
have seemed to him as if God were not answering. But God’s timing is
always perfect. God prepared the king to hear Nehemiah and to respond
favorably.
It was not an everyday occurrence to have the cupbearer relieved of
his duties for a time to be a governor in a different land. God spoke
through Nehemiah and impressed the Persian king Artaxerxes I to
make Nehemiah a governor over the territory of Judah. The mention of
the queen suggests that this was possibly a private occasion, as it was
not customary for the queen always to be present for formal banquets.
Nehemiah does not immediately mention Jerusalem, in order to keep
the king from having preconceived ideas, but rather he makes an emo-
tional appeal to the king about something personal to him. By the time
the specific place is mentioned, the king has been won.
In what ways can we see a parallel between Nehemiah’s position

in this court and Daniel’s in Babylon? What does it say about
Nehemiah’s character that the king seems so positively disposed
toward him?
_____________________________________________________
21
Nehemiah Sent
The king sent letters with Nehemiah to Sanballat the Horonite and
to Tobiah the Ammonite, the high officials of the region beyond the
river, in order to pave the way for what Nehemiah was to accomplish.
Additionally, the king commanded Asaph, the keeper of the king’s for-
est, to provide Nehemiah with all the timber necessary to rebuild the
city, walls, and gates of the temple.
Read Nehemiah 2:9, 10. What do these verses tell us about the opposi-
tion Nehemiah and the Jews in general were going to face?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem sometime in the second part of the
year 444 b.c. Opposition appears to spring up even before Nehemiah
attempts any action, as the request delivered to the governors stirs up
problems. Although Tobiah is a Jewish name, which meant “the Lord
is good” (his son Jehohanan also carried a Jewish name, “the Lord is
gracious”), he served as a governor of Ammon. Thus, Jerusalem was
surrounded by enemies: Sanballat, the governor of Samaria to the
north; Tobiah, the governor of Ammon to the east; and Geshem, the
Arab (Neh. 2:18, 19) to the south, who took hold of Edom and Moab. It
is unfortunate that the leadership in that region shunned Nehemiah for
being concerned about the “well-being” of the oppressed. Bullies don’t
rejoice over the good fortune of those they intimidate.
Nehemiah’s “arrival in Jerusalem, however, with a military escort,
showing that he had come on some important mission, excited the
jealousy of the heathen tribes living near the city, who had so often
indulged their enmity against the Jews by heaping upon them injury
and insult. Foremost in this evil work were certain chiefs of these
tribes, Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem
the Arabian. From the first these leaders watched with critical eyes
the movements of Nehemiah and endeavored by every means in their
power to thwart his plans and hinder his work.”—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings, p. 635.
What other biblical stories can you find that showed how those
called by God to do His will faced opposition? Bring your answer
to class on Sabbath.
_____________________________________________________
22
T hursday October 10
Nehemiah Prepares for His Task

No question, the Lord had called Nehemiah to this task and would
provide all that he would need. Armed with the knowledge of God’s
promises and the certainty of the call by God, Nehemiah proceeded.
But he moved ahead carefully and prayerfully. In other words, even
though he knew God was with him, this knowledge didn’t keep him,
basically, from thinking through what he would do.
Read Nehemiah 2:11–20. What does Nehemiah do to prepare for the

project of rebuilding the wall?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Leadership Lessons: Lesson 1—Nehemiah does not tell anyone what
the plans are that “God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem” (Neh.
2:12). Not only does he not tell the enemy, but he keeps it from the
Jewish leaders, as well. He is on a scouting mission to figure out what
needs to be done. Lesson 2—Before presenting anything, Nehemiah
does his homework and plans out all the work that will be required.
Lesson 3—When he does speak of the task, Nehemiah first outlines
what God has done so far to lead this expedition, and then he adds the
words of the king. He encourages before he asks for commitment. It
is nothing short of a miracle that the Jews respond so favorably and
decide to build, despite the resistance that will come. God had prepared
not only the king through Nehemiah’s prayers and fasting but also the
Jewish people, so that they respond boldly and courageously.
Read Nehemiah 2:19, 20. What do these verses tell us about Nehemiah’s
faith? How might texts such as Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 23:1–6,
and Numbers 23:19 have helped Nehemiah?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Our conversations demonstrate who we are and what we truly
believe. Nehemiah tends to speak uplifting words. He is not afraid to
include God in all that he says and to glorify Him as well, even when
people jeer and laugh at him. Even though Nehemiah knows the con-
tempt the enemies feel toward them, he doesn’t mince words or leave
God out of the conversation. Like Joseph in Egypt many years earlier,
Nehemiah is not afraid to promote his God among people who do not
believe in Him.
23
F riday October 11
Further Thought: Contemplate “A Man of Opportunity,” pp. 628–634,

in Prophets and Kings.
Nehemiah was a man of prayer: “Nehemiah had often poured out

his soul in behalf of his people. But now as he prayed a holy purpose
formed in his mind. He resolved that if he could obtain the consent
of the king, and the necessary aid in procuring implements and mate-
rial, he would himself undertake the task of rebuilding the walls of
Jerusalem and restoring Israel’s national strength. And he asked the
Lord to grant him favor in the sight of the king, that this plan might be
carried out. ‘Prosper, I pray Thee, Thy servant this day,’ he entreated,
‘and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.’ Four months Nehemiah
waited for a favorable opportunity to present his request to the king.”
—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, pp. 629, 630.
 In answer to Wednesday’s question, what does it mean that all
through the Bible—Old Testament, New Testament—those called
by God faced tremendous opposition? In fact, what does it mean
that in almost every case they did? Perhaps a better question
could be: What examples can you find of someone called by God
to do His will who didn’t face opposition? What does this tell us
about how we shouldn’t get discouraged when, even while doing
God’s will, we face strong obstacles in accomplishing what we
believe the Lord has called us to do?
 Read Nehemiah 2:18. What does this tell us about the power
that a personal testimony can have? And how was it crucial in get-
ting the positive response that Nehemiah got from his fellow Jews?
 Neither Ezra nor Nehemiah could have accomplished anything

without the help of the king. In other words, these men of God
worked in cooperation with the political authorities, who were
pagans, as well. What lesson can we draw from this about when
and how we as a church can work with the political powers that
be, whoever they are? At the same time, when doing so, why must
the church be very careful?
 Go over Nehemiah’s prayer (Neh. 1:1–11) in class. What can

you take from it that can help deepen your relationship with God?
What does it teach about surrender, confession, and claiming
promises?
24
i n s i d e
Story
Gift of 4,000 Euros
By Viriato Ferreira
A serious dilemma unexpectedly emerged on a Friday morning. The archi-
tect of our VitaSalus Wellness Center announced that we urgently needed to
put up railings around several buildings. “If someone falls, you’ll be in trouble,”
he warned.
We knew that he was right. VitaSalus—an Ellen White-inspired “center
of influence” that works in harmony with the ethical, professional, and spiri-
tual values upheld by the Seventh-day Adventist Church—is located atop a
mountain near the town of Penela, about 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of
Portugal’s capital, Lisbon. The architect put the cost of the railings at 4,000
euros (US$4,900).
I turned to our chief financial officer. “Do we have the money?” I asked.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “There is no money.”
Worried thoughts filled my mind. Suddenly, a conviction struck me.
Whose project is this? I thought. It’s not mine. It’s God’s project!
I shared this conviction with the chief financial officer and other people pres-
ent at the meeting. “God will supply the means for these railings,” I said. “Are
you comfortable in going ahead and ordering the railings?”
They nodded their heads in agreement, and I prayed, “Lord, we are going to
order these railings because they are really needed.”
We ordered the railings. Five days later, on a Wednesday, I received an email
from someone whom I had never met. “Doctor,” he wrote, “I just want to tell
you that I have deposited 4,000 euros into the VitaSalus bank account.”
“Praise the Lord!” I exclaimed out loud.
I wrote him an email describing the events of the previous Friday morning.
He replied immediately. “Doctor, this confirms that the money is for this
project,” he wrote. “On Friday morning, I woke up with a desire to help
VitaSalus. I have never been there, but I just had that feeling. Still, I wasn’t sure
whether my wife would agree with me; so, I prayed a short prayer: ‘Lord, if this
is Your will, put the same desire in my wife’s heart.’
“As soon as I finished praying, my wife came into my office and said,
‘Honey, you know that project in Penela? I think we should help them.’
“I couldn’t believe my ears, and I asked her, ‘How much do you think we
should give?’
“ ‘I think 4,000 euros would be good,’ she said.”
What a lesson for me! Had we stopped our work at
VitaSalus because we lacked the funds, we would have lost
out on a big blessing brought about by trusting in God. It was
not about the railings. It was about God showing us how His
work can be fulfilled when we trust in Him.
Dr. Viriato Ferreira, left, is director of the VitaSalus Wellness
Center in Penela, Portugal.
mission offerings to spread the gospel worldwide. Read new stories daily at AdventistMission.org. 25
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Text: Nehemiah 1:4, 5
Study Focus: Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah 2
After the first two groups (the first led by Zerubbabel and the second by
Ezra) return, God commissions Nehemiah, cupbearer to King Artaxerxes
(Neh. 1:11), to take yet another group of exiles back to Jerusalem.
Nehemiah is told that the “remnant” of Jews in Jerusalem are in “great
affliction and reproach” (Neh. 1:3) because of the opposition they have
encountered in rebuilding the city. Nehemiah is devastated to hear the
news from Jerusalem and mourns for days. He fasts and prays to God.
King Artaxerxes notices that Nehemiah is troubled and inquires
why his face looks sad. Prayerfully, Nehemiah answers the king that
Jerusalem lies in waste. He requests that the king grant him time to
rebuild it. Amazingly, the king grants his request because the monarch
saw that “the good hand of my God was upon me” (Neh. 2:8, ESV).
God’s providence and His grace were acknowledged by Nehemiah.
Yet, Nehemiah knows that he needs reinforcements because the lead-
ers from “beyond the river” have made the Israelites afraid and caused
them to stop their work. Because of these leaders’ complaint, King
Artaxerxes ceased the reconstruction of Jerusalem. In order to reverse
the king’s prior command, Nehemiah now skillfully asks the king to
send a letter with him to the leaders of the region, informing them that
Nehemiah is on official business and, therefore, not to be hindered.
Nehemiah 2 ends with Nehemiah scouting out the work that needs
to be done and encouraging the people to build. Emphasize to your
students that Nehemiah’s success in securing the king’s favor is a direct
consequence of his seeking God in response to the tragic events in
Jerusalem (Neh. 1:3). Nehemiah prays and fasts (Neh. 1:4); as a result,
God prepares the king and the people to respond favorably.
Part II: Commentary

Nehemiah’s Prayer (Nehemiah 1)
After Nehemiah receives visitors, who have just arrived from Judah, he
is distressed. Because Nehemiah was an official in the king’s court, it is
possible that he had prior knowledge of Artaxerxes’s judgment against
26
teachers comments
Judah. Hostile forces around Jerusalem complained to the king, who

capitulated against the onslaught, convinced as they were of the potential
political threat the Jews presented (Ezra 4). Either because of rumors
or official government activity, Nehemiah asked about the situation in
Judah. Unfortunately, the rumors were not only confirmed by Hanani
and his associates, but the truth must have been worse than expected.
Nehemiah collapses at the news and mourns for days. However, he goes
straight to God with his dilemma.
Nehemiah’s prayer is outlined in the lesson. When analyzing
Nehemiah’s prayer, one especially discovers that the main point (the
center) of the prayer is entreating God to remember His promises.
Thus, Nehemiah reminds the readers of the big picture—God fulfills
His promises. The prayer begins with adoration and worship before
Nehemiah asks God to hear his prayer. Offerings of adoration and wor-
ship, in turn, are followed by confession of sins and a petition to God to
remember His promises to restore His people. Then Nehemiah’s prayer
circles back to remind God that these are His redeemed people. Once
again, Nehemiah asks for God to hear and grant him mercy before
the king. Nehemiah knows that the king has the power to reverse the
situation in Judah and therefore asks for God to work on the king’s heart.
Often, we expect answers to prayers right away, but Nehemiah per-
severes and prays for more than four months before anything happens.
The season of prayer served as a preparation time for Nehemiah as
leader of the expedition. He had time to process the steps he would take
once he arrived in Jerusalem, what he would do in order to maximize
the results of the rebuilding process, and perhaps even what material he
would need. All of these plans must have become solidified in his mind,
because when the king finally asks him, “What do you request?” (Neh.
2:4, NKJV), Nehemiah had a well-thought-out answer.
Conversation With the King and Sending Nehemiah to Jerusalem (Nehemiah

2:1–10)
Nehemiah begins his request to the king by speaking about his “fathers’
sepulchers” (Neh. 2:5), or tombs. Respect for ancestors and their proper
burial sites was of profound concern in antiquity because, in this man-
ner, ancient people expressed their deep respect for their forefathers and
a desire for peace. Nehemiah does not mention Jerusalem by name but
simply refers to the importance of burial places and the city he loves.
Whether all of the exchange between the king and Nehemiah occurred
in one setting is not known; however, it is possible that the conversation
was continued in a more private setting in which the queen was present
(Neh. 2:6). Historians believe that King Artaxerxes was influenced by
27
teachers comments
women, and so the presence of his wife (according to Ctesias, a Greek

physician and historian, her name was Damaspia, though her name is not
mentioned in the biblical text) may have been to Nehemiah’s advantage.
We can only speculate.
Nehemiah needed (1) time, (2) credentials so Israel’s enemy leaders
would let him pass and cause him no harm, and (3) wood for construc-
tion. It is interesting to observe that the king’s officer Asaph, keeper of
the imperial forest, is a Jewish name, which suggests that this person
was a Jew like Nehemiah who had risen to a high position. Nehemiah
needed the wood for three projects: (1) beams for the gates of a citadel,
which was constructed north of the temple for the purpose of protecting
its sacred precincts; (2) the city wall; and (3) his residence. It is possible
that he was just planning to repair a home that belonged to his family.
In Jerusalem: Preparation for Rebuilding Walls (Nehemiah 2:11–20)
Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem with an envoy of captains of the army

and horsemen. On the way, Nehemiah delivered the king’s letter to each
of the governors who had part in halting the work on the city walls.
After resting for three days, which seems to be a traditional period of
time to take after a long journey, Nehemiah took a small group out
on a secret mission during the night. Perhaps the group consisted of
his brother Hanani and close associates or relatives who either came
with him to Jerusalem or had already settled there as residents (they
informed Nehemiah of the condition of Israel [see Neh. 1:2, 3]). The
group quietly surveyed the condition of the walls and gates so as not
to attract attention to the project prematurely. Sanballat and Tobiah
probably had allies in Jerusalem, and Nehemiah rightly suspected that
he was being watched.
Nehemiah states: “I told no one what my God had put in my heart
to do at Jerusalem” (Neh. 2:12, NKJV). The word for “put” is natan,
meaning “to give, put, or set.” Nehemiah points out that the mission
of rebuilding the fortifications is not his idea but God’s. God placed
this burden on his heart; God had given him the drive and the desire to
complete the project. It was clear to Nehemiah that this was a divinely
commissioned undertaking.
When the nightly expedition is completed and Nehemiah acquires
the information needed to map out the work, he addresses the leaders
of the Jews. After strategizing, it is time for action; he invites the Jews
to “build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach
[Heb. cherpa].” Cherpa means “derision, scorn, insult, and contempt.”
28
teachers comments
Throughout the Old Testament cherpa is often translated as “disgrace”

or “reproach” in the sense of shame. Ancient cultures were based on
a shame-and-honor system. Honor was the most important value, and
shame was to be avoided at all costs. Thus, Nehemiah plays on the sen-
sitivities toward shame when he presents his argument. He convinces
the people to act so that they would reverse the “shame” that they were
experiencing at the moment. Having a destroyed defense system made
them not only vulnerable but also ashamed. A sense of guilt was asso-
ciated with their shame too. Nehemiah voices his people’s feelings of
inadequacy and disgrace because they have had to endure oppression.
The principal issue was honor and respect and heritage, which they
would build once again through participating in this important work.
The ruins of Jerusalem presented their faith in God in a bad light.
When, in Nehemiah 2:18, Nehemiah points out that the hand of
God has been with him and shares what the king had said, the people
are persuaded to exclaim: “Let us start rebuilding” (NIV). They do not
have to fear the Persian government, and, most important, God is with
them. In order to change their situation, they “rise up” and do some-
thing. Let this demonstration of faith be a lesson for us. Things do not
change by wallowing in misery or finding excuses; they change only
through action. Nehemiah encourages the people to do something, to
act, and to change their predicament. He entreats them to hold on to
God in faith, because He has been leading this expedition and will
carry it to completion.
Consequently, when the enemy leaders come at Nehemiah, jeering
and laughing at the people’s attempt to build the wall, Nehemiah is not
discouraged. He answers, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us”
(Neh. 2:20, NKJV). Nehemiah does not let the enemies win by enter-
taining their insults. Instead, the courageous cupbearer claims God’s
promises and holds on to His power.

Ask the following questions:
1. Look through Nehemiah’s prayer and choose which aspects of the

prayer you can include in your own prayer life.
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teachers comments
2. Ask each person to reflect on, and answer, the following: Nehemiah
knew about the great opposition to rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls that
existed before he arrived in the city. If there were a possibility of God
sending you on a mission to a place that you knew in advance was
beset with great difficulties and opposition, would you volunteer for
the job? If so, why?
3. God called Nehemiah to a specific work. He fasted and prayed

before he spoke to the king, because he felt a burden for his city and
people. Do you think of fasting and praying when a difficulty arises
in your life? How do fasting and prayer make a difference in our
lives? When was the last time you fasted, and for what cause did you
pray and fast?
4. Before approaching the people about why he was there, Nehemiah

went through the city first to figure out what needed to be done.
a. Why is planning so important in life?
b. Think of specific ministries that you are in charge of, or are a

part of, in your church. What specifically can be done to “scout
out” your mission before it is implemented?
30
God’s Call
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Ezra 7:10; Neh. 1:1–11; Dan.
9:24–27; Daniel 8; Rom. 8:28, 29; Romans 9; Exodus 3; Exodus 4.
Memory Text: “Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who has
put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of
the Lord which is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 7:27, NKJV).
D
oes God call each person to a specific task? Are there criteria
that make someone more qualified than others for a certain
task? Are those criteria different in human eyes than in God’s?
Most of us would probably say yes, especially to the last two questions.
There are times God prepares us, through education or experiences, for
a specific task; at other times, He chooses us to serve simply because
we are willing and humble. It’s not always easy to know, though, what
God’s call is in our lives, is it? Nevertheless, the Bible is full of stories
of people whom God chose for a particular assignment.
Interestingly, Ezra and Nehemiah were called for a specific task
by God: to rebuild what lay in ruins. However, rebuilding in this case
involved various tasks. They were to lead the people of Israel back to
Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple and the city. At the same time, they
were to teach the people about God and above all guide them back to a
committed relationship with Him. Talk about a calling from God, and
an important one, too.
31
S unday October 13
The Calling of Ezra and Nehemiah

We could say that Ezra was chosen for various reasons: (1) he was
willing to go; (2) he was a leader; and (3) he was a skilled scribe and
teacher. There are additional reasons that we could find, as well. But
there is one verse that perhaps best demonstrates why Ezra was given
this task.
What does Ezra 7:10 say about Ezra? How might Ezra have “pre-
pared” or “set” his heart to seek “the law of the Lord” and to do it?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The word for “prepared,” or “set,” is kun in Hebrew. The word
can be translated as “prepared, set, be firm, to firmly establish, be
stable, or secure.” Therefore, the true meaning of this statement
seems to mean that Ezra firmly set his heart or established in his
heart to seek God.
After arriving in Jerusalem, Ezra modeled what it means to be dedi-
cated to God, and he taught God’s Word in Jerusalem for 13 years. It
may have seemed to him that he wasn’t making any difference during
those 13 years, but then, after the walls were completed, the people
called an assembly—not because anyone forced them, but because they
wanted to do it. The Word of God that they had been hearing from Ezra
had taken root.
Why was Nehemiah chosen? Read Nehemiah 1:1–11.

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Nehemiah had a heart for God and the people. He was troubled
when he found out that the work in Jerusalem had stopped. Nehemiah
had a passion for the cause, and just like Ezra, he volunteered for the
job. God answered their prayers and desires. Sometimes we get the
idea that if we love something it must not be from God, because God
will give us only difficult tasks that we might not want to do. But if
we are walking with God, the desire to do something we love are often
God-given. God wants us to have a passion for what we do for Him.
In what ways have you experienced the reality that God calls you
to do for Him things that you love?
32
M onday October 14
Prophetic Timing
In the first lesson of this quarter, we studied how God called
Zerubbabel (c. 538 b.c.) and Ezra (457 b.c.) to special ministries. In
the second lesson, we considered God’s call for Nehemiah (444 b.c.).
We need to realize that these callings were performed in harmony with
God’s foreknowledge. For example, Zerubbabel was moved by God to
do a specific task in response to the end of the 70 years of captivity that
Jeremiah had prophesied.
In what year was Ezra called to ministry? It was the same year in which
King Artaxerxes issued a decree. How is that year significant in
prophecy? Look up Daniel 9:24–27.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Daniel 9:25 states that “from the going forth of the command to
restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be
seven weeks and sixty-two weeks” (NKJV). The last week of this
prophecy is mentioned in verse 27. Since one week contains seven
days, a prophetic week equals seven years (Num. 14:34; Ezek. 4:5, 6).
Therefore, this prophecy talks about 70 weeks, which equal 490 years.
The question that must be answered is: What is the starting date of the
70-week prophecy? The text states that it will be from the time that the
decree is given to restore and build Jerusalem.
There were a total of three decrees given regarding the restoration of
the Jewish people. Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes all gave commands
for restorations. However, only the one from Artaxerxes includes con-
cern for the city of Jerusalem itself, and only this decree is associated
with praising God for His intervention (Ezra 7:27, 28).
We count the beginning of the 70-week prophecy from the year 457
b.c., the seventh year of King Artaxerxes I as mentioned in Ezra 7:7–26.
Additionally, because the year 457 b.c. also is the start of the 2,300-
day prophecy of Daniel 8:14 (see tomorrow’s lesson study), this decree
serves as the starting point for these two prophecies. The 70 weeks
end with year a.d. 34, which is when the preaching of the gospel was
enlarged and also went to the Gentiles (marked by the persecution of
the early church and the martyrdom of Stephen). The middle of the last
week would be the year a.d. 31, which is when Jesus died on the cross.
Review the prophecy of Daniel 9:24–27. How does it reveal, with

amazing accuracy, the ministry of Jesus? How should a prophecy
like this help firmly establish our faith?
33
T uesday October 15
The 70 Weeks and the 2,300 Days

The word “determined” found in Daniel 9:24, “Seventy weeks are
determined,” literally means “Seventy weeks are cut off.” Although the
word translated as “determined” is not used anywhere else in the Bible,
it is found in Jewish literature, and it means “cutting off ” from some-
thing longer. Since Daniel 8 presents the 2,300-year prophecy, whose
starting point is not given in Daniel 8, it logically follows that when the
next chapter (Daniel 9) talks about 490 years as “determined,” or “cut
off,” they can be “cut off ” only from the 2,300 prophetic years men-
tioned in the previous chapter. After all, what else could this period be
“cut off ” from but another, and longer, time prophecy?
Read Daniel 8. What was the one part of the vision given that was not
explained (see especially Dan. 8:14, 26, 27)?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
There are many reasons the 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9:24–27
and the 2,300 evenings and mornings prophecy of Daniel 8:14 belong
together: (1) both are time prophecies; (2) the specific terminology of
“vision” and “understanding” links them (see Dan. 8:26, 27 and 9:23);
(3) both interpretations of the prophecies were given by Gabriel (see
Dan. 8:16 and 9:21); (4) the only part of the vision not explained in
Daniel 8 was the vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings (some-
times translated as “days”) in Daniel 8:14; (5) Daniel 8 contains the
vision and then a partial interpretation of it, while Daniel 9 has an inter-
pretation only, in this case the interpretation of the only part of Daniel 8
not interpreted—which was the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14, the
one part of the vision that Daniel had not understood (see Dan. 8:27).
The information given to us in Ezra fills in the missing pieces of the
prophecy’s predictions in the book of Daniel, namely, when to begin
historically to count the prophetic time regarding crucial aspects of
Christ’s ministry and work on our behalf.
70 weeks
457 B.C. (490 years) A.D. 34
2,300 days (2,300 years)

490 years 1,810 years
457 B.C. A.D. 34 1844
34
God’s Election
There is a lot of talk about God’s electing us or choosing us to do
something. Many have different ideas on what that election means.
What does the Bible say about our election?
Read Romans 8:28, 29. What does God call us to? What does He
choose us for?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
This passage specifically states that God predestined humans to be
conformed to the image of His Son. It is not saying that God predes-
tines us either to be saved or to be condemned, and that we have no
choice in the matter. In other words, the election is for the purpose of
our transformation. We are to be changed to reflect the Son of God.
This transformation is then promised in the following verse (Rom.
8:30), in which Paul, the author, states that those whom God calls He
also justifies (makes us righteous) and glorifies (sanctifies). Thus, we
are not left to transform ourselves; but rather, God promises to accom-
plish this transformation by His power.
Read Romans 9. What kind of election or call of God is described in

this chapter?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
In Romans 9, Paul discusses God’s election to a specific task. The
Israelites were chosen to bring the good news about God to the world.
The phrase “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated” (Rom. 9:13,
NKJV) is commonly misunderstood to mean that God loved only one
of the brothers. However, in the context of this passage, Paul is saying
that Jacob was chosen but Esau was not. What was Jacob chosen for?
To be the father of the Israelite nation. Thus, there are two types of elec-
tion/choosing that God does. First, God chooses every single one of us
for salvation and wants us to be transformed into the image of Jesus.
Second, God chooses different people for specific tasks.
Why should it be encouraging to know that you were predes-

tined for salvation? Why does that not, however, mean that your
choices cannot cause you to lose the salvation that God offers?
35
Our Responsibility
If we are called by God, we still have free choice in accepting or
rejecting that call, just as we have free choice in accepting or rejecting
the salvation that He offers us all. He may place us in a particular posi-
tion, but we can choose not to follow His biddings. Yes, He wants us to
do specific things for Him, just as much as He calls us to become like
Him. God’s election to a specific task is part of His plan for our salva-
tion. By doing what He calls us to do, we reveal in our lives the reality
of the salvation He has given us.
King Saul was given the position of king. Unfortunately, Saul never
fully gave his heart to God, despite the task he was given. Just because
someone is called by God to do something special for Him doesn’t
mean that this person will embrace God. Our free will remains the
determining factor, and if we don’t follow God’s leading, we can lose
everything.
Read Exodus 3 and 4. What does this teach us about what happens
when the Lord calls someone for a task?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Our response can be like that of Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s, who went
without questioning, or we can be like Moses, who had objections
and excuses. Moses went in the end, but not without trying to get out
of it. He objected, claiming that he was not good enough, a nobody,
and didn’t have an important position. So, how could Pharaoh pos-
sibly listen to him? He also was worried that the Jewish people would
not believe him or listen to him, and the work would be for naught.
Additionally, he complained that he was not qualified—“I am slow of
speech and slow of tongue” (Exod. 4:10, NKJV)—and didn’t have the
needed skills. Last, he pointedly asked God to send someone else. And
yet, as we read the story of Moses, we learn what a powerful, though
flawed, leader Moses became. He was someone who faithfully did the
task that the Lord had called him to do.
What excuses do we often find that keep us from doing the things
we know the Lord would have us do?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
36
F riday October 18
Further Thought: Read carefully Prophets and Kings, pp. 697–699,

regarding the 70-week prophecy and its historical fulfillment.
“The time of Christ’s coming, His anointing by the Holy Spirit, His
death, and the giving of the gospel to the Gentiles, were definitely
pointed out. It was the privilege of the Jewish people to understand
these prophecies, and to recognize their fulfillment in the mission of
Jesus. Christ urged upon His disciples the importance of prophetic
study. Referring to the prophecy given to Daniel in regard to their
time, He said, ‘Whoso readeth, let him understand.’ Matt. 24:15.
After His resurrection He explained to the disciples in ‘all the proph-
ets’ ‘the things concerning Himself.’ Luke 24:27. The Saviour had
spoken through all the prophets. ‘The Spirit of Christ which was in
them’ ‘testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that
should follow.’ 1 Peter 1:11.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages,
p. 234.
 Dwell more on this idea of God’s calling you to do something
that you love to do. What are some principles you could follow to
know that you are doing God’s will, not just in the case of some-
thing you love to do, but in general?
 Read the story of Jonah and how he responded to God’s calling

in his life. What lessons can we take from his experience? At the
same time, contrast what Jonah did to what Paul did when he was
called by the Lord. (See Acts 9:1–20.) What were some of the major
differences between them?
 “The history of Judas presents the sad ending of a life that

might have been honored of God. Had Judas died before his last
journey to Jerusalem he would have been regarded as a man wor-
thy of a place among the twelve, and one who would be greatly
missed.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 716. Think about
the story of Judas Iscariot. Was his “calling” to betray Jesus? If so,
how fair would that be to him? How can we understand Judas and
the opportunities he had in contrast to what he eventually ended
up doing? What lessons can we take away from his story about the
power of free choice in our lives?
37
i n s i d e
Story
Japanese Pastor Finds $30,000
The large water bill shocked Japanese church leaders in Tokyo. Astonished
that the bill had doubled from the previous month, leaders of the Amanuma
Seventh-day Adventist Church contacted the water company and soon learned
that an underground pipe had burst and was spewing water. The water pipe
could not be repaired, and the water company advised the church to install an
aboveground water pipe. The cost: 7 million yen, or about US$70,000.
Moreover, church leaders faced another major expense. They needed to raise
16 million yen (US$160,000) to purchase equipment so their church could be
one of 161 sites across Japan participating in the 2018 evangelistic meetings.
Complicating matters, church members weren’t enthusiastic about the evan-
gelistic meetings, complaining that the expense and work were too much. “It was
very stressful,” said Kyoichi Miyazaki, the first elder of the Amanuma church.
The church board met to pray about the water pipe. Immediately after the
prayer, the church’s associate pastor, Myunghoon Rha, went to his office. On
the desk he found 3 million yen (US$30,000) in cash.
Rha, a missionary from South Korea, was thrilled, and he excitedly broke the
news to the other church board members. The next Sabbath, he announced the
need for the water pipe to the congregation. He told how the 3 million yen had
appeared in his office, and he appealed for more contributions.
A short time later, a surprise appeared in the Sabbath School offering plate:
an envelope containing 1 million yen (US$10,000).
Church leaders were delighted, but they worried that perhaps the giver hadn’t
fully understood his or her actions. In the moments after the offering was col-
lected and counted, they determined that the money had been given by a first-
time visitor, and they pulled her aside. “Did you really intend to give this much
money?” they asked her.
“I had a dream last night,” she said. “In the dream, someone told me to make
a donation to a Christian church. I’m not a Christian, and I don’t know any
Christian churches. So, I looked for a Christian church, and I found you.”
She insisted that the church keep the 1 million yen.
After that Sabbath, the woman was never seen again. The church also never
learned the source of the 3-million-yen donation. Through such miracles, the
church managed to raise the funds for the new water
pipe—and for the equipment for the evangelistic meet-
ings. Rha said the miraculous donations and baptisms
have helped change the atmosphere at the Amanuma
church, the largest Adventist church in Japan, with 900
members.
“People were negative, but now they are enthusiastic,”
said Rha, left. “They know God is alive.”
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Texts: Ezra 7:10, 27; Romans 8:28
Study Focus: Ezra 7, Daniel 8:14, Daniel 9:24–27
God calls Ezra and Nehemiah for a specific task: to rebuild the walls and
gates of Jerusalem. But most important, God calls these men to “rebuild”
the remnant of God’s people in order that they should once again function
as missionaries to the world. Ezra responds to God’s call to be a teacher of
His Word. In company with a group of returnees, he journeys to Jerusalem
in order to teach the people about God. There Ezra prepares the people
to do the work of restoring Jerusalem. Spiritual revival always precedes
the reformation of life; decisive actions are the natural outgrowth of such
revival. Thus, Ezra pours himself into educating the people about who
God is in an effort to inspire them to fully walk with Him.
When Nehemiah, a man of action, comes on the scene, God calls him
to specifically rebuild the physical structures of Jerusalem, to inspire
the people to stand for justice, to trust in God’s protection, and to bring
about reform in the civil life of the nation (justice and care for the less
fortunate are a priority for Nehemiah). He demonstrates what the life of
a Christian, living every day for God, looks like.
Additionally, this lesson confirms the decree from Artaxerxes, in Ezra
7, as the starting date for the 2,300 day/year prophecy of Daniel 8:14
and for the 70-week prophecy in Daniel 9:24–27. God’s election, in the
context of Romans 8 and 9, also is discussed.
Part II: Commentary

Prophetic Time Period
God calls Ezra at the beginning of the 70-week prophetic period, outlined
in Daniel 9:24–27. The onset of this prophetic period corresponds with
Artaxerxes’s command to restore the city of Jerusalem in the year 457 b.c.
This week’s lesson explains in detail what that prophetic period meant and
how it corresponds with the 2,300-year prophecy. Through prophecy, God
especially demonstrates that He is in charge of events and watches over
our world. Moreover, God sets a prophet or leader over His people during
the beginning of each prophetic period or time of crisis in Israel and some-
one over the end of each period, as well. For example, Moses comes at the
time of the Exodus, while Joshua comes at the end of Israel’s wilderness
39
teachers comments
sojourn as God’s people enter the Promised Land. The following outline
demonstrates that prophets were called at a crucial time in salvation his-
tory, corresponding to the beginning and ending of a prophetic period:
• Noah—commissioned to serve God before the Flood.

• Abraham—called out to be the father of God’s people.
• Moses—leads God’s people during the Exodus to the borders of the
Promised Land.
• Joshua—ushers God’s people into the Promised Land.
• Samuel—judges during the beginning of the monarchal period.
• Hosea and Amos—prophesy before the fall of the northern kingdom
and Samaria in 722 b.c.
• Ezekiel and Daniel—enter their prophetic ministry during the
Babylonian exile.
• Haggai and Zechariah—serve after the return from exile.
• Ezra and Nehemiah—commence serving God at the beginning of
2,300 day/year prophecy (457 b.c.).
• John the Baptist—calls Israel to repentance prior to the onset of
Jesus’ ministry.
• Stephen—witnesses, after which the gospel went to the Gentiles (at
the time in which the 70-week prophecy ends, in a.d. 34).
• Ellen G. White—called at end of 2,300 day/year prophecy (1844).
So one can detect from this outline a pattern of God’s working plan.
In God’s plan of redemption, there are expressed specific prophetic time
markers. Whenever there is a spiritual crisis, God sends His prophets,
who fulfill His mission by calling people back to God and to obedience
to His Word.
Personal Timing
Election also may be the calling to fulfill a specific task such as is the
case for Ezra and Nehemiah (and many other of God’s servants; see
Exodus 3:9–12; Isaiah 6:7, 8; and Jeremiah 1:5–9). In the same way, we
are called to reflect the character of Jesus and do something definite for
God. It may be a job that we perform for Him; an action He impresses us
to do, such as helping someone; or a specific career that lasts a lifetime.
Each of the leaders mentioned above was specifically chosen by
God for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). They called for action,
repentance, and a deep commitment to God. Ezra and Nehemiah had a
role to play as leaders of God’s people at the beginning of the longest
prophetic time period. They also exhorted the people to live for God and
to demonstrate their commitment through faith and action. The people
40
teachers comments
returned from Babylon steeped in the Babylonian way of life and the
worship of many deities. Fortunately, despite whatever other problems
challenged them in their post-exilic life, idolatry was not one of them.
Nonetheless, their past religious pluralism was not without its deleteri-
ous effects. Even though the Jewish community no longer worshiped
idols, their former idolatry made it necessary for Ezra and Nehemiah to
teach the people again what it meant to worship the God of heaven and to
live for Him. Their apparently harsh way of approaching situations (such
as intermarriage in the later chapters of Ezra and Nehemiah) should
not surprise us because both leaders wanted to teach the people what it
meant to live holy lives and to radically change their ungodly lifestyles.
Thus, both Ezra and Nehemiah called for unreserved commitment to
Yahweh, total reform, and passionate service to God.
Called to Restore: A Collaboration
Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem (445/444 b.c.) some 13 years after Ezra’s

group. But Nehemiah’s mission of rebuilding Jerusalem would not have
been as successful without the work of Ezra. Ezra was busy teaching
the people about God. In other words, God was using Ezra to spiritually
“build up” people so that the people could “build” physical structures
once Nehemiah arrived. God was working in the background, preparing
the hearts of the people and the two leaders. Ultimately, God wanted not
only a restored Jerusalem; He also wanted a restored people who belonged
to Him. Therefore, Ezra and Nehemiah’s foremost job was to bring the
people back to God. They not only inspired the people for the work to be
done on the ruins, but most important, they inspired the people to discover
a passion for God. Ezra and Nehemiah modeled that passion in their own
lives through prayer, fasting, seeking God, and acting in accordance with
God’s Word.
Both Ezra and Nehemiah were chosen for a specific task during a stra-
tegic time in history. They were called as leaders, each in his own unique
way, based on their talents. Ezra was a priest and a scribe, and thus his
main influence was through teachings of the Torah. Nehemiah, on the
other hand, was a cupbearer to the king and had incredible leadership
abilities to motivate and rally people to get a job done. Ezra was a teacher;
Nehemiah was a doer. Both were leaders and yet led in different ways.
At the same time, both of their leadership styles were important for the
mission at hand. They complemented each other and cooperated in order
to make a difference for God. God used their varied personalities and pas-
sions to bring about a change in the nation.
Ultimately, we are responsible for what we do with the task or posi-
tion God gives us. The decision of whether our task is completed with
41
teachers comments
excellence or mediocrity falls on us. God will help us every step of the
way; however, He will not do for us the work He has given us to do. We
may have every gift under the sun, but if we are not using them for God,
they are useless. We each have to decide to put our all into everything
God calls us to do in spite of opposition. Ezra and Nehemiah could have
given up, but they did not. They persevered because they fixed their eyes
on God. The importance of their call outweighed their fear of negative
consequences that arose from standing for the Lord. They were sure that
their mission was worth it.
Predestination
God called, or predestined, His people, the nation of Israel, to be a light

to the world. Paul deals with that call in Romans 9–11 in view of the
fact that Israel’s leaders did not accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah and
Savior. However, God’s call did not change but was modified, for God’s
values and gift of salvation also needed to be revealed to the Gentiles.
God called specific people to a specific task. God desired that both
believing Jews and Gentiles would be saved and together be the light of,
and the blessing to, the world.
Predestination in the Bible has three basic meanings:
1. God predestined that there is only one way of salvation, namely,
through Jesus Christ (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). We are elected in Christ
to eternal life if we accept Him as our personal Savior (Rom. 8:29,
Eph. 1:3–8). He wishes for everyone to be saved (1 Tim. 2:3, 4).
2. God predestined some people (both as individuals or as a commu-
nity of believers) to a specific task, to a particular mission (as He
ordained the faithful remnant to proclaim the eternal gospel). God
has a worldwide mission (Isa. 49:6).
3. God has predestined the final climax of human history when He will
come as Judge and give His reward (Daniel 2). The ultimate outcome
will be His eschatological triumph. The goal of the electing will of
God is not the salvation of a few but the gathering of as many people
as possible from among the nations into the final eschatological gath-
ering (Rev. 21:3).

The following questions deal with prophetic time periods:
1. Peruse again the aforementioned list of prophets. Focus in on a

few names. Discuss specifically how each one of them received his
42
teachers comments
or her call. How did this prophet know that he or she was called?
2. Why does Ellen G. White fit within this list? How did God use
her to be a spiritual leader of His people?
3. How have people reacted to God’s called leaders throughout his-

tory? Why is the acceptance of God’s chosen leaders and their
leadership so complicated?
4. What makes the job of God’s called leader difficult?
Personal Reflection:
1. How does one recognize God’s will in life?

2. What are your passions? In what way does God call you to use your
desires and gifts for Him?
3. How can you collaborate in your church with other gifted people
whom God has called to serve but who are very different from you?
How can the differences between you become strengths?
4. How can you be sure that you are doing what God is calling you to do?
43
Facing Opposition
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Ezra 4:1–5, 2 Cor. 6:14, Ezra
5:1–5, Haggai 1, Ezra 4:6–24, Nehemiah 4, Neh. 6:1–13.
Memory Text: “But the eye of their God was upon the elders of
the Jews, so that they could not make them cease till a report could
go to Darius. Then a written answer was returned concerning this
matter” (Ezra 5:5, NKJV).
E
zra 3–6 is structured thematically, covering different historical
periods of opposition to the rebuilding of the temple. Recognizing
this thematic approach will help clarify the overall message.
Ezra is mentioned for the first time by name in Ezra 7:1. With his
arrival in 457 b.c., things changed, and the city of Jerusalem with its
wall began to be spasmodically rebuilt. Thirteen years later Nehemiah
arrived (sent by Artaxerxes in 444 b.c.), and the building of the wall
was finally resumed. Although the opposition was intense, the work
was completed in 52 days (Neh. 6:15).
Resistance to the work of God is a prevalent theme in the two books
of Ezra and Nehemiah; therefore, it is not surprising that rebuilding the
temple and Jerusalem incited opposition and persecution. Wherever
we turn in today’s world, the work of the Lord is resisted. Satan tries
to make sure that the gospel doesn’t spread quickly, as it threatens his
dominion. In Ezra and Nehemiah, how did the Jews handle the opposi-
tion?
44
S unday October 20
Opposition Begins
Read Ezra 4:1–5. Why do you think the Israelite remnant refused the
help of other people in building the temple?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
On the surface, the request seemed like a kind, neighborly thing to
do; so, why turn down the help? In one sense, the answer is found in the
text itself. The “adversaries” came to offer them help. Adversaries? That
alone gives a powerful hint as to why the Israelites reacted as they did.
Why were the people called “adversaries”? Second Kings 17:24–41
explains that these people were imported from other nations into
Samaria and the surrounding region after the northern kingdom
Israelites were deported. The king of Assyria sent them priests, who
were to teach them how to worship the God of the land—that is,
the God of Israel. However, the resulting religion incorporated the
Canaanite gods, as well. Therefore, the remnant Israelites were afraid
that this religion would be brought into their temple worship. Hence,
the best and smartest thing to do was what they did, which was to say,
“No, thank you.”
We have to remember, too, just why all this was happening to begin
with. It was their forefathers’ constant compromise with the pagan
faiths around them that led to the destruction of the temple, as well
as to their exile. Presumably, while in the very process of building the
temple anew, the last thing that they would want to do would be to get
too closely aligned with the people around them.
What else in these texts shows why this refusal was the right thing to
do? See Ezra 4:4, 5.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Think about how easily they could have rationalized accepting

this help. What does 2 Corinthians 6:14 have to say to us in this
context?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
45
M onday October 21
Prophets Encourage
Unfortunately, the opposition that the Jews encountered from the
surrounding nations, as described in Ezra 4–6, left them afraid and
unwilling to work on the temple.
As mentioned before, Ezra 4:6–6:22 is not written in chronological
order. Therefore, we will look at chapter 5 before chapter 4.
Read Ezra 5:1–5. Why does God send the prophets Haggai and
Zechariah to the Jews? What is the result of their prophesying?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The Jews had stopped building because they were afraid. But God
had sent them to Judah to rebuild the temple and the city, and He had
a plan. Since they were afraid, He had to do something in order to
encourage them. Therefore, He called two prophets to step in. Human
opposition doesn’t stop God; even if the Jews contributed to this oppo-
sition by their own actions, God did not abandon them. He worked
through the prophets to motivate and propel them into action again.
Read Haggai 1. What is the message for God’s people, and what can
we take away from this for ourselves?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
“The prophets Haggai and Zechariah were raised up to meet the
crisis. In stirring testimonies these appointed messengers revealed to
the people the cause of their troubles. The lack of temporal prosper-
ity was the result of a neglect to put God’s interests first, the prophets
declared. Had the Israelites honored God, had they shown Him due
respect and courtesy, by making the building of His house their first
work, they would have invited His presence and blessing.”—Ellen G.
White, Prophets and Kings, pp. 573, 574.
46
T uesday October 22
Work Stoppage
What did the “enemies” do in Ezra 4:6–24 in order to stop the work
in Jerusalem?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The “people of the land” wrote letters of accusation against the Jews
and their work first to Darius (Ezra 5 and 6), then to King Xerxes
(Ahasuerus), as well as Artaxerxes. They were doing everything in their
power to stop the work in Jerusalem.
The people of the surrounding nations claimed that if the city were
rebuilt, the king would lose his power over it, because Jerusalem had
always been a place of rebellion and trouble in the past. Unfortunately,
King Artaxerxes was swayed into believing that the Jews were build-
ing only because they wanted to gain their independence and therefore
incite confrontation. He ordered the work to cease, and the people sent
an army to prevent further building of the city. This forceful approach
brought the work for God to a halt.
Read Ezra 4:23, 24. Why did the Jews stop building? Didn’t they know
that God wanted them to rebuild the city? What got in the way?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
It is apparent that the Jews realized that God had called them to
rebuild the city and the temple, but because of the strong opposition,
they were afraid. Perhaps they came up with such excuses as “Now
must not be the right time,” or “If this were truly what God wanted us
to do, He would have provided a way,” or “Maybe we weren’t supposed
to come back here at all.” When opposition gets in the way of doing
what we believe God calls us to do, we have the tendency to question
and doubt God’s guidance. We can easily convince ourselves that we
made a mistake. Fear can paralyze our minds, and our thoughts turn to
despair and helplessness instead of being focused on the power of God.
Have you experienced something similar, being convinced that

God had called you to do something and, then, harboring doubts
when things got hard? (Think, for instance, about John the
Baptist.) What have you learned from that experience?
_____________________________________________________
47
Nehemiah Takes Action (444 b.c.)

Read Nehemiah 4. What did the Jews do under Nehemiah’s leader-
ship to stand up to opposition? Why was it important for them to
prepare themselves to fight, rather than just do nothing, believing
that God would protect them?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
After starts and stops, the people began working again. The Jews
prayed, and then Nehemiah set up an active guard. The people rotated
through shifts during the day and nighttime in order to be prepared
for any looming attacks. Nehemiah also organized the people around
the wall with weapons so that each family was ready to fight.
Additionally, he divided his servants into two groups, with one work-
ing and the other holding weapons. There also were special provisions
for all those who worked on the wall, as they were closest to the
danger. Each one of the builders held a sword with one hand and with
the other added bricks or stones and mortar to the wall. They were
prepared to face the opposition. They did their part; God did the rest.
Nehemiah’s faith in God’s protection is inspiring. However, he didn’t
sit on the couch and expect God to do everything. They prepared by
doing the best of their abilities.
The two passages “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord,
great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daugh-
ters, your wives, and your houses” (see Neh. 4:13, 14, NKJV) and “Our
God will fight for us” (see Neh. 4:19, 20, NKJV) are some of the most
inspirational statements found in the Bible.
The Jews could have stopped building once again because of the
persistent opposition, but, this time, instead of being overcome by fear,
they held on to the promise that God would fight for them. When we
encounter opposition to the name of God, to our beliefs, or to what God
calls us to do, we should remember that “God will fight for us.”
In the end, the Jews realized that the Lord was behind what they were
doing, and this gave them the courage to press on ahead.
Why is it so important to know that what you are doing is God’s

will? Thus, an important question to ask is: How do I know if
what I am doing is God’s will?
_____________________________________________________
48
Doing a “Great Work”

Read Nehemiah 6:1–13. Why does Nehemiah see the work he is doing
in Jerusalem as a “great work” (Neh. 6:3)? What were the attempts
in this case to stop him?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Chapter 6 describes many attempts on Nehemiah’s life. Sanballat and
Geshem kept sending Nehemiah letters in order to get him to come to
them under the pretext of a meeting. However, the meeting was in the
plain of Ono, which was in enemy territory, and thus gave away the true
intent of the invitation. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem see a window
of opportunity that will last only until the wall is finished and the gates
are shut. The Jews have the protection of the Persian king, and there-
fore their enemies cannot conquer them through a full-frontal attack.
But if they get rid of the leader, they will stunt the progress or perhaps
even stop the Jews forever. They are not giving up. Even if Nehemiah
is not responding, they keep trying. It must have been frustrating to
Nehemiah to have to deal with opposition at every turn. He responds to
them by stating, “I am doing a great work” (Neh. 6:3, NKJV).
By the world’s standards, Nehemiah was doing a great work as a
cupbearer for the king, which was a prestigious occupation, one of the
highest in the land where he served as an advisor to the king. But build-
ing a city that was in ruins, that had no apparent worldly significance?
That’s what he calls a great work? Nehemiah considered the work for
God as “great” and more important because he realized that the honor
of God’s name was at stake in Jerusalem.
Also, when God set up the sanctuary services, He instituted the
priesthood. In order to keep the sanctuary holy and special in the minds
of the people, He allowed only the priests to perform the duties inside
the temple. On our own, we have a hard time seeing the holiness of
God; therefore, God made provision to help the Israelites come into
the presence of God with reverence. Nehemiah knew that temple courts
were for everyone, but not the inner rooms. By his words, about meet-
ing inside the temple, Shemaiah not only shows himself to be a false
prophet by suggesting something that was contrary to God’s directive,
but he also exposes himself as a traitor.
What are ways that we, today, with no earthly sanctuary, can
keep before us a sense of God’s holiness? How does the realiza
tion of God’s holiness, in contrast to our sinfulness, drive us to
the cross?
49
F riday October 25
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Builders on the

Wall,” “A Rebuke Against Extortion,” and “Heathen Plots,” pp. 635–
660, in Prophets and Kings.
“The opposition and discouragement that the builders in Nehemiah’s

day met from open enemies and pretended friends is typical of the
experience that those today will have who work for God. Christians
are tried, not only by the anger, contempt, and cruelty of enemies,
but by the indolence, inconsistency, lukewarmness, and treachery of
avowed friends and helpers.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings,
p. 644.
“In Nehemiah’s firm devotion to the work of God, and his equally
firm reliance on God, lay the reason of the failure of his enemies
to draw him into their power. The soul that is indolent falls an easy
prey to temptation; but in the life that has a noble aim, an absorbing
purpose, evil finds little foothold. The faith of him who is constantly
advancing does not weaken; for above, beneath, beyond, he recog-
nizes Infinite Love, working out all things to accomplish His good
purpose. God’s true servants work with a determination that will
not fail because the throne of grace is their constant dependence.”
—Page 660.
 Put yourself in the position of Zerubbabel and Joshua and
the other leaders when those men came to them with the offer of
help. Looking back now, we can see that they did the right thing
by not accepting that offer. As Adventists, how can we know when
we should and should not collaborate with others not of our faith?
How do we decide if it is right or wrong? What criteria can we fol-
low?
 All through biblical history we see the dangers of com-

promising our faith with the world. Indeed, the whole history
of ancient Israel, right up to the Babylonian captivity, was a
powerful example of this compromise. At the same time, what
happens when people go to extremes in trying to avoid that dan-
ger? When Jesus Himself was accused of violating the Sabbath
(see John 9:14–16), do we not have a powerful example of His
accusers going to the other extreme? How do we find the right
balance?
50
i n s i d e
Story
Money for Missionaries
By Horacio Rizzo
The plan was ambitious: send 25 missionary couples from South America to
share the gospel in the countries of the 10/40 window.
I listened intently as Erton Köhler, president of the South American Division,
presented the “Missionaries to the World” initiative to 80 Seventh-day Adventist
leaders from across South America at the division’s headquarters in Brazil’s
capital, Brasilia, in 2014.
Pastor Köhler spoke about the challenges the Adventist Church has faced in
the Middle East, and he mentioned a lack of financial and human resources. Our
division could help by sending 25 married couples and covering all their expenses,
including airfare, food, and insurance, for five-year terms. Pastor Köhler invited
us to support the initiative financially. Each of us served as the president of a
conference or mission in the South American Division. I was the president of
the Central West Argentine Mission, a small territory with little money. We were
dependent on the Argentina Union Conference to make ends meet.
Pastor Köhler suggested that our contribution be determined by how many
members we had.
But not all conferences and missions have the same financial situation, I
thought. Another problem was a difference between official church member-
ship and the number who attend church regularly. In my mission, official
membership was 10,000 people, but, in reality, only 5,000 members went to
church every Sabbath.
I had to make a pledge. My heart pounded as I considered the issue. I knew
the suggested contribution was high compared to the size of our budget. The
mission treasurer was not with me to ask whether we could afford it. I didn’t
have much time to weigh the matter. With a prayer of faith, I pledged to donate
the suggested amount for a territory with 10,000 members. Then I texted the
treasurer, “This is what we have to do.”
He immediately texted back, “OK.” He also wanted to support the project.
Two weeks later, a big surprise awaited me in my office. A member unexpect-
edly sold some property and returned a large tithe. The tithe amounted to three
times more than the funds we had given to the division’s missionary initiative!
I firmly believe the first person who benefits from the act of giving is the
giver. The South American Division’s missionary initia-
tive ended up blessing church members in the Central
West Argentine Mission most of all.
Horacio Rizzo, left, served as president of the Central West Argentine
Mission for nearly three years before being appointed president of
River Plate Adventist University in Argentina in 2016. Three married
couples who graduated from the university serve as missionaries in the
“Missionaries to the World” initiative.
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Texts: Ezra 5:5, Nehemiah 4:20
Study Focus: Ezra 4:4–24; Ezra 5; Ezra 6 (see also Nehemiah 3,

Nehemiah 4, and Nehemiah 6:1–13 for a complete picture); Daniel 10:12,
13, 20
This lesson expands on the stories of opposition that each group of return-
ees faced while rebuilding the temple, the city, and the walls, first during
the time of the governor Zerubbabel, then Ezra, the priest, and finally with
the governor Nehemiah. Although the stories are not always written in
chronological order (some parts of the book are put together thematically),
we can piece together the sequence of events based on the kings who are
addressed in each letter and the complaint against the Jews.
Despite the fact that work stopped several times because people were
afraid of threats from the surrounding nations or kings and lost faith
in God’s protection, the Lord always sent leaders who encouraged the
people to build again. At times, there were several years before a project
was continued, but it was not abandoned indefinitely. God wanted the
Israelites to return to the Promised Land and was with them despite
the opposition, humiliation, and, at times, violence against them. Just
because something is difficult does not mean that God did not call us to
do it. God asks big things from ordinary people, and then He Himself
provides what we need to make them happen. In Ezra and Nehemiah,
God inspired leaders and prophets to stand strong against hostility.
God always looks for people of faith who trust Him in spite of compli-
cated circumstances so He can intervene in their favor and do His work.
God rewards collaboration, willingness to go forward, and determination
to fulfill His given task.
Part II: Commentary

Chronology of the Work in Ezra
Under Governor Zerubbabel
• 537–535 b.c.—rebuilding the temple’s altar and foundations (Ezra 3)
• 535–520 b.c.—work abandoned due to strong opposition (Ezra 4–6)
• 520–515 b.c.—work reinstated under prophetic ministries of Haggai
and Zechariah
• 515 b.c.—temple completed (Ezra 6:13–22)
52
teachers comments
Before Ezra
• 465–464 b.c.—opposition to rebuilding Jerusalem (Ezra 4:7–23)—
Artaxerxes stops the work in his early years
Ezra
• 457 b.c.—Ezra arrives in Jerusalem (Ezra 7) while work is stopped
Ezra 3 mentions the rebuilding of the temple’s altar and the founda-
tions, which took place in 537–535 b.c. as the result of Cyrus’s edict (Ezra
1:1–2:70). After an initial celebration (Ezra 3:10–13), the work was aban-
doned (Ezra 4:1–5) because of strong opposition, which began around 535
b.c. and lasted until 520 b.c. (for details, see Ezra 4:24 to 6:12). Ezra 4:6
briefly describes the opposition to building under Xerxes (486–465 b.c.).
Then in Ezra 4:7–23, we read of the opposition during the early reign of
King Artaxerxes. Ezra includes copies of the letters that were sent to both
kings Artaxerxes and Darius. The letters are inserted in Aramaic while the
rest of the book is written in Hebrew, which means that these were official
documents preserved in the language that was used for public documents at
that time. (Aramaic was the universal language at that time, just as English
is today.) In 520 b.c., after 15 years of vigorous opposition, the prophet
Haggai stirred up the people to continue building the temple (read his five
short, powerful sermons in the book of Haggai). The prophet Zechariah
joined in support, resulting in the completion of the temple in less than
five years and its dedication in March of 515 b.c. (Ezra 6:13–18), fol-
lowed by the celebration of the Passover one month later (Ezra 6:19–22).
Daniel 10:12, 13, 20

God prepared everything for God’s people to be able to rebuild the
temple in Jerusalem after their return from Babylonian exile. He person-
ally engaged to stop hindrances and open the way for this godly activity.
According to Daniel 10, the angel Gabriel and Michael (another name for
Jesus Christ) were fighting for the minds of the Persian kings, namely,
Cyrus and his son Cambyses, to persuade them to advance the rebuilding
program when Israel’s jealous local enemies enticed these rulers to ter-
minate the restoration work on the temple. God was fighting with these
princes to stir up their minds in favor of granting God’s people a place
to worship the living Lord. It is sad that the Jews were discouraged and
stopped working at this time even though God with His might was on
their side. The work was resumed when the prophet Haggai appeared on
the scene.
This situation also warns us against a lack of faith and cowardice in
not following God’s leadership when He prepares a way for us to move
forward to do His will. However, God’s providence always works better
than our best calculations or plans. But we need to trust His guidance
and follow His lead. We can be assured that His plans and directions are
the best, and He always has our prosperity in mind.
53
teachers comments
Haggai and Zechariah

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah arrive on the scene after 15 long
years of opposition to building. The people have become discouraged
and stop working on the reconstruction of the temple. God called and
directed these prophets to speak to the people in order to inspire them to
build in spite of the hostile opposition. God encouraged them not to be
afraid. He was with them, and His presence would sustain them.
God approached the people with the inquiry: “Is it time for you
yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in
ruins?” (Hag. 1:4, NKJV). Study all the instances the word for paneled
(safun) occurs in the Bible in terms of building projects, and you will
see something interesting. All those examples are connected with cedar
(1 Kings 6:9, 1 Kings 7:3, 1 Kings 7:7, Jer. 22:14). Thus, God called
His people’s houses (Hag. 1:4) “paneled” because they were not made of
material normally used in that region. What was the problem with cedar
logs? Originally, the Jews ordered cedar logs from Lebanon in order to
rebuild the temple. The temple was to be constructed according to the
model that Solomon set forth by interlaying stone blocks and wooden
panels of cedar. They planned to use the cedar logs for the temple’s pan-
els. However, when the opposition “forced” them to stop working on the
temple, they had wood lying around. Why not use it? Even though they
used the wood meant for His temple for their own houses, God came
up with another solution. He sent them to the mountains to bring wood
from there and build His house. God does not require the most expensive
materials for His own house. Rather, He just wants a house so He can
dwell with them.
Most important, God wanted His people to desire His presence to be
with them, which was the purpose of the temple. The bigger problem
was their uncommitted hearts—the uncompleted temple was just the
symptom of their apathy. When someone is committed to a task or to
another person, he or she will not be easily stopped by opposition. The
lack of work displayed the lack of commitment on the part of God’s
people to Him. And yet, the encouragement from God woke the people
up from their lethargy and fear and motivated them to again start the
work on the temple. After that, they did not waver in their work. They
finished the temple five years later. Sometimes we get bogged down by
the mundane and the comfortable. What we need then is a reminder of
what is important in life.
Chronology of the Work in Nehemiah

• 445/444 b.c.—Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah 2).
• Work opposed (Neh. 2:11–20, Neh. 4:1–23, Neh. 6:1–14)
• After 52 days (less than two months) the wall is completed (Neh. 6:15–19).
54
teachers comments
Nehemiah 4
Sanballat, who along with Tobiah controlled Samaria north of Judah, threat-
ened Nehemiah and turned to mockery and ridicule of the Jews. He was
related to the Jews through the lineage of the high priest (by way of marriage)
and therefore could sense that his power over the Jewish nation would be
curbed once they restored the wall. He believed that the Jews were not strong
enough, that they were inferior, and their task was far too big for them. The
Jews could never rebuild the wall, he said. Other leaders in the region joined
Sanballat in a political coup to stop the Israelites. The Arabs were under the
leadership of Geshem and occupied the southern territory below Judah; the
Ammonites lived in the east in Persian territory; and Ashdod was west of
Judah. Thus, Judah was completely surrounded by hostile forces. While the
people of Israel became afraid, Nehemiah took it as an affront to God and the
Jewish nation. God’s name and the Israelite name were shamed by the ene-
mies, and so he cried out to God to “hear” and to “turn their reproach on their
own heads” (Neh. 4:4, NKJV). He did not retaliate himself but asked God to
take the matter into His hands. Nehemiah was sure that God had directed him
to lead in rebuilding the wall, as evidenced by the favorable response of the
king, as well as the people of Israel. Because the menacing words of their
neighbors played with their imagination and made them afraid, Nehemiah
encouraged the people to “fight,” because God is “great and awesome” (Neh.
4:14, NKJV), and He “will fight for us” (Neh. 4:20, NKJV). Nehemiah
assembled the Jews and put groups of them in full battle dress at each gap in
the wall, which allowed their enemies to see them. He was demonstrating to
the world that they were ready for an attack.
The strategy worked; the enemies’ plans were thwarted. The Jews were
reminded to trust in God and not let human enemies appear bigger than
their God. Despite a few other threats toward the Israelites, they continued
building until the wall was finished in a mere 52 days of work (Neh. 6:15).

The pattern of working and stopping, working and stopping, again and again
was a result of the fear of what people would do to them. Enemy threats,
kings’ decrees forbidding the work, and their small number all conspired to
cause them to cease from their work.
1. What did the prophet Haggai do to motivate people so that they

successfully worked together on the rebuilding of the temple?
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teachers comments
2. What happens when we play again and again what could happen
in our minds? It only makes things worse, doesn’t it? We worry
ourselves sick until the outcome becomes so horrendous that
our expectations and imagination keep us from trusting God
and moving forward. Obstacles loom larger than life, and we
forget that God promises to “fight for us.” How can we be like
Nehemiah instead and cultivate a strong faith that God, indeed,
will be with us?
3. What leadership qualities can we learn from Nehemiah as we

encourage people around us?
4. What kind of factors have made you afraid and prevented you
from doing God’s work?
5. What can you do to encourage those who, mired in the difficul-

ties of life, fear the challenges confronting them and have trouble
trusting that the Lord “will fight for them”?
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L esson 5 *October 26–November 1
Violating the Spirit of the

Law
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Neh. 5:1–5, Exod. 21:2–7,
Mic. 6:8, Neh. 5:7–12, Deut. 23:21–23, Neh. 5:14–19.
Memory Text: “ ‘Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their
vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of
the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have
charged them’ ” (Nehemiah 5:11, NKJV).
T
o this day, we humans struggle with the question of wealth, pov-
erty, and the gap between the rich and the poor and what can be
done about it. Yes, Jesus said that “you have the poor with you
always” (Matt. 26:11, NKJV), but that’s hardly an excuse to do nothing
about helping them. On the contrary, Scripture admonishes us to do our
part to help. We can barely call ourselves Christians otherwise.
How fascinating, too, that even amid the trials and tribulations of
the returned exiles in rebuilding Jerusalem, this theme appears, not
just that of poverty and the poor, but that of the even more problematic
question of the rich oppressing the poor. This was a problem before the
exile, and now, even back in their own land, it reappears.
This week we will see another manifestation of this age-old theme
and how Nehemiah worked to deal with it. As we will see, what made
this oppression even worse was that it was being done within “the letter
of the law,” a powerful example of how we need to be careful not to let
rules and regulations become an end in and of themselves rather than a
means to an end, which is to reflect the character of Jesus.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 2.
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S unday October 27
People’s Grievance
Read Nehemiah 5:1–5. What is happening here? What are the people
crying out against?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The Jewish community seems to be united under Nehemiah’s leader-
ship against the outside pressures. But all is not well within the nation
that is standing up to persecution and defending itself from foreign
assaults. Despite the outward appearance of toughness and cohesive
efforts against the enemy, the community is broken inside. The leaders
and the rich have been using the poor and underprivileged for their
own gain, and the situation has become so bad that the families are
crying out for relief. Some families were saying that they did not have
any food to feed their children; some were crying out that because of a
famine they had mortgaged their property and now had nothing; other
families moaned that they had to borrow money for the Persian tax and
even their children were slaves.
It appears that the main culprit of the trouble was a famine and tax pay-
ments that caused the poorer families to seek help from their neighbors.
The Persian government required a tax of 350 talents of silver annually
from the province of Judah (see note on Neh. 5:1–5 in the Andrews Study
Bible, p. 598). If a person couldn’t pay the designated portion of the man-
datory tax, the family would usually mortgage their property or borrow
money first. If, however, they couldn’t earn the money the next year, then
they had to do something about the debt they now owed. Usually debt
slavery was the next option. They had already lost their land, and now
they had to send someone from the family, usually children, to be in the
service of the creditor in order to work off the debt.
There are times in life we find ourselves in trouble because of the
consequences of our own actions; of course, there also are times we
end up sick or in financial straits through no fault of our own. The
story above recounts a time that government policies disadvantaged the
people, leading to intensified poverty. They were caught in the spiral of
deepening poverty, with no way out.
How fascinating that then, as now, people struggle with economic

oppression. What message should we take from the fact that this
is a topic the Bible often addresses?
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M onday October 28
Against the Spirit of the Law

Read Nehemiah 5:6–8 (see also Exod. 21:2–7). Why does Nehemiah
react in anger?
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_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
However difficult for us to grasp today, slavery was a cultural norm
in the ancient world. A parent could either become a slave himself/
herself or sell a child. Socially and legally, the parents had the right to
sell their sons and daughters. However, since God is all about giving
freedom, He regulated the practice in Israel by requiring creditors to
release their slaves every seven years. Thus, God protected people from
becoming permanent slaves and demonstrated His desire for people to
live freely.
Although lending was permitted by the law, charging interest was not
(for biblical regulations against usury, see Exod. 22:25–27; Lev. 25:36,
37; Deut. 23:19, 20). And yet, the interest that the lenders charged was
small compared to what the nations around them charged. They were
asked to pay 1 percent every month. Mesopotamian texts from the sev-
enth century show interest of 50 percent for silver and 100 percent for
grain annually. Thus, the 12 percent interest per year was low compared
to the practice of the countries in Mesopotamia. But overall, according
to God’s Word, the only thing the creditors did wrong was to charge
interest (Neh. 5:10), and surprisingly, the people didn’t even mention
that in their grievance. Everything else was within the social norm as
well as within the provisions of the law. So, why is Nehemiah “very
angry”? Remarkably, he doesn’t act right away but gives the matter
some serious thought.
The fact that Nehemiah deals with the issue so decisively is very
admirable. He doesn’t leave a grievance alone just because it doesn’t
technically break the law or is socially acceptable, even “nice” com-
pared to the practices of the land. It was the spirit of the law that was
transgressed in this situation. Especially during a time of economic
hardship, it was the duty of the people to help each other. God is on the
side of the oppressed and needy, and He had to commission prophets to
speak against the evils and violence committed against the poor.
What are ways that, even unintentionally, we can follow the letter
of the law while violating the spirit behind it? See Mic. 6:8.
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T uesday October 29
Nehemiah Acts
Seemingly, the rebuke to the nobles and rulers—“each of you is
exacting usury from his brother” (Neh. 5:7, NKJV)—didn’t bring the
desired results. Thus, Nehemiah did not stop there but continued to
fight for the oppressed among them. He could have just said that he
had tried to teach the nobles and rulers but it didn’t work, and so he
was forced to drop the issue. After all, these were the rich and powerful
of the land that he would be going up against. But he was not satisfied
until a solution to the problem was implemented, even if he created
powerful enemies in the process.
Read Nehemiah 5:7–12. What are Nehemiah’s arguments against

what is going on? What does he use to persuade the people to right
the wrong?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Nehemiah calls a great assembly—all of the people of Israel are
brought together to deal with this matter. He is most likely counting on
the possibility that when all the people are present, the leaders will be
ashamed, perhaps even afraid, to continue their oppression.
Nehemiah’s initial argument centers on slavery. Many of the Jews,
most likely Nehemiah included, purchased freedom for other Jews in
servitude to foreigners. Now, he asks the nobles and rulers whether they
find it acceptable to buy and sell their own people. Does it make sense
for the Israelites to buy Jews and give them freedom only to have them
end up as slaves of their own people?
The leaders offer no response because they see that this argument is
reasonable; therefore, Nehemiah continues. He asks them, “Ought you
not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations
our enemies?” (Neh. 5:9, ESV). Then, Nehemiah admits that he himself
has been lending the people money and grain. By declaring “let us stop
charging interest” (Neh. 5:10, NIV), he affirmed the law that forbade
this practice with fellow Hebrews and demonstrated that under his
governorship, he would like people to be solicitous toward each other.
Amazingly, the response is unanimous. The leaders agree to restore
everything to the people.
Have you done wrong to anyone? Most of us, if honest, would

have to answer yes. What’s stopping you, in whatever degree pos-
sible, from making restitution, even now?
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An Oath
Read Nehemiah 5:12, 13. Why does Nehemiah pronounce a curse
against those who do not uphold their part of the agreement?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Even though the leaders agree to restore and give back what they
have confiscated, Nehemiah is not satisfied with mere words. He needs
solid proof; therefore, he makes them swear an oath before the priests.
This action also gave the proceedings legal validity in case he had to
reference the agreement later.
But why does he pronounce a curse? Nehemiah performs a symbolic
act of gathering up his garments as if to hold something in them and
then shaking them out as a sign of losing it. Thus, those who would go
against this oath would lose everything. It was customary to utter curses
in order to impress upon others the significance of a certain law or rule.
The people also were less likely to go against the law when a curse was
associated with the breaking of it. Nehemiah apparently felt that this
was such an important issue that he needed to do something drastic in
order to enhance the probability of its success.
What do the following texts in the Old Testament teach us about the
sanctity of oaths for these people? Num. 30:2; Deut. 23:21–23; Eccl.
5:4, 5; Lev. 19:12; Gen. 26:31.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
In the end, speech is a powerful gift that God has given to humans; it
exists as something radically different from what animals have. And there
is power in our words, the power even of life and death. Hence we need
to be very careful in what we say, in what we promise to do, and in what
verbal commitments we make. It also is important that our deeds match
our words. How many people have been turned off to Christianity by
those whose words sound Christian but whose actions are anything but?
Think about just how much impact your words have on others.
How can we learn to be very careful in what we say, when we say
it, and how we say it?
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Nehemiah’s Example
Read Nehemiah 5:14–19. What reasons does Nehemiah give for not
demanding “the governor’s provisions [fees]” (Neh. 5:18, NKJV)
from the people?
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_____________________________________________________
Nehemiah most likely wrote the account in these verses after his
return to the court of King Artaxerxes, after his 12 years of governor-
ship in Judah. Although governors were entitled to receive revenue
from their subjects, Nehemiah never claimed this right, but rather
financed his own living. Not only did he pay for his own expenses,
but he also provided for his family, as well as the whole court.
Zerubbabel, the first governor, is the only other governor whose name
we know. When Nehemiah says “the former governors,” he is most
likely referring to the governors in between Zerubbabel and himself.
As a result, by the time he was done with his term in office, he very
likely lost money. Rather than acquiring riches, as one would expect
from a prestigious position, he probably forfeited wealth and pos-
sessions. Nehemiah was wealthy, which is why he could provide the
daily food for many people, and he was generous in supplying plenty
to others (Neh. 5:17, 18).
Though it was not the same thing as what Abraham did after the
rescue of those taken captive by some of the surrounding nations (see
Genesis 14), what Nehemiah does here nevertheless reveals the same
crucial principle.
Read Nehemiah 5:19. What is he saying there, and how do we under-

stand this in terms of the gospel?
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_____________________________________________________
What we see with Nehemiah is an example of someone who put the
Lord and the Lord’s work before his own personal gain and advantage.
It’s a good lesson for us all, regardless of our particular situation. It’s
easy to work for the Lord when it doesn’t cost us much.
Read Philippians 2:3–8. In what ways, right now, can you reveal
in your own life the self-denying principles expressed here?
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F riday November 1
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “A Rebuke Against Extor-

tion,” pp. 646–652, in Prophets and Kings.
“As Nehemiah heard of this cruel oppression, his soul was filled with
indignation. ‘I was very angry,’ he says, ‘when I heard their cry and
these words.’ He saw that if he succeeded in breaking up the oppres-
sive custom of exaction he must take a decided stand for justice. With
characteristic energy and determination he went to work to bring relief
to his brethren.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 648.
“Jesus proceeded to lay down a principle that would make oath
taking needless. He teaches that the exact truth should be the law of
speech. ‘Let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more
than these is of the evil one.’ R.V.”—Ellen G. White, Thoughts From the
Mount of Blessing, p. 67.
“These words condemn all those meaningless phrases and expletives
that border on profanity. They condemn the deceptive compliments, the
evasion of truth, the flattering phrases, the exaggerations, the misrepre-
sentations in trade, that are current in society and in the business world.
They teach that no one who tries to appear what he is not, or whose words
do not convey the real sentiment of his heart, can be called truthful.”
—Page 68.
 Why does selfishness lie at the core of our human problems
when dealing with finances and interpersonal relationships?
 How can God’s people avoid greediness? What is God’s provi-

sion against it? (Study the following texts: Isa. 58:3–12 and Mic.
6:6–8.)
 Dwell more on the gift of speech and the power of our words.
What does John 1:1, 2 mean when it calls Jesus “the Word”? How
does this help us understand the importance of words and what
they mean?
 It’s amazing that thousands of years ago Jesus said that the
poor would always be among us. We also are admonished to help
those in need. How do these two ideas fit together in helping moti-
vate Christians to work for those who are less fortunate?
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i n s i d e
Story
Stubborn Wife
Convinced that Saturday is the biblical Sabbath, business owner Zelindo João
Lay informed his wife he would leave their Sunday church in Lospalos, East
Timor.
“What, are you crazy?” exclaimed his wife, Dulce. “First you close our two
mini-marts on Saturday, and now you want to leave the church. Why?”
“I have found the truth in the Bible,” he said.
Dulce refused to discuss the matter anymore. “From now on, you go your
way, and I’ll go mine,” she said. She stopped cooking for Zelindo and sometimes
locked him out of the house.
Zelindo cried and prayed, “What is happening to me? I found the truth in
the Bible, but now my wife wants a divorce because I am following the Bible’s
teaching about the Sabbath.”
In the mornings, Dulce went to their larger mini-mart as usual, and Zelindo
watched their young son at home. He took the noon to 9:00 p.m. shift at the shop,
and Dulce returned home to be with their son. One morning, Zelindo prayed, “If
You want me to leave my church, show me a miracle.”
At noon, he walked into the shop and was shocked to find Dulce reading the
Bible. He had never seen her read the Bible before. He saw she was reading
about the woman and dragon in Revelation 12. “Darling, if you don’t understand
what you are reading, I can explain it to you,” he said.
Dulce abruptly slammed her hand onto the desk. The loud noise drew stares
from customers. Dulce started crying. “Why did they lie to us?” she said. “Why
did they hide this from us?”
Zelindo hugged her. “Thank You, God, for answering my prayer,” he said. “I
have seen a miracle.”
On Saturday, the family went to a Seventh-day Adventist church for the first
time. Later, Zelindo and his wife were baptized into the Adventist Church.
Zelindo, 42, said God has blessed beyond measure as he has sought to honor
Him at work. He stopped selling alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea, and he
changed the employment rules. In addition to salaries, he provides employees
with room and board. He asks them to worship with him every morning and
evening and to attend Bible studies once a week. Zelindo prays every day, “I
want to use this business to praise You. Help me to bring people to You.”
The employees have expressed amazement as they study
the Bible. “What you are teaching us from the Bible is
really true,” they say.
Zelindo, left, said God has blessed his business beyond his biggest
hopes: eight employees have been baptized in four years. Part of a 2015
Thirteenth Sabbath Offering helped build the first Seventh-day Adventist
school in East Timor’s capital, Dili. Thank you for your mission offering.
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Text: Nehemiah 5:11, 15, 16
Study Focus: Nehemiah 5
Nehemiah 5 describes how Nehemiah deals with injustice among the

exiles. While they rebuild Jerusalem’s wall, uniting together to fight
against their enemies, all is not well among the ranks. A famine in the land
leaves some of the families without the financial ability to pay the Persian
taxes or even to obtain food.
Therefore, the Jews mortgage their homes, fields, and vineyards. After
mortgaging property fails to improve their financial situation, the people
must figure out other ways to pay the tax and procure food. Because debt
slavery was a common occurrence at the time, the Israelites, following
the custom, sold their children or themselves to their own kinsman in
order to be able to work off the debt. When Nehemiah finds out that
the Israelites have been buying their own people in order to provide for
those families, his anger flares. Although this custom was permitted by
law, Nehemiah stands up against it as an injustice. He confronts some of
the most powerful Jewish people and leaders. He asks whether it is just
for the people to win their freedom by being brought to Israel only to
lose it again at the hands of their own brothers and sisters. Eventually,
he persuades the leaders that their behavior is ethically wrong and that
they should restore all that they had taken from the poor. Nehemiah is
an example of standing up for what is right, even when powerful people
are involved in the injustice. Their position and prestige does not stop
Nehemiah from speaking out against the wrong.
Part II: Commentary

Structure of Nehemiah 5
Nehemiah 5 has a clear thematic structure and can be divided into the
following units:
I. People’s troubles and complaints and Nehemiah’s decisive actions
(Neh. 5:1–13)
1. People’s reasons for grievance (Neh. 5:1–5)
2. Nehemiah’s anger and rebuke (Neh. 5:6–7a)
3. Nehemiah’s call for a public assembly, and his charge against
leaders (Neh. 5:7b–8a)
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teachers comments
4. Leaders’ silence (Neh. 5:8b)

5. Nehemiah’s admonishment of leaders to walk in the fear of God
and to return properties to people and repair the losses (Neh.
5:9–11)
6. Leaders’ positive response (Neh. 5:12a)
7. Oath of leaders, Nehemiah’s symbolic action, and people’s
grateful praises to the Lord (Neh. 5:12b–13)
II. Nehemiah’s 12 years of diligent and unselfish ministry (Neh. 5:14–16)
III. Nehemiah’s daily generous supply for numerous people and visi-
tors (Neh. 5:17, 18)
IV. Nehemiah’s prayer for mercy (Neh. 5:19)
Nehemiah Deals With Oppression or Injustice
In the midst of busy work for the Lord, there was a serious griev-
ance expressed against the leaders of God’s people. Poor people were
oppressed, they experienced hunger, their children were enslaved, and
their fields and vineyards were taken.
After Nehemiah is told what is going on among the Jews, he
becomes “very angry.” The Hebrew word for anger is kharah and means
“to be angry” or “to burn with anger.” Kharah denotes a strong response
of anger. The word occurs often throughout the Bible. For example, it
appears quite early in the Bible, referring to the anger of Cain when he
realizes that his sacrifice is not accepted, or to the anger of Moses when
he sees the people dancing and worshiping the calf (Exod. 32:19, 22).
But kharah also is used of God’s anger, which flares when the people of
Israel act wickedly (Exod. 4:14; Exod. 32:10, 11; Num. 11:1, 10, 33).
However, the exact phrase “was”/“became very angry” occurs signif-
icantly in the following passages. In Genesis 34:7, we find this phrase
used when Dinah is raped and her brothers (sons of Jacob) become
very angry and eventually act in retaliation against the Shechemites by
killing all the men of the city. In 2 Samuel 13:21, King David becomes
very angry when he hears that his son Amnon raped his daughter Tamar
(Amnon’s own sister) although he does not act on the anger to address
the injustice. A third usage of this phrase is in Nehemiah 4:7 when the
enemies of the Jews find out that the Israelites are rebuilding the walls.
The enemies get very angry because they see the rebuilding project as a
serious threat to their power over the land. Two of the passages concern
very serious offenses of rape, which gives us cause to see the story of
injustice in Nehemiah as a serious offense, as well. Nehemiah is just as
angry at what he hears as those who heard about the rape of their own
sister or daughter. Nehemiah views injustice and unethical behavior on
the same level. He also sees oppression in the same light. It is sobering
and convicting to realize that oppression evoked such strong feelings of
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teachers comments
anger in Nehemiah. He reacted to the oppression of the Jews personally,

as if members of his own family were hurt.
But far from acting rashly, Nehemiah gives the situation some “seri-
ous thought” (NKJV). The words used for this phrase are malakh and
levav. Malakh has two main meanings: (1) “to reign as king,” or “to be
made a king,” and (2) “to ponder,” or “consider carefully within one-
self.” Levav means “the heart.” Literally the verse says “in my heart.”
Putting it together, it states that Nehemiah considered the matter care-
fully in his heart. Given that heart and mind are synonymous in Hebrew
thought, Nehemiah is pondering and carefully assessing what should be
done about the oppression and injustice among the Hebrews. Therefore,
another important lesson we can learn from Nehemiah in this story is
that we should not react in anger to injustice. Rather, we should take
time to process what the best course of action will be.
It is good and important to show strong emotions against injustice;
however, this does not justify being angry against any cause. For exam-
ple, Cain’s anger was improper toward his brother Abel. Indifference
against evil is one of the worst sins. When people see injustice and
turn away from it as if it were not their problem, they demonstrate their
coldness and loss of sensitivity toward sin. It is very dangerous when
we are emotionally frozen and do not react to injustice. Our God is the
God of justice; He is always on the side of the oppressed. Often proph-
ets rebuked God’s people for failing to stop injustice. The prophets
encouraged the people to treat the poor well by helping them, instruct-
ing the people to be gracious toward widows, orphans, and foreigners
(for examples, see Deut. 10:18, Deut. 14:29, Deut. 24:19, Deut. 27:19,
and Zech. 7:10).
After rebuking the Jewish nobles and rulers, who were silent and did
not respond, Nehemiah calls together a “great assembly” so that all lead-
ers would be confronted with the massive implications of their oppres-
sive behavior and how it affected many people. Moreover, a large crowd
would be intimidating, and the leaders would be much more likely to
accede to his demands. Most important though, Nehemiah appealed to
their responsibility before God. “ ‘Should you not walk in the fear of our
God because of the reproach of the nations, or enemies?’ ” (Neh. 5:9,
NKJV). Nehemiah uses the phrase “the fear of God” several times in the
book (Neh. 5:9, 15; Neh. 7:2).
The concept of the “fear of God” was to remind the Jews of their
desire to “walk” with God, make their decisions in respect to His will,
and to live for Him. That is why the Jews came back to Jerusalem;
they came in order to be and live as “responsible people of God.” They
realized that their forefathers had abandoned God, and they wanted to
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teachers comments
reverse that. Nehemiah’s rebuke silences them because they finally realize
that they have not been living without reproach and have fallen back into
the habits they have been taught in the past or that they have picked up
from the nations around them. They cannot be a light to the nations around
them if they act the same way (even in a lesser measure) as before, oppress-
ing the less fortunate for personal gain.
Nehemiah was not protesting the act of lending, as he himself was lend-
ing people grain and money. He spoke against charging interest. Thus, he
demanded that the leaders return the properties they confiscated and pay
back the interest they charged.
Amazingly, the leaders respond positively and promise to restore
everything. Afterward the priests are called so that an oath may be sworn
between the rulers and the priests (Neh. 5:12, 13). The people “did accord-
ing to this promise” (Neh. 5:13, NKJV). The text implies that after this
oath, all the people—the nobles, the officials, and the general population—
worked together, creating new business methods that upheld the rights of
all the people.
Nehemiah Models Care
The chapter ends with an excerpt that explains that Nehemiah was the
governor of Judah. Although he had every right to exact taxes from the
people he governed, he lived by his conscience and did not add more
burdens to the already-stressed population who had to send taxes to the
Persians. Instead, Nehemiah used his own money (wages from Persia) to
provide for the people of his household and all who needed a place to eat.
He generously offered what he had to others. He did not do his job in order
to become richer but in order to serve. Nehemiah lived out Mark 10:43,
44: “Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all” (NKJV). He
promoted justice and a humble attitude of service.

Use the following question as an opener to the lesson for the week:
1. What is, or was, the hardest thing you have ever had to do to take care
of your family or loved ones? Share with the class.
As a teacher, be willing to share something personal. When you as a leader

share, you encourage others to share too. Mutual sharing will lead to greater
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teachers comments
closeness in your group. Just as Nehemiah cared for people, we also

demonstrate we care by sharing with each other as brothers and sisters.
We all go through tough times, and it is encouraging to hear from others
about what they experienced and how they handled certain situations as
followers of Jesus.
Ask the following questions at the end of the lesson as further develop-
ment of the concept and application:
1. Brainstorm with your class about what you can do specifically to
help the poor, marginalized, or the hurting in your area. How can
you promote diversity? What project can your class adopt to make
a difference in someone’s life?
2. In what ways can you be like Nehemiah and stand up decisively

against injustice? Think about the following:
a. In what ways can you stand against injustice at home?
b. At work?
c. At school?
d. With friends?
3. In Nehemiah’s time, the oppression came from lending and charg-

ing interest, and demanding servitude of persons. In today’s world
(or in your profession), what are the ways we need to guard against
to avoid oppressing others?
69
TOTAL MEMBER INVOLVEMENT TIME
What is Total Member Involvement?
A Total Member Involvement (TMI) is a full-scale, world-church evange-
listic thrust that involves every member, every church, every adminis-
trative entity, every type of public outreach ministry, as well as personal
and institutional outreach.
A It is a calendar-driven, intentional soul-winning plan that discovers
the needs of families, friends, and neighbors. Then it shares how God
fulfills every need, resulting in church planting and church growth, with
a focus on retaining, preaching, sharing, and discipling.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT TMI TIME IN SABBATH SCHOOL

Dedicate the first 15 minutes* of each lesson to plan, pray and share:
A TMI IN-REACH: Plan to visit, pray, care for missing or hurting members,
and distribute territory assignments. Pray and discuss ways to minister to
the needs of church families, inactive members, youth, women and men,
and various ways to get the church family involved.
A TMI OUT-REACH: Pray and discuss ways of reaching your community,
city, and world, fulfilling the Gospel Commission by sowing, reaping,
and keeping. Involve all ministries in the church as you plan short-term
and long-term soul-winning projects. TMI is about intentional acts of
kindness. Here are some practical ways to become personally involved:
1. Develop the habit of finding needs in your community. 2. Make plans
to address those needs. 3. Pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
A TMI UP-REACH: Lesson Study. Encourage members to engage in
individual Bible study—make study of the Bible in Sabbath School
participatory. Study for transformation, not information.
TMI Time Explanation

Fellowship Pray, plan, organize for action.
15
Outreach Care for missing members.
min.*
World Mission Schedule outreach.
45 Involve everyone in the study of the lesson.
Lesson Study
min.* Ask questions. Highlight key texts.
Plan lunch for the class after worship.
Lunch
THEN GO OUT AND REACH SOMEONE!
*Adjust times as necessary.
Explore, appraise, study, and substantiate
each doctrine truth for yourself.
Seventh-day
Adventists Believe
General Conference Ministerial Department
Seventh-day Adventists Believe is the official
statement of Seventh-day Adventist beliefs, in-
cluding any changes voted at the 2015 General
Conference Session. Each chapter begins with a
short summary statement of the belief as voted
by the General Conference in session. Study
questions for deeper insight can be found at the
end of each chapter.
For eBooks go to Adventist-eBooks.com!
3 WAYS TO ORDER: 1– Adventist Book Center® 2– 1-800-765-6955 3– AdventistBookCenter.com

© 2019 Pacific Press® Publishing Association • 1955903009 • Price subject to change • Please contact your ABC for pricing in Canada
L esson 6 *November 2–8
The Reading of the Word
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Neh. 8:1–8, Deut. 31:9–13,
Matt. 17:5, Acts 8:26–38, Neh. 8:9–12, Lev. 23:39–43.
Memory Text: “So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law
of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the
reading” (Nehemiah 8:8, NKJV).
T
he Jerusalem wall was finished. With the placement of the
gates, the Israelites, under the leadership of Nehemiah, had thus
completed the main task. When the wall was completed, the
surrounding nations were in awe and recognized that this “was done
by . . . God” (Neh. 6:16, NKJV). The enemies realized that the God of
Israel was real because, despite the incredible opposition and hatred
the Israelites experienced, they still had completed the work they had
set out to do.
Following the completion of the wall, Nehemiah appointed a gov-
ernor of Jerusalem (his brother Hanani) and a leader of the citadel
(Hananiah). Both men were chosen based on integrity, trustworthiness,
and reverence for God (Neh. 7:2), rather than on genealogy. The wall
was completed during the month of Elul (sixth month, Neh. 6:15).
What was to be the next order of business? The following chapters
of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 8–10) describe an important series of events
in the month of Tishri, the seventh month (Neh. 8:2). In these texts we
can see examples of how the children of Israel were determined to obey
the Word of God and how they rejoiced in it.
72
S unday November 3
The People Gather

Read Nehemiah 8:1, 2. What should this tell us about how important
the Word of God was to the people?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
When the Jews finally completed the building of the wall and moved
into Jerusalem, they all gathered in Jerusalem’s open square in the sev-
enth month. The seventh month, the month of Tishri, was perhaps the
most important month for the Israelites, as it was dedicated to the Feast
of Trumpets (preparation for God’s judgment, first day of the month),
the Day of Atonement (judgment day, 10th day of the month), and the
Feast of Tabernacles (remembering God’s deliverance from Egypt and
His provision through the journey in the wilderness, 15th day of the
month). The gathering took place on the first day of the month, on
which the Feast of Trumpets was celebrated. The leaders called together
the men and women of the nation for this special assembly in order,
through the reading of the Law, to provide an opportunity for them to
learn about their God and history.
The people invited Ezra to bring the book of the Law of Moses
before them and to read it. They even constructed a platform, a pulpit,
for the occasion. It was not something that the leaders forced on the
congregation. On the contrary, “they,” the people, told Ezra to bring the
Book. Most likely Ezra read to the people from the books of Moses,
which included the law given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
Read Deuteronomy 31:9–13. What did the Lord tell them there, and
what lessons can we take from that for ourselves?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
In Deuteronomy 31:9–13, Moses told the Israelites that during the
Feast of Tabernacles they were to gather and read together the Law
of God, and it mentions the various groups that should gather: men,
women, children, and foreigners living within their gates.
A literal reading of Nehemiah 8:1 says that they gathered together

“as one man.” What does that tell us about the importance of unity
among the body of believers?
_____________________________________________________
73
M onday November 4
Reading and Hearing the Law

Ezra “brought the Law” before the assembly to read. What did he read
to them? Only the Ten Commandments over and over for half a day? The
reference to the book of the Law is to be understood as the five books
of Moses, Genesis through Deuteronomy, known as the Hebrew Torah.
The term “law,” therefore, covers only a part of what was included in the
reading; it would be better to translate it as “instructions.” They are God’s
instructions enabling us to know the path on which we should walk in
order not to miss the goal. When Ezra read, the people heard about their
history as the people of God, beginning with Creation through the time
of Joshua. Through stories, songs, poems, blessings, and laws, they were
reminded of their struggles in following God and of God’s faithfulness to
them. The Torah includes “law,” but it is more than that; it incorporates
the history of the people of God and especially reveals God’s leading.
Consequently, it gave the community its roots and identity.
Read Nehemiah 8:3; Deuteronomy 4:1; 6:3, 4; Joshua 1:9; Psalm 1:2;
Proverbs 19:20; Ezekiel 37:4; and Matthew 17:5. What do these
verses teach us about how we are to interact with the Word of God?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
That the people desired to hear the Word of God most likely was
the result of Ezra’s reading and teaching the Word since his arrival in
Jerusalem some 13 years before. He was dedicated to God’s work and
determined to make a difference. The Word of God became real to
the people as they kept hearing it from Ezra. As a result, they made a
conscious decision to hear and to listen, because they were interested
in hearing from God. Thus, on this occasion, they approached the Torah
with reverence and a desire to learn.
Saturating ourselves in the Word creates a deeper yearning for God
in our lives.
How do you relate to the Word of God? That is, even though you
claim to believe it, how is that claim made manifest in your life,
in the sense of how you seek to obey what it teaches? How differ-
ently would you live if you didn’t obey the Bible?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
74
T uesday November 5
Reading and Interpreting the Word

Read Nehemiah 8:4–8. How was the reading of the Law done?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
There were two groups of 13 men who stood with Ezra during the
reading. The first group of 13 (Neh. 8:4) helped to read the Word of
God, and the second group of 13 (Neh. 8:7) helped with the understand-
ing of the passages. We do not have any information about how this
arrangement worked in the open square; however, the men who helped
with the reading possibly held the Torah (Hebrew scrolls were heavy
and needed to be unrolled by others), as well as read from it succes-
sively, alternating between the readers. Because they were reading from
morning until midday, they had figured out a way to reach everyone in
the square.
The phrases “they gave the sense” and “helped the people to under-
stand the reading” (Neh. 8:8, NKJV) can refer either to interpretation
or translation of the passages. Both are just as likely in this instance.
The people had returned from Babylon, where they had lived for many
years, and the primary language there was Aramaic. Therefore, hearing
the Hebrew reading may not have been easy to understand for many,
especially the younger generations. At the same time, readers of the
Bible can benefit from explanation or commentary. Preaching and
explanation make the text come alive and press hearers to apply the
information personally.
Read Acts 8:26–38. What happened here that parallels what was hap-
pening in Jerusalem in the texts above? What lessons are here for
us?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
As Protestants, we understand that individual believers must know

the Word of God for themselves and that we must not blindly accept
anyone else’s word on biblical truth, regardless of their authority. At the
same time, who hasn’t been blessed by having someone help explain
the meaning of texts? We need, each one of us, to know what we believe
for ourselves, but this doesn’t mean that, at times, we can’t be enlight-
ened by the teachings of others.
75
W ednesday November 6
The People’s Response

When Ezra opens up the Word of God, the Hebrew Torah, the people
stand up. Before Ezra reads, he blesses God. After he reads, the people
respond with “Amen, Amen!” (Neh. 8:5, 6, NKJV) in unison as they lift
their hands toward heaven. They then bow their heads down and wor-
ship with their faces to the ground.
Read Nehemiah 8:9–12. Why did the leaders tell the people not to
“mourn nor weep”?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
“So, in later years, when the law of God was read in Jerusalem to
the captives returned from Babylon, and the people wept because of
their transgressions, the gracious words were spoken: ‘Mourn not. . . .
Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto
them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord:
neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ Nehemiah
8:9, 10.”—Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 281.
As the people were listening to the words of God, they were struck by
their own sinfulness and began to weep. When God reveals Himself to
us, and we begin to grasp that God is full of love, goodness, mercy, and
faithfulness, our own inadequacies and failure to be what we should
be come to the forefront. Seeing God’s holiness through His Word
causes us to see our terribleness in a new light. This realization caused
the people of Israel to weep and mourn, but they were not to sorrow,
“for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10). In other words,
despite their failures, they could trust in the power of God.
This also was a special day, a holy day, the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh
Hashanah), on which short blasts of the trumpets signaled the impor-
tance of “heart” preparation for the judgment of the Lord (Day of
Atonement, celebrated on the 10th day of the month of Tishri). The
blowing of the trumpets signaled a call to stand before God and repent.
Because the day was designed to remind the people to turn to God, the
weeping and mourning is understandable. But the leaders reminded
them that once they had repented, God had heard them, and therefore it
was time to rejoice in God’s forgiveness.
What should it tell us about just how bad sin is that it put Jesus
on the cross as the only way to solve the problem of sin and to
give us hope?
_____________________________________________________
76
T hursday November 7
The Joy of the Lord

The “joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10) serves as a
reminder that it is God’s will that we rejoice and enjoy life. Most of all,
it is not just any kind of joy, but the joy that comes because we know
God and the reality of His love. Delighting in God, in His goodness,
and rejoicing because of everything God has provided for us is some-
thing that we should strive to be doing every day. Moreover, delighting
in God gives us the strength to face the day and to handle what comes
our way.
Read Nehemiah 8:13–18. What happened here, and what does it tell us
about the people and their leaders at this time?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The next day, the leaders of the people come to Ezra in order to learn
more from God’s book. This initiative demonstrated by the leaders
showed their desire to lead the community toward God. They under-
stood that leading the people the right way would not happen if they
themselves did not seek God and seek knowledge from Him.
Read Leviticus 23:39–43. What were the Israelites commanded to do,

and why?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Notice that in Nehemiah 8:15 the texts refer to the fact that what they
were doing was according to what is “written.” We see here another
example of how seriously they now wanted to obey the Word of God,
ideally because after decades in captivity they had learned their les-
son about disobedience. Also, in the texts in Leviticus they were to
celebrate the feast and to “rejoice before the Lord your God for seven
days” (Lev. 23:40, NKJV). In other words, as they remembered God’s
acts of mercy and grace and salvation, the people were to rejoice in
what the Lord had done for them.
Think about what we have been given in Jesus, who was symbol-
ized in all of ancient Israel’s feasts. How can we learn to rejoice in
the Lord even during difficult and painful trials? Why, especially
during these times, is it crucial for us to do so?
77
F riday November 8
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Instructed in the Law of

God,” pp. 661–668, in Prophets and Kings.
“Now they must manifest faith in His promises. God had accepted
their repentance; they were now to rejoice in the assurance of sins for-
given and their restoration to divine favor. . . .
“Every true turning to the Lord brings abiding joy into the life. When
a sinner yields to the influence of the Holy Spirit, he sees his own guilt
and defilement in contrast with the holiness of the great Searcher of
hearts. He sees himself condemned as a transgressor. But he is not,
because of this, to give way to despair; for his pardon has already been
secured. He may rejoice in the sense of sins forgiven, in the love of a
pardoning heavenly Father. It is God’s glory to encircle sinful, repentant
human beings in the arms of His love, to bind up their wounds, to cleanse
them from sin, and to clothe them with the garments of salvation.”
—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 668.
 On what conditions may you experience “the joy of the Lord”
(Neh. 8:10) as your strength? That is, is there something that we
have to do in order to experience the power of God and His for-
giveness in our lives? If so, what?
 How do we find the right balance in mourning over our sins

and yet, at the same time, rejoicing in the Lord? Are not these
contradictory to each other? How do the law and gospel together
provide the answer? See Rom. 3:19–24.
 Read Nehemiah 8:10, in which Nehemiah says to the people,

“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to
those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our
Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Eat the fat, drink the sweet, provide for those for whom nothing is
prepared—and do all this because the “day is holy to our Lord”?
What does this teach us about ways in which we can rejoice in the
Lord? What does the fact that it is “holy” mean in this context?
78
i n s i d e
Story
Breaking a Curse
By ChanMin Chung
Sunny and Salma met during orientation for first-year students at a uni-
versity in the Middle East.
Sunny, who is from Asia, is a “Waldensian student,” a Seventh-day
Adventist studying at a secular university in the Adventist Church’s Middle
East and North Africa Union. Salma is a local student who grew up in a
non-Christian family.
The two young women instantly became friends. They shared the same
classes and lived in the same neighborhood. Salma soon learned that her
new friend was an Adventist Christian. She had been taught to be wary of
Christians, but Sunny seemed so kind and honest.
As their friendship grew, Salma accepted an invitation to attend a Friday
evening meeting in Sunny’s home. Salma met other Adventists at the meet-
ing, and she liked the friendly conversations. Soon she began to enjoy sing-
ing hymns and praying with the group every Friday evening.
After a year, Sunny invited Salma to visit an Adventist church, and she
agreed. But Salma faced harsh criticism from family and friends.
“What did you do there?” one said.
“Does this mean you have become a Christian?” asked another.
Family members warned they would be cursed if she became a Christian.
Salma was worried but kept going to church. She joined the youth choir and
participated in health seminars. Her Adventist friends prayed for her.
One Friday evening, the group watched a video about Jesus’ life and,
afterward, Salma asked to study the book of Acts. “I was surprised because
Salma hadn’t been interested in Bible studies for about a year,” Sunny said.
Salma began weekly Bible studies, but she insisted that she had no desire
to be baptized. She worried that her family would be cursed.
One Sabbath, Salma participated in a women’s retreat, during which each
woman had to select a heart-shaped card and meditate on a Bible verse written
inside. She prayerfully chose a card and opened it. Inside, she read, “Believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ, and you and your household will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
Salma realized she didn’t need to worry about a curse falling on her family.
She stood up and announced that she wanted to be baptized.
“This is not the end but the beginning,” Sunny
said. “After I finish my studies, I plan to stay here
to develop a lifelong friendship with people like
Salma. I pray for God to send more people like her
to me.”
ChanMin Chung is communication coordinator for the
Middle East and North Africa Union.
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Texts: Nehemiah 8:8; Joshua 1:8; John 5:39, 40
The lesson centers on the importance of spending time in the Word of

God. The leaders of Israel and the people demonstrate an incredible love
for God and His Word as they spend many hours listening to Scripture
read aloud. The events in this chapter occur on the seventh month
(Tishri) of the year, which is significant because of three sacred days and
festivals celebrated on the first, tenth, and fifteenth days of the month
(Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Feast of Tabernacles). Ezra
and Nehemiah along with all the leaders called the people, including
children, together on the first day, and the Levites began to read and
explain the Word of God. The people listened for hours to the stories
of their heritage, and God’s powerful presence and faithfulness toward
them. The reading and explanation (and translation) provided by the
Levites deeply touched the people. Hearing the messages from the books
of Moses convicted them of their own sinfulness and God’s holiness, and
they began to weep.
Nehemiah and the Levites encouraged the people not to weep or
be sorrowful but to rejoice in the Lord because of His great love for
them. Because of the prolonged reading of the Pentateuch, the people
discovered that on the fifteenth day of the month they were to celebrate
the Feast of Tabernacles. Therefore, they assembled again to celebrate
a forgotten and neglected festival with seven days of feasting. During
this time, they lived in booths on the roofs and in the courtyards of their
houses and throughout the city while they studied the Word of God. The
eighth day culminated in a solemn assembly.
Part II: Commentary

Because Nehemiah 8–10 are written in the third-person point of view,
instead of a first-person perspective, as applied throughout the rest of
the book, it is possible that chapters 8–10 were put together as a theo-
logical centerpiece that was intended as an explanation of the Israelites’
80
teachers comments
condition and their dedication to God. The activity of these chapters

likely occurred after Nehemiah’s group arrived in Jerusalem. It is
noteworthy that Ezra surfaces in chapter 8, as he is mentioned together
with Nehemiah only in Nehemiah 8:9 and Nehemiah 12:26. It is clear
that the theme of this literary unit of Nehemiah 8–10 is dedication to
God through the reading of Scripture, confession, and renewal of the
covenant. Ezra reappears in the narrative because, rather than building
a physical structure, his role is to lead people to study the Word of God.
Nehemiah 1–6 (as well as in Ezra 1–6) focus on building projects, but
then the attention is directed to the building of God’s people (Nehemiah
7–13; also emphasized in Ezra 7–10). Nehemiah 8 demonstrates that
the reading of the Word has a crucial place in wholeheartedly living in
God’s presence.
• A. Book of the Law read (Neh. 8:1, 2)
• B. People respond and worship the Lord (Neh. 8:3–6)
• C. Understanding the reading (Neh. 8:7, 8)
• D. This day is holy: do not mourn nor weep (Neh. 8:9)
• E. The joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh. 8:10)
• D'. This day is holy: do not be grieved (Neh. 8:11, 12)
• C'. Found in the reading that they should dwell in booths (Neh. 8:13–15)
• B'. People respond and make booths (Neh. 8:16, 17)
• A'. Book of the Law read (Neh. 8:18)
Reading of the Word of God
The reading of the Word of God is an important concept in Nehemiah 8.

It is incredible that the people listened to the reading for hours, “from
morning till midday” (Neh. 8:3), approximately five to seven hours,
which demonstrates their openness to hearing from God. However, this
time was not just about listening to the reading but about understand-
ing. In fact, “understanding” appears to be the most important concept
of the chapter.
Throughout the chapter, the word bin, “to understand,” is repeated
six times (see Neh. 8:2, 3, 7, 8, 9, and 12). It is striking to see how
often that word and concept occurs. The author intentionally repeats
the idea of understanding again and again to draw our attention to
it. Along with bin, the word sakhal is used twice and also means “to
understand,” as well as “to be wise and prudent” and “to have under-
standing, wisdom, and discretion” (Neh. 8:8, 13). From the beginning,
it is stated that all who could “hear with understanding” (Neh. 8:2)
were assembled, meaning adults and children old enough to compre-
hend the Scriptures. The Word was not just to go in one ear and out
the other. Instead, it was to have meaning and purpose in their lives,
81
teachers comments
leading to greater wisdom, and to be transformative. Acquiring knowl-

edge is not about storing beautiful concepts and information in our
brains. Rather, knowledge is to impact our whole being.
The People’s Response
Amazingly, the words definitely impacted the assembly because they

wept. What they heard from the Law influenced their understanding of
God and in turn changed the way they viewed themselves and the world.
Hearing God’s Word helps us to see things from God’s perspective and
see ourselves as sinners. Sometimes people today, while reading the Old
Testament, mistakenly think that individuals back then could not see
a loving God. But we see from the passage here in Nehemiah that the
opposite is true. Spending hours in the Word of God, reading about His
mercy and mighty acts, did not push people away from God but rather
convinced them of God’s love and merciful interventions. They realized
that they were unfaithful, but that God was faithful. The beauty and
power of Scripture is that, through it, God woos and pleads for us to turn
to Him, showing us who He really is—the God who loves us and who
does the maximum to save and restore us to Himself.
Time in God’s Word leads to personal and corporate revival. “The word
of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is
no creature hidden from His sight but all things are naked and open to
the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb. 4:12, 13, NKJV).
Reading the Word aloud to the people has the effect of penetrating their
hearts and minds; they respond with deep emotion. They feel sadness at
their awareness over their sinful condition; but, in the end, they respond
with great joy over who God is.
Another important theme found in this chapter is the role of the
leaders in this revival. The transformation began with the leaders who
called the assembly together as a response to God’s instruction in His
Word. They most likely had been learning from Ezra and Nehemiah
about God and had been impressed by the unwavering love and dedi-
cation of these two leaders. The leadership capitalized on the oppor-
tunity and facilitated the occasion. They followed God’s instructions
and then put in place a structure for reaching the people through the
reading. They did not leave things to chance but organized readers and
“explainers” and translators of the Scriptures in order to maximize
understanding.
The leaders’ desire to learn from Ezra also exhibits a teachable spirit
82
teachers comments
and attitude. What a tragedy it is when people believe they know everything
and do not need to learn from anyone else. Unfortunately, this attitude also
excludes the willingness to be taught by the Holy Spirit. Being open to learn-
ing from others and especially from God is a prerequisite for making a dif-
ference for God in the world.
Joy of the Lord
The pinnacle, or center, of the chiastic structure of the chapter outlined on

page 81 is Nehemiah 8:10, which also reiterates “this day is holy” and then
proclaims, “Do not sorrow.” Why? “For the joy of the Lord is your strength
[ma’oz]” (Neh. 8:10, NKJV). Three times the people are told not to be sad
or grieved, but rather to “rejoice.” Maoz means “refuge, stronghold, and
fortress.” It also is translated in Scripture as “protection,” but most often it
is translated as “strength, stronghold, or refuge.” For instance, the psalm-
ist writes about God as being maoz, our refuge and strength (Ps. 31:4, Ps.
37:39, Ps. 43:2, Ps. 52:7). The word for joy (khedwah) appears only twice
in the Bible. The other instance is in 1 Chronicles 16:27 in the song of
David praising God as the ark of the covenant is placed in the tabernacle:
“splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and joy [khedwah] are in
His place” (NASB).
The Feast of Trumpets began with the blowing of the shofar (ram’s horn),
which signaled the beginning of preparation for the Day of Atonement; there-
fore it was a time (10 days) of introspection and repentance.
Yet, Ezra and the Levites tell the people that they are to stop mourning and
weeping, because the day is holy. Ezra tells the people that the joy that comes
from the Lord is their strength, stronghold, and refuge. If they want to be
firmly established and strong, then they need to have the “joy of the Lord.”
Notice also that holiness and joy go together. The joy came from understand-
ing that they were forgiven by God. This joy of the Lord was to be demon-
strated through eating and drinking with their families, enjoying food and
fellowship with one another. Additionally, they were to share food with those
who did not have anything ready for a feast. There was time for introspec-
tion during the 10 days leading up to the Day of Atonement. However, Ezra
wants the people to understand that repentance is not the only thing necessary.
Rejoicing in what God has done in providing salvation is equally important.
They were not to forget the promise of salvation but to rejoice because of it.
Ezra taught the people that strength for everyday life comes from rejoicing
83 83
teachers comments
in the Lord. This precept almost seems too simple. How could it be that
the most important solution for our daily problems is rejoicing in the
Lord?
When we focus on rejoicing in the Lord no matter what is happening
in our lives, we trust Him to be big enough to handle our problems. Such
trust in God uplifts us and gives us the courage to face the day. It keeps us
from moping around and pitying ourselves because of our circumstances.
Instead, it keeps us focused on what God can do, and already has done,
for us through the Cross.
1. Think of biblical individuals who had difficult circumstances in
their lives and yet saw God carry them through their troubles.
What can we learn from each instance?
2. How important is our attitude? Victor E. Frankl, a Holocaust

survivor and an Austrian psychologist, wrote: “Everything
can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human
freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circum-
stances, to choose one’s own way.”—Man’s Search for Meaning:
An Introduction to Logotherapy (New York: Washington Square
Press, 1963), p. 104. Do you agree or disagree with his state-
ment? Discuss. Why does attitude make such a difference in our
lives?
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Our Forgiving God
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Neh. 9:1–3; Dan. 9:4–19;
Neh. 9:4–8; Col. 1:16, 17; Neh. 9:9–38; Rom. 5:6–8.
Memory Text: “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but who-
ever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13,
NKJV).
A
fter the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) was finished, the leaders
again gathered the people. They had just spent time celebrating;
now it was time to return to the unfinished business of confes-
sion and repentance before God for their sins.
Yes, earlier, the leaders had told them to stop grieving and being sad
over their faults, but that doesn’t mean mourning and confession are not
important. Thus, now that they had celebrated the festivals, it was time
to go through proper confession.
The order of events presented here doesn’t necessarily mean that it
is the sequence in which rejoicing and confession are always done; nor
does it mean that only the reverse order is to be followed. Although
we may naturally follow the order of confession first, followed by
celebration, perhaps the celebration of God in our lives should come
first. After all, Romans 2:4 tells us that it is the “goodness of God” that
brings us to repentance. His “goodness,” then, should evoke praise and
feasting, while also reminding us that we need God to forgive, cleanse,
and re-create us.
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S unday November 10
Fasting and Worship

Read Nehemiah 9:1–3. Why were the people separating themselves
from all foreigners?
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_____________________________________________________
Although Nehemiah was eager to make sure that the people asso-
ciated this time with joy, he now led the assembly to fasting. They
humbled themselves before God and threw dust on their heads, while
wearing sackcloth. Because the foreigners didn’t have a share in the
corporate sin of the people of Israel, the Israelites separated themselves
from them, as the Hebrews knew that it was their sins that needed to
be forgiven. They acknowledged the sins of their nation, which had led
them into exile.
Their corporate prayers and confession demonstrated a deep under-
standing of the nature of sin. The Israelites could have been angry that
their predecessors messed up and led their whole nation into exile.
Or they could have spent time complaining about the choices of their
leaders and the lack of godliness displayed by the previous generations,
which had led them to where they were right now—just a small group
of returnees. However, instead of harboring hatred and grievances, they
turned to God in humility and confession.
Nehemiah 9:3 reports that the people read from the book of the
law for a fourth of the day, and for another fourth they confessed sin
and worshiped God. This is the third reading of the Torah. Reading
the Torah is central to confession, which must be based on the truth,
which comes from God. Through our reading of the Bible, God draws
near to us, and the Holy Spirit can speak to us and teach us. The truth
of His Word molds our thinking and understanding, encourages and
lifts us up. The Israelites also sorrowed and wept, because spending
time in God’s holy presence makes us aware of His beauty and good-
ness while impressing upon us how amazing it is that the Creator of
the universe chooses to be with us, even despite our unworthiness.
Thus, we realize that without God in our lives, we are no different
from any of our spiritual ancestors in the faith. Only with God work-
ing in us can we be who we should be.
Read Daniel 9:4–19. In what ways is His prayer applicable to

ourselves today? What should the reality of this application say
to us individually and as a church?
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M onday November 11
Beginning of the Prayer

The response of the people to the Bible reading was a long prayer
that recounted the goodness of God in contrast to the history of Israel’s
faithlessness. One can observe that the reply is more like a sermon
than a prayer, because almost every verse has a parallel somewhere in
the Bible.
Read Nehemiah 9:4–8. What are the main topics the prayer focused on
in these beginning verses, and why?
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_____________________________________________________
In the first part of the prayer, the people bless God, and specifically
His name. In the Hebrew culture, a name was not just what people
called someone; it gave a person his/her identity. Thus, the praise of
God’s name is significant because it demonstrates to the world that this
is a name worthy of praise and honor. This is the name of the Creator
of the universe. The prayer begins with worship to God as the Creator
and as the One who “preserves” everything (Neh. 9:6; see also Col.
1:16, 17). The word “preserves” comes from a Hebrew verb that means
to “keep alive.”
The One who created everything is the One who chose Abraham, a
human being, who was not in any way special other than that “his heart”
was “faithful.” Abraham may seem to have lacked faith on many occa-
sions, but when asked to give up his son, he didn’t falter (see Genesis
22). He learned to be faithful—not overnight, but over his long walk
with God. In Hebrew thinking, the “heart” refers to the mind. In other
words, Abraham developed faithfulness in thought and action and was
acknowledged for it by God.
The first few phrases of the prayer focus on God as (1) Creator, (2)
Preserver, and (3) Promise Keeper. The people first remind themselves
of who God is: He is the faithful One who has created us, preserves us,
and always keeps His promises to us. Having that in mind helps us to
keep our own lives in perspective and to learn to trust Him even in the
most difficult of situations, when it might seem that He is distant from
us and unconcerned with our challenges.
Why is the doctrine of God as our Creator so central to our faith?

After all, what other teaching is so important compared to this
one, in which we are commanded by God to spend one seventh of
our lives every week in remembering Him as our Creator?
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T uesday November 12
Lessons From the Past

Read Nehemiah 9:9–22. How does this part of the prayer differ from
the first part?
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The prayer transitions from praising God for His faithfulness to
recounting the contrasting unfaithfulness of the Israelites in their Egypt
and wilderness experiences. It outlines all the different things God gave
the Israelites; but unfortunately, the response of the “fathers” to those
gifts was pride, stubbornness, and disregard of God’s gracious acts
among them.
The acknowledgment of human failure and lack of true devotion to
God is an important step in confession and repentance. And even though
these texts are talking about people long removed from us, no one can
deny that every single one of us has a problem with those same issues.
Of course, here is where the gospel comes in for us as well as for
them. Confession of our sins does not save us; only Christ’s sacrifice
in our behalf does. Confession, along with repentance, is central to our
own acknowledgment that we must be justified by Christ alone. “When
through repentance and faith we accept Christ as our Saviour, the Lord
pardons our sins, and remits the penalty prescribed for the transgres-
sion of the law. The sinner then stands before God as a just person; he
is taken into favor with Heaven, and through the Spirit has fellowship
with the Father and the Son.”—Ellen G. White, Selected Messages,
book 3, p. 191.
At the same time, because His goodness causes us to confess our sins
and repent of them, we must be determined by God’s power to forsake
them, as well.
The bottom line is that Israel had been stubborn, and God had been
loving. Looking back at what God did for the Israelite nation reminded
the people that because God had done so much for them in the past,
He would continue to take care of them at the present moment and in
the future. That was why it was so important for the people always to
remember how God had acted in their history. It was when they forgot
that they got into trouble.
Think back to times you were certain that God had been working
in your life. How can you draw comfort from that for yourself the
next time you face struggles? How can you better learn to trust in
the goodness of God amid times you feel completely discouraged,
let down, and fearful for the future?
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The Law and the Prophets

Read Nehemiah 9:23–31. How are the Israelites described in compari-
son to God’s “great goodness” (Neh. 9:25)?
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_____________________________________________________
This next section of the prayer/sermon focused on life in Canaan
as the Israelites possessed the land that God had given them. They
had been handed land, cities, vineyards, and fields ready for use, but
they had taken it all for granted. At the end of verse 25, we are told
that “they ate and were filled and grew fat” (NKJV). Growing fat is an
expression that is found only a few times in the Bible (Deut. 32:15 and
Jer. 5:28), and each time it has a negative connotation.
The people might have “delighted themselves in Your great good-
ness” (NKJV), but theirs was a delight in all they had instead of a
delight in God. Apparently, having everything doesn’t produce a close
walk with God. Many times we think, If only I had this or that, then
I would be happy. Unfortunately, we see that the Israelites had every-
thing from God, and yet their “happiness” in those things only made
them less devoted to God. It’s too easy for us to focus on the gifts while
forgetting about the Giver. This is a fatal deception.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that we cannot be happy for the things
that God has given us. He desires that we rejoice in His gifts, but this
joy in the things He gives doesn’t guarantee a relationship with God. In
fact, if we are not careful, these things can become a stumbling block.
Nevertheless, in this chapter, the leaders now confessed the ways that
they had been unfaithful to God. As they looked through their history,
they specifically named transgressions they had committed as a nation.
A couple of aspects emerge as especially important, because they are
repeated: (1) Israel cast God’s law away, and (2) they persecuted the
prophets.
In other words, they realized that God’s law and His prophets were
essential to their development as a godly nation and as individuals. The
prayer emphasizes this conclusion by stating that “if a man does” God’s
commandments, “he shall live by them” (Neh. 9:29, NKJV; direct quote
from Lev. 18:5) and by highlighting that it is the Spirit that spoke through
the prophets. God has given us His commandments for an abundant life,
and He sent His prophets to guide us in our understanding of His truth.
What we do with these gifts is the essential question for us all.
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Praise and Petition

Read Nehemiah 9:32–38. What is the focus of the conclusion of the
prayer of confession?
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_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Once again the prayer turns to praising God for who He is: great,
mighty, and awesome, One who keeps the covenant and has mercy.
They seem sincere in their acknowledgment of God’s goodness to them.
They also bring a petition in the form of making a covenant with
God, which is described in detail in chapter 10. What is their petition?
“Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and awesome God,
who keeps covenant and mercy: do not let all the trouble seem small
before You that has come upon us” (Neh. 9:32, NKJV).
The community has to pay tribute to the kings who are over them.
Oppression from every side is plaguing the small company of Israelites,
and they are tired of it. They have had to endure one tyranny after
another, and they are hoping for a reprieve.
Interestingly, they call themselves “servants.” After outlining the
infidelity of their nation, they end by referring to themselves with that
word. Servants, of course, obey those who are over them. The use of
this term, then, implies that they realize they need to obey the Lord in
ways that those who came before them didn’t. This is an expression of
their desire to be faithful to the Lord and His commandments. And, as
servants of God, they are asking Him to intervene in their behalf.
The community of Ezra and Nehemiah describe their current experi-
ence as being “in great distress” (Neh. 9:37), which can be compared
to the affliction the Israelites experienced in Egypt (Neh. 9:9). Their
prayer praises God for seeing their affliction in Egypt and not overlook-
ing it. The community is now asking God to intervene just as He had
in the past, even though they don’t deserve it, because no one—kings,
princes, priests or prophets, or fathers—was faithful. Thus, they are
relying only on God’s grace and mercy to them, and not on themselves
or in their ancestors’ works, in hopes that the Lord will intervene in
their behalf.
Read Romans 5:6–8. How do these texts reflect what the Israelites
were asking of God? What comfort can we draw from what the
Israelites were asking and what Paul was saying in Romans?
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F riday November 15
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Confession,” pp. 37–41, in

Steps to Christ.
In Nehemiah 9:25, the Hebrews talked about how their ancestors

“delighted themselves” (NKJV) in God’s great goodness. The verbal
root is the same as the name Eden, as in the “garden of Eden” (Gen.
2:15). Perhaps the best translation would be “they edenized them-
selves” if only edenized were a verb.
The gospel is, after all, restoration, and what better symbol can there
be than Eden to represent what we are ultimately to be restored to? God
raised up the Hebrew people and brought them to the crossroads of the
ancient world in order to create the closest reflection of Eden that could
exist on a fallen earth. Even after the captivity and return, the potential
was still there. “For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all
her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden” (Isa. 51:3,
NKJV).
Yes, the people enjoyed the material blessings that the Lord had
promised them, blessings that, to whatever degree possible in a fallen
world, were reminiscent of the abundance of Eden. And that was fine.
They were supposed to enjoy them. God created the physical world
precisely in a way that humans could enjoy, and ancient Israel—blessed
of God—enjoyed it, too. Their sin was not in “edenizing themselves” in
God’s great goodness, but in forgetting the Lord (Ezek. 23:35), whose
goodness they were enjoying. The blessings became an end in and of
themselves instead of a means to an end, which was to reveal God to
those around them.
 Jesus had said, “Now he who received seed among the thorns
is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the
deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful”
(Matt. 13:22, NKJV). What does He mean by “the deceitfulness of
riches,” and how does this relate to the prayer of confession that
we studied this week?
 Dwell again on the doctrine of Creation. Notice in the prayer of

Nehemiah 9 that they almost immediately talked about the Lord
as Creator and Sustainer. What does that tell us about how foun-
dational this doctrine is to our faith?
 How do we strike the right balance in acknowledging our

inherent sinfulness and yet, at the same time, not allow Satan to
use our sinfulness in ways that could cause us to be discouraged
and to give up our faith entirely?
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i n s i d e
Story
Present for Uganda’s President
Seventh-day Adventist Church president Ted N. C. Wilson was thinking about
religious literature when I arrived in a hotel lobby in Uganda to accompany
him and other church leaders to a meeting with the African country’s president,
Yoweri Museveni. “I have a pen for the president,” Pastor Wilson told church
leaders, referring to a special pen engraved with the name and logo of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church. “But do you have some books for him?”
I spoke up. “I have a nice-looking color Steps to Christ up in my room,” I said.
Glancing at his watch, Pastor Wilson urged me to hurry upstairs for the book.
As I rushed to my room, I marveled that I had packed the book in the first
place. Two weeks earlier, I shook my head no when my father asked whether I
planned to take any sharing books on the trip. I explained that I had taken five
copies of Steps to Christ on my previous trip, to Russia, and had struggled to
find any takers.
“You should take some books anyway,” my father insisted.
Reluctantly, I bought five copies of Steps to Christ at the Adventist Book
Center in Keene, Texas. But the books hadn’t satisfied my father. “Will you take
a new Bible, too?” he asked.
I often buy a new Bible before a trip just in case I’m asked to give a sermon,
and then I give it away. I prefer to read the Bible on my cell phone, but I don’t
like to hold my cell phone while preaching. “No need for a Bible,” I told my
father. “I won’t be preaching.”
My father had not been deterred. At his insistence, I had bought a black-
leather New King James Version Bible. In the Ugandan hotel room, I remem-
bered the Bible and took it and Steps to Christ to Pastor Wilson.
A short time later, President Museveni welcomed us to State House Uganda
in Entebbe and immediately plied Pastor Wilson with questions about why
Adventists keep the Sabbath on Saturday. Pastor Wilson gave a short Bible study
and, later, appealed for the country to abolish Saturday exams for Adventist stu-
dents. To his delight, President Museveni agreed to look into the matter.
Pastor Wilson presented the engraved pen to President Museveni and sug-
gested that he could use it to sign important documents or, more important, to
underline verses in the Bible. Then he handed over the Bible and Steps to Christ
to President Museveni, left, who smilingly raised them for
the guests to see.
That evening, I excitedly called my father on Skype.
“Thank you for listening to the promptings of the Holy
Spirit,” I said.
Now in my travels, I always carry a brand-new Bible
and copies of Steps to Christ.
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Text: Nehemiah 9:17
Nehemiah 9 records a prayer of confession by the people of Israel. On

the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month, the Israelites again gathered
together for a time of confession, prayer, and fasting.
Once again, the day begins with reading from the Book of the Law. The
immersion in the Word of God is convicting; corporately the people turn
to God in repentance. However, they are not just repenting of their sins of
the moment but of the nation’s sins throughout their history.
They recount all that the nation has done since the time of Abraham
in failing to follow God. It shows a pattern of struggling to walk with
God, even abandoning Him. Yet, God comes to them again and again and
rescues them. Amazingly, the readings in the Torah lead them to piece
together a story of human failure and God’s triumph. The prayer begins
and ends with praises to God, while also petitioning Him to once again
intervene in their behalf.
They were reminded that just as God has been faithful in the past, He
will continue to take care of them now. Despite the hardships they endure
in their homeland as they rebuild the temple, the walls, and the city, God
sees them and will not forsake them. In the end, they commit to signing a
covenant with God.
Part II: Commentary

I. The people read from the Book of the Law (Neh. 9:1–3).
II. Prayer of confession (Neh. 9:4–38)
1. Praising God (Neh. 9:4–8)
2. God’s faithfulness in spite of Israel’s unfaithfulness in Egypt and in
the wilderness (Neh. 9:9–22)
3. God’s goodness in spite of Israel’s unfaithfulness in the land of
Canaan (Neh. 9:23–31)
4. Praising and petitioning God (Neh. 9:32–38)
Reading From the Book of the Law
The occasion was well organized: the Levites read from Scripture for
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teachers comments
a fourth of the day and then, for another several hours, the people
confessed their sins and wrongs and worshiped God. Imagine the
powerful experience of reading the Bible or listening to it for many
hours straight, followed by confession and praises to God for several
additional hours, which seems almost unbelievable for such a large
assembly. Such devotion would require incredible focus and an amaz-
ing thirst for God.
Perhaps what drove the people to seek God with perseverance was a
desire to see God act. They were worried. Their anxiety is demonstrated
by the petition in their prayer, “Do not let all the trouble seem small before
You that has come upon us” (Neh. 9:32, NKJV). In other words, the people
are pleading for God not to overlook all that has been happening to them:
they are not welcomed in their own land by the surrounding nations; they
have endured persecution; and they are doing hard work, trying to rebuild
their beloved city. They ask God to intervene, to act, to see and hear, and
respond. At the end of their time together, the leaders invite the whole
assembly to rise. Then they begin to cry to the Lord and pray the prayer
recorded for us in Nehemiah 9:5–38, which belongs among the best
prayers recorded in the Bible.
Prayer of Confession
The corporate public prayers and confession, recorded in Nehemiah 9,

demonstrate a deep understanding of the nature of sin, as well as a con-
sciousness of their insufficient love for their neighbor. The people fasted
and put dust on their heads, outward signs of humbling oneself before
God. The humble approach to the past sins of the nation showed that the
returned captives realized how easily they could fall into the same pattern
of disobedience and unfaithfulness to God as their forefathers. They did
not want the cycle to continue.
The Israelites acknowledged the sins of their nation that had led them
into exile. They had pushed God out of their lives, in effect saying,
“God, we don’t want You!” Because God respects our wishes and does
not force Himself on His subjects, He let His people experience the
consequences of their rejection of Him. Perhaps the best description of
what happens when we push God out is in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel
paints the picture of God moving out of Israel after sending warning
after warning to the people (Ezek. 5:11, Ezek. 8:6). When the people do
not want Him, God moves out. His throne moves toward the Mount of
Olives, and as His presence leaves Jerusalem, destruction hits (see also
Matt. 23:37 and 38). When God’s protection is withdrawn, Satan moves
in, for he “is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he
can devour” (1 Pet. 5:8, CSB).
Now the people of Israel look back at everything they had done as a nation.
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teachers comments
They are horrified at how badly they had followed God. Moreover, every
individual was aware of his or her own insufficiency in walking with God.
Yet, they also saw a pattern in God’s faithfulness. As in the book of
Ezekiel, their story does not end with God moving out of Jerusalem (Ezek.
43:1–5, Ezek. 48:35). But when they are exiled to Babylon, God moves
with them to Babylon. He would never leave His people. He let them go
for a little while in order to awaken them and draw them back to walking
with Him, but He never let go of them. At the end of the book of Ezekiel,
He promises to take them back to Jerusalem and moves back there with
them. The returned captives experienced the movement of God back to the
land of Israel. He was with them.
In Nehemiah 9:20, the people point out that God gave His “good
Spirit” to them to instruct (sakhal) them. The word already appeared in
chapter 8; it means “to understand, to be prudent, and wise.” God gives
the best gifts. The Holy Spirit is given not only to the believers in the
New Testament but also to believers in the Old Testament. The Holy
Spirit was given to them to teach them and to make them wise. That is
what the Holy Spirit does for us when we allow Him to “instruct” us.
God gave the Israelites everything they wanted and “needed” (the Holy
Spirit, food, water, kingdoms, land, victory in war, cisterns, vineyards,
olive groves, and fruit trees). Yet, the people delighted themselves only
in the things that God gave them instead of in God Himself. Amazingly,
when hard times hit and the people cried out to God, He heard them
again. Why? Because of His great mercy.
The prayer begins with addressing God—“You” (Neh. 9:5, 6)—and
ends with “we,” as the people cry out to God in their despair and fragility
(Neh. 9:37, 38). The contrast between God’s goodness and faithfulness
and human sinfulness cannot be overemphasized. Confession of sins
changes the situation. After identifying with the sin of their forefathers,
they finally stated: “We acted wickedly” (Neh. 9:33, NIV).
Although the theme of repentance for sin is woven throughout the
prayer, the theme of God’s mercy is emphasized. The word for mercy
is rakhamim, meaning “compassion, mercy and pity.” It comes from the
word rekhem, which means a mother’s womb. Just as a mother nurtures
and has love for her child, so the word rakhamim demonstrates that
God has love and compassion for His children. The word for mercy is
repeated six times in Nehemiah 9 (Neh. 9:17, 19, 27, 28, twice in 31).
Additionally, the word khesed appears twice (see Neh. 9:17 and 32).
Khesed usually is translated as steadfast love but also can be translated
as kindness or mercy. The idea of God’s mercy and love is contrasted
with the people’s unfaithfulness. The people attributed all they had to
their own achievements, and yet God did not forsake them. They chose
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to worship other gods, and yet God did not desert them. As Nehemiah 9:17
states: “But thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to
anger and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.” Our God is always
ready to forgive and to transform our lives.
Another phrase the Levites repeat in the prayer is “You heard from heaven”
(Neh. 9:27, 28, NKJV). Whenever the people cried to God, He always heard
them. God waits for us to call on Him. Whenever we do, He hears. He does
not ignore our tears or pleas. It may sometimes seem to us that God is silent
because we do not have the answers we want; however, He stops every time
we call just as He stopped for the blind man Bartimaeus, who kept calling
out to Jesus because he wanted to see (Mark 10). God came down on Mount
Sinai in order to speak with the people, even though they rejected Him after-
ward and instead chose a golden calf to worship. Why does God pursue us
so endlessly? It is because He longs to be close to us. The Israelites claimed
the promise that God always hears us. Because He heard their ancestors, they
have faith that He now also will hear them and answer. And He does.

Just as the Israelites realized that they could learn from the experiences and
failures of their forefathers, so we also can learn from the Israelites today.
1. Which of the actions of the Israelites delineated in their prayer

stands out to you as something we need to be mindful of today, as
well?
2. What has God done in your past? Write it out on a piece of paper
or graph a time line of His intervention in your life, following the
instructions below:
a. Outline your family’s life and their walk with God. Draw the ups
and downs and label them. Go as far back as you can remember,
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graphing what happened within the family. Label the points

at which different family members accepted Christ. What do
you notice from the drawing?
b. Now do the same for your own life on a piece of paper.
(1) Write in at which points you can clearly see God’s guid-
ance.
(2) Do you see any patterns? If so, what are they?
Although our failures are real, the hope we have is that Jesus has mercy
on us and gives us His righteousness to cover us. Just as the Israelites had
the promise of God’s great mercy, we have it today, as well. What can you
put in God’s hands, knowing that God is full of mercy and love for you?
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God and the Covenant
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Neh. 10:1–29, Gen. 4:8–19,
Heb. 13:20, Joshua 24, Neh. 10:30–39, Heb. 8:1–7.
Memory Text: “ ‘And because of all this, we make a sure covenant

and write it; our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.’ We will
not neglect the house of our God” (Nehemiah 9:38; 10:39b, NKJV).
W
hat does the Bible mean when it talks about the “covenant”?
The easiest explanation of this kind of biblical covenant is
that it is the legal establishment of a relationship between
God and His people. It is God saying, “You are My people, and I
am your God.” Beyond this, we can find the use of written covenants
among other people in the ancient world, often between leaders and the
vassals under them.
These covenants were established because they were beneficial to
both parties. The leader would take care of the people, and the people
would pay tribute. But with God, the covenant was different. God
wasn’t really getting anything out of it, and yet, He promised to be
faithful to it, even when people were not. Indeed, the blessings and
curses attached to the covenant made it possible for the Israelites to
know when bad things started happening, that they had been breaking
the covenant.
This week, we will look at the covenant that the Israelites renewed
with God in Nehemiah 10 and also discuss some general information
about the history and importance of covenant making in the Bible.
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S unday November 17
The Idea of the Covenant

Read Nehemiah 10:1–29 (and refresh your memory by reading
Nehemiah 9:36–38). Who is making this covenant, and why did they
enter into it?
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Although only the leaders signed the document, the text pointedly
notes that all of “the rest the people” entered into “a curse and an oath
to follow the Law of God” (Neh. 10:28, 29, NIV). What was so signifi-
cant about the covenant that they all desired to enter into an agreement
with God? In order to answer this question, we have to go back to the
very beginning and understand the biblical idea of the covenant.
The covenant was important because it was part of God’s story in
dealing with sinful humanity, and it demonstrated God’s yearning for
a relationship with people. It also allowed people to demonstrate their
desire to be dedicated to God.
The biblical Creation story in Genesis 1 and 2 reveals not only the
creation of the first humans but the relationship between them and
God, and between each other, as well. However, sin then entered and
broke all those relationships. Sin is the antithesis of creation, bringing
de-creation (death) instead.
The genealogy of Adam eventually splits, as Cain chooses evil (Gen.
4:8–19) and Seth embraces God (Gen. 5:3–24). Cain’s genealogy cul-
minates in Lamech (Gen. 4:17–19)—the seventh (inclusively) from
Adam, who introduced polygamy. Violence and vengeance on Cain’s
side stand in juxtaposition to the faithful lineage of Seth. Seth’s gene-
alogy also is enumerated, but the seventh in this line is Enoch, who
“walked with God” (Gen. 5:24) and was taken to heaven.
Unfortunately, the world embraced evil more than it did God, and the
lineage of the faithful became very small, creating a real possibility of
eliminating any family through whom God could fulfill His Word by
sending the promised Seed to save humans. At that point, God inter-
vened with the Flood. The Flood, however, was a further de-creation,
a reversal and destruction of life, and yet, God destroyed only what
humans had already ruined (Gen. 6:11–13).
How have you personally experienced the reality of sin’s destruc-

tive force? What’s the only power against sin, and how do we avail
ourselves of it?
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M onday November 18
Covenants in History
After the Flood, God began again, now with Noah and the people
who came afterward. With them, too, He sought a relationship, and
central to that relationship was the idea of covenant. The Bible identi-
fies seven major covenants that God has made with people:
First Covenant—Adam (Genesis 1–3)
Second Covenant—Noah (Genesis 6–9)
Third Covenant—Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3)
Fourth Covenant—Moses and the Israelite nation (known as Sinaitic
or Mosaic Covenant; Exodus 19–24)
Fifth Covenant—Phinehas (Num. 25:10–13)
Sixth Covenant—David (2 Sam. 7:5–16)
Seventh Covenant—New Covenant (Jer. 31:31–34)
Read the following texts. What do they mean by the “everlasting cove
nant”? Gen. 9:16, Gen. 17:7, Isa. 55:3, Heb. 13:20.
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The Bible incorporates the term “everlasting covenant” 16 times. Out
of them, 13 are specifically applied to the covenants with Abraham,
Israel at Sinai, and David. Each of the covenants mentioned above,
although unique, bore the imprint of “the everlasting covenant.” Just
as the everlasting gospel is first announced in Genesis 3:15, but then
progressively revealed throughout the Bible, the same applies to the
everlasting covenant. Each consecutive covenant serves to expound
and deepen our understanding of the everlasting covenant of love,
which is revealed most fully in the plan of salvation. The New and Old
Covenants, as they are often distinguished, contain the same compo-
nents.
1. Sanctification: “I will put My law in their minds, and write it on
their hearts” (Jer. 31:33, NKJV; compare Heb. 8:10).
2. Reconciliation: “I will be their God, and they shall be My
people” (Jer. 31:33, NKJV; Heb. 8:10).
3. Mission: “No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and
every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all
shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them”
(Jer. 31:34, NKJV; Heb. 8:11).
4. Justification: “I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will
remember no more” (Jer. 31:34, NKJV; Heb. 8:12).
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Covenantal Structure
Bible scholars recognize that there is a typical structure to biblical
covenants; this was seen even in covenants made by the ancient Hittites.
That is, God communicated to the people in a manner that they, in their
culture, could especially understand.
The covenants that were common during the time of ancient Israel
had the following parts: preamble (who God is); historical prologue
(past relationship defined); stipulations or laws; blessings and curses;
witnesses; special provision or sign of the covenant. Thus, it should be
no surprise that God used something similar in communicating to His
people back then. He used what they were familiar with.
For example, the whole book of Deuteronomy is written in the form
of a covenant, because Moses invites God’s people to enter into a new
covenant relationship with their God. It expresses the covenant in
the following manner: (1) preamble (Deut. 1:1–5); (2) historical pro-
logue (Deut. 1:6–4:43); (3) stipulations or laws (Deut. 4:44–26:19);
(4) blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 27–30); (5) witnesses (Deut.
30:19); and finally, (6) special provision (Deut. 31:9–13).
Read Joshua 24. How is this covenant pattern revealed in that chapter,
as well?
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The same is true with the renewal of the covenant made by Joshua.
First, a preamble is mentioned in which God presents Himself as
“the Lord, the God of Israel” (Josh. 24:2, NIV). Then follows a long
historical prologue through which Joshua reminds the people of what
God has done for them in the past (Josh. 24:2–13). After this history,
the stipulations or laws are enumerated (Josh. 24:14, 15, 23), blessings
and curses are mentioned (Josh. 24:19, 20), witnesses identified (Josh.
24:22, 27), and special provision stated (Josh. 24:25, 26). Here, too, the
basic form of a covenant was used to communicate with the Israelites
and show them, not only God’s leading in their past, but what was
required of them to uphold their end of the covenant.
Read Joshua 24:15. What principle is here that we can apply to

ourselves today?
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Pledges
Read Nehemiah 10:30–39. What are four things the Israelites pledged
to do as part of the renewed covenant?
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The people pledged the following:
1. No mixed marriages (no marriage to an individual who could lead
one into idolatry),
2. True Sabbath observance (no distractions through business trans-
actions),
3. Debt cancelation and sabbatical year observance to care for the
poor and give them freedom,
4. Financially supporting the temple, its services, and personnel
through bringing the firstfruits, the firstborn, and the tithe, thus ensur-
ing the continuation of true worship.
The first three pledges related to relationships with others (marriage
and debt cancellation) and with God (Sabbath), while the last one (Neh.
10:32–39) deals with temple regulations.
The goal of the community was to demonstrate that the people were
committed to the covenant, and therefore would implement practical
ways of building their relationship with God and others. Even if they
didn’t always keep the covenant perfectly, they understood that right
habits and practices would influence the future. If the Israelite nation
was going to get on the right path, it had to establish practices and
habits that would be conducive to where it wanted to be. If the people
wanted to have a close walk with God, then making the Sabbath impor-
tant and taking care of the temple were important steps in that direction.
Unfortunately, they didn’t keep their pledges very well, as demon-
strated in the last chapters of Nehemiah. Yet, even if everyone didn’t
keep them, some or many people did. With God’s help and keeping our
focus on Him, we can develop the right habits and stick to the right
path.
“Through the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be

made in your life. By yielding up your will to Christ, you ally
yourself with the power that is above all principalities and pow-
ers. You will have strength from above to hold you steadfast, and
thus through constant surrender to God you will be enabled to
live the new life, even the life of faith.”—Ellen G. White, Steps to
Christ, p. 48. What’s holding you back from experiencing what’s
written here?
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The Temple
Look at Nehemiah 10:32–39 again. Why were the temple’s practices
essential for the Israelites, as shown by “we will not neglect the
house of our God” (Neh. 10:39, NKJV)? Why was the temple so
important for the faith as a whole? See also Heb. 8:1–7.
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The Israelites pledged to take care of the temple. Even though they
were a small group financially oppressed by the kings, they decided
they needed to give from the little they had in order for the temple to
thrive and not just survive. Therefore, they chose to give a third of a
shekel for the temple service every year, instead of just when the census
happened, as the law commanded. The nation saw a need to go beyond
what was required. Additionally, they allotted the responsibility for
burning firewood on the altar to specific families, as they recognized
that without organization the practice would wane.
Firstfruits, firstborns, and tithes and offerings were aspects of the
temple service that provided for the ministry of the priests and Levites.
A tenth of everything was to go to the Levites. Also, firstborns were
redeemed by money, adding to the amount the Levites received.
However, a tenth of the Levites’ tenth went to the priests.
The temple served as the heartbeat of the Israelite nation. It was
so central to their faith that the greatest tragedy occurred when
Nebuchadnezzar tore down the temple and carried away the sacred
objects.
When the temple was properly managed, it gave the nation a vibrant
spiritual life because it pointed the people to the ultimate solution to
the sin problem, which was through the death of the Lamb. When Jesus
died on the cross, that solution was provided (Rom. 5:5–10). Moreover,
through the yearly service of the Day of Atonement, the people learned
that ultimately God has a plan to get rid of evil and sin for good. In
other words, the temple served as the setting for revealing to the people
the entire plan of salvation. The lessons we can gain through looking
at the temple services are immense and necessary to give us a bigger
picture of God’s character and to illuminate the plan of salvation.
“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am
chief” (1 Tim. 1:15, NKJV). What was Paul’s hope, and how can
we make it our own hope, as well?
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F riday November 22
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Consecration,” pp. 43–48,

in Steps to Christ.
“The ministration of the earthly sanctuary consisted of two divisions;

the priests ministered daily in the holy place, while once a year the high
priest performed a special work of atonement in the most holy, for the
cleansing of the sanctuary. Day by day the repentant sinner brought his
offering to the door of the tabernacle and, placing his hand upon the
victim’s head, confessed his sins, thus in figure transferring them from
himself to the innocent sacrifice. The animal was then slain. ‘Without
shedding of blood,’ says the apostle, there is no remission of sin. ‘The
life of the flesh is in the blood.’ Leviticus 17:11. The broken law of
God demanded the life of the transgressor. The blood, representing the
forfeited life of the sinner, whose guilt the victim bore, was carried by
the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil, behind which
was the ark containing the law that the sinner had transgressed. By this
ceremony the sin was, through the blood, transferred in figure to the
sanctuary. In some cases the blood was not taken into the holy place;
but the flesh was then to be eaten by the priest, as Moses directed the
sons of Aaron, saying, ‘God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the
congregation.’ Leviticus 10:17. Both ceremonies alike symbolized the
transfer of the sin from the penitent to the sanctuary.”—Ellen G. White,
The Great Controversy, p. 418.
 Think about pledges you have made that you have broken,
no matter how sincere and earnest you were in intending to keep
them. What have you learned from that experience that, perhaps,
could help keep you from making a similar mistake again?
 Covenant is a legal establishment of a relationship. We broke it

with God, but He is always faithful to His part, even when we are
not to ours. How can this understanding of God’s goodness and
faithfulness draw humans into a close relationship with Him and,
thus, help us live as we should?
 Think of how many times you have been unfaithful to God and
to promises we have under the “new covenant” (see Luke 22:20,
Heb. 8:13, 9:15). Why is it so important, then, to understand the
plan of salvation and the promise of forgiveness that we have
because of the sacrifice of Jesus, whose blood sealed the “new
covenant” for us?
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i n s i d e
Story
Volleyball Evangelism
By Wilson Measapogu
Man Bahadur Rai and his family believed that six spirits inhabited their home
in a rural village near Nepal’s border with China. Six clay pots were placed
around the home for the spirits to live in. Whenever Mother cooked a meal, she
placed food into each pot for the spirits to eat. She feared that if even one spirit
were forgotten, the whole family would suffer indigestion—or worse.
The parents wielded great influence in the village as the local spiritual leaders,
and they hated Christianity, the belief in an unseen God. They preferred their
visible gods of metal and wood.
One evening, 18-year-old Man was walking home after work and heard a male
voice speaking about a virgin who had a child. Man wondered who was making
such an illogical statement. He followed the voice to a building and saw a man
reading from a black book.
After the meeting, Man argued with the man over his teachings. The man, a
visiting Seventh-day Adventist pastor, simply smiled and invited the teen to return
the next evening. After a week of meetings, Man obtained a Bible and deter-
mined to prove it wrong. The more he read, however, the more he felt convinced
that Jesus is the Living God. He gave his heart to Jesus.
Father was furious when Man announced that he had become a Christian. He
beat the teen and chased him from the village.
Mother wept all night. In the morning, she asked a friend to find her son and
give him a lamb. Man accepted the lamb with joy and, after praying, felt a strong
impression to sell it and buy a volleyball and net. Finding a piece of unused land
between five villages, Man set up the volleyball net and started to play.
Soon several young people passed by and asked if they could join him. “Sure,”
Man said. “But you have to memorize one Bible verse.”
The young people eagerly memorized a verse and began to play. As they played,
other young people stopped and memorized verses to join in. When the match
ended, the young people pleaded to play again.
“OK,” Man said. “But first you have to learn a song about my God.” Before
long, many had memorized whole Bible chapters and Christian songs.
Then Man heard that I would conduct a Bible school, and he shared his story
on the first day. He introduced three young men
seated nearby. “This is the result of my volleyball
evangelism,” he said. “These men have accepted
Jesus and want to become Bible workers, too.”
Man, left, who has been disowned by his family,
is no theologian. He is a frontline worker building a
new family who will live forever in God’s kingdom.
Wilson Measapogu is executive secretary of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church’s Southern Asia Division.
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Texts: Nehemiah 9:38, Nehemiah 10:39
The covenant was a crowning act in establishing a relationship between

God and His people. First, the Israelites studied the Scriptures, which led
to conviction and confession of sin (Nehemiah 8, Nehemiah 9). After the
confession, praises, and petition of the Jews, the renewal of the covenant
was performed. Nehemiah signed it first, followed by 83 leaders of the
nation. The leaders placed a seal on the document, and the rest of the
congregation “entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law”
(Neh. 10:29). Then they pledged their loyalty to God by taking four vows.
They vowed (1) to not intermarry with people from other nations, (2) to
faithfully keep the Sabbath, (3) to cancel all debts, and (4) to take care of
the temple (including paying tithes and offerings).
In other words, the signing of the covenant was not enough. They knew
that it had to be followed up by action. Their commitment to God had to
be observable, and thus they reintroduced important aspects of walking
with God as a holy nation. It was through a relationship with God and
intentionality in behavior that they were to grow as people of God. A
critical aspect of being faithful to God and developing the right habits is
regularly and persistently asking God for transformation and help. With
His help and keeping our focus on Him, we can develop the right habits
and stick to the correct path. The Jews did not leave their growth to chance
but diligently made action plans that would keep them grounded in God.
Part II: Commentary

Thematic Structure of Chapter 10
I. Leaders seal the covenant (Neh. 10:1–27).

II. The people promise to walk in God’s law (Neh. 10:28, 29).
III. Pledges of the covenant (Neh. 10:30–39)
1. No mixed marriages (Neh. 10:30)
2. Keeping the Sabbath (Neh. 10:31a)
3. Debt cancellation (Neh. 10:31b)
4. Temple service (Neh. 10:32–39)
a. Temple tax (Neh. 10:32, 33)
b. Wood (Neh. 10:34)
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teachers comments
c. Firstfruits (Neh. 10:35–37a)

d. Tithe (Neh. 10:37b–38)
e. Offering (Neh. 10:39a, b)
f. Summary statement: “We will not neglect the house of our God”
(Neh. 10:39c).
From Creation to Re-creation
The biblical Creation story begins in Genesis 1, occurring in a series of

seven days. The culmination of the Creation story, known as the First
Creation Account, is the seventh day, the Sabbath. This narrative tells
humans that we were created dependent upon God and were to live in rela-
tionship with Him. Genesis 2 describes Creation from a slightly different
perspective but still in a series of seven, culminating in the establishment
of a horizontal (i.e., human-to-human) relationship through the marriage
of the first couple. Unfortunately, because of sin, God’s creation was de-
or un-created by humanity when they broke their relationship with God
as a result of attempting to live an autonomous life. Saying no to God’s
presence in life spiraled the world quickly into wickedness until God had
to intervene with the Flood to stop the avalanche of evil; otherwise, there
soon would have been no one left to save.
Thankfully, with God, who is faithful to His word, there is always a
new beginning; He re-creates again after the Flood in the time of Noah.
God preserves a remnant, and through them He will bring salvation.
This re-creation story, written in a sequence of seven, culminates with
the covenant (Gen. 8:1–9:17). Although God had to restart many times
(tower of Babel, Abraham, Moses, etc.), the covenant has remained a
central aspect of the relationship between God and humanity.
Thus, the covenant between God and humans is an important element
of the re-creation mission that God has been on ever since humanity’s
fall. The covenant is a legal establishment of a relationship between God
and humans. It is an attempt at restoring the broken relationship between
God and humans. It is necessary because humanity does not trust God.
When people trust each other, they do not need paperwork and legal trea-
ties to guarantee each other that each partner in the agreement will come
through on his or her promises. However, God knows that humans have
a hard time trusting Him. So, He devised a way to demonstrate to us that
He is always faithful. The covenant is a way for God to show us that He
is serious about His commitment to us. God always takes the first step.
He is the initiator of the covenant; He establishes the covenant with us.
Making a Covenant
The covenant is a legal document, written according to Hittite treaties
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teachers comments
between two parties (usually between a suzerain lord and his vassals),
making the relationship binding. The best example of how a covenant was
made in the Mesopotamian culture is found in Genesis 15 in which God
makes a covenant with Abram.
Abram follows the established custom of establishing a covenant between
two parties. The literal translation for making a covenant is “cutting” a
covenant because it involved the “cutting” of animals. Depending on how
wealthy the vassal (the servant) was, he or she would bring a variety of ani-
mals to split in half. The vassal did the work of splitting the animals in half
and then pledged an oath to the overlord. Since Abram is affluent, he brings
a heifer, a female goat, a ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon (Gen. 15:9).
He cut each of the animals down the middle and placed them opposite each
other on the ground, creating a path in between them. The birds were left
whole because of their small size and placed opposite each other. The job of
the vassal now was to walk between the cut pieces and proclaim something
to the effect of: “Let it be done to me as was done to these animals if I
break this covenant.” The overlord did not do the walking between the pieces
because it was done only by the one who had the lower status in the relation-
ship. So, as was customary, Abram would have walked between the pieces
as a vassal even though his doing so is not specifically mentioned in the text.
However, although we would expect that action to end the story and for the
covenant to be complete, God does not end the ratification of the covenant
there. When the sun goes down, Abram suddenly sees “a smoking oven and
a burning torch” that pass between the pieces. Smoke and fire represent God
in the Old Testament (smoke on the mountain as God’s presence descends
and a pillar of fire in the wilderness; later, in the New Testament, we have
the tongues of fire [Acts 2], etc.). What do these things mean? God walked
through the pieces Himself. He did not expect Abram to walk through and
pledge the oath; it was God Himself who pledged, “If I break this covenant,
may I be cut in half like these animals.” Incredibly, humans were the ones who
broke the covenant again and again. In the end, God was the one who was
willing to be “cut” on the cross and to die for sinful people in order to dem-
onstrate His faithfulness and incredible love. God never broke the covenant.
But because we did, He took our place in being rent in half; God died for us
in our place.
God makes a covenant with us in order to demonstrate His commit-
ment and goodness to us. Although we break the relationship with Him,
He keeps working on mending it. He wants to restore us to Himself
(Exod. 19:4, John 12:32).
Pledges of the Covenant
The Jews in the time of Nehemiah realize that God is faithful. Now they
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teachers comments
want to make a commitment to be a holy nation for God. The leaders sign
a document testifying that they want to be faithful to God. Then, the rest of
the Israelites agree to this and swear an oath to follow God’s law. They are
aware that the responsibility of walking with God rests on them. But walking
with God cannot be just talk; it must be physical actions. The people must be
obedient to God’s teachings.
Thus, in a demonstration of the people’s intention to be obedient, the rest
of the chapter is dedicated to outlining the specifics of their pledge to God.
(1) They will not have mixed marriages with people around them and will
not give their children in marriage to those who do not live for God. (2) They
will not buy or sell on the Sabbath and will treat it as a holy day, a different
day, realizing that buying and selling is done on all the rest of the days of
the week. (3) They also will forgive any debt every seventh year and let the
ground have rest as instructed in Leviticus 25 during the jubilee year. Finally,
(4) they will focus on restoring the services in the temple by providing for the
Levites and the priests through paying tithe and offerings and through regulat-
ing all temple provisions. The priests were to receive a tenth of the tithes. In
the early days, when the Levites greatly outnumbered the priests, this portion
was a great provision. But by Nehemiah’s time, such a small group of people
remained that receiving a tenth of the tenth was a meager allotment. The
fact that the priests agreed to this allotment demonstrates their unselfish and
humble attitude. The actions taken by the assembly and the servants in the
temple show their wholehearted commitment to God.

Covenant With Abram
1. Imagine the scene of the covenant between God and Abram, engaging
all five of your senses. Now answer the following questions:
a. What would the place smell like?
b. What would you hear?
c. What would you taste if you were there?
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teachers comments
d. What would you see?
e. What would you feel?
2. What do you think about God’s actions in walking through the

cut pieces of the animals in Genesis 15? What do you think Abram
was thinking as God “cut” the covenant with him? What does
God’s making the covenant with Abram mean to you?
Nehemiah’s Covenant
1. Why did the Israelites commit to those four pledges specifically?

What is important about each of them?
2. The community had come full circle; they had rejoiced, mourned,
and made a commitment to God. In making these new commit-
ments, the Israelite remnant was looking forward to the future,
ever bearing in mind that God must help us walk with Him, giving
us strength and a greater desire to follow through with living for
Him. What commitments can you make to God? What can you do
to ensure that you deliver on your pledges as you look into a future
of a deeper relationship with God? What role does the Holy Spirit
play in your commitment?
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Trials, Tribulations, and Lists
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Ezra 1:9–11; Dan. 1:1, 2;
Daniel 5; Ezra 8:1–23; Deut. 30:1–6; Neh. 11:1, 2; 12:1–26.
Memory Text: “These joined with their brethren, their nobles,

and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law, which
was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the
commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His ordinances and His
statutes” (Nehemiah 10:29, NKJV).
W
e usually skip genealogies and long lists of items in the Bible.
But the Lord has them included there for a reason. The bibli-
cal Lord is the God of details. He notices the particulars, and
this assures us that we are never forgotten by Him.
These few examples of genealogies proclaim that God knows all
about our families, and the lists of things tell us that God cares even
for what others might deem “insignificant.” Jesus stated that God takes
care of sparrows and even counts our hairs: “Are not five sparrows
sold for two pennies? Yet, not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed,
the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are
worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6, 7, NIV). The God who
cares about these details cares about us as well, and He knows even the
details of all the things that trouble us.
Thus, we can have full confidence, cultivate trust, and rest in assur-
ance that the Lord cares about every area of our lives. While that’s
comforting, as it should be, it also should tell us that we need to care
about every area, as well.
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S unday November 24
The God of History

Read Ezra 1:9–11 and Daniel 1:1, 2. How do the texts in Daniel help
us understand what Ezra was referring to?
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Notice how in Ezra details are given, while in Daniel the big picture
was presented. Together, though, these texts show that the Lord is in
control.
“The history of nations speaks to us today. To every nation and to
every individual God has assigned a place in His great plan. Today men
and nations are being tested by the plummet in the hand of Him who
makes no mistake. All are by their own choice deciding their destiny,
and God is overruling all for the accomplishment of His purposes.”
—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 536.
Read Daniel 5. What do these texts teach us about the judgment upon
Belshazzar?
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Babylon fell in October 539 b.c., when Cyrus, king of the Medo-
Persian Empire, conquered it. Belshazzar, falsely relying on his suc-
cesses, luxury, and fame, was so arrogant that he had organized a wild
banquet on the night that would end up with his being killed. The divine
hand wrote on the palace wall that his days were counted and coming
to an end. Even though he knew the fate and conversion story of the
mighty King Nebuchadnezzar, he did not learn his lesson. It is always
tragic when we do not listen to God’s warnings and do not follow His
instruction.
The prophet Daniel was always there, but he had been ignored. When
we lose the sense of God’s holiness and His presence in life, we tread a
path accompanied with complications, problems, and tragedies, which
ultimately ends in death.
After recounting to the king the story of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel

said, “But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart,
although you knew all this” (Dan. 5:22, NKJV). How can we make
sure that we, in our own context, don’t make the same kind of
mistake that Belshazzar did? How should the reality of the Cross
always keep us humble before God?
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M onday November 25
In Their Cities
Scan over the lists in Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7. What do you notice
about them?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The repetition of Ezra 2 (the list of those who returned from the
Babylonian captivity with Zerubbabel and Joshua) in Nehemiah 7 is
deliberate. Again, these lists might seem boring to us, but they reveal
an important point, which is that God cares about details that we might
not care about.
The walls of Jerusalem were now finished, and the biblical text inten-
tionally wants to demonstrate that the Ezra-Nehemiah generation of
returnees were all contributing toward this great accomplishment, even
though God alone gave them this success. The present generation built
on the accomplishments of the previous one, even though the task was
complicated, filled with barriers, and not completed as soon as they
would have liked.
The leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah was valued, but the people
also did their work. Each group engaged in different tasks performed
at different times, but the result is impressive. The beginning (Ezra 2) is
linked with the end (Nehemiah 7), and not only was the second temple
built, but also Jerusalem was remodeled and well established.
Read Nehemiah 7:73. What does it teach us about how successful they
were in their desire to do God’s will?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
“The children of Israel were in their cities.”
In many ways, the whole return and rebuilding was amazing. A
people who many years before had their city devastated, their temple
destroyed, and their land ravaged had now returned to that same land
and that same city and were rebuilding everything, even the temple. It
must have seemed miraculous to them and to those around them, as
well. It was all, however, according to the will and the promises of God.
What in your life right now might seem hopeless, but neverthe-
less, you are still trusting in the Lord to get you through?
_____________________________________________________
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Where Are the Priests?

No question—as we saw yesterday, it was an amazing fulfillment of
prophecy that brought the Jews back from Babylon.
But as with anything that involves humans, problems existed. And
one of the big problems was that, despite all the wonderful promises of
restoration after the exile, many of the Jews did not want to return to
the land of their ancestors. That is, they preferred to stay in Babylon.
Why would that be?
Read Ezra 8:1–15. Focus specifically on verse 15. What was the big
concern here, and why would it be a concern for someone who
wanted to reestablish the nation of Israel in its former homeland?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The fact is, not all the Jews in Babylon, including some Levites,
wanted to return. Several factors could have been involved. Many of
them had been born and brought up in the new land, and that was all
they knew. Many might not have wanted to make the long and unques-
tionably dangerous trip back to a land that they had never known
to begin with. Eventually, though, we know that they brought along
enough Levites to minister in the temple (see Thursday’s study), despite
the challenges.
“By now, the Jews who remained in the land of exile had been there
for almost a century and a half. Excavations of Nippur have brought to
light numerous documents that show that many wealthy Jews lived in
that region of Mesopotamia during the reign of Artaxerxes I. Hence, it
may have been a difficult task for Ezra and his fellow leaders to con-
vince as many to return as did accompany him. These returning colo-
nists could expect only a hard pioneering life in the old homeland, with
far fewer comforts than in Babylonia. In view of these considerations
it is surprising to find that Ezra succeeded in persuading almost 2,000
families to cast in their lot with their brethren in the old homeland.”
—The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 376.
“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God”

(Acts 14:22, NKJV). What does this tell us about the reality of
trials and hardships for those who want to serve the Lord faith-
fully?
_____________________________________________________
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Humbled Before God

Read Deuteronomy 30:1–6. What promise was given here to the
Hebrew people? What must this promise, among others like it,
mean to men such as Ezra and Nehemiah?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Ezra and Nehemiah knew the prophecies. They knew that God was
going to bring the people back from captivity. We saw in Nehemiah 9
that they understood their history and the reasons for their troubles. At
the same time, too, they knew God’s graciousness and leading, despite
their sins.
Thus, they trusted in the Lord, that He would make the return from
captivity successful. Those promises, however, didn’t mean that they
would not face many challenges along the way. In much of this quarter
so far, we have looked at the trials and tribulations that they faced, even
amid the promises of God.
Read Ezra 8:16–23. What was the challenge here, and how did they
respond to it?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Despite the promises, Ezra knew just how dangerous the journey
was. Thus, the fasting and the humbling before God were ways of
acknowledging just how dependent they were upon the Lord for their
success. At this time, with so many dangers ahead of them, the idea of
asking the king for help and protection had at least occurred to Ezra.
But in the end, he chose not to do that, in contrast to Nehemiah (Neh.
2:9), who did have an escort to protect him. Ezra obviously felt that if
he had asked, it would have brought dishonor to the Lord, for he had
already said to the king, “The hand of our God is upon all those for
good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those
who forsake Him” (Ezra 8:22, NKJV). In this case, it worked out well
for them, for he later wrote (Ezra 8:31) that the Lord had protected
them, and they made it to their destination safely.
Of course, we are to trust in God for everything. At the same

time, too, what are times we do call upon even those not of our
faith for help? In many cases, why is that not wrong—but per-
haps even appropriate?
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In the Holy City

Read Nehemiah 11:1, 2. What is going on in this passage? Why would
they have to cast lots to see who would have to live in Jerusalem as
opposed to living in the other cities?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
What does Nehemiah 11 teach us? It was necessary to get new resi-
dents for Jerusalem from the newcomers who had come back to the
land after their exile.
Apparently it was easier to live in the countryside than in the city.
People had their own land, inherited from their forefathers. To abandon
it and go to live in Jerusalem was a sacrifice, and many could rightly
feel that they would be uprooted if they did so. Life would have new
challenges, and an urban lifestyle is different from living in a rural area.
Moving to a new, unknown setting is always difficult.
How challenging is it to move to a new city or country where the
gospel needs to be spread? Mission to the cities requires willingness to
undertake new adventures and hardships.
“Our workers are not reaching out as they should. Our leading men
are not awake to the work that must be accomplished. When I think of
the cities in which so little has been done, in which there are so many
thousands to be warned of the soon coming of the Saviour, I feel an
intensity of desire to see men and women going forth to the work in
the power of the Spirit, filled with Christ’s love for perishing souls.”
—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 40.
Why is the long list of priests and Levites mentioned in Nehemiah

12:1–26? What is the connection between them and the dedication
of the wall of Jerusalem described in the second part of the same
chapter (Neh. 12:27–47)?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
God wants things to be done in a proper way. Dedicated and conse-
crated people are needed first before great things can be accomplished.
These priestly families helped Nehemiah build the walls in order that
they could safely worship the living God in the temple without inter-
vention from outside. Walls were important for security, but without
devoted priests, true worship would be in jeopardy. Hence, all the
people, in their various functions, had their roles to play.
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F riday November 29
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Test of Discipleship,”

pp. 57–65, in Steps to Christ.
“There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and
who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their char-
acter is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether
their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would
say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down
and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mis-
takes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by
the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No;
Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for
us. . . . He desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity and
holiness reflected in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him,
He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day
of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come
to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and
we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance.”—Ellen G.
White, Steps to Christ, p. 64.
 Think about Daniel 2 and how Daniel, thousands of years ago,
so accurately predicted the rise and fall of empires, even depicting
(very accurately) the disunity of modern Europe today. How can
we learn to draw comfort from this prophecy, which so powerfully
shows us, even amid the chaos of the world, that God knows all
that is happening and has even predicted it?
 God knows all about us. This is comforting and gives us secu-
rity and the assurance that we are in His care. “But now, this is
what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed
you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have sum-
moned you by name; you are mine’ ” (Isa. 43:1, NIV). How can you
assure others of God’s presence and care when they go through
emotional, relational, social, or financial crises?
 Dwell more on the issue, in Wednesday’s study, of Ezra’s not

wanting to call on the king for help because he was afraid that it
would make his words about God’s protection seem hollow. We
know, for example, that God is a healer. Does this mean, then, that
we are showing a lack of faith in Him to heal us if we go to a medi
cal doctor? Discuss this issue in class.
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i n s i d e
Story
Teaching Russian Orphans
The challenge appeared enormous. Natalya Balan, the 59-year-old grand-
mother, wasn’t sure how to make God real to the two young brothers that she had
brought home from a Russian orphanage.
The boys—Daniil (age 10) and his brother, Nikita (age 9)—had suffered
unspeakable abuse from their alcoholic father and later in the orphanage. Their
mother was dead.
Natalya and her husband, Yakov, a retired Seventh-day Adventist pastor,
took the foster children into their home in Obolensk, a small town of 4,600
people located 70 miles (115 kilometers) south of Moscow, after reading church
cofounder Ellen White’s appeal for every Adventist family to care for orphans.
The parents prayed earnestly for God to manifest Himself in the boys’ lives.
Then calamity struck. Daniil and Nikita owned a pair of old bicycles, a gift
from kind neighbors, that they loved to ride. But the boys disliked taking the
bicycles up the elevator to the seventh floor of their apartment building. They
ignored Father’s warning not to leave them on the first-floor landing, and one day
the bicycles were gone. How the boys cried!
“Let’s pray, and God will help,” Mother said. At morning worship, Mother
prayed, “Dear God, please help the boys who stole the bikes to return them.”
Then the boys prayed.
The town had only one school, and Mother was sure that schoolboys had
taken the bicycles. With permission from the principal, she hung signs around the
school with the following message: “Children from this school stole two bikes
belonging to two foster children. Please return the bikes.”
Mother and the two boys prayed every morning and evening for three days.
Then the intercom rang, signaling that someone downstairs wished to speak
with the family. A male voice said, “Come down and take the bike.”
Downstairs, Mother found a stranger with an expensive, brand-new bicycle.
“I saw your sign when I took my son to the first grade,” he said. “My boy is too
small for this bike, so I have decided to give it to you.”
The big bicycle went to the older boy, Daniil. “God, thank You for such a nice
bike!” he prayed that evening.
Nikita also was happy, but he wished for his own
bicycle. Mother told him, “Let’s pray to God.” The
family prayed for a bicycle for Nikita for several days.
One morning, the intercom rang again, and a male
voice said, “Come down and take the bike.”
Mother found another stranger with another
expensive bicycle. The man also said the bicycle was
too big for his first-grade son. Nikita was overjoyed!
“I thank God that He answers prayers—especially my
own that my children would know God,” Natalya said.
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Study Focus: Ezra 2, Ezra 8, Nehemiah 7, Nehemiah 10, Nehemiah 12
Lesson 9 analyzes several lists and genealogies that are found in the
books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The lists include genealogies of those
who returned to Judah with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2) and then with Ezra
(Ezra 8) and Nehemiah (Nehemiah 7), as well as the enumeration
of the vessels and articles that were brought back by Sheshbazzar
(Zerubbabel) for the temple of the Lord (Ezra 1:7–11) after being
carried off to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. In Nehemiah 12 is a list
of priests and Levites who are enumerated in order that the true wor-
ship of God can continue. The attention to all such detail demonstrates
God’s care for even the little things in our lives. Moreover, each of the
lists teaches us a lesson. The listing of the vessels from the temple
brings us back to the banquet of Belshazzar, who purposefully offends
God by using these sacred items for his feast (Daniel 5). On the other
hand, Cyrus honors God and His people by sending the articles back
with the people to Jerusalem. The genealogical listings remind the
reader that God does not forget His people, that He preserves their
families, and that each family has a role in God’s work. Unfortunately,
the numbering of the people also demonstrates that not very many
of the Israelites ended up returning to Israel. The majority became
comfortable in their new homes and culture and did not want to make
the trip back to the Promised Land. Those who went back displayed
courage and trust in God’s guidance despite the uncertain conditions
of rebuilding the land.
Part II: Commentary

Genealogies
Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 list the same group of returnees. It is a repeat

of all of the people who eventually returned to Israel from the three
groups that came over with Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. The
ultimate number of the whole company returning to Israel is 42,360
(Ezra 2:64, Neh. 7:66). This figure is confusing, however, because it
is considerably higher than the sum of the figures given in the two
chapters:
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teachers comments
Exile Lists Ezra 2 Nehemiah 7

Men of Israel 24,144 25,406
Priests 4,289 4,289
Levites, Singers, Gatekeepers 341 360
Temple Servants 392 392
(Descendants of Solomon’s
Servants)
Men of Unproven Origin 652 642
Totals 29,818 31,089
In both Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7, the final figures are the same (42,360)
but counted a little bit differently. How can we explain these discrepan-
cies? There are a few possibilities. It may be that the total number includes
priests of unknown origin (Ezra 2:61–63), and some additional groups also
are probably not mentioned. However, the overall message is crystal clear:
God knows those who are His, and no one will be forgotten (2 Tim. 2:19).
Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 list various categories of people who came
back, along with identifying the names of families, their heads, and repre-
sentatives. What specific categories of people are listed? Priests, Levites,
singers, the Nethinim (temple servants), gatekeepers, sons of Solomon’s
servants, as well as some who could not prove that they were Israelites
but were accepted among the people, just not part of the priesthood (Ezra
2:59–63). The different categories especially demonstrate the different
roles that the Jews held in working for God. We are each given different
gifts and sometimes assignments based on the strengths, gifts, and talents
God has given us. He has created each one of us different so that together
we make one complete body of believers. The singers were just as impor-
tant as the priests as they led the people in worship. The temple servants
had the important job of keeping the temple clean and organized. They
also assisted the Levites with their duties.
List of Animals
Interestingly, animals also are counted in this list of people who
returned from Babylonian exile, specifically 736 horses, 245 mules,
435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys (Ezra 2:66, 67). Some could interpret
this enumeration as powerful evidence that God also cares for animals.
Throughout the Bible, God shows His concern for all life. God saved
animals in Noah’s ark (Gen. 7:2, 3, 8) and refused to destroy Nineveh
because not only humans repented but also many animals lived there
(see Jon. 4:11). Moreover, God gave humans at Creation a solemn
delegated responsibility to represent Him and care for His created
world (Gen. 1:28). The same was repeated after the Flood, although
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teachers comments
with complications (Gen. 9:2) because now the “fear of humans” was
placed in animals.
List of Priests
In Ezra 8, Ezra the scribe records the genealogy of those who went with
him from Babylon. Only about five to six thousand people came back
with Ezra. Ezra’s main concern is for the priestly lineage, given that he
was a priest but also because priests were important for the proper func-
tion of the temple services. Therefore, he begins the record by tracing the
descendants of Phinehas (son of Eleazar) and Ithamar, who came from
Aaron, the high priest. Next, he traces the political line of King David
through Hattush, and then ordinary citizens fill the rest of the account.
Exactly 12 clans are mentioned, reminding the reader of the 12 tribes of
Israel. Although the 12 tribes did not return in total, the small number of
the Jews who did is just as important as if the 12 tribes were still intact.
One of the lessons of this genealogy is that just as God never abandoned
the 12 tribes of Israel, so He will watch over the returnees.
After Ezra gathers the people at the river Ahava to travel to Jerusalem,
he is saddened because the Levites didn’t come. Those who were to
teach the people about God and had the greatest role in restoring the
people to “walking with God” did not make the decision to return to the
land of Israel. So, Ezra acts. He calls nine leaders and a couple men who
are described as “men of understanding” (Ezra 8:16) and gives them the
task of going to a man named “Iddo” in Casiphia and requesting that he
send them Levites, as well as some Nethinims. Not much is known about
Iddo or the place of Casiphia, except that it must have been a densely
populated site by the Jews. Ezra then praises God because Iddo sent 38
Levites and 220 Nethinims, who were appointed to serve the Levites
and help in the temple. The priestly group responded to the Holy Spirit’s
prompting and decided to join the assembly at the Ahava River.
Nehemiah 12 records the names of the priests and Levites from the
time of the first return from Babylon to the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Once again, the chronicling of the names demonstrates the signifi-
cance of the priestly families. The account of the dedication of the wall
of Jerusalem comes right after the listing of the priests and Levites,
because before the story is told, it must be established that the nation is
fully equipped with the personnel needed for the dedication, as well as
committed to godliness.
List of Gold and Silver Articles
Before they left for Jerusalem, Ezra proclaimed a fast and a time of prayer.
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teachers comments
He did not want to ask for an escort from the king; he spent time on his knees
instead. He knew that they needed protection for the journey and needed
God to deliver them from looters and raiding parties. Before departing for
Jerusalem, Ezra divided the articles and offering for the temple among 12
leaders among the priests. The list of these items is recorded in Ezra 8:24–30.
The silver and gold items were a freewill offering to God. As they receive the
items, Ezra tells them, “You are holy to the Lord; the articles are holy also”
(Ezra 8:28, NKJV). The concept of holiness was a crucial one throughout the
book of Ezra as the returnees are to dedicate their lives to God and be His
representatives on the earth. Ezra and the leaders wanted to reverse the wrong
that their forefathers had committed. They were on a mission for God and
were going to do it with full commitment to Him.
List of Animals for a Burnt Offering

Another list appears at the end of this account as the exiles arrive in
Jerusalem. The list consists of animals offered to God as a burnt offering
after arriving safely at their new home (Ezra 8:35). The people offer 12
bulls, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and 12 male goats. The incredible number of
animals sacrificed as burnt offerings demonstrates the thankfulness of the
returnees. They were grateful for God’s protection as they realized that it
was not by chance that they had arrived at Jerusalem safely. They also were
looking forward to the future. Because God had taken care of them on the
journey there, He had a plan for Israel to prosper.
1. Take each of the lists that are mentioned above and think through
other possible lessons that we may learn from each of them.
a. Answer the following questions as you think about it:
(1) Why did the scribe think it was important to record the list?
(2) Why did God preserve these records?
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teachers comments
(3) What does each list mean for you today?
(4) What other characteristics of God can you see through the
lists other than that He cares for us and details?
2. Holiness was an important concept of the priesthood as well as

of the nation of Israel. On the whole, that is why it was vital to
keep records of all the priests and Levites. Throughout the Old
Testament, God calls all His people to be holy because He is holy
(Lev. 19:2). To be holy because God is holy means that we care
about moral uprightness.
a. Is holiness and holy living still important today? If yes, why?
b. Does a morally upright person stand out in today’s world?
c. Given that we do not have the Old Testament temple and the
priesthood, what can we do to make sure that we, as Adventist
Christians, fully live for God and live holy lives?
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L esson 10 *November 30–December 6
Worshiping the Lord
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Neh. 12:27–47; 1 Chron.
25:6–8; 1 John 1:7–9; John 1:29, 36; 1 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 9:1–11.
Memory Text: “And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks
to the Lord: ‘For He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward
Israel’ ” (Ezra 3:11, NKJV).
T
his week’s memory text gives us insight into the Hebrews’
worship practices and how their gratitude toward God had
overflowed in praise to Him. In 515 b.c. they celebrated the
dedication of the new temple (Ezra 6:15–18), and then, about 60 years
later, the people celebrated the dedication of Jerusalem’s completed
wall (Neh. 6:15–7:3; 12:27 onward).
Following the listing of genealogies in Nehemiah 11 and 12, the
author transitions to the time they celebrated the dedication of the city
wall. It was customary for the nation to dedicate things to God: the
temple, a city wall, or even houses and public buildings. Such a dedi-
cation was thoughtfully prepared and was accompanied with singing,
music, feasting, sacrifices, rejoicing, merriment, and the purification of
the people. David established the practice of sacrifices during a dedica-
tion, and afterward Israel’s leaders followed his example, starting with
Solomon when he brought the ark into the temple (1 Kings 8:5).
This week we will look at how they worshiped the Lord during this
time and see things that we, who worship the same Lord, can apply to
ourselves.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 7.
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S unday December 1
Singing the Songs of the Lord

Read Nehemiah 12:27–29. Notice some of the key words that reveal
what their worship and praise was like. How would you describe it?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The Israelite nation had commissioned a specific class of the Levites
to be singers and musicians for the temple services. God directed the
practice and gave instructions for the service, as the temple worship
was to be beautiful and professionally performed.
King David had organized this practice into a more elaborate and
magnificent system than had previously been done. Therefore, the
descendants of Asaph, whom David had appointed as the leader of wor-
ship in the temple, were still designated as “the singers in charge of the
service of the house of God” (Neh. 11:22, NKJV).
Look up 1 Chronicles 25:6–8. What does this teach us about how cen-
tral and important music was to their worship and their singing
“the songs of the Lord”?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The singers were Levites and, therefore, officially assigned to the
temple. Thus, providing music for the temple services was their paid
job. During the time of King David, a full-fledged music academy was
organized, which he supervised. It had teachers and students, young
and old, who worked in shifts in the temple, providing music. Some
were instrumentalists, others singers, yet others took care of the instru-
ments and the garments used for the services. What was the purpose
of such a professional organization? It served to develop talent and the
vision of excellence in worship. Excellence must always be a goal in
worship. Praises must come from the heart and be expressed in the best
way so that people will be spiritually uplifted. One can assume that
those musicians and singers who served in the temple were carefully
selected to lead the worship service.
What are ways that you have experienced the joy of worship
through music? In what ways is this important to you?
_____________________________________________________
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M onday December 2
Purification
After the Scriptures talk about the dedication of the wall, and then the
gathering of the singers, the next verse, Nehemiah 12:30, talks about
purification. “Then the priests and Levites purified themselves, and
purified the people, the gates, and the wall” (NKJV).
The Hebrew root word for “purified,” thr, means “to be clean, to be
pure,” and it is used in many contexts in the Old Testament, including
those with the idea of being morally pure and clean before God.
Consider this: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have

fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies
us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and
the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”
(1 John 1:7–9, NIV). What does this text teach us about (1) human
nature, (2) God’s forgiveness, and (3) God’s power in our lives?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The temple and its services were crucial components of the religion of
ancient Israel. But the temple and its services were a means to an end,
not an end in and of themselves. And that end, of course, was to lead
the people into a saving relationship with their covenant God, the Lord
Jesus Christ, and to know His cleansing power in their lives. And it’s the
knowledge of what God has done, what the Lord has saved us from, that
leads us to love Him and to worship Him. That’s one reason the ancient
Israelites recounted over and over what God had done in their past. It
helped them to know the goodness and love of the Lord, which was central
to the joy and thanksgiving that was to permeate their worship experience.
For us today, the experience and appreciation of forgiveness for sin
should come out of gratitude to God and lasting joy. Then it is easy to
praise the Lord and express appreciation for the beauty of His charac-
ter. And what greater revelation of God’s character can we have than
seeing Jesus on the cross, bearing the punishment for our sins so we
don’t have to bear that punishment ourselves?
Regardless of your past sins or your present character, at the

cross you can have complete forgiveness—and right at this very
moment, too. Why not claim the forgiveness that Jesus offers you
right now?
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T uesday December 3
Two Large Thanksgiving Choirs

Read Nehemiah 12:31–42. Why was music such an important part of
this celebration?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Part of the worship service in Nehemiah’s time was creating two thanks-
giving choirs that walked around Jerusalem singing, accompanied by
instruments. They started in the same place and then split off, each going
in a different direction around the walls of the city. One group was led
by Ezra, who was at the front, and the other group had Nehemiah at the
back. The two choirs met up once again at the Valley Gate and from there
proceeded into the temple. Priests who blew the trumpets complemented
each procession. Once the choirs entered the temple, they stood facing
each other. It was an excellently organized procession and worship service.
To answer why music is such an important part of the celebration
and worship service, we have to look at its meaning in the context of
the temple. Music in the temple was not a concert that people came to
enjoy, like going to listen to Beethoven’s fourth symphony being per-
formed at a concert hall. Rather, as the musicians sang and played the
instruments, the people bowed in prayer. It was part of their worship.
The central act of the temple and worship concerned sacrifices, itself
a rather unpleasant action. After all, what were they doing but slicing
the throats of innocent animals? The playing of such beautiful music,
in many ways, besides just lifting the people’s thoughts heavenward,
helped make the whole worship experience more pleasant.
Look up instances in the Bible in which music was an important aspect

of worship. Reflect especially on Exodus 15:1; 2 Chronicles 20:21,
22; and Revelation 15:2–4.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Both on earth and in heaven, music is part of the worship experience.
Notice that in the above verses the singing is all about what the Lord
has done for His people, including giving them victory “over the beast”
(after all, how else would they have gotten that victory?). It’s praise to
God for His acts of salvation.
Name some of the things that God has done for you that are good
reasons to sing praises to Him.
127
W ednesday December 4
Sacrifices as Part of Worship

Read Nehemiah 12:43. What was special about offering “great sacri-
fices” as part of their worship celebration?
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_____________________________________________________
Sacrifices were the most essential aspect of worship during the
time of the temple. Several different sacrifices were used, either for
the promise of forgiveness or to express the joy of fellowship and
gratitude to God. Sacrifices provided the substance for worship, as they
reminded the worshipers of the truth of God and who He is, and pointed
to the Promised Seed, the Messiah, who would sacrifice His life for
them, because He is the Lamb of God.
Read John 1:29, 36; 1 Corinthians 5:7; and Revelation 5:6, 12, 13.
What do they teach us about what the sacrifices ultimately pointed
to? If the ancient Israelites could rejoice over a dead farm animal, a
death that could reveal only so much truth, how much more reason
do we have to rejoice than they had?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Notice, too, how many times the idea of joy and rejoicing appears
in Nehemiah 12:43 alone. That is, amid the reverence, and perhaps the
godly fear that the people experienced in their worship service (after
all, the killing of an animal for their sins was a solemn thing), there was
joy and rejoicing, as well. When we approach God, it must be in awe
and reverence, as well as with rejoicing. Psalm 95 demonstrates that a
true act of adoration involves a summons to sing, shout joyfully, and
make music to celebrate God (Ps. 95:1), as well as to bow down and
kneel before the Lord (Ps. 95:6). Striving to achieve a balance between
joy and reverence is crucial for adoring, praising, and worshiping our
Creator.
When we think that, at the cross, the Creator of all that is created
(see John 1:1–3) hung there, dying for the sins of His creation,
what emotion do we first experience? What role also can, and
should, joy play in our experience of the Cross?
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128
T hursday December 5
Priests and Levites as Part of Worship

Read Nehemiah 12:44–47. Why did Judah rejoice “over the priests
and Levites who ministered”? Why were they important?
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_____________________________________________________
What did the work of the priests (who were Levites) symbolize? See
Hebrews 9:1–11.
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“The intercession of Christ in man’s behalf in the sanctuary above is
as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon the cross. By
His death He began that work which after His resurrection He ascended
to complete in heaven. We must by faith enter within the veil, ‘whither
the forerunner is for us entered.’ Hebrews 6:20.”—Ellen G. White, The
Great Controversy, p. 489.
Again, though the people back then certainly didn’t have the
light that we have today, they understood enough to know that the
work of the Levites, who alone could minister in the temple, was so
important. They were excited that the work of God would be done
through them.
The nation had been spending time with God in reading His
Word, praying, worshiping, and rededicating themselves to Him.
Amid all this they realized that the ministries of the temple had
been neglected and needed to be restored. Now that these were
established again, the people rejoiced over the important work the
Levites would be doing on their behalf. God impressed the nation
that the ministries of the temple were part of His design for worship.
Unfortunately, ministers, teachers of the Word, and musicians are
often taken for granted. Even during the time of Nehemiah, the support
of the Levites was sometimes strong and sometimes very weak. The
Levites had to go back to other work many times in order to provide for
their families, because the people stopped giving tithes and offerings.
Without tithes and offerings, there is no organized worldwide
church. If we want our ministries to continue, we must be committed
to supporting our ministers by monetary contributions as well as ver-
bal appreciation. The church may never be perfect, but that shouldn’t
undermine our giving to God so that His work can continue around the
world.
129
F riday December 6
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Growing Up Into Christ,” pp.

67–75, in Steps to Christ.
“The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed
through all eternity. In Christ glorified they will behold Christ cru-
cified. Never will it be forgotten that He whose power created and
upheld the unnumbered worlds through the vast realms of space, the
Beloved of God, the Majesty of heaven, He whom cherub and shin-
ing seraph delighted to adore—humbled Himself to uplift fallen man;
that He bore the guilt and shame of sin, and the hiding of His Father’s
face, till the woes of a lost world broke His heart and crushed out His
life on Calvary’s cross. That the Maker of all worlds, the Arbiter of
all destinies, should lay aside His glory and humiliate Himself from
love to man will ever excite the wonder and adoration of the universe.
As the nations of the saved look upon their Redeemer and behold the
eternal glory of the Father shining in His countenance; as they behold
His throne, which is from everlasting to everlasting, and know that
His kingdom is to have no end, they break forth in rapturous song:
‘Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to
God by His own most precious blood!’ ”—Ellen G. White, The Great
Controversy, pp. 651, 652.
 In class, talk about finding the right balance in worship
between reverence and joy. Or, work through this question: Are
reverence and joy mutually exclusive anyway?
 The Israelites placed the wall of Jerusalem under divine pro-

tection through the dedication ceremony and thus acknowledged
that a wall is useless unless God defends it. Solomon expressed it
well: “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in
vain” (Ps. 127:1, NIV). What should this tell us about any of our
endeavors for the Lord?
 What is the role of music in your own church’s worship experi-

ence?
 Scripture is clear: Jesus is our High Priest in the sanctuary

in heaven. What, exactly, is He doing for us there? What can the
ministry of the priests in the earthly temple teach us about what
Jesus is doing for us in the heavenly one?
130
i n s i d e
Story
Three Warnings in Abkhazia
Valentina Dmitrienko, intent on finding corn to bake lepyoshka flatbread
for her family, hurried to the outdoor market in Abkhazia, a breakaway
region in the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
She didn’t have much money, and a months-long armed struggle in her
hometown, Sukhumi, had caused a severe food shortage.
Valentina found a woman selling dried corn kernels from a cloth bag, but
she didn’t have enough money. Valentina stood silently and thought, How can
I feed my family?
Suddenly, she felt someone tap her left shoulder and address her with a
friendly but firm voice, “Valya, get out now!”
Startled, she spun around. No one was there.
Valentina stood puzzled for a moment, but her thoughts quickly returned to
her husband, Pavel, who worked as a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, and their
16-year-old daughter, Natasha. She looked at the woman with the precious
corn.
Again, she felt a tap on her shoulder. “Valya, get out now!”
Realizing something was wrong, Valentina rushed toward the exit but
stopped to greet two neighbors, Yury and Taisia. Then she saw a woman sell-
ing straw brooms and asked, “How much?”
She felt a tap on her shoulder for the third time. “Valya, get out now!”
Valentina fled. Two minutes later, she heard the terrifying whistle of an artil-
lery shell flying over her head. Two more shells followed in quick succession.
Valentina stopped dead in her tracks as a loud boom reverberated across the
city center. Valentina saw a huge cloud of smoke and dust rising from the mar-
ket. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she ran home, praying, “God, thank
You for saving me! But who am I? Why did You protect me?”
Later, Valentina returned to the market and saw craters left by the blasts.
Two craters marked the exact spots where she had stood and looked longingly
at the corn and brooms.
Recalling that day in 1993, Valentina often thinks about Isaiah 43:2, where the
Lord says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through
the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you
shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you” (NKJV).
“The artillery shell is like the fire that scorches people,
but God promises, ‘I will be with you,’ ” said Valentina,
left. “We gave God the right to protect us by walking
with Him and living with Him. Our whole life has been a
life of service. Why did Christ come into this world? To
serve, as Ellen White says. This has been the goal of our
life—to serve.”
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Text: Ezra 3:11
Study Focus: Nehemiah 12:27–47
In order to give authority to Jerusalem’s priesthood, Nehemiah 12 begins

by listing the Levites and priests from Babylonian times to Ezra and
Nehemiah’s period. Once it was established that the Jews had skilled
people for the temple services, the next part of the chapter focuses on
the service of dedication for Jerusalem’s wall. However, it is not the wall
that ensures security but rather the Lord. Thus, the people are not secure
unless the Lord protects them. Dedications of objects or buildings were
commonly performed by the Israelites in order to acknowledge that power
is not in an object but in God (Ps. 127:1, 2).
The dedication service for Jerusalem’s wall began with two large
choirs moving separately through Jerusalem and ultimately joining at the
temple. There, “great sacrifices” were performed, and the people rejoiced
with “great joy.” In fact, the joy of the people was so loud that even their
distant enemies heard the celebration of the wall’s completion. Afterward,
Nehemiah made sure to delegate temple responsibilities so that the provi-
sions were arranged according to the law for all of the Levites and the
temple servants. The people were excited to have the temple functioning
again. They wanted to make sure that supplies had been secured for those
who served the Lord, not just for the present moment but for the future.
Part II: Commentary

Purification
Before performing the wall’s dedication, the priests and Levites purified
themselves and the people as well as the gates and the wall. The purifica-
tion rituals common in Israel symbolized cleansing from sin and separa-
tion for holiness. The rituals mainly involved washing clothes and bathing
(Exod. 29:4, Exod. 40:12–15, Lev. 16:20–28, Num. 19:7).
Several purification rituals existed in Israel. The most serious puri-
fication ritual was performed for anyone who came in contact with a
dead body. Given that death reflects the state of mortality resulting from
sin, the person or persons had to undergo special purification, a proce-
dure described in Numbers 19. The priest burned a red heifer without
blemish whose ashes were placed in a bowl with water. Someone who
was clean took a hyssop and dipped it in the water and then sprinkled
it on the items or people who were considered unclean. If the water of
132
teachers comments
purification was not sprinkled on someone who was unclean, then his
uncleanness was still on him (Num. 19:13).
On the Day of Atonement, the high priest who performed the cleans-
ing of the sanctuary and performed sacrifices for his sin as well as the
people’s changed his clothes. Before putting on the “holy garments,” he
washed his body (Lev. 16:4). After the service was completed, the priest
once again took off the “holy garments” and washed his body (Lev.
16:23, 24). The person who released the scapegoat did the same before
coming back into the Israelite camp (Lev. 16:26).
Other categories of purification included purification for priests
(Exod. 29:1–9), who were to wash their hands and bodies (Exod.
30:17–21, Exod. 40:12–14, 30–32); purification from leprosy (just as
sin leads to death, so leprosy ended in death [Lev. 13:6, 34]); bodily
discharges (Lev. 15:1–29, Deut. 23:10, 11); and cleansing of the Levites
(Num. 8:5–7, Num. 19:7–22). Because the priests and Levites were
involved in the dedication of the wall, they went through purification
first by washing their hands and feet and perhaps their bodies. Then
they purified the people, who were most likely asked to wash, as well,
and maybe even wash their clothes. Additionally, the Bible mentions that
the gates and the wall were purified, which means that each would have
been sprinkled by water.
The water of purification was not miraculous in itself; rather, it was
the Word of God that declared that purification cleansed the people
from sin and death. The ritual served as a symbol of purity. Holiness
and cleansing from sin were important for approaching God in a dedi-
cation ceremony. The ritual cleansing showed that the blood of Christ
cleansed and covered the people. The purification service incorporated
forgiveness for sins. As people humbled themselves before God and
washed, they were acknowledging that they needed help; they needed
to be made clean by God. They had to be made whole and holy by God,
not by their own actions. Yet, God required the action of washing as a
tangible reminder of His transformative power in the lives of His people.
Great Joy
The major part of the dedication ceremony involved music and worship.
First, the Levites and singers gathered in Jerusalem; many of them lived
beyond Jerusalem and came into the city only when it was their turn to
minister. The priests, Levites, and singers led in celebrating God’s provi-
sion for them through thanksgivings (verbally acknowledging what God
had done) and singing praises to Him. Harps, cymbals, and other stringed
instruments accompanied two large choirs as they sang and separately
walked through Jerusalem, finally joining again at the temple and sing-
ing loudly (Neh. 12:42). Literally, the phrase states that the singers were
heard. Their joy could not be contained or suppressed as was demonstrated
133 133
teachers comments
through loud praises. They sang loudly because they were overjoyed over
the quick completion of the wall and how God had come through for them.
When the foundation of the temple was laid after their return from
Babylonian exile in 537/536 b.c., the people, priests, and Levites praised
the Lord (Ezra 3:10, 11). The same thing now occurred in Nehemiah’s
time after the completion of Jerusalem’s wall. Everyone praised the Lord,
and the two appointed choirs expressed thanks to the Lord for the accom-
plished work (Neh. 12:31, 38).
The people rejoiced greatly. Literally, verse 43 says that God made
them samach (rejoice) with great samach (joy). The word samach appears
five times in just that one verse. It appears one time in verse 44, as the
people also rejoiced over the priests and Levites who ministered in the
temple. Then it appears again in verse 27, which introduces the whole
account, stating that the people called the Levites in order to celebrate the
dedication with gladness (samach).
Thus, the word appears in the chapter exactly seven times, which
should strike the reader as significant. The number seven in the Bible is
a number of fullness, completion, and perfection. Therefore, the samach
that the people experience is full. God has made them rejoice. Their act of
rejoicing demonstrates what true joy in life is, for they rejoice over what
God has done. The lesson for us today is to celebrate what God is doing
in our lives, not overlooking His benevolent actions, nor taking them for
granted. Rather, we should celebrate His providence. Acknowledgment of
God’s blessing and leadership leads to gratitude and emotional stability.
Thankfulness makes us happy and victorious.
Joy is a defining aspect of worship, but so is reverence to God, which can
be defined as an experience of awe through a personal encounter with God.
The balance between joy and reverence is very important; and yet, unfortu-
nately, it is often overlooked. If a worship service has respect for God but no
joy, then it becomes dry and stiff. On the other hand, when only joy is incor-
porated and reverence is not taken into account, the worship services tend to
be filled with emotionalism rather than truth. Therefore, our worship services
must include both facets. Reverence and joy work together to create a right,
worshipful atmosphere. The Israelites understood the need for this balance, as
they rejoiced loudly and with all their hearts while at the same time praising
God for what He had done. Their worship was based on truth and the deeds of
God, not on emotionalism. Some who jump from worship service to worship
service in order to experience a “spiritual high” are missing the point of prais-
ing God. Our worship must always be rooted in Jesus, not in our feelings. And
yet, the Israelites definitely had a feeling of joy and happiness as they praised
God. These joyful feelings were God-given and were based on the truth of
who God is and what He has done. Seeking God in life as well as worshiping
Him keeps us grounded in His grace and gratitude.
134
teachers comments

Purification
Purification rituals represent cleansing from sin and are a preparation for
coming before God and acknowledging that without Him we are “dirty.”
Although we do not participate in purification rituals today, in what way can
we apply the principle behind the cleansing? We can come to God as we are
but not just in any manner. So, how should we approach God? What must
we do to humble ourselves before Him? In what ways can we demonstrate
this attitude in our lives today?
Joy
1. Read Psalm 136, a psalm full of praise and worship to God. What
does this psalm teach us in regard to worship? What different situa-
tions are described when approaching God? What kind of things does
the psalm praise God for?
2. How can you make sure that your church praises God with a balance
of joy and reverence?
3. Singers and musicians in the Old Testament had a prominent role in

worship and were important to the temple services. What can we do
to make sure that we value musicians in our churches today?
135
teachers comments
a. Think about ways that your church has either uplifted musi-
cians as ministers of God or ways that they have been pushed
to the side or perhaps even discouraged. In what meaningful
and reverent ways can your church include your pianists and
worship groups in the service?
b. Think of specific ways that, as a church, you can make your

musicians and singers understand that their God-given gifts
add value and enrich the church service.
4. If you are lacking joy in your own life when praising God, what
can you do to get that “first love” back?
136
L esson 11 *December 7–13
Backslidden People
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Neh. 13:1–9, Deut. 23:3–6,
Neh. 13:10–14, Num. 18:21–24, Neh. 13:15–22, John 5:5–16.
Memory Text: “And I commanded the Levites that they should

cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates,
to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning
this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!”
(Nehemiah 13:22, NKJV).
I
n the interim between chapters 12 and 13, Nehemiah returns to
Babylon. Though we don’t know how long he was gone, when he
returned (probably around 430–425 b.c.) the people were backslid-
ing. Though they had covenanted with God on these matters—first, not
to intermarry with idolaters; second, to observe the Sabbath carefully;
and, third, to take care of the temple and its personnel by tithe and offer-
ings (Nehemiah 10)—they had violated all three of these promises.
By the time Nehemiah returned, he found them very lax in their
devotion to God. The people had stopped returning tithes and offer-
ings, begun using temple rooms for other purposes, ceased keeping
the Sabbath properly, and even returned to intermarriage with the
nations around them. Worst of all, it was the leadership whom he had
left behind that contributed to the decline in the Israelites’ relationship
with God. It is not surprising that Nehemiah was devastated when he
discovered how much had changed. However, instead of accepting it,
once again as his character demanded, he acted for God’s glory.
137
S unday December 8
Tainted Temple Leadership

Nehemiah 13 begins with a concern about Ammonite and Moabite
foreigners or idolaters in their midst (Neh. 13:1–3). These verses do not
speak about driving away individuals from a different nation or race who
followed God, but rather they refer to sending away those who were of a
different faith—not converts but idolaters. See also Deut. 23:3–6.
Read Nehemiah 13:1–9. Who were Eliashib and Tobiah? Why is what
they did unacceptable? Look at Neh. 2:10, 19; 3:1; 12:10, 22; 13:28.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Both Eliashib and Tobiah are known figures in the book of
Nehemiah. Eliashib was the high priest of the nation, and he also was
in charge of the temple. Tobiah is mentioned as the Ammonite enemy
of Nehemiah who vehemently opposed his work in Jerusalem. The alli-
ance of Eliashib and Tobiah suggests a relationship established through
marriage.
Even though records of the marriage connection have not been pre-
served, we know that Tobiah had a Jewish name (meaning the “Lord
is good”), and thus most likely came from a Jewish background. His
wife’s family, the descendants of Arah, though unidentified, are believed
to have been related to Eliashib’s family. Additionally, Sanballat the
Horonite, Nehemiah’s other opponent, had a daughter who was mar-
ried to Eliashib’s grandson. Therefore, the circle of intrigue around
Nehemiah must have been intense as the highest-ranked officials in
the land were related and in an alliance against Nehemiah’s leadership.
During the governor’s absence, the high priest gave Tobiah one of
the rooms in the temple that was designated to hold the tithe, gifts, and
offerings. Tobiah was granted permanent residence in the temple, a way
of establishing him as one of the leaders of the nation. The enemies
of Nehemiah finally achieved what they wanted all along: to displace
Nehemiah and be in charge themselves. Fortunately, Nehemiah wasn’t
going to sit by and do nothing.
Why do God’s people all through sacred history—whether the

Jews in ancient Israel, or the Christians who followed them dur-
ing and after New Testament times—so easily allow themselves to
be led astray? How can we avoid their mistakes?
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138
M onday December 9
The Levites in the Fields

Read Nehemiah 13:10–14. What is Nehemiah seeking to remedy here?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The singers, gatekeepers, and other temple servants had to go back
to working in their own fields in order to feed their families, because
the work for God was not being supported. The whole tithes-and-
offerings system that was so painstakingly established now lay in ruins.
Nehemiah had to start over. The act of throwing everything out of the
room shows desperation.
“Not only had the temple been profaned, but the offerings had been
misapplied. This had tended to discourage the liberalities of the people.
They had lost their zeal and fervor, and were reluctant to pay their
tithes. The treasuries of the Lord’s house were poorly supplied; many
of the singers and others employed in the temple service, not receiving
sufficient support, had left the work of God to labor elsewhere.”—Ellen
G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 670.
It is fascinating to see that all of Judah came together again and
rebuilt what had been destroyed. The people were on Nehemiah’s
side against Tobiah and Eliashib, because they must have realized
that Nehemiah did everything he could for the benefit of the people.
Additionally, Nehemiah entrusted the temple grounds overseers’ posi-
tions to men whom he considered faithful and trustworthy. They were
given the task of collecting tithes and offerings, making sure the goods
were stored properly, and distributing the resources to the appropriate
parties. In other words, Nehemiah came in and uprooted the corrupt
system of leadership seemingly in one fell swoop.
Although Nehemiah appointed faithful men over the organization of
the temple, the corrupt high priest, Eliashib, did not lose his position,
because it was handed down through Aaron’s descent. His work in the
temple might have been crippled by Nehemiah’s measures of appoint-
ing others over some of the high priest’s responsibilities, but he was
still the high priest.
Nehemiah had prayed, “Remember me, O my God, concerning

this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the
house of my God, and for its services!” (Neh. 13:14, NKJV). What
was so human about that prayer?
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139
T uesday December 10
Tithes and Offerings

Nehemiah’s reforms of the temple services included the implementa-
tion of tithes and offerings.
Read Numbers 18:21–24; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 23:23; 1 Corinthians

9:7–14; 2 Corinthians 9:6–8; and Hebrews 7:1, 2. What do these
texts teach us about the importance of tithes and offerings, not just
in the temple service, but for today, as well?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Without the collection of tithes and offerings, the temple could not
function. When tithing stopped, the services in the temple fell apart,
and the whole worship system was in jeopardy. As temple personnel
went to look for other jobs to feed their families, they couldn’t focus
on taking care of the temple. Consequently, the worship of God dimin-
ished.
“The tithing system is beautiful in its simplicity. Its equity is revealed
in its proportional claim on the rich and on the poor. In proportion as
God has given us the use of His property, so we are to return to Him
a tithe.
“When God calls for the tithe (Mal. 3:10), He makes no appeal to
gratitude or generosity. Although gratitude should be a part of all our
expressions to God, we tithe because God has commanded it. The
tithe belongs to the Lord, and He requests that we return it to Him.”
—Seventh-day Adventists Believe . . . (2nd ed.) (Boise, Idaho: Pacific
Press® Publishing Association, 2005), p. 304.
Just as happened with the Israelite temple, our church would fall
apart without the support of the members’ tithes and offerings. Our
church services would not function without people who are paid to put
time into quality ministry, planning, and management of the church
for God. Worship of God also would be diminished in quality. Most
important, though, without tithes and offerings evangelism would be
nonexistent.
Moreover, we give tithes because God established the system in His
Word. There are times God doesn’t have to explain why He set some-
thing up. He expects us to trust that He is in control. We should find
out and be informed on how the system works, but then entrust it into
His hands.
Why is tithing so important for our own spirituality and as a

measure of our own trust in God?
140
Treading the Winepresses on Sabbath

Read Nehemiah 13:15, 16. What is the issue that Nehemiah addresses
here?
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_____________________________________________________
It is not easy to stand up for God when you are in the minority.
Because God said that the Sabbath was to be a holy day on which no
one was to do any work, Nehemiah intended to make sure that this
command was followed in Jerusalem. No doubt he felt a moral obliga-
tion to take the position he did and then act upon it.
The Sabbath was created as the pinnacle of Creation week because it
was a special day on which people were to be renewed and re-created
by spending time with God in ways that they can’t when engaged in
their occupations or other worldly pursuits.
It has been said that “more than Israel kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath
kept Israel.” The point is that the seventh-day Sabbath was, and
remains, a powerful means of helping keep faith alive in those who
by God’s grace seek to observe it and enjoy the physical and spiritual
benefits it offers us.
Read Nehemiah 13:17–22. What does Nehemiah do in order to stop

the “buying and selling” on the Sabbath?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Because Nehemiah is the governor of Judah, he sees his role as the
enforcer of the rules. Because the rules in Judah were based on the
law of God, he becomes a guardian of that law, including the Sabbath.
Maybe if the nobles of Judah had stood up to the corruption brought
in by the high priest, Nehemiah wouldn’t have found himself in this
situation. However, the rulers and nobles perhaps already resented
Nehemiah for making them give back to the poor earlier; thus, they
didn’t seem to object to the changes Eliashib and Tobiah brought in
either.
Nehemiah rebukes the nobles first and then commands that the gates
be shut and posts servants at the gates to guard them. When the market
place simply moves from inside the city to the outside, he takes even
more drastic measures and threatens to lay a hand on the merchants the
next Sabbath. Nehemiah must have been a man of his word, because the
merchants got the point and stayed away from then on.
141
Did Not Your Fathers Do Thus?

Nehemiah’s zeal for the Sabbath day is admirable. Nehemiah was so
passionate about observing the Sabbath correctly that he even promised
to “lay hands” on the merchants from other nations. In other words,
he would have personally intervened if he had caught them in the city
or by the gates on the Sabbath again. As a governor he had official
responsibilities to make sure that this commandment was kept properly.
“Nehemiah fearlessly rebuked them for their neglect of duty. ‘What
evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day?’ he sternly
demanded. ‘Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this
evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel
by profaning the Sabbath.’ He then gave command that ‘when the gates
of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath,’ they should be shut,
and not opened again till the Sabbath was past; and having more confi-
dence in his own servants than in those that the magistrates of Jerusalem
might appoint, he stationed them at the gates to see that his orders were
enforced.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, pp. 671, 672.
Nehemiah’s warning about Sabbath desecration, along with other
warnings about violating it, had apparently echoed down through the
ages even to Jesus’ time. We know this because the Gospels time and
again portray Jesus as struggling with the religious leaders over proper
Sabbath keeping.
Read Matthew 12:1–8, Mark 3:1–6, Luke 6:6–11, and John 5:5–16.
What was the issue here, and how does an understanding of ancient
Israel’s history help explain why the controversy arose?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
In their zeal, however misguided, to make sure that the Sabbath was
not “desecrated,” these religious leaders were so fanatical that they
accused Jesus, the “Lord of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:5, NKJV), of violat-
ing it. Talk about taking a good thing too far! The irony is that while
many of these men expressed great concern about the law, they forgot
the “weightier matters” of that law: “justice and mercy and faith” (Matt.
23:23, NKJV).
How can we, as individuals and as a church, be careful not to

make the same kind of mistake that these men did, whether with
the Sabbath or with something else that we believe is important
to the faith?
_____________________________________________________
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F riday December 13
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Rejoicing in the Lord,” pp.

115–126, in Steps to Christ.
“As he set before them God’s commands and threatenings, and the
fearful judgments visited on Israel in the past for this very sin, their
consciences were aroused, and a work of reformation was begun that
turned away God’s threatened anger and brought His approval and
blessing.
“There were some in sacred office who pleaded for their heathen
wives, declaring that they could not bring themselves to separate from
them. But no distinction was made; no respect was shown for rank
or position. Whoever among the priests or rulers refused to sever his
connection with idolaters was immediately separated from the service
of the Lord. A grandson of the high priest, having married a daugh-
ter of the notorious Sanballat, was not only removed from office,
but promptly banished from Israel. ‘Remember them, O my God,’
Nehemiah prayed, ‘because they have defiled the priesthood, and the
covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.’ ”—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings, pp. 673, 674.
 Read the Ellen G. White quote above. In class, talk about what
you think about what Nehemiah did, not making any exceptions,
even for those who seemed truly to love their wives and did not
want to separate from them. Do you think Nehemiah was too
strong, too unyielding, and could have made some exceptions?
Why, or why not? In this same context, how does the church exer-
cise discipline in love and understanding—and at the same time
be consistent and not diminish God’s standards of truth?
 Though we know that there is nothing legalistic about keeping

the seventh-day Sabbath—just as there is nothing legalistic about
not coveting, stealing, or lying—how can we be careful not to
make Sabbath keeping (or obedience to any commandment) into
something that becomes legalistic? Why is keeping the Cross and
what Christ has done for us on the cross always before us the most
powerful protection against the trap of legalism?
 At the same time, how can we protect ourselves against the

dangers that come from slow but steady compromise, such as what
Nehemiah confronted?
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i n s i d e
Story
Secret to Happy Home
Home was not a happy place for Hazel Moyo. Her father drank, and her
parents argued frequently in Gwanda, a small town in Zimbabwe. Hazel longed
to have a happy family.
At the age of 14, Hazel made a decision that triggered a chain of events that
would change her home forever. She started going to church. She saw other
children heading to Sunday services, and she wanted to go, too. So, she took
her nine-year-old brother by the hand and went. After high school, Hazel saw
a newspaper advertisement for Solusi University, a Seventh-day Adventist
institution located about two and a half hours by bus from her home. She met
university recruiters when they visited her town, and her father agreed to pay
for her tuition.
At Solusi, Hazel soon joined a singing group and asked them many ques-
tions about the Sabbath. One of the group’s members, a young married pastor
named Elyght Nyatanga, announced, “I want this girl to be my daughter. Every
Wednesday, I will pray and fast for her to know God.”
Five other group members liked the idea and, together with Hazel, joined in.
For three months they prayed and fasted. Then Solusi University held a Week
of Prayer, and Hazel was baptized.
When Hazel turned 23, Elyght presented her with Ellen White’s book
Messages to Young People. Hazel was touched by the advice for happy families.
She wanted a happy family. “I learned how you approach an angry parent, how
you address some of the issues that you have with parents, and how to show
honor to your parents,” she said. A favorite passage on page 331 says, “There are
many children who profess to know the truth, who do not render to their parents
the honor and affection that are due to them, who manifest but little love to father
and mother, and fail to honor them in deferring to their wishes, or in seeking to
relieve them of anxiety.”
Joy began to fill Hazel’s home as she followed the book’s advice. Then during
a school break, Hazel invited her parents to read the Bible and pray before going
to bed. They agreed! The next evening, Mother asked Hazel to read the Bible and
pray again. Soon the family began having evening and morning worship every
day. Happiness now permeates the home, and Hazel is
praying for her family to be baptized. “Now we are a
happy family—the kind of family that I always wanted,”
said Hazel, left.
Part of a 2015 Thirteenth Sabbath Offering went to Solusi University
to double the size of its cafeteria from 500 seats to 1,000. Thank you
for your mission offerings that allow Adventist schools like Solusi to
work with the Holy Spirit to change families for eternity.
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Study Focus: Nehemiah 13:1–22
The chapter begins with a quick mention of the prohibition in the law of
Moses against allowing Ammonites and Moabites to participate in the
gathering of Israel for festivals and solemn assemblies. Nehemiah states
that when the people heard the law about not mixing with idolaters (Deut.
23:3), “they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent” (Neh. 13:3,
ESV). Such was the power of the law upon the people’s minds and hearts.
The chapter then turns to describing the reforms that Nehemiah insti-
tuted before he returned to Babylon. King Artaxerxes had called him
back to Persia but then gave him permission to travel again to Israel. So,
after a time of absence, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem. Perhaps he had
heard some rumors about the bleak situation in Israel since his departure
and the corrupt leaders who had taken over. Sure enough, after Nehemiah
arrived in Jerusalem, he found that Eliashib, the high priest, had allowed
Tobiah, the Ammonite, to reside in a temple room. The first reform of
Nehemiah was to throw Tobiah out and restore the room to its original
purpose of containing grain offerings and frankincense. The second
reform concerned the Levites and singers who had not received the tithes
and offerings that were due them. Perhaps the people were disheartened by
the mismanagement of the temple and consequently were not giving their
tithes and offerings. Nehemiah restored the tithing system and appointed
leaders over certain aspects of the temple so that the corrupt high priest
did not have control over those areas. Last, Nehemiah restored the proper
keeping of the Sabbath. He closed the gates of the city on Sabbath to stop
business transactions and then threatened those who were still buying and
selling outside the walls of Jerusalem. His zeal for the proper observance
of the Sabbath is an example to this day.
Part II: Commentary

Tithing
One of the aspects that was extremely important to Nehemiah was tithing.
He restored the practice in Israel because the temple and its services could
not properly function without it. Why did Nehemiah feel so strongly about
the return of tithe?
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teachers comments
When tithes and offerings are mentioned, we often focus on the reward
that we will receive, based on Malachi 3:10. In this scripture, God tells the
Israelites to “try” Him in tithing, because if they give to Him He will bless
them. He states it personally: “I will . . . open the windows of heaven for
you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Mal.
3:10, ESV). Therefore, we encourage others to give to God so that they
will receive the blessing that God promises.
However, the giving of tithes and offerings should not be dependent on
the blessings we receive. In fact, the giving of tithes is called the “return”
of tithes, because everything we have is already a blessing from God,
for it has been given to us by Him. It is because God is our Creator and
we acknowledge Him as such that we give back to Him. We give out of
gratitude for what He has done: created us, sustains us, takes care of us,
died for us, and continues to re-create us. We see the attitude of gratitude
in tithe giving, especially in the stories of Abraham and Jacob.
In Genesis 14, we read about a battle in Canaan. Four Mesopotamian
kings (kings of Shinar, Ellasar, Elam, and Goyim) fought five kings of
Canaan, specifically of the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim,
and Bela. The Mesopotamian kings won the battle and seized loot and
captives. Because Lot lived in that region, he was captured. When Abram
realized that his nephew was taken away, he armed 318 of his trained
servants and pursued the Mesopotamian army. His small contingent of
warriors overtook and attacked the Mesopotamians and won. God gave
Abram an incredible victory, and he recovered all that had been taken,
including Lot.
On the way back, Abram had a surprising encounter with the king of
Salem, who also is called “the priest of God Most High.” Melchizedek
blessed Abram, and then Abram gave “him a tithe of all” (Gen. 14:20,
NKJV). Hebrews 7:2, 4 specifies that Abram gave a tenth of what he had.
Abram returned a tenth to God because God gave him an incredible vic-
tory. He was struck by the awesome and powerful God who went with
him and fought for him. His heart was full of gratitude, and so out of
thankfulness he gave a tithe.
Jacob had a similar experience when his parents sent him to his Uncle
Laban to marry a wife who followed God, rather than a Canaanite woman,
and also to protect him from his brother, Esau, who had decided to kill
him. While fleeing to Haran, Jacob fell asleep, and God gave him a dream
in which he saw a ladder going up to heaven and angels moving up and
down it, and “above it stood the Lord” (Gen. 28:13, NIV). God spoke to
him and promised to be with him and bless him. When Jacob woke up
from the dream, he exclaimed: “How awesome is this place! This is none
other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Gen. 28:17,
ESV). Afterward Jacob made a vow that if God indeed would be with him
as He stated in the dream, then not only would the Lord be his God, but he
would give God a tenth of everything that God gave him (Gen. 28:20–22).
146
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teachers comments
Once again, we see a person who is in awe of who God is and what He
does, and then out of gratitude promises to give tithe faithfully.
Therefore, it is from a full heart of gratitude and thankfulness that we
return tithe. Not primarily because we will receive a blessing by doing
so but because God is faithful and awesome by taking care of us and by
providing for us every single day. Nehemiah demonstrated through his
actions that tithing is extremely important, not only for supporting God’s
work but in helping us acknowledge that everything comes from Him. We
give because God gives to us. In this way, we participate in His ministry
for humanity.
Sabbath
The second aspect that Nehemiah addresses in this chapter is the day of
worship, the Sabbath. Israelites were doing business transactions with
people from surrounding places on the Sabbath instead of worshiping
the Lord (Lev. 23:3). Nehemiah strongly objected to the way the Sabbath
was being kept.
Nehemiah was the governor of the land, and because he was a strong,
godly man, he wanted to make sure that the people also followed God’s
instructions. Nehemiah felt that he had to take some strict measures in
order for the people to understand that the Sabbath was really supposed
to be holy. It was to be a day of resting in the Lord in which God’s people
took time to be with family and friends, and most important, spent time
with God. By doing business on Sabbath, God’s people were taking away
the opportunities for fellowship with God and robbing themselves of the
opportunities to show love and care for one another, as well.
God the Creator saw the Sabbath as extremely important, or He would
not have created it as a special day. If all that was needed had been com-
pleted in six days, then God would not have created the seventh. But He
did in order to give us a special day as a reminder that He is our Creator
and that we are created to be in fellowship with Him and dependent upon
Him. Also, on this day of rest from everyday business, we rejuvenate our
strength, and, most important, we respect God’s way of celebrating life
when He made this day holy. It was not to be like every other day; this was
a holy day. Holy means “separated to” a special purpose and “set apart for”
uplifting activities. Therefore, the things we do should be different from
the things we do on all the other days of the week. Jesus Himself stayed in
the grave on the Sabbath day and was resurrected on Sunday, keeping the
Sabbath even in His death. That is how important the Sabbath is to God.
Throughout the Bible, God shows us how crucial the Sabbath day is
by instructing us to turn away from business and common activities and
to celebrate the Lord of the Sabbath. He encourages us to recognize the
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teachers comments
Sabbath as “a delight,” as “the holy day of the Lord,” and to honor Him by not
doing our own ways, nor finding our own selfish pleasures, nor speaking our
own worldly words. God once again promises a blessing (Isa. 58:13, 14). In
the same way that He promises to bless us when we give tithe, He also prom-
ises a blessing when we live the Sabbath His way, not focusing on our own
desires but rather by glorifying God in all that we do. However, once again,
just as was mentioned with tithe, we are not to keep the Sabbath holy in order
to gain blessings. Rather, we are to keep it holy because it is a day that was
given to us as a gift to focus on the goodness of the Lord.

Tithing
1. What is the principle behind tithing? Why does God ask for 10 per-
cent back?
2. List the lessons that we can learn from the practice of tithing.
Sabbath
1. Why do you think that the Bible does not specifically mention what
we should and should not do on the Sabbath?
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teachers comments
2. Look at the following practical passages about keeping the

Sabbath: Exodus 16:22–30, Exodus 34:21, Exodus 35:3, Isaiah
56:2, Isaiah 58:13, and Jeremiah 17:21. Write out from these
texts the principles about how God wants us to keep the Sabbath
day holy.
3. Look at the following stories in the Bible about Sabbath keeping:

Mark 2:23–28, Mark 3:1–6, Luke 13:10–17, and John 5:1–12.
Reflect on these narratives and answer the following questions:
a. What is Jesus teaching about the Sabbath that the people or

leaders did not understand?
b. What are the principles about Sabbath keeping that we learn

from these stories?
149
Dealing With Bad

Decisions
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Neh. 13:23–25; Deut. 7:3, 4;
2 Cor. 6:14; Ezra 9; Ezra 10; 1 Cor. 7:10–17.
Memory Text: “And I said: ‘O my God, I am too ashamed and

humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have
risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heav-
ens’ ” (Ezra 9:6, NKJV).
E
zra and Nehemiah became leaders in communities in which
intermarriage with non-Israelites had become the norm. Both
leaders were strongly concerned about this, as they wanted to
lead the nation into a close relationship with God. They were aware of
the negative influence that nonbelievers or idol worshipers could have
on the people of Israel, as they had seen the terrible effects throughout
history. The Canaanite religions spread throughout Israel until Baal and
Asherah were being worshiped on every high hill. Moreover, the influ-
ence that pagan spouses had on the Israelite families was detrimental.
Balaam advised the Moabites to send their women to the Israelites,
sure that the Israelites would turn away from God as they fell for these
women. Unfortunately, he was right. Not only do spouses influence
each other, but also their children’s faith is impacted.
What will Ezra and Nehemiah do with Israel’s intermarriage situa-
tion? Will they let it go or stand up against it? This week we will look
at the way the two leaders approached this issue.
150
S unday December 15
Nehemiah’s Reaction
Read Nehemiah 13:23–25. What happened here, and how do we
explain Nehemiah’s reaction to the situation?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Since the children didn’t speak Aramaic (the language used during
the Exile) or Hebrew, they couldn’t understand the teachings from
Scripture. This was a real problem, because the knowledge of God’s
revelation could thus be distorted or even disappear. The scribes and
priests expounded on the Torah mostly in Aramaic in order to make the
preaching clear to the people. However, since the mothers were from
Ammon, Ashdod, and Moab and were generally the primary caregivers
for the children, it is not surprising that the children didn’t speak the
language of the fathers, as well. The language we speak informs the
way we think about concepts, because we use the vocabulary of that
culture. Loss of the biblical language would have meant losing their
special identity. Thus, for Nehemiah, it was unthinkable that families
were losing touch with the Word of God and consequently their con-
nection with the living God, the Lord of the Hebrews.
Biblical scholars point out that the actions of Nehemiah were most
likely a public shaming of the people as part of prescribed punish-
ments at that time. When it says that Nehemiah rebuked them and
cursed them, we shouldn’t think of Nehemiah using foul language and
expletives, but rather that he was speaking over them the curses of the
Covenant. Deuteronomy 28 outlines the curses that would happen to
those who broke the covenant. It is very possible that Nehemiah chose
the words of the Bible to bring them to the realization of their wrong
action and the consequences of their poor choices.
Moreover, when the text says that Nehemiah “beat some of the
men and pulled out their hair” (Neh. 13:25, NIV), instead of seeing
Nehemiah in a rage and reacting with fury, we should note that a beat-
ing was a prescribed form of public punishment. This kind of behavior
was applied only to “some” of them, meaning to the leaders who caused
or promoted this wrong behavior. These acts were to serve as methods
of public shaming. Nehemiah wanted to ensure that the people under-
stood the gravity of their choices and the results that would ensue from
them.
How should we react when we see what we believe is wrongdoing

in the church?
_____________________________________________________
151
M onday December 16
Nehemiah’s Reproof
Read Nehemiah 13:26, 27. What does this show about how important
biblical history is for informing us about the dangers of deviating
from the right path?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Solomon was led deeper into sin by the choices he made. It would be
accurate to say that Solomon caused his own ruin by disobeying God’s
command for the kings of Israel: “Neither shall he [the king] multi-
ply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away” (Deut. 17:17, NKJV).
Solomon’s life is used as a negative example: not only did he marry
more than one wife, but significantly, as Nehemiah points out, he chose
women who were not worshipers of God.
Why was Nehemiah correct in reproving the nation for intermarriage

with pagans? Gen. 6:1–4; Gen. 24:3, 4; Gen. 28:1, 2; Deut. 7:3, 4;
and 2 Cor. 6:14.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The command not to intermarry was not about nationalism but about
idolatry. People in the Bible married non-Israelites. Moses married
Zipporah, a Midianite woman; Boaz married Ruth, a Moabite. Instead, the
issue with intermarriage in these commands concerns marrying someone
who is of a different faith or of no faith. The problem was that the people
in Ezra and Nehemiah’s time did not choose to marry believers in God.
Richard M. Davidson, in Flame of Yahweh (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Publishers, 2007), states: “The Edenic plan for marriage . . . called for
a complementary wholeness of two partners in spiritual faith as well as
other significant values.”—Page 316. The pagan wives in this story did
not choose to renounce idolatrous worship. Consequently, Nehemiah was
perhaps more saddened than outraged by the choices of the people, since
to him this demonstrated a lack of real commitment to God.
The Bible gives us formulas for practices that will keep us grounded
in God and are designed to maximize our happiness. In the same way,
the command to be equally yoked in marriage was supposed to help us
lead a better life and to encourage mutual devotion to God.
What principles can we take from these accounts today that can
help us protect our faith and that of our family?
152
Ezra Reacts
Read Ezra 9. How does Ezra respond to hearing about the Israelites’
intermarriages? Ezra 9:1, 2 states that the people “have not sepa-
rated themselves.” The word “separated” is used in the following
verses, as well: Lev. 10:10; 11:47; Exod. 26:33; Gen. 1:4, 6, 7, 14, 18.
What does the use of this word imply about the issue of a believer
marrying an unbeliever?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
The people approached Ezra with the issue of intermarriage them-
selves. The terminology they used by listing the nations involved in
abominations demonstrated their knowledge of the Torah, as the list
is taken directly from biblical accounts. Interestingly, the civil leaders
brought the news to Ezra, as even the spiritual leaders of the nation,
priests and Levites, were guilty of this transgression.
“In his study of the causes leading to the Babylonish captivity, Ezra
had learned that Israel’s apostasy was largely traceable to their min-
gling with heathen nations. He had seen that if they had obeyed God’s
command to keep separate from the nations surrounding them, they
would have been spared many sad and humiliating experiences. Now
when he learned that notwithstanding the lessons of the past, men of
prominence had dared transgress the laws given as a safeguard against
apostasy, his heart was stirred within him. He thought of God’s good-
ness in again giving His people a foothold in their native land, and he
was overwhelmed with righteous indignation and with grief at their
ingratitude.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 620.
The word “separate” is used for contrasting entities. In fact, it denotes
complete opposites. By this statement the people acknowledged a prior
understanding and knowledge of God’s command to stay away from
false religions. They understood that no one could say that he or she
will marry a spouse whose contrasting beliefs will have no impact on
the marriage relationship or how they raise their children. They realized
how serious the situation had become.
What can we do to seek to keep faith alive in our homes and

families, even if we have made wrong decisions in the past?
_____________________________________________________
153
Ezra Acts
Read Ezra 10. How did Ezra and the leaders tackle the issue of inter-
marriage?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Together, the whole assembly decided to send the foreign wives
away. Amazingly, even those who married them agreed with the plan,
except for the four men mentioned by name in Ezra 10:15. The Jews
promised to send their spouses away, and it took three months for the
plan to be carried out. In the end, 111 Jewish men sent their wives away
(Ezra 10:18–43). Interestingly, the last verse (Ezra 10:44) states that
some of these mixed marriages already had children. Sending away the
mothers from families with children doesn’t seem rational or even right
to us. However, we must remember that this was a unique time, during
which God was starting over with the Jewish nation, and, in a sense,
they with Him. Fully following God required radical measures.
The specific words used in Ezra 10:11, 19 for “separate yourself ”
(badal) and “put away” (yatza’) are not used anywhere else in the
Scriptures for divorce. Ezra would have known the terminology regu-
larly used for divorce, but he chose not to use it. Thus it is apparent that
Ezra did not consider the marriages valid after it was discovered that
they were in violation of the Torah command. In other words, the mar-
riages were nullified because they were contrary to the law. The pro-
cess was dissolution of invalid marriages. However, we are not given
information on what happened to those wives and children and what
impact this action had on the community. According to the custom of
that time, the former husbands would have taken care of the transfer of
their former wives and their children. The wives normally would have
gone back to their native fathers’ homes.
Over time, however, some Jewish men once again began to marry
unbelievers, and perhaps some even returned to the wives they sent
away. The fleeting nature of the solution can be attributed to human
nature and our up-and-down cycle of commitment to God. Even
those of us who consider ourselves strong believers have to admit
that we have gone through periods of lesser dedication to God, when
our walk with Him could have accurately been described as wanting.
Unfortunately, humanity struggles with putting God first.
What has been your experience with times of “lesser dedication

to God”? What have you learned from those experiences?
_____________________________________________________
154
Marriage Today
From what we have seen in Ezra and Nehemiah about this issue of
mixed marriages, it’s clear that God takes marriage seriously, and that
we should, as well. We should prayerfully consider a potential marriage
partner, and include God in the decision-making. And we should decide
to be faithful to God’s principles, which can protect us from much sad-
ness and misery.
Look up how Paul was dealing with this issue when a Christian had
an unbelieving spouse. Study carefully 1 Corinthians 7:10–17. How
should we approach marriages that are unequally yoked today?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Because we have no elaborate command in the Bible on what to do
with interfaith marriages, it would be very unwise and run against the
intention of the text and its principles to insist that separating from the
unbelieving spouse is the right approach and, based on this account by
Ezra, must be recommended. Ezra-Nehemiah’s situation was a onetime
event and according to God’s will (Ezra 10:11), because the future and
worship of the whole community of Israel was at risk. They were losing
their identity as worshipers of a living God.
We know that in the Jewish Elephantine settlement in Egypt (con-
temporary with Ezra and Nehemiah) the leaders allowed intermixed
marriages and shortly developed a mixed religion with Yahweh and
his pagan consort, the goddess Anat. Additionally, the Messianic line
was in danger. Therefore, this onetime event shouldn’t be taken as a
prescription for the breaking up of marriages and families whenever a
believer marries an unbeliever. Instead, the account does demonstrate
the high value God places on equally yoked partnership in marriage.
Satan is happy when we end up married to a person who does not
encourage devotion to God, because he knows that if both spouses have
the same conviction, then they will be stronger in their mission work
for God than if just one is faithful.
While the Bible clearly counsels against unequally yoked marriages
(2 Cor. 6:14), we also find passages of extended grace to those who have
made a different choice. God empowers those who have married unbeliev-
ers to be faithful to God and their spouses. God doesn’t abandon us even
when we make choices contrary to His will, and if we ask Him for help,
He will provide it. This doesn’t mean that we do whatever we want and
then expect God to bless us nevertheless, but rather that when we come to
Him with a need and a humble heart, He always hears. Without God’s grace
there would be no hope for any of us, because we are all sinners.
155
F riday December 20
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Reformation,” pp. 669–678,

in Prophets and Kings.
“Industry in a God-appointed duty is an important part of true reli-

gion. Men should seize circumstances as God’s instruments with which
to work His will. Prompt and decisive action at the right time will gain
glorious triumphs, while delay and neglect result in failure and dis-
honor to God. If the leaders in the cause of truth show no zeal, if they
are indifferent and purposeless, the church will be careless, indolent,
and pleasure-loving; but if they are filled with a holy purpose to serve
God and Him alone, the people will be united, hopeful, eager.
“The word of God abounds in sharp and striking contrasts. Sin and
holiness are placed side by side, that, beholding, we may shun the one
and accept the other. The pages that describe the hatred, falsehood, and
treachery of Sanballat and Tobiah, describe also the nobility, devo-
tion, and self-sacrifice of Ezra and Nehemiah. We are left free to copy
either, as we choose. The fearful results of transgressing God’s com-
mands are placed over against the blessings resulting from obedience.
We ourselves must decide whether we will suffer the one or enjoy the
other.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 676.
 As we read these stories, it seems clear that many of the people
weren’t dedicated to God in the first place, which is why they
chose pagan wives. Thus, Ezra doesn’t just leave them to their
own devices, but attempts to reprove and correct them in hopes of
achieving change. Did the change truly occur though? By chang-
ing their behavior, did they change within? Did their devotion to
God truly grow? What evidence do we have that many of them
didn’t really change? What can we learn from their mistakes
about how important a change of heart really is?
 What are ways that we can help those in our church who might
be struggling with the problems that come from unwise mar-
riages?
 Though God’s principles are eternal and absolute, cultures

vary greatly. Why must we keep these differences in mind as we
seek to apply God’s principles to our own lives and situations?
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Story
God’s Math
Jannie Bekker, a genteel South African with wavy blond hair, was deployed
to Vietnam’s capital with $2 million and the momentous task of establishing
the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s first “urban center of influence” in the
southeast Asian country.
Bekker, however, struggled to find a suitable property in Hanoi. The asking
price for a vacant lot topped $2 million and often approached $3 million to
$4 million.
Bekker prayed as he made trip after trip to Hanoi from the Singapore-based
headquarters of the Adventist Church’s Southeast Asia Union Mission, where
he works as special assistant to the president.
“I’ve lost count of how many trips I’ve made to Vietnam,” Bekker said. “It
was 15 or 20 maybe.”
Bekker was assigned the job after Adventist Church president Ted N. C.
Wilson appealed for a community center to serve the people of Hanoi in 2014.
Wilson—who spoke after visiting the city and leading milestone evangelistic
meetings in Ho Chi Minh City—pledged to help raise the needed funds,
with the understanding that he would match the amount contributed by the
Southern Asia-Pacific Division and Southeast Asia Union Mission. In the
end, the Adventist world church gave $1 million, and the division and union
each gave $500,000.
But Bekker couldn’t find a plot of land. The properties that he inspected
cost too much or were badly located. A potential deal fell through.
Then a friend of a friend introduced Bekker to a developer who owned a
lot and was constructing a seven-story building on it. The developer wanted
only $1.8 million for everything. The moment that Bekker saw the property,
he knew it was perfect.
Bureaucracy and other snags delayed the purchase for months. Another
buyer caught wind of the property and offered a larger amount of money.
Bekker kept praying, and the developer ultimately rejected the new offer,
saying the Adventist plan sought to benefit the community and not enrich the
owners.
Bekker beamed with joy on May 22, 2018, as Wilson and other leaders
inaugurated the seven-story building, which will house a
bookstore, a health-food store, a foreign-language school,
a music school, a health center, ADRA’s Vietnam head-
quarters, and meeting halls for two congregations.
“God came through in a more miraculous way than I
ever, ever anticipated,” Bekker said. “He gave us more
than what we prayed for. We give all honor and glory to
Him.”
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Text: Ezra 9:6
Study Focus: Ezra 9, Ezra 10, Nehemiah 13:23–31
Among the bad decisions that the Israelites made were their intermar-
riages with unbelievers who did not share their belief in the true, living
God. The two sections studied in this lesson deal with the realization
that the people of God had mixed their families with those who had no
desire to follow God and were idolaters. The book of Nehemiah closes
with a brief account of Nehemiah’s contention with some of the Jews
because they were compromising in their dedication to God by marrying
unbelievers. Nehemiah points out that Solomon fell because of his bad
choice of marrying idolatrous women. God’s people needed to learn from
Solomon’s bad experience. Nehemiah publicly shamed the men who had
married idolatrous wives, reminding them that their choices would either
lead them toward God or away from God.
Interestingly, Ezra had dealt with the exact same situation some years
earlier. In Ezra 9 and 10, we read Ezra’s prayer of confession as he
acknowledges the seriousness of intermarriage with unbelievers. They
were a nation at the point of a new start and were either going to grow
into a greater commitment to God or influence each other away from Him.
The zeal of Ezra and Nehemiah in this situation brought the nation to their
knees, and many of the men reformed by separating from their unbeliev-
ing spouses.
Thus, learning from these stories, we are to think carefully about our
choice of a spouse. But most important, we must learn from the principle
uplifted here: make choices that will lead us closer to God, rather than
away from Him. Every decision should be weighed and based on where
we will end up in the future if we keep doing it.
Part II: Commentary

Nehemiah 13: Nehemiah’s Reaction and Radical Dealing With Mixed Marriages
Nehemiah pointed the people to the example of King Solomon, remind-

ing them that even Solomon, the wisest king that ever lived, fell, through
bad decisions, into the idolatry his women promoted. Nehemiah asked the
Israelites if they thought that they were immune to the influences of the
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teachers comments
idolaters living within their own homes. Playing with fire produces only
fire. Even the priests were not following God wholeheartedly in this mat-
ter. The grandson of the high priest married the daughter of Sanballat the
Horonite, one of the worst enemies of Israel. A priest was strictly enjoined
to marry a “virgin from his own people, so he will not defile his offspring
among his people” (Lev. 21:14, 15, NIV). Consequently, Nehemiah “drove
him [the grandson of the high priest] away” (Neh. 13:28, NIV). This radi-
cal action demonstrated the seriousness with which Nehemiah held the
issue of marriage among believers. Marriage should reflect God’s prin-
ciples of love and is a nuclear unit for building the church and society.
Ezra 9: Ezra Confronted With the Problem and His Prayer
Some years before, Ezra also dealt with the intermarriage situation.
When Ezra was told that some people, leaders, and priests had married
wives who had not given their hearts to God, Ezra was shaken. He tore
his clothes and sat for a long time disheveled and shocked. After all the
Israelites had experienced, he could not believe that the sins that had
caused them to go into exile and from which they had just emerged were
once again prevalent in Israel. Not wishing to be different from the sur-
rounding nations before the exile, Israel had been led away from God by
accepting the worship of their neighbors’ gods. This mixing with other
nations led them into evil practices and syncretistic worship. And now
they were on the verge of falling into the same sins. To top it off, they had
just barely gotten out of Babylon. Ezra was so distressed and saddened
by the news that he sat grieving until the evening sacrifice. He then pros-
trated himself before God and prayed a beautiful prayer, confessing the
sins of the nation and stating that he could not even lift his face up to God
because of what his people had done.
Ezra 9:9 states: “God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath
extended mercy unto us.” The Hebrew word translated as mercy is chesed,
which means much more than just mercy. It implies steadfast love and
faithfulness, or loving-kindness. God extended mercy in order to (1) grant
(natan—to give) a revival, (2) repair (rum—set up) the house, (3) rebuild
(amad—to stand) the ruins, and (4) bestow upon (natan—to give) Israel
a wall. These are all action verbs, showing that God did not forsake His
people. Instead, He extended help so those four things could happen: He
worked to repair, to rebuild, to give, and to revive the people. “Revive”
is mentioned twice, also appearing in verse 8. The word for “revive” is
michyah, which means life-giving and also saving a life, relief, recover-
ing, and sustenance (such as food). In other words, Ezra emphasized that
God gave them “life.” He saved their life, gave them what they needed,
and revived them so that they could do the work that needed to be done
in the city of Jerusalem. Moreover, He revived them so they could be
“whole” again.
159 159
teachers comments
But they were throwing away all God’s blessings by intermarrying with
idol worshipers. The wholeness that God wanted for His people was being
undermined by their choices. Ezra was worried that they could not con-
tinue to be fully revived as God’s people if many of them chose to bond
themselves with partners who had no regard for God. Especially at this
time of starting over as a nation, being only a remnant group, Ezra felt it
was imperative that the Israelites follow God and not get mixed up again
with practices that would lead them away from Him. Strict conformity to
God’s Word was especially important at this time, because the children in
these marriages would not even know the language of the Bible.
Ezra 10: The Solution
Ezra’s concern and deep conviction over this issue impressed upon the
people the gravity of their actions. They started gathering around Ezra
and weeping with him. One man or woman who is deeply dedicated to
God can have a profound influence on those around them. A godly leader
who does not overlook evil actions inspires godliness in others. The
leaders came up with a solution of sending the wives and children away.
These marriages were not according to God’s will; therefore, the word for
divorce is not mentioned.
Today, when deciding on the question of separation from unbelieving
spouses, we look at the principle behind their actions rather than at the
letter of the word. Paul counsels believing spouses not to leave their unbe-
lieving spouse who truly wants to remain married. On the other hand, no
one should force an unbelieving spouse to remain married to a believing
spouse against his or her will (1 Cor. 7:12–15). No one can force such an
unequal arrangement. Therefore, the principle that comes to the forefront
is making godly choices in all areas of life. Thus, according to God’s
instructions, we must choose wisely whom we marry. Also, we must live
wisely in marriage, whether to a believer or an unbeliever. In addition,
we must make wise choices. We must represent God in how we conduct
business, do our jobs, raise children, and interact with others, including
the way we address issues with our spouse or with someone who is angry
at us.
An important word that appears within both chapters is chared, which
means “to tremble” or “to fear” (Ezra 9:4, Ezra 10:3). The first instance
states that “everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel
assembled” to Ezra. The second instance reports that the solution of sepa-
ration was done because of the advice of those who “tremble at the com-
mandment of our God.” Therefore, trembling at the “word of God” and the
“commandment of God” is linked as one, meaning that each phrase is just
a clarification of the other. The idea of trembling at the Word of God is
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teachers comments
mentioned in a few other places in the Bible, such as in Isaiah 66, where it is
mentioned twice. “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble
and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isa. 66:2, ESV). “Hear the
word of the Lord, you who tremble at his word” (Isa. 66:5, ESV). The idea
of trembling before God and His word connotes the right spirit of humility in
approaching God and the Scriptures. We acknowledge that we do not know
everything and therefore approach with humbleness to learn and willingly
follow what we hear or read. We are not critical of the Word but rather the
Word functions as a guide for us.
Thus, the greatest lesson we can learn from the issue that Ezra and
Nehemiah had to deal with is “trembling” at God’s Word. The people trem-
bled before God and, therefore, were willing to do the maximum in order to
have a strong relationship with Him. Trembling before God leads to obedi-
ence to God’s Word and, in turn, to happiness and joy in life. May we also
tremble at His Word, and let nothing come between us and obedience to the
Scriptures. Being a disciple means obeying, not just knowing. “Trust and
obey” as the song says, “for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to
trust and obey” (The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, no. 590).
1. Just as God acted in the lives of the Israelites and provided for
them, as is demonstrated through the action verbs used in Ezra 9:9,
God also still acts in our lives today. Think of things that God is
doing for you in life now. Share them with your class or small group.
2. God wanted to revive the Israelite remnant and make them whole
again but, as Ezra and Nehemiah pointed out, intermarriage with
idolaters was keeping them from experiencing the fullness of God’s
plan for their life. They were missing out on a close walk with God.
God wants to make us whole and revive us, as well. Reflect upon
whether or not there is anything in your life that stands in the way
of true happiness and harmony with God. What is keeping you from
a deeper relationship with God?
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teachers comments
3. Those who trembled at the Word of God assembled to Ezra and

decided to make changes in their corporate dedication to God.
a. In what way should we “tremble” before the Word of God?
b. What can you do as a church to rededicate your lives to God?
c. What can you personally do to commit your life to God?
d. How can having an accountability partner assist you in mak-

ing a change?
162
Leaders in Israel
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: 1 Kings 12:1–16; Acts 15:7–
11; John 11:46–53; Neh. 4:7–23; Ezra 8:21–23, 31, 32.
Memory Text: “And all the people went their way to eat and drink,
to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the
words that were declared to them” (Nehemiah 8:12, NKJV).
B
oth Ezra and Nehemiah are examples of great leaders who were
dedicated to God and to fulfilling the tasks that the Lord had
called them to do. Their love for God inspired in them a desire
to be faithful servants. In fact, their faithfulness has been a central part
of our study.
This week we will look at examples of leadership found in the Bible,
including the examples of Ezra and Nehemiah. These are not exhaus-
tive lessons, for sure, as there are many more that could be discussed.
However, the lessons that were chosen are essential for any leader. You
may not consider yourself a leader at this specific time in your life,
but we all have influence with some people; therefore, the lessons are
applicable to everyone.
Central to the story of these leaders is the Word of God. The Word
transformed their thinking and life and resulted in the whole program
for revival and reformation. They were totally indebted to God’s Word
and His instruction that they found in it. In the same way, no matter
who we are, and whatever our role is, we must keep the Word of God
central to how we live as Seventh-day Adventist Christians.
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S unday December 22
The Influence of Leaders

All through the Bible, we can find examples of leadership, both
good and bad, and sometimes even a mixture of both. Bad leaders, at
times, have done some good things, while good leaders, at times, have
done some bad things. After all, all leaders are human beings and, as
such, are capable of both good and evil, of doing right and wrong. Who
hasn’t experienced this reality in their own lives?
The problem, however, is that when you are a leader, you exert great
influence, either for good or bad. It’s bad enough to be a negative influ-
ence in your own home or workplace or wherever your presence is felt.
But when you are in a leadership position, be it spiritual, political, or
both, the influence is greatly multiplied. How crucial then that in what-
ever your role, but especially as a leader, you reflect the principles and
teachings of Scripture.
Look up the following texts. What kind of examples of leadership do

we find there? If good, explain why it was good. If bad, explain why
it was bad.

Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1–16)
_____________________________________________________
Peter (Acts 15:7–11)
_____________________________________________________
Josiah (2 Kings 23:1–10)
_____________________________________________________
Deborah (Judg. 4:1–16)
_____________________________________________________
Ahab (1 Kings 21:1–16)
_____________________________________________________
Though just a smattering, what lessons can we take away from

these stories about what makes good and bad leadership, and
how can we apply what we learn to ourselves in whatever roles
we are in?
_____________________________________________________
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M onday December 23
Evil in the Sight of the Lord

Look at the following texts. What do they tell us about these leaders
and their influence over the people they ruled?
1 King 15:26, 34
_____________________________________________________
2 Kings 13:1–3
_____________________________________________________
John 11:46–53
_____________________________________________________
It is a sobering thought to many of us who hold positions of lead-
ership in any capacity that our leadership has the potential to bring
people down or up spiritually. And, in all the cases here, the effect was
devastatingly negative.
More specifically, our character and dedication to Christ make a
difference to those with whom we interact. Spiritual leaders influence
others, either toward God if they themselves seek God, or toward evil
if they do not.
In contrast to what we have seen today, the fact that Ezra and Nehemiah
had a strong relationship with God is undeniable. The amount of fasting
and praying that is recorded in these books about Ezra and Nehemiah
exceeds what the Bible reports for other great leaders. The nation was
walking with God under their leadership, even if everything wasn’t per-
fect. Their direction in life was toward God. On the other hand, the fact
that there were those who were not impacted or changed by the influ-
ences of Ezra and Nehemiah testifies that no one else’s faith but our own
ultimately makes the difference for us. After all, look at the people who
had the chance to see Jesus in the flesh, to hear Him preach, and even to
witness or hear about His miracles, and yet who in the end rejected Him.
Yes, we have a role to play, whatever our position in life is, and we can
be an influence for good or evil. But in the end, each person will have to
answer for himself or herself before God.
Think about the people in your own sphere of influence. What

are ways you could improve your influence?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
165
Courage and Empowerment

Read Nehemiah 4:7–23. In what ways did Nehemiah show courage?
What gave him this courage?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Nehemiah stood up against their enemies, who tried to intimidate the
Jews. Nehemiah responded by taking the initiative to get the people
ready to fight. Nehemiah did not just say “All right, God, You do it
all.” Instead, he had the people do their part. They picked up swords
and other weapons while at the same time working to build the wall.
The Jews, under the leadership of Nehemiah, did not cower in fear, but
rather boldly picked up arms to defend themselves. Nehemiah encour-
aged the people, believed in them, worked with them, and gave them
the responsibility to act. He empowered them to do the work as he
delegated and assigned responsibilities. However, Nehemiah didn’t just
tell the people what to do and then go to hide in his room. He stood
alongside them and did the hard work that needed to be done.
There are times in the Bible when God told people to stand still and
watch Him fight, and then there are many other instances when God
said, “Prepare to act, and I will give you victory.” We must do our part
if we want to see God’s deliverance and blessings.
“In Nehemiah’s firm devotion to the work of God, and his equally
firm reliance on God, lay the reason of the failure of his enemies
to draw him into their power. The soul that is indolent falls an easy
prey to temptation; but in the life that has a noble aim, an absorbing
purpose, evil finds little foothold. The faith of him who is constantly
advancing does not weaken; for above, beneath, beyond, he recognizes
Infinite Love, working out all things to accomplish His good purpose.
God’s true servants work with a determination that will not fail because
the throne of grace is their constant dependence.”—Ellen G. White,
Prophets and Kings, p. 660.
In the end, Nehemiah drew his courage from his understanding of the
reality and power of God. And yet, as we have seen, his knowledge of
God caused him to act in accordance with his faith.
Though the context is different, how does what we have seen in

Nehemiah reflect this text: “But someone will say, ‘You have faith,
and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I
will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18, NKJV)?
_____________________________________________________
166
Purpose and Passion

What do the following texts teach us about the driving force in the lives
of both Ezra and Nehemiah? Neh. 2:1–10, Ezra 7:8–10.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
In all that they did, Ezra and Nehemiah were seeking to see
God’s will done in the lives of His people. Yes, the people had
messed up; yes, they were punished for it. But God, faithful to His
promises of restoration, opened the way for His people to return
to the Promised Land and, if faithful, to fulfill the goals that He
had set for them. And the Lord, in His wisdom, chose two very
dedicated men, men somewhat in the likeness of Moses, to play a
central role in this restoration, just as He had used Moses genera-
tions earlier for a special task, as well.
Great leaders like these two men have a goal. They have a pur-
pose for living that drives their every action. It could be said that
both Ezra and Nehemiah had a purpose in life. They had a vision
of where they wanted the people of God to be, and then they put
everything into accomplishing the goal.
Ezra did this through studying the Scriptures and teaching the
people the Word. Nehemiah encouraged the people to do what was
right and to stand up boldly for God. Both men wanted to see a
restored Jerusalem, but not just a material restoration. They also
wanted to see a revival and reformation in the spiritual lives of its
inhabitants. That is why they corrected, reproved, and sometimes
demanded a certain course of action. Great leaders believe in
something greater than the ordinary and the mediocre. Ezra and
Nehemiah believed in a loving, powerful God, a God who could
do miracles—and they wanted everyone to have a deep connection
with Him.
Beginning with the first chapter of Nehemiah, the reader is
impressed by Nehemiah’s dedication to God’s cause and also his
distress over the plight of his people. In chapter 1, he weeps when
he is told of the hardships of the Israelites in Judah. He gets on his
knees and pledges to do whatever God calls him to do. Nehemiah
appears to be driven by the idea of making a difference in the
world. He was a man of action, action for God. It was not by
making the highest salary or having the preeminent position that
Nehemiah chose to make a difference (although he had both in
Persia), but by going to Judah, to a not-so-prosperous nation, with
opposition at every step. He stepped out in faith, regardless of the
obstacles before him.
167
Humility and Perseverance

Read Ezra 8:21–23, 31, 32. Would you consider Ezra’s decision not to
speak to the king as foolish or brave? How did Ezra and the people
show humility?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Sometime later, Nehemiah accepted the king’s entourage for protec-
tion. But in Ezra’s instance, he believed that God could show Himself
best if they did not ask anything of the king. Thus, when they reached
Judah without harm, it was attributed to their God. Perhaps in certain
situations, we may rely too much on other people and not enough on
letting God show Himself. Ezra chose to let God do the work in this
situation and proved to the king that indeed God was a powerful God.
However, Ezra didn’t act with presumption. He called the people
together, and they fasted and prayed over the situation. They didn’t
engage in their journey until they had spent serious time with God.
They came before God humbly, requesting that His protection become
a sign of His power, and God answered.
Read Nehemiah 5:14–19. How did Nehemiah display humility?

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
True leaders must be willing to humble themselves and be servants.
Competent leaders do not require or need a “title” to gain honor.
Nehemiah had his doors open and generously gave to the people. He
demonstrated his faith in God, and his incredible dedication to God
was an example to the people. He had a strong personality and a no-
nonsense temperament, but he didn’t put himself above anyone else as
superior. He had the highest position in the Jewish nation at that time,
and yet he was unstinting. In this way, he reflected the life and teach-
ings of Jesus, who taught us that the best way to lead is to serve others.
Jesus did it, and thus we, regardless of our position, are to do the same.
“And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, ‘If anyone
desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all’ ” (Mark
9:35, NKJV). What do Jesus’ words here teach us about what it
means to be a true leader in God’s sight?
_____________________________________________________
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F riday December 27
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Privilege of Prayer,”

pp. 93–104, in Steps to Christ.
“The work of restoration and reform carried on by the returned

exiles, under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, pres-
ents a picture of a work of spiritual restoration that is to be wrought
in the closing days of this earth’s history. The remnant of Israel were
a feeble people, exposed to the ravages of their enemies; but through
them God purposed to preserve in the earth a knowledge of Himself
and of His law. They were the guardians of the true worship, the
keepers of the holy oracles. Varied were the experiences that came to
them as they rebuilt the temple and the wall of Jerusalem; strong was
the opposition that they had to meet. Heavy were the burdens borne
by the leaders in this work; but these men moved forward in unwav-
ering confidence, in humility of spirit, and in firm reliance upon
God, believing that He would cause His truth to triumph. Like King
Hezekiah, Nehemiah ‘clave to the Lord, and departed not from fol-
lowing Him, but kept His commandments. . . . And the Lord was with
him.’ 2 Kings 18:6, 7.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 677.
 Why must we do all that we can before God to be supportive of
our leaders?
 Why is the servant-leadership style so difficult, demanding,
and at the same time rewarding? Why is it so important for a
Christian leader to be a servant, as well?
 In the beginning and at the end of the book, as well as in
between, Nehemiah was praying. Both Ezra and Nehemiah were
men of prayer. Count carefully how many times the word “prayer”
or “prayed” is mentioned in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
These leaders were constantly praying. What should that say to us
about our own prayer lives?
 “For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from follow-
ing Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had com-
manded Moses” (2 Kings 18:6, NKJV). How does one “hold fast to
the Lord”? What does that mean? How does holding fast to the
Lord relate to keeping His commandments?
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i n s i d e
Story
Seeing the Big Picture
By Andrew McChesney, AdventistMission.org
A family of five came nearly every day to the Seventh-day Adventist com-
pound in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, to ask for food.
Peter Fenoy, a missionary physician running the small Munuki Seventh-
day Adventist Clinic on the compound, found the family’s actions puzzling.
One day, Peter decided to look for answers, and he went to the family’s
nearby home. What he saw shocked him. The father, mother, two daughters,
and son were taking turns eating. The father and son would eat one day, and
the mother and daughters would eat the next day.
Peter, a native of Argentina, returned to the compound and shared his
discovery with his wife, Natasha, who was born in South Ossetia, part of the
former Soviet Union. “We are focusing only on what we are doing—medical
work—and forgetting the people around us who need something else,” he
told her. “Medical work is a good thing, but the community needs something
else: clean water, food, mosquito nets, and containers for carrying water.”
After praying, Peter decided to write a US$150,000 proposal to the
Adventist Development and Relief Agency’s (ADRA) world headquarters in
the United States. He had never written a project proposal before, but ADRA
embraced it and covered its budget. In a short time, the Munuki Seventh-day
Adventist Clinic became known as the ADRA Juba Project. It was 2005,
months before a peace agreement ended a festering armed conflict.
The small clinic expanded its services to offer food and nonfood items,
water sanitation, and emergency assistance. In a single year, the project’s
funding skyrocketed from $150,000 to $2 million. “I was surprised,” Peter
said. “I realized that focusing on people and looking to meet their needs can
develop projects that help others.”
Peter’s life changed drastically. ADRA sent him to Andrews University in
the U.S. state of Michigan to earn a master’s degree in international develop-
ment. Then he worked for a number of aid agencies, including ADRA, the
Danish Refugee Council, World Vision, and UNICEF, in Jordan, Lebanon,
Bolivia, South Ossetia, and Russia’s republic of Chechnya.
But everything started with one small thing—a desire to understand why
a family was asking for food every day. “My whole life focused on health
before that. I didn’t realize that there was something
beyond the consulting room,” Peter, 39, said in an
interview at River Plate Adventist University, his
alma mater that sends missionaries like him around
the world.
“Don’t just focus on what you have and what you
are supposed to do,” said Peter, left. “Seek to under-
stand what people really need—and then you can
offer a better and more Christlike response.”
teachers comments
Part I: Overview
Key Text: Nehemiah 8:8, 12
Study Focus: Ezra 7, Ezra 8, Nehemiah 1–3, Nehemiah 4:7–23, Nehemiah

5:14–19
Ezra and Nehemiah demonstrate what it means to be a leader for

God. God placed them in positions of influence (Ezra as a priest and
Nehemiah as a governor), but it was up to them to be responsible in
performing their tasks. Both took their jobs seriously, because they
were aware of God’s calling, were committed to Him, and loved God’s
people. They realized that they had influence over the people whom
they encountered. They used their positions for good. Above all, they
demonstrated a passion for God that was palpable. Those who were
around them knew that they loved God and that they lived for Him with
incredible dedication. That loyalty inspired the Israelite nation to walk
with God in a closer relationship.
Ezra and Nehemiah demonstrated courage. They were not afraid to
do something that others shrank from doing, such as take a group of
exiles back to Jerusalem where they knew life would be tough. They also
encouraged and empowered the people, delegating responsibilities to
them instead of simply doing everything themselves. They were leaders
with a purpose, having a vision for the people of Israel to be restored
and revived once again. Therefore, they were willing to do all that was
necessary to make this dream happen. The two leaders also displayed
humility. They were willing to serve the people and not just be served.
Nor did they expect, or desire, to receive lots of money for their work.
Their lives and leadership give us principles for servant leadership today.
Most important, it is the habits that they developed and practiced that we
can learn from and apply in our work for God.
Part II: Commentary

The keys to being a successful leader are the habits that he or she
develops. If a leader cultivates a lifestyle of honesty, transparency,
openness, and perseverance by spending time in the Word of God,
widely reading and growing through education, he or she will have a
much greater spiritual influence on people and the world than some-
one who, in contrast, spends time in “empty” activities (e.g., killing
time by idle chatter, watching television for hours each day, or playing
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teachers comments
video games). The way we think, and what we focus on, determines
our behavior. The habits we develop and practice define how much or
how little influence we have on others and how much God can use us
and do things through us.
Both Ezra and Nehemiah developed habits from which we can learn.
If we want to be leaders who have an impact in the world, we would
do well to learn from them and even model our habits after theirs. The
good principles of life they cultivated are worthy to be imitated. It
is the daily routine that makes a difference, not the big things we do
once in a while. So, what was the daily routine of Ezra and Nehemiah?
What can we tell about their daily habits from the stories recorded
about them?
Ezra: The Spiritual Leader

Although Ezra demonstrated many leadership qualities, perhaps what
distinguished him the most are two habits: (1) rigorous Scripture study
and (2) earnest prayer and fasting. Ezra seems to have developed these
habits when he was young and then never strayed from them. He is
described as a “skilled scribe in the Law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6, NKJV).
The word for “skilled” is mahir and represents someone who is prolific
at his job. He received the best education in the land. The term mahir
is very specific and therefore most likely points to Ezra serving as a
representative of the Jewish religion to the Persian government. He
was a skilled scribe of the law of Moses, which refers to the teachings
of the Hebrew Torah (five books of Moses) and God’s teaching, in
general, not just the Ten Commandments, as we usually think of when
we hear the term “the law.”
However, Ezra was not a scribe educated just in biblical instruction.
Rather, he also was changed by his knowledge of the law. Knowledge
of the true living God transformed his life. We know that it was the case
with Ezra because Ezra 7:10 says: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to
seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordi-
nances in Israel” (NKJV). The statement that “Ezra had prepared” (kun: to
establish, firmly set, fix) his heart is crucial. The heart refers to the mind,
thoughts, and emotions. Therefore, his “whole being” was firmly set and
dedicated to the law of God. The law of God is synonymous with God,
whose character it represents. Ezra, therefore, had firmly resolved him-
self to study the Word of God and be open to its transforming power. He
thus dedicated himself to following it wholeheartedly and then teaching
it to others. Ezra understood that his specific call in life was to study and
teach God’s Word—His instruction. Ezra’s habits included applying to his
personal life the deep understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures he gained.
Whatever he read, he practiced.
The second habit, praying and fasting, also is clearly visible through the
172
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teachers comments
accounts of Ezra’s leadership. As the people gathered at the river Ahava

(Ezra 8:15) before leaving on their journey to Jerusalem, Ezra called for
a fast of the whole assembly. He knew that they needed protection on the
journey because they could be attacked by marauders at any point. He also
fasted and prayed when dealing with the mixed-marriages situation in the
nation (Ezra 9, Ezra 10). Thus, it is apparent that he followed a practice
that had become his habit whenever encountering a difficult situation.
Rather than turning to human advisors only and devising a plan, he first
turned to the God of the universe, who ultimately has everything in His
hands.
Nehemiah: The Servant Leader

One of Nehemiah’s habits was prayer and fasting, as well. When he
heard that the people were prevented from continuing the work of
rebuilding the city wall because of opposition from their enemies, he
sat down, wept, and mourned for days while fasting and praying. He
was entreating God to have mercy on His people and to intervene. God
answered his prayers and sent him to Jerusalem as a leader of the people
(Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah 2).
In his acts as governor, we see other habits that Nehemiah displayed.
He had a habit of perseverance. He didn’t get discouraged by opposition
or even the discouragement of the Israelites. He kept focused on what the
next course of action should be, including crying out to God for help, and
then going back to work. He armed the Israelites so they could protect
themselves and act as a deterrent to any outside forces (Nehemiah 4).
He could have given up because of the severe threats to his life, but his
perseverance stemmed from another habit—trusting God. Even trusting in
God is a habit that we need to practice. If we make a habit of doubt and
mistrusting God, then we may go even further and blame God when the
next challenges or problems occur in our life. On the other hand, when we
practice trust and faith in God’s promises, we will do it even when tough
times come our way.
Another habit that Nehemiah demonstrated was generosity. In Nehemiah
5:14–19, Nehemiah provided for his servants and also for others who did
not have many resources and needed a place to eat every day. Instead of
collecting wages as a governor in Israel, Nehemiah gave his earnings to
the people. It was a habit that he practiced for years. He became indignant
when he learned that the leaders of Israel and the rich were taking from
those who had become indebted to them (Neh. 5:1–13). Naturally prone
to generosity, any injustice to the contrary triggered a quick response in
his compassionate heart.
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teachers comments
Last, it was not just Ezra who spent time in the Word of God. The governor
himself also was an example in that regard (Neh. 8:9). In order for Nehemiah
to maintain his passion for God and the vision he had for the people, he had
to cultivate the habit of spending time studying the Scriptures (Nehemiah 8).
Dedication to God must be cultivated and nurtured. Seeking God without
wavering is a propensity that flourishes only through daily time with God.
It is a direct result of prayer and reading the Bible. We need to directly hear
from God through His Word. Nehemiah made sure that the people could hear
the Scriptures in their language and that it was explained to them. He took
charge in collaborating with Ezra, together with Levites, in order to teach the
people. A good leader will recognize the gifts of his people. He will then put
them to work in their strengths. Nehemiah had the gift of motivating others.
He used this gift to inspire his people to unite and work hard, in spite of chal-
lenges. Above all, he inspired them to walk with God.

Study of the Scriptures
1. What is your habit of studying and reading the Scriptures? In the

spirit of learning from one another, share with your class what you
do.
2. Brainstorm what your church can do to encourage church mem-

bers to study the Bible.
Prayer and Fasting
1. Set aside a day for fasting and prayer concerning an issue about
which your church needs to pray. Then come together and spend
time in prayer over it. Share the experience of prayer and fasting
with someone.
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teachers comments
Generosity
1. Think of ways that your church can be generous to someone in

your community.
2. What can you do to develop unselfish giving in your own life?
Perseverance
1. Share with class members those situations in which you have

been tempted to give up your work for God or the community.
What can you do to encourage others to keep going and living
for God?
2. What promises in the Bible can you claim to stand firm and
trust in God, no matter what comes your way?
175
Bible Study Guide for the First Quarter
2020
The book of Daniel, our study for first quarter 2020, by Elias Brasil de
Souza, is relevant for us who are living in “the time of the end” (Dan. 12:9).
Daniel provides evidence for our belief not only in God but also in Jesus
and His death on the cross as well as the promise of His return and all that
it entails. Through Daniel, we have been given the sequence of empires:
Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and God’s eternal kingdom after
the Second Coming. From our perspective, we can see that all the worldly
kingdoms have come and gone as predicted—or, in the case of Rome, have
come and remained, just as Daniel wrote. This is depicted in the feet and
toes of Daniel 2:33, 41 and is manifest in the still-divided nations of Europe
as well as the Roman Church itself. Thus, we have affirmation of bibli-
cal prophecy as solid as world history that someone living in the time of
Babylon or Greece, or even in the earlier days of Rome, could not have had.
Living where we are on the prophetic time line, we see that Daniel
was correct about all these kingdoms, giving us ample reasons to trust
God regarding His kingdom, which is yet to come.
Lesson 1—From Reading to Understanding

The Week at a Glance:
Sunday: Christ: The Center of Daniel (John 5:39)
Monday: The Structure of Daniel (Daniel 2–7)
Tuesday: Apocalyptic Prophecies in Daniel (Dan. 7:6)
Wednesday: God’s Timescale (Dan. 8:14)
Thursday: Contemporary Relevance of Daniel (Dan. 9:23; 10:11, 12)
Memory Text—Acts 8:30, NKJV
Sabbath Gem: The book of Daniel conveys prophetic informa-
tion but is profoundly relevant to our personal lives today. But most
important, Christ is the center of Daniel, as He is of the entire Bible.
Lesson 2—From Jerusalem to Babylon

The Week at a Glance:
Sunday: God’s Sovereignty (Dan. 1:2)
Monday: Faith Under Pressure (Daniel 1)
Tuesday: Firm Resolution (Dan. 1:7–20)
Wednesday: Unblemished and Wise (Dan. 1:4)
Thursday: Final Exam (Dan. 1:17–21)
Memory Text—Daniel 1:17
Sabbath Gem: We are so used to stories that stress the faithfulness
of Daniel and his friends that we may forget to exalt the faithfulness of
the One who guided and sustained those four young men as they con-
fronted the power and allure of the Babylonian Empire.
Lessons for People Who Are Legally Blind The Adult Sabbath
School Bible Study Guide is available free in braille, on audio CD, and via online
download to people who are legally blind or physically disabled. This includes
individuals who, because of arthritis, multiple sclerosis, paralysis, accident, and so
forth, cannot hold or focus on normal ink-print publications. Contact Christian Record
Services for the Blind, Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506-0097. Phone: 402-488-0981;
email: services@christianrecord.org; website: www.christianrecord.org.

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Contents

1 Making Sense of History: Zerubbabel and Ezra—September 28–October 4 5

4 Facing Opposition—October 19–25 44

5 Violating the Spirit of the Law—October 26–November 1 57

6 The Reading of the Word—November 2–8 72

7 Our Forgiving God—November 9–15 85

8 God and the Covenant—November 16–22 98

9 Trials, Tribulations, and Lists—November 23–29 111

10 Worshiping the Lord—November 30–December 6 124

11 Backslidden People—December 7–13 137

12 Dealing With Bad Decisions—December 14–20 150

13 Leaders in Israel—December 21–27 163

Principal Contributor Associate Editor Pacific Press® Coordinator

E zra and Nehemiah were exceptional, God-centered, Word-oriented, and Spirit-led

To be a Sabbath School teacher is both a privilege and a responsibility. A privilege

Making Sense of History:

* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 5.

The First Return of the Exiles

What other historical prophecies have been fulfilled exactly as

Overview of Kings and Events

Cyrus II “the Great” (559–530 b.c.)

The Second Return of the Exiles

Read Ezra 7:1–10. What does it teach us about Ezra?

In what ways, even today, might we need to unlearn a lot of what

Consider Ezra’s diligent work: “Ezra became a mouthpiece for God,

 In Thursday’s study we read what Ellen G. White wrote about

Study Focus: Ezra 1, Ezra 4:1–5, and Ezra 7

Our God is the Lord of history. He intervenes in favor of His people to

Part II: Commentary

Literary Structure of Ezra (Simplified)

II. Return from Babylon to Jerusalem following the decree of Artaxerxes

Literary Structure of Nehemiah (Simplified)

The three crucial Medo-Persian kings’ decrees:

A Time Line of Events During the Reigns of the Kings of Persia

Artaxerxes I 465–425 b.c. 457 b.c.—Ezra The longest

First Return (537/536 b.c.)

Second Return (457 b.c.)

acknowledges Ezra’s intelligence and specifically mentions his “God-given

Part III: Life Application

* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 12.

Nehemiah Receives Bad News

Read Nehemiah 1:1–4. Why was Nehemiah so distressed? What was

At this bad news, Nehemiah wept, fasted, and prayed. What

Nehemiah’s prayer is a beautiful composition recounting God’s great-

Nehemiah Speaks Out

Read Nehemiah 2:1–8. What happened as a result of Nehemiah’s

In what ways can we see a parallel between Nehemiah’s position

Nehemiah Prepares for His Task

Read Nehemiah 2:11–20. What does Nehemiah do to prepare for the

Further Thought: Contemplate “A Man of Opportunity,” pp. 628–634,

Nehemiah was a man of prayer: “Nehemiah had often poured out

 Neither Ezra nor Nehemiah could have accomplished anything

 Go over Nehemiah’s prayer (Neh. 1:1–11) in class. What can

Study Focus: Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah 2

Part II: Commentary

Judah. Hostile forces around Jerusalem complained to the king, who

Conversation With the King and Sending Nehemiah to Jerusalem (Nehemiah

women, and so the presence of his wife (according to Ctesias, a Greek

In Jerusalem: Preparation for Rebuilding Walls (Nehemiah 2:11–20)

Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem with an envoy of captains of the army

Throughout the Old Testament cherpa is often translated as “disgrace”

Part III: Life Application

1. Look through Nehemiah’s prayer and choose which aspects of the

3. God called Nehemiah to a specific work. He fasted and prayed