Bible-Based Life Lessons by Baptist Preacher Rev Wendell 

THEY READ THE BOOK OF THE LAW

Proclamation:

“And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up; … So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” Nehemiah 8:5-8 (KJV)

"... Except I shall see in His hands the print of nails, and put my finger into the print ..." (John 20:25)

This is for "Footprints In The Sand"
(Poem, Author Unknown)
A person walking on the beach with God leaves two sets of footprints in the sand except during the times when God is carrying them.

Explanation:

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia. After Nehemiah had counted all of the people, they gathered in front of the water gate and Ezra the priest read to them from the book of the law of Moses. (Nehemiah 8:1-3) Ezra stood upon a wooden pulpit so that he was above all of the people and could be seen by them. When he opened the book all of the people stood up. And as he read, the men standing with him explained it to the people so that all of them understood it. (Nehemiah 8:4-8) Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites taught the people saying, “This day is holy unto The Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep.” They said this because the people wept when they heard the words of the law. They told the people to go their way, to eat and drink, and to give portions to the people for whom nothing had been prepared for the day was holy. (Nehemiah 8:9-12) The next day they came together to study the words of the law. They found that they were commanded to live in booths (temporary shelters) during the feast of the seventh month. They published this and proclaimed it throughout the land and in all of the surrounding towns, and the people made themselves booths of tree branches for them to dwell in for the seven days of the feast. (Nehemiah 8:13-18)

Application:

To paraphrase an old quote, “When we know better, we should do better.” The quote actually said, “Do your best until you know better; then do better.” (Maya Angelou) In order to know it for ourselves; we need to read and study The Word of God. Then we ought to do what it says. We are responsible for doing that which is right in the sight of The Lord. “Ignorance of the law is no excuse…” (Thomas Jefferson and Oliver Wendell Holmes) This quote is first revealed in The Bible as: “And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of The Lord; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.” (Leviticus 5:17) We should be doers of The Word. (James 1:22)

"... The Spirit of God descending like a dove ..."
(Matthew 3:16)

NUMBERING THE PEOPLE THE ANIMALS AND THE GIFTS

Proclamation:

“The whole congregation together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty.” Nehemiah 7:68 (KJV)

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
(Romans 10:9-10)

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
(Matthew 5:16)

Explanation:

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia. After the wall had been rebuilt and the doors had been set, the gatekeepers and singers were appointed. Nehemiah appointed his brother Hanani and Hananiah the ruler of the palace to be the rulers over Jerusalem, for they were faithful and God-fearing men. (Nehemiah 7:1-2) Then he said let not the gates of Jerusalem be open until the sun is hot. And while they are standing guard, let the gates remain closed. He appointed guards from among the people of Jerusalem. He noted that the city was large and great but there were very few people within it, and no houses had been rebuilt. (Nehemiah 7:3-4) The remainder of chapter seven includes a listing of the genealogy of the people. (Nehemiah 7:5-65) There were forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty people. In addition to seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven manservants and maidservants; plus two hundred and forty-five singing men and women. He also counted the horses, mules, camels, and donkeys. (Nehemiah 7:66-70) There was a record kept of what the head of each of the families gave into the treasury.

Application:

It has been said that there is strength in numbers. However, being on The Lord’s side puts us on the winning side. If He is for us, then no one can stand against us. (Romans 8:31) It is not always good to follow the crowd. The crowd is fickle, easily influenced, and it can change on you very quickly. Remember, one day they were shouting “Hosanna” for Jesus, The Christ, (Matthew 21:9, Mark 11:9-10, and John 12:13) and the next week they were shouting, “Crucify Him!” (Matthew 27:22-23, Mark 15:13-14, and John 19:6) The majority of people will follow the crowd down the well-travelled road and it will lead them to their destruction. (Matthew 7:13) It is the narrow, less-travelled road which leads to everlasting life but only the few will go that way. (Matthew 7:14) Just because everyone is doing it does not make it right. Let us follow The Lord God and go His way.

"If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
(2 Chronicles 7:14)

PEOPLE OF GOD DO NOT LIVE IN FEAR

Proclamation:

“And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me; for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid …” Nehemiah 6:12-13 (KJV)

"... Did ye never read in the scriptures ...?"
(Matthew 21:42)

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
(Psalm 51:10)

Explanation:

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia. When Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that the Jews had rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem that they sent a message to Nehemiah saying that they wanted to meet with him in one of the surrounding towns. However, Nehemiah replied that he was doing a great work on the wall and the he would not stop working and come down off of the wall. They sent four such messages to Nehemiah and each time his reply was the same. (Nehemiah 6:1-4) Then on the fifth time, Sanballat sent his servant with an open letter to Nehemiah stating that they were planning to rebel and that Nehemiah was to be the king of the Jews. Nehemiah replied that none of that was true and that he was making it up in order to frighten them. (Nehemiah 6:5-9) Afterwards Nehemiah went to see Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel. He said for them to meet in the house of God, and to close the doors of the temple because those who were coming to kill him would come at night and slay him. Nehemiah responded should a man such as he flee from his enemies; and what kind of man would hide in the temple? So he did not go to the temple. Then Nehemiah perceived that God had not sent Shemaiah, he was hired by Sanballat and Tobiah. (Nehemiah 6:10-13) So when the wall was finished, all of the surrounding nations were afraid of them because they thought that this work could only have been accomplished by the help of God. However, many of the nobles of Judah had sworn allegiance to Tobiah and sent letters to him because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah. They reported the good deeds of Tobiah to Nehemiah, but Tobiah kept sending letters to Nehemiah to make him afraid. (Nehemiah 6:14-19)

Application:

All of the attacks against us by our enemies are not physical. Some of the time our enemies will say things or do things in order to strike fear in our hearts. But The Lord God did not give believers the spirit of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) Psychological warfare can be very effective, it can weaken the resolve of some people. That is why we must put on the whole armor of God in order to withstand all of the attacks against us including those of spiritual wickedness. (Ephesians 6:11-18) The Bible says, “fear not” in seventy-five different verses. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
(Psalm 150:6)

NEHEMIAH STOPS THE OPPRESSION OF THE POOR

Proclamation:

“Then … I rebuked the nobles and the rulers, and said unto them, ‘Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.” Nehemiah 5:7 (KJV)

"In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God."
(John 1:1)

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
(Romans 15:4)

Explanation:

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia. As the people were building the wall there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish brothers. They felt that they were sacrificing for them but were being treated unfairly. (Nehemiah 5:1-5) When Nehemiah heard this he was very angry. He rebuked the nobles and the rulers. He told them to restore that which they had taken from the people and to stop charging them for services. He also called the priest and had the leaders take an oath that they would do according to their promise. (Nehemiah 5:6-13) Nehemiah would not take the rations from the people which former governors had taken because he feared The Lord God. He and his men ate what was prepared for them but did not take anything extra. And he continued to work on rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. He asked God to remember the good which he had done to the people. (Nehemiah 5:14-19)

Application:

“Just because you can doesn’t mean that you should.” (Sherrilyn Kenyon and William Taylor) Situations in life may put us in positions where we can take advantage of someone, but that does not mean that we have to do it. We should do the right thing and be fair with others at all times. “Character is determined by what you do when no one is looking.” (Unknown) We should do what is right in the sight of The Lord. (Deuteronomy 21:9, 1 Kings 11:38, and 1 Peter 2:20)

"And they said one to another, 'Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptures?' "
(Luke 24:32)

NEHEMIAH GETS HELP BUILDING THE WALL

Proclamation:

“And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, from all places whence ye shall return unto us … Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.”  Nehemiah 4:12-13 (KJV)

"Thus will I bless Thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in Thy name."
(Psalm 63:4)

"Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."
(Psalm 119:105)

Explanation:

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia. Chapter three of Book of Nehemiah includes a listing of the men who went with Nehemiah to Jerusalem and the section of the wall which they were responsible for rebuilding. Beginning with Eliashib the high priest and the sheep gate, then proceeding with the men of Jericho next to them. Next to them was Zaccur the son of Imri. And so they worked on the wall and the gates all around the city of Jerusalem all at the same time. (Nehemiah 3:1-32) When Sanballat heard that they were rebuilding the wall he became angry. He spoke with his brothers and with the army of Samaria about them and he criticized the wall they were building. (Nehemiah 4:1-3) Nehemiah prayed to God that He would turn the reproach of their enemy back upon them. The people continued to build the wall and all the sections were joined but they were only half of the planned height. At this point Sanballat and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites were all upset and conspired against Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 4:4-8) Nehemiah continued to pray, and he set a watch, day and night, because of them. The people working on the wall complained that there was too much rubble to remove and that would prevent them from building the wall. Then the Jews who lived in the surrounding towns offered their assistance and Nehemiah assigned each of the clans to certain stations to help and protect. (Nehemiah 4:9-13) He told the nobles and the officials and the rest of the local people to remember The Lord and do not to be afraid of their enemies. From that time forward half of the people worked on the construction of the wall and the other half held the spears, shields, and bows. Those who were building the wall worked with one hand and held a weapon in the other hand. They all had a sword strapped to their side. He told them that because they were so spread out while working, if they hear the sound of the trumpet then they should rally to that point. So that they were ready to fight if needed, the men slept fully dressed and kept their weapon close by. (Nehemiah 4:14-23)

Application:

Sometimes our help can come from what may appear to be strange places. The Lord God may move on the hearts of some people that we did not expect to cause them to be a blessing to us. God can frustrate the plans of our enemies before they bring them to fruition. (Nehemiah 4:15) We just need to continue to pray and to continue working for The Lord.

"They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, 'Be of good courage.' "
(Isaiah 41:6)

GOD ANSWERS PRAYER

Proclamation:

“And the king said unto me, (the queen also was sitting by him) ‘For how long shall thy journey be? And when wilt thou return?’ So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.” Nehemiah 2:8 (KJV)

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of The Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night."   (Psalm 1:1-2)

Explanation:

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia. It came to pass that as Nehemiah took a cup of wine and gave it to the king that the king noticed that he was sad. When the king inquired as to why the sad face, Nehemiah answered that his city, the city of his fathers, lies in ruins and its gates are burned. (Nehemiah 2:1-3) The king asked what did he want him to do about it. Nehemiah replied if it would please the king, then send him to Judah to rebuild it. He also asked for letters to the governors beyond the river to allow him safe passage; and to Asaph the keeper of the forest so that he would give him timber. (Nehemiah 2:4-8) The king sent captains and horsemen along with Nehemiah. When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite heard this they were grieved. It took Nehemiah three days to reach Jerusalem. When he arrived he went out by night with a few men to assess the situation. He did not tell the leaders or the priests where he was going. (Nehemiah 2:9-16) Afterwards he told the people that Jerusalem lies in waste. Then he told that the hand of God was upon him, and that the king had given him permission to rebuild the city. However, Sanballat and Tobiah, along with Geshem the Arabian, laughed at them and scorned and despised them. They asked were we rebelling against the king. I answered them saying , “The God of heaven, He will make is prosper; and we His servants will rise up and build … and you have no claim in Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 2:17-20)

Application:

Nehemiah wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed when he heard about the situation in Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 1:4) Here we learn that The Lord God answered his prayer and moved upon the heart of the king to allow Nehemiah to do something about the situation. (Nehemiah 2:3-5) The Lord God hears and answers the prayers of those who trust in Him. (1 Chronicles 5:20) The sincere and fervent prayer of a righteous man produces much. (James 5:16) We just need to make sure that what we pray for is within the will of God and will give Him glory, and is not for our personal pleasure.

"Let everything that hath breath praise The Lord. Praise ye The Lord."
(Psalm 150:6)

NEHEMIAH PRAYED FOR THE PEOPLE

Proclamation:

“I said, ‘Please, Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and faithfulness for those who love Him and keep His commandments; let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open, to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins … which we have committed against You …’ ” Nehemiah 1:5-6 (KJV)

"Delight thyself also in The Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
(Psalm 37:4)

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
(Psalm 51:10)

Explanation:

The Bible Book of Nehemiah was written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Nehemiah, the cupbearer to Artaxerxes the king of Persia. He led the third return of the exiled Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. While he was in Chislev, Nehemiah, the son of Hacallah, met some of the men who had come from Judah. He asked them about the Jews who had survived captivity and escaped to Jerusalem, and he also asked them about the status of the city of Jerusalem. They told him that the people were in distress and disgrace, and the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and its gates were burned. (Nehemiah 1:1-3) When he heard this, he wept and mourned for days. He also fasted and prayed to The Lord God of heaven on behalf of the people of Israel. He confessed that the people had sinned against God and not kept His commandments. He also reminded God that He said if the people return to Him that You would gather them together and bring them to the place that You chose for them. (Nehemiah 1:4-9) He also told God that these are Your servants and Your people whom He redeemed by His great power and His strong hand. Then Nehemiah prayed for God’s mercy. (Nehemiah 1:10-11)

Application:

There is a song which is entitled, “Somebody Prayed For Me.” (Dorothy Norwood) The words of that song are as appropriate for us now as they were for the children of Israel back then. We may not even know the names of all of the people who prayed for us. In fact, some of our blessings may be the answer to a prayer which was prayed by someone else. We need to pray for believers everywhere because everybody is dealing with or going through something. All of us are either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or heading into a storm. We all need help so we should pray for one another. (James 5:16)

"I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are Thy works ..."
(Psalm 139:14)