Adult Quarterly

Adult Quarterly
SUNDAY SCHOOL
SPRING QUARTER, 2000
Courage To Face the Challenges

Studies in Nehemiah and Malachi
QUARTERLY AIM: That these studies w ill challenge the student to

meet the fo e w ith co nfidence o f victo r y by faith in C hr ist.
MARCH
5Challenged To Face a Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
12The Challenge of Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
19Challenged To Cooperate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
26Challenged by Enemies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
APRIL
2Challenged by Brethren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
9Challenged To Correct an Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
16Challenging Gossip and Lies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
23Challenged by the Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
30The Challenge To Be Orderly and Dedicated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
MAY
7The Challenge to Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14Challenged To Love God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
21The Challenge of Good and Evil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28Challenged to Faithfulness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
66
73
81
89
ADULT QUARTERLY, Sunday School, Vol. 87, No. 2, issued March 1, 2000, is published quarterly at 95
cents per quarter. Prepared by David Harris; cover designed by Jeff Allen; Bill Johnson, Editor in Chief;
Wayne Sewell, Business Manager.
Copyright 2000, BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE of the American Baptist Association,
4605 N. State Line, Texarkana, TX 75503-2928. Cover Image 1996 PhotoDisc, Inc.
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
2000
Zechariah
Nehemiah
Malachi
Revelation 111
Revelation 1222
2001
Genesis 111
Job
Genesis 1250
Matthew 113
Matthew 1428
2002
Exodus
Romans
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Hebrews
2003
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
Acts 114
Acts 1528
1 Samuel
2 Samuel 14
1 Chronicles 110
2004
Mark
2 Samuel 524
1 Chronicles 1129
1 Kings 1, 2
James
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
Psalms
2005
Galatians
1 Kings 325
2 Chronicles 124
2 Kings 113
Joel, Jonah, Obadiah
1 Corinthians
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
2006
Luke 113:21
Luke 13:2224
Hosea, Amos
Micah, Zephaniah
2 Kings 1416
2 Corinthians
2007
Isaiah 139
2 Chronicles 2532
2 Kings 1720
Isaiah 4066
Philemon
Philippians
Colossians
2 Kings 2123
2 Chronicles 3335
Lamentations
Habakkuk
2008
Ephesians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Jeremiah
2 Kings 24, 25
2 Chronicles 36
John 112
2009
American Baptist Association

Through-the-Bible Series Sunday School Lessons
John 1322
Daniel
Ezekiel
1 Peter
2 Peter
Jude
Zechariah
Ezra
Haggai, Esther
March 5, 2000
Challenged To Face
a Need
Text: Nehemiah 1:1-11
Key Verse:
O Lord, I beseech thee, let
now thine ear be attentive to
the prayer of thy servant, . . .
and grant him mercy in the
sight of this man.
Nehemiah 1:11
Focus: Nehemiah 1:1-11
Sunday Devotional: Make Your

Requests Known, Philippians 4:4-9.
Aim: By the end of this lesson the

student will be challenged to pray
for divine guidance in all endeavors.
LESSON ADVANCE
The theme of this quarter is Courage To Face the
Challenges. The aim is that the student will meet the foe
with confidence of victory by faith in Christ. If there was ever
a man who lived up to the challenge, Nehemiah was the man.
He saw the need, stepped out by faith and committed himself
to finish what he started. We should follow his godly example.
There are many challenges which face the Lords people
today: (1) There is the challenge of rearing a godly family in
an ever-changing, sin-filled world. Satan has launched an
attack on the Christian home. Laws are being changed to
promote wicked life-styles and penalize traditional families.
It is a challenge to discipline your children and bring them
up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
(2) There is the chalDaily Devotionals
lenge of living honestly
and with integrity. The M. Moses Challenged, Exodus 3:7-12.
rules are changing. Many T. Davids Challenge, 1 Samuel 17:40-51.
have come to believe the W. Seek the Lord, 1 Chronicles 16:7-13.
only way to get ahead is T. Esthers Challenge, Esther 4:10-17.
F. Church Challenged, Matthew 28:16-20.
to lie, cheat, steal and S. Peters Challenge, Acts 10:9-43.
run over other people.
3
Challenged To Face a Need
Under the present world system, it seems the criminal has

more rights than the law-abiding citizen. The dishonest are
rewarded over the honest. This is frustrating for those who
are trying to do what is right. When the righteous see the
prosperity of the wicked and compare it to their own situation, it is a challenge to stay on the right road.
(3) There is the challenge of spreading the gospel and
establishing churches. It is not easy to go into a new location
and establish a New Testament church. The devil will fight it
all the way. The red tape of permits, zoning, building codes
and special interest groups will test even the most easy going
missionary. Knocking on doors and leaving tracts is prohibited by city ordinance in some places. Many subdivisions and
apartment complexes have special security which will not
allow door-to-door canvasing. When you do get to talk to
someone about Jesus Christ, the devil will place all manner
of barriers to keep the lost blinded to the truth (2 Cor. 4:3, 4).
(4) There is the challenge of confronting our modern culture with the principles and precepts of Gods Word. The
world has its way of doing things, but the worlds way is contrary to Gods way. Our challenge is to confront our culture
with thus saith the Lord.
LESSON ANALYSIS
We have a choice anytime a need exists. We can ignore it,
hope it will solve itself, wonder why someone else does not do
something about it or get involved and do what we can to
meet it.
Nehemiah 1:1
I. Introduction to Nehemiah
1. The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came
to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in
Shushan the palace.
Who he was. Nehemiahs name meant God is consolation. His fathers name, Hachaliah, meant wait for God.
His brothers name, Hanani, meant God is gracious. The
meaning of these names tells us something about Nehemiah

and his family.
Nehemiah was a Jewish exile who had become a cupbearer to Artaxerxes I, King of Persia. The position Nehemiah
held indicated he was the kind of man you could trust with
your life. A survey of the book of Nehemiah shows us he was
a prayerful man (1:4-11). He had no tolerance for compromise (2:19, 20). He was well organized (3:1-32). He had total
confidence in God (4:14). He was willing to do anything he
asked anyone else to do (4:21-23). He was angered by the
mistreatment of the poor (5:6-9). He never took advantage of
his position (5:14, 15). He was focused on his task and was
not easily distracted (6:1-3). He was not intimidated (6:1014). He was careful when placing men in leadership positions
(7:1, 2). He was sensitive to the leadership of God (7:5). He
was submissive to the Law of the Lord (8:1-18). He was true
to the promise he made the king (2:6; 13:6). He was zealous
for the house of the Lord (13:7-9). He respected the Sabbath
(13:15-22). He prohibited intermarriage (13:23-25).
Where he was. Nehemiah was in Shushan the palace. This
meant he was in a royal residence and capital of the Persian
empire, one hundred fifty miles north of the Persian Gulf.
Shushan was the capital of Cyrus the Great, and where Darius
built his magnificent royal palace, which was later occupied by
Artaxerxes I. Most of the events recorded in the book of Esther
took place in Shushan. It was also the place where Daniel saw
himself in his vision of the ram and the he goat.
Nehemiah gave the date as being the month Chisleu, the
twentieth year. Chisleu would have been the third month of
the civil year and ninth month of the sacred year. It corresponds to parts of our November and December. (The civil
calender was used of kings and contracts. The sacred calender was used to compute religious festivals.) The twentieth
year would have been the twentieth year of Artaxerxes I
(465-424 B.C.). Approximately ninety years earlier, in 536
B.C., Cyrus issued an order which allowed Zerubbabel and
Joshua to lead the first group of exiles to return to
Jerusalem. In 457 B.C. Artaxerxes I allowed the second
group of exiles to return under the leadership of Ezra.

Nehemiah did not lead the third and final group to
Jerusalem until 445 B.C.
II. Investigation by Nehemiah
Nehemiah 1:2-4
2. That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain

men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had
escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning
Jerusalem.
3. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the
captivity there in the province are in great affliction and
reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the
gates thereof are burned with fire.
4. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat
down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and
prayed before the God of heaven.
The return (verse 2). We are not told why they came, but
Hanani and certain men of Judah came to Shushan in
Persia. Their arrival gave Nehemiah an opportunity to hear
firsthand how things were going for the Jews in Jerusalem
and Judah. Jew became the name of the people of Israel
after the exile.
Nehemiah was greatly concerned. He was anxious to know
the status of the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the
captivity and the condition of the city of Jerusalem. The
words escaped and captivity give us insight into how
Nehemiah felt about the many years of Babylonian captivity
and Persian domination.
The report (verse 3). The report of Hanani was heartbreaking. He and the men told Nehemiah that those who
were left of the captivity were in great affliction and
reproach. The wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and the
gates of the city were burned. Affliction means adversity,
calamity, misery. Reproach means disgrace and shame.
What happened to the revival under Haggai and
Zechariah? They were the prophets who encouraged the Jews
to get up and rebuild Solomons Temple. They successfully
led the people out of fifteen years of lethargy and actually
rededicated the Temple in 516 B.C., but a lot can happen in

seventy years. Our own experience shows it does not take
nearly that long for a church to change. A revival in a church
can become a faint memory in just a few years if we do not
take care to keep the fires burning.
The remorse (verse 4). Nehemiah was stunned by the
report of his brother and the men from Judah. He literally
sat down and cried. According to his own testimony, he
mourned, fasted and prayed before God for certain days.
When was the last time you had such a burden for something or someone that you sat down and cried? When did you
last fast and pray because your heart was heavy with a burden? Many of the people in our churches have little or no concern for the affliction of others. Few are truly burdened for
the lost in the community. The majority have no genuine
interest in the mission work of the church. The sad moral
state of our nation does not concern many of us.
III. Intercession of Nehemiah
Nehemiah 1:5-11
5. And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great

and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them
that love him and observe his commandments:
6. Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that
thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before
thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants,
and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have
sinned against thee: both I and my fathers house have sinned.
7. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not
kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments,
which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
8. Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
9. But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and
do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost
part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will
bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name
there.
10. Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou
hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
11. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to

the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who
desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant
this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was
the kings cupbearer.
Nehemiahs prayer was a classic. It included both praise

and petition. It revealed the necessity of heartfelt confession
of sin. It claimed Gods promises. It stood on Gods Word. We
would do well to carefully study this prayer and model our
own prayers after it.
The One addressed in his prayer (verse 5). Nehemiah
addressed his prayer to the Lord God of Heaven. There was a
time in Daniels life when Darius made a decree which
required all prayers and petitions be made to him for thirty
days, but Daniel prayed only to God (Dan. 6:10). Nehemiah
addressed God as the great and terrible God. The Lord God
is the only One to be feared and reverenced because there is no
other beside Him (Isa. 44:6). God keeps His promises, and He
is merciful to those who love Him and keep His commandments. Do not overlook the connection between love and obedience. If we truly love the Lord, we will keep His Word (John
14:21-24). The combination of Gods faithfulness and mercy is
unbeatable. Why would we take our petitions to any other?
The frequency of his prayer (verse 6). There was great
urgency in Nehemiahs voice as he asked the Lord to be
attentive to the prayers which he prayed day and night. If we
pray about something one time and then forget about it, we
must not be very burdened about it. The Pharisees were not
heard for their much speaking because they were hypocrites (Matt. 6:7). Nevertheless, when we pray frequently
and with piety, God is surely honored (Matt. 7:7).
Nehemiah spoke of God as having eyes and ears. This is
not unusual in the Scriptures. Isaiah attributed similar characteristics to God when he said, Behold, the LORDS hand is
not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that
it cannot hear (Isa. 59:1).
The substance of his prayer (verse 7). Nehemiah confessed his sin and the sin of his people as he petitioned the
God of Heaven. Sin is the thing which most often prevents

the Lord from answering prayer. But your iniquities have
separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid
his face from you, that he will not hear (Isa. 59:2). We should
confess our sins and the sins of others as we pray. I sometimes hear people pray in public who ask the Lord to forgive
their personal sins, but they do not ask Him to forgive the
rest of us our sins. Nehemiah confessed his sins, the sins of
the children of Israel and the sins of his fathers house. He
said they had not kept the commandments, the statutes or
the judgments which God commanded. The same might be
said of many of us today. People constantly violate Gods principles and then wonder why things go wrong in their lives.
When we sow to the wind, we will reap the whirlwind.
The basis of his prayer (verses 8-11). The way
Nehemiah used the Word of God in his prayer is impressive.
He asked the Lord to remember the promise He made Moses
concerning the scattering and regathering of the people
(verses 8, 9). Nothing touches the heart of God quite like
hearing His own Word repeated. Nehemiah also reminded
the Lord these were the people God had redeemed by His
greater power and strong hand (verse 10). God answers our
prayers because we belong to Him.
Nehemiah asked the Lord to prosper him. This does not
mean he wanted the Lord to make him rich, but to assist Him
and work providentially in his behalf. He wanted God to
touch the heart of Artaxerxes I and grant him mercy in the
sight of this man, the king. If Nehemiah were going to do
something about the plight of the Jews in Jerusalem, he
would need the kings permission and provision.
LESSON APPLICATION
When we have a burden about something, we should pray
about it. We should never take matters into our own hands
and start a project without Gods approval. Divine guidance
is essential in every undertaking.
March 12, 2000
The Challenge of
Preparation
Key Verses:
Then the king said unto me, For what

dost thou make request? So I prayed to
the God of heaven. And I said unto the
king, If it please the king, and if thy servant
have found favour in thy sight, that thou
wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the
city of my fathers sepulchres, that I may
build it.
Nehemiah 2:4, 5
Sunday Devotional: Ezra
Prepared, Ezra 7:6-10.
Aim: By the end of this

lesson the student will be
challenged to confidently
accept every divine call.
LESSON ADVANCE
In order to run the race (1 Cor. 9:24-27) and fight the good
fight of faith (2 Tim. 4:7), we must properly prepare. Too
many Sunday School teachers go into the classroom on
Sunday morning without having studied and prepared their
lesson. The same can be said for some teachers on Sunday
evening. Gods Word is precious, and we should handle it
accordingly. There is no excuse for not being prepared.
There are times when the fault lies as much with the
church as with the individual teacher. Some churches expect
their teachers to keep the attention of the students without
any helps whatsoever. They begrudge the money spent on literature and classroom
Daily Devotionals
equipment even though M. Surveying the Damage, Nehemiah
teaching Gods Word is the
2:11-16.
most important thing we do T. People Challenged, Nehemiah
2:17, 18.
in church. Many churches
W. Ridiculed by Enemies, Nehemiah
spend more on janitorial
2:19, 20.
supplies than on literature. T. Gideons Call, Judges 6:11-24.
The older generation for- F. Gideon Tested, Judges 6:25-32.
gets that we are living in an S. Gideon Assured, Judges 6:36-40.
10
11
age of cell phones, computers and the Internet. They are still
using dusty chalkboards.
Some preachers cannot see the need for preparation.
There is no need to wait until the offertory to decide what to
preach. Gods Spirit is not limited to Sunday morning. He can
place a message or series of messages on the preachers heart
weeks or months in advance. Take time to study and pray. Read
and research. Do not be a lazy preacher. The people in the pew
deserve a well-prepared, Spirit-anointed message from Gods
Word.
LESSON ANALYSIS
Have you ever heard the expression, Do something, even
if it is wrong? It may sound good, but it is foolhardy advice.
Nehemiahs life provides a better example.
I. Nehemiah Waited on God
Nehemiah 2:1, 2
1. And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth

year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I
took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been
beforetime sad in his presence.
2. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance
sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of
heart. Then I was very sore afraid.
And it came to pass is another way of saying time

passed. Previously, Nehemiah inquired concerning the Jews
who had returned to Jerusalem and regarding the city itself.
His brother, Hanani, and certain men from Judah told him
the people were in a state of affliction and reproach. They
also reported the broken down condition of the city wall
(Neh. 1:2, 3).
God put a burden on Nehemiahs heart for the Jews and
the city of Jerusalem. A burden is a consuming desire.
Nehemiah could hardly think of anything other than the
plight of his fellow countrymen. His thoughts were continu-
12
The Challenge of Preparation
ally of them. He wanted desperately to help them. His heart

was heavy (Neh. 1:4).
When we get a burden about something, we will be preoccupied with it. When I hear people say they have a burden for
the church, and then they stay home and watch television on
Sunday night and Wednesday night, I do not know whether
to laugh or cry. When people have a genuine burden, they will
show it.
Nehemiah prayed earnestly about the matter and waited
on God to show him the way. Amazingly, it was four months
before God opened the door of opportunity. It was the month
Chisleu when Nehemiah made the inquiry and the month
Nisan when he had the opportunity to say something to the
king. We might have expected God to act more quickly
because the Jews in Jerusalem desperately needed help.
Gods schedule seldom agrees with our own. When He places
a burden on our hearts, we are tempted to act immediately
and perhaps rashly; however, God delays opening the door of
opportunity, so we might have time to pray and properly prepare.
Meanwhile, Nehemiah faithfully carried out his duties as
the kings cupbearer. There is a great lesson in this for all of
us who have a burden. Nehemiah did not quit. He remained
faithful where he was. This shows us the wisdom of staying
where we are and doing what God has given us to do even
though we might be praying for Him to open a door for us
elsewhere. A number of preachers families have suffered
unnecessarily because the preachers resigned prematurely
without a place to go. Do not stop serving where you are
unless you are absolutely convinced it is Gods will. If it were
Gods will, He would take care of you.
Nehemiah was so burdened about the Jews and Jerusalem
he was visibly affected by it. The king could see it in his face
and demeanor. This might not seem like much to us, but it
was a punishable offense under Persian law to be sad or
melancholic in the kings presence. This was why Nehemiah
was very sore afraid. He could have lost his life.
Nehemiah 2:1-20
II. Nehemiah Prayed to God
13
Nehemiah 2:3-5
3. And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why
should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of
my fathers sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are
consumed with fire?
4. Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make
request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
5. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me
unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers sepulchres, that I may
build it.
After waiting four long months, the door of opportunity

finally opened. If we had been in Nehemiahs shoes, we
might have given up hope, but Nehemiah remained faithful
and patiently waited upon the Lord. When the opportunity
came, Nehemiah seized it. When the king asked why he was
sad, the cupbearer did not make excuses or try to hide it. He
openly admitted it and shared his heart with the king. Why
should he not be sad? The city of Jerusalem, the place of his
forefathers sepulchers, was in waste. The gates of the city
wall were consumed with fire.
The way to deal with a burden is to make it known to the
Lord in prayer, share it with other Christians who might join
you in prayer, remain faithful where you are, wait patiently
upon the Lord as you prepare and then be ready to step
through the door when God opens it. Do not hesitate. There
are times, especially in foreign mission work, when the doors
are opened only briefly. In countries of political and social
unrest the borders might be open one week and closed the
next. Both the missionary and his sponsoring church must
be ready when the time comes.
When the king asked what Nehemiah wanted, he said, So
I prayed to the God of heaven (verse 4). It must have been a
very quick prayer because in the very next verse it says, And
I said unto the king (verse 5). Not all prayers have to be
14
long. God hears short prayers, too. There are times, as with
Nehemiah, when it is expedient to pray to God and speak to
others at the same time. Nehemiah prayed to God and spoke
to the king.
Nehemiah asked, if it pleased the king, to send him to
Judah in order that he might build it. This was quite a
request because the building of a wall around a city might
arouse suspicion of revolt. Previously, two groups had gone
back to Jerusalem. One was led by Zerubbabel and the other
by Ezra. Zerubbabels emphasis was on rebuilding the
Temple. Ezras emphasis was on rebuilding the spiritual life
of the people. It was Nehemiah who was intent on rebuilding
the wall.
III. Nehemiah, Blessed by God
Nehemiah 2:6-8
6. And the king said unto me, (the queen also 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.
7. Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they
may convey me over till I come into Judah;
8. And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the kings forest,
that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the
palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the
city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king
granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked

Nehemiah how long the journey would be and when he would
return (verse 6). The king was Artaxerxes, the son of Xerxes
(also know as Ahasuerus), who married Esther and made her
queen of Persia about thirty years earlier (Esther 2:17).
Having a Jewish stepmother might help explain the benevolence of Artaxerxes toward the Jews. He had already allowed
Ezra to go to Jerusalem twelve years before (Ezra 7:1-6).
Nehemiah set the king a time for his return. He returned
in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes reign, or twelve years
later. After that, he went back to Jerusalem again (Neh. 13:6,
15
7). The important thing is that Nehemiah kept his word. He

gave the king a time, and he abided by it. Too many of us
make excuses for not keeping our appointments. If we tell
someone we are going to be at a certain place at a certain
time, we should be there unless providentially hindered. The
same is true with our church attendance. Our church
covenant says we engage (promise) to sustain the worship of
the church and be faithful in our engagements. We should be
present for every service unless God keeps us from being
there. We should also be on time. Being repeatedly late for
Sunday School and worship is not excusable.
Nehemiah asked the king for the things he would need to
make his journey successful. He asked for letters of authority which he might present to the governors beyond the river.
They needed to know Nehemiah was on official business and
that they were required by Artaxerxes to assist in any possible way. He also asked for a letter to present to Asaph, the
keeper of the kings forest, that he might have timbers to
make beams for the gates of the palace, for the wall of the
city and for the house he would enter into. Artaxerxes gave
Nehemiah everything he asked for because the good hand of
God was upon him.
IV. Nehemiah, Representative of God
Nehemiah 2:9, 10
9. Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave

them the kings letters. Now the king had sent captains of the
army and horsemen with me.
10. When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant,
the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that
there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of
Israel.
Having obtained permission of the king, Nehemiah came

to the governors beyond the river. He had prayed and
planned. He had everything he needed including an escort of
captains from the kings army and horsemen. As he entered
new territory, all he had to do was present the official letters
16
and let the governor take one look at the calvary. Nehemiah
was on his way.
When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite
heard about Nehemiahs arrival, they were exceedingly
grieved that someone had come to seek the welfare of the
children of Israel. As it was then, so it is today. Not everyone
in the community is pleased when the church tries to
advance the cause of Christ. There are those who will oppose
it. Neither is everyone in the church pleased when the pastor
tries to lead the congregation to new heights. Some are afraid
they will lose their power and influence. Others are afraid it
will cost them something. Not even every church member is
in favor of advancing the cause of Christ.
LESSON APPLICATION
Do you have a burden? If not, why not? Pray earnestly
about it. Share your burden with those you know are close to
God. Remain faithful where you are. Try not to become impatient. Let God open the door when the time is right.
Meanwhile, prepare yourself and carefully plan for every
need. If you were wanting to do mission work in some place,
use the time to pay all your bills so you will not be weighted
down with debt when you go. Begin studying the language if
you are planning to go to a foreign country. Make a will and
have it properly recorded. Secure return passage. Build a
base of prayer and financial support. Then when the door is
open, walk through it and faithfully serve the Lord in it.
March 19, 2000
Challenged To Cooperate
Key Verse:
Then Eliashib the high
priest rose up with his
brethren the priests, and
they builded the sheep
gate.
Nehemiah 3:1
Sunday Devotional: The Beauty of
Unity, Psalm 133:1-3.

student will accept the challenge to
work in harmony with the church.
LESSON ADVANCE
The number one reason churches do not grow is because
they do not follow the leadership of the pastor. Our churches
would take a giant leap forward spiritually, numerically,
physically and financially if they would simply follow their
pastors leadership. In many churches the pastor is looked
upon as a person hired by the church to do the preaching. If
he does happen to make a recommendation to the church
after much prayer and supplication, the membership is likely to vote it down handily.
God has placed the pastor over the church as the shepherd
is over the flock (1 Peter 5:2-4). Many of the churches have
reversed the order. The sheep have put themselves over the
shepherd and taken it upon themselves to tell him what to
do. They have forgotten
Daily Devotionals
the Scripture which
M. The Leaders Lead, Nehemiah 3:13-16.
says And we beseech
T. Temple Servants Labored, Nehemiah
you, brethren, to know
3:17-27.
them which labour W. Merchants and Craftsmen, Nehemiah
3:28-32.
among you, and are over
T.
Live
Peaceably, Romans 12:16-21.
you in the Lord, and
F. Maintain Unity, Ephesians 4:1-6.
admonish you; and to S. Be at Peace, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22.
esteem them very highly
17
18
in love for their works sake. And be at peace among yourselves (1 Thess. 5:12, 13).
Both peace and progress are vitally linked to the way in
which the church follows the leadership of the pastor. Find a
church where the pastor is respected as Gods man and
where the church follows his godly leadership, and you will
find a church where there is peace among the membership
and where progress is being made in the Lords work. Find a
church where the pastor is looked upon as a paid employee
and where his attempts to lead are subverted by outspoken
individuals within the church, and you will find a church
that is neither at peace nor making progress.
I have never seen a time when so many pastors have
received so little respect from the churches. As I visit and
talk with other pastors, I find this same problem repeated
again and again. With the lack of respect shown by church
members, the growth of the church is stunted, and the pastor
becomes so frustrated that he resigns in hopes of finding a
church who will follow his leadership.
The inspired writer of the book of Hebrews offered the
solution when he said, Obey them that have the rule over
you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as
they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and
not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you (Heb. 13:17).
LESSON ANALYSIS
Nehemiah had great success rebuilding the wall around
Jerusalem because the Lord was with him, and the people
cooperated. If we expect to have the same measure of success
in our churches, we must also have the same measure of
cooperation.
I. Rebuilding the Sheep Gate
Nehemiah 3:1, 2
1. Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the
priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and
19
set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.
2. And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next
to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.
Then takes us back to the final verses of chapter 2. Three

days after his arrival in Jerusalem, Nehemiah went out during the night and surveyed the wall around the city. The situation was as his brother had reported. Nehemiahs heart
must have been broken and filled with great emotion as the
moonlight shown upon the broken-down wall and burnedout gates (Neh. 2:11-13). After he assessed the damage,
Nehemiah then addressed the priests, nobles and rulers. He
directed their attention to the distress they were in and
called upon them to rise up and build the wall of Jerusalem.
He did not want the Lords people to be a reproach any
longer (Neh. 2:17). Nehemiah also encouraged them with a
good report. He told how the Lord had been with him and
how the king had spoken to him (Neh. 2:18).
There are times when every leader needs to be alone so he
can pray, meditate and think over the situation at hand.
Having determined the need, he must then share it with the
people and cause them to see it. This is not an easy task. For
example, when a new pastor comes to a church, he can readily see things which need to be done, but the people are
accustomed to the situation, so they do not see the need. It is
like going into a room which has a bad odor. When you first
enter the room, the smell is obvious and odious, but after
awhile you get used to it and no longer notice it.
Try coming to church with the mind of a first-time visitor.
Is parking space available? Does the lawn look nice? Are
entrances to the auditorium clearly marked? Where is the
nursery? What about the restrooms? Are they clean? Where
is the class room for your four- and five-year-old children?
How does the building look? Is it neat and clean? Does it
smell musty? Are the walls marred? What is the condition of
the hymnals? Was a Sunday School book available for your
20
use? Did anyone speak to you? Will you want to come back
next Sunday?
Nehemiah was a great leader because he recognized the
need and knew what needed to be done to meet the need. He
was focused. He knew where he was going and how to get
there. This is the kind of confident leadership we need today
in the churches. Nehemiah also enjoyed the cooperation of
the people. Eliashib the high priest rose up with his
brethren, and they repaired the Sheep Gate and sanctified it.
It is fitting that the first mentioned person was the high
priest. He was the spiritual leader of the people, but he did
not hesitate to go to work on the wall. When there is work to
do, every capable person needs to do his part.
The Sheep Gate was located in the northeast section of the
wall, just north of the Temple. This made it an ideal place to
bring in the sheep for sacrifice. Eliashib and the priests may
have worked on this section because it was so near the
Temple. People tend to work best on those things in which
they are most interested. A wise leader understands this and
divides the workload accordingly. The Sheep Gate is mentioned two other times (Neh. 3:32; 12:39). John 5:2 places the
sheep market near the pool of Bethesda. Eliashib and the
priests worked to the tower of Meah (an hundred) and the
tower of Hananeel (God has favored). These were watchtowers located on the wall near the Sheep Gate. The tower of
Hananeel is mentioned in Jeremiah 31:38 and Zechariah
14:10. Next to Eliashib and the priests worked the men of
Jericho. Next to them worked Zaccur (Neh. 3:2).
II. Rebuilding the Fish Gate
Nehemiah 3:3-5
3. But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also
laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks
thereof, and the bars thereof.
4. And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah,
the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the
son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them
repaired Zadok the son of Baana.
21
5. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their

nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.
The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. This building

project involved laying the beams, setting up the doors and
the locks and putting the bars in place. As the Sheep Gate
was where the people brought their sheep into the city, the
Fish Gate was where merchants brought in fish from either
Tyre or the Sea of Galilee (Neh. 13:16). The Fish Gate was
one of the main entrances and was located to the west of the
tower of Hananeel and the Sheep Gate.
The numerous workers identified in verse 4 had more in
common than a name difficult to pronounce. They shared the
same aims and goals. They had a work to do and were willing to do it. They had a place and filled their place. Would it
not be wonderful if every person in the church knew his job
and filled it faithfully? If churches would cooperate like the
workers on Jerusalems wall, we would see better progress
for the cause of Christ.
Not everyone however was willing to work. Verse 5 tells of
the Tekoites whose nobles put not their necks to the work of
their Lord. The imagery is that of a yoke which went around
the neck and shoulders. In other words, they would not pull
their part of the load. Perhaps they thought they were too good
to work. They stand in marked contrast to Priscilla and Aquila
who laid down their necks for the apostle Paul (Rom. 16:3-5).
Sadly, there are people in the churches today who have no
sense of responsibility. They have not learned that the work of
the ministry is to be done by the membership (Eph. 4:11, 12).
III. Rebuilding the Old Gate
Nehemiah 3:6, 7
6. Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of

Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the
beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks
thereof, and the bars thereof.
7. And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and
Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, unto
the throne of the governor on this side the river.
22
There are many practical lessons to be learned from the

experiences of Nehemiah. One is that planning and organization are not unspiritual activities. Apparently, some have
the idea that if you walk by faith, then you need not plan or
organize. But God honored the planning and organization of
Nehemiah, and He will honor it today. God is not the author
of confusion. He is orderly in everything He does. Observe the
orderly arrangement of the solar system. Think about the
cycles of life which are repeated each day and every year. God
is the master planner and organizer.
Nehemiah led the people to work together in an orderly
fashion. Each work group had a starting place and a stopping
place. Jehoiada and Meshullam repaired the Old Gate. This
gate was also called the Corner Gate. Melatiah, Jadon and
the men of Gibeon and Mizpah worked alongside them to the
throne of the governor or satrap.
If the workers on Jerusalems wall had not been orderly
and organized, they would not have succeeded. With a little
imagination you can visualize the chaos which would have
resulted if they had not worked together in an orderly fashion. People would have been running over one another.
Arguments would have started. Nothing good would have
been accomplished.
Churches operate much more smoothly when things are
well planned and organized. The key to success is prayer and
planning. Adjustments will have to be made along the way,
but everyone benefits when churches plan, organize and
work together. The Bible clearly states, Let all things be
done decently and in order (1 Cor. 14:40).
IV. Rebuilding the Valley Gate
Nehemiah 3:8-12
8. Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the

goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of
one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the
broad wall.
9. And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur,
the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem.
23
10. And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of

Harumaph, even over against his house. And next unto him
repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah.
11. Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of
Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the
furnaces.
12. And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of
Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his
daughters.
People of different crafts were involved in repairing the

wall around Jerusalem. Wall building was not their normal
occupation. Among those who worked on the western section
of the wall was Uzziel of the goldsmiths. Next to him worked
Hananiah, the son of one of the apothecaries (perfume makers). They fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall. Some
believe the broad wall was a long thick wall built during the
time of Hezekiah.
Rephaiah was the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem
(verse 9). He worked next to the men mentioned in verse 8.
Next to him worked Jedaiah, who repaired the section near
his house. Malchijah and Hashub repaired the tower of the
furnaces or ovens which may have been situated in the bakers street (verse 11; Jer. 37:21).
Shallum, ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, worked on the
wall along with his daughters (Neh. 3:12). The Valley Gate
was repaired by Hanum and the inhabitants of Zanoah. They
also repaired a thousand cubits or about five hundred yards
of the wall unto the Dung Gate.
LESSON APPLICATION
Do you want to see souls saved and your church grow?
Pray, plan and work together for the honor and glory of God.
Progress will be made, and God will be glorified when we
work together for His cause.
March 26, 2000
Challenged by Enemies
Key Verse:
Hear, O our God; for we
are despised: and turn
their reproach upon their
own head.
Nehemiah 4:4
Sunday Devotional: Be Strong in the

Lord, Ephesians 6:10-20.
student will resist the enemies of truth
and righteousness.
LESSON ADVANCE
When we are faced with opposition, we need to remember
who the enemy really is. Jesus identified him in the parable
of the tares when He said, The enemy that sowed them is
the devil (Matt. 13:39). The chief enemy of God and
Christian people is Satan, or the devil, as he is called. He is
opposed to all that is true and righteous. He is the incessant
accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10). He works night and day
in opposition to God and the gospel. Moreover, he has vast
numbers of people on his side. When Paul was on Paphos, he
told Bar-jesus he was a child of the devil and enemy of all
righteousness. Bar-jesus was a Jewish sorcerer and false
prophet who tried to turn Sergius Paulus away from the
truth (Acts 13:6-10). All who resist the good news of the
gospel and attempt to
Daily Devotionals
turn others from it are
M.
Judahs
Adversaries, Ezra 4:1-5.
enemies of Jesus Christ.
T. A Letter of Protest, Ezra 4:6-16.
Enemies of truth. The W. Work Made To Cease, Ezra 4:17-24.
devil has ministers who T. Call upon the Lord, Psalm 50:12-23.
pervert the gospel and F. An Appeal to God, Psalm 83:1-18.
corrupt the doctrines of S. Jeremiahs Prayer, Jeremiah 18:1923.
Gods Word (2 Cor. 11:1324
25
15). Some work outwardly and openly, but others are more
cunning and crafty. When we compare the number of saved,
doctrinally sound people in the world today with the total
worlds population, it is like a drop in a bucket. The major
religions of the world know nothing of the truth but are in
fact enemies of the truth. The devil is doing a good job keeping mens minds blinded to the gospel of truth (2 Cor. 4:3, 4).
Enemies of righteousness. We can find enemies of righteousness on every hand. Generally speaking, the media is
one of the chief enemies of righteousness. Purveyors of
pornography are prolific. Filth abounds in the movies and is
getting worse every day. The ratings have been changed and
the standards lowered so that younger viewers are allowed
into the theaters. Television is not much better. The programs are more and more about violence and sex. The most
popular programs, such as wrestling, are not fit to watch.
Proverbs 14:34 is still true. Righteousness exalteth a nation:
but sin is a reproach to any people.
On a more personal level, apathy is one of the greatest hindrances to the truth today. I do not know of any church members who would refer to themselves as enemies of the truth,
but I do know many whose lives hinder its advancement.
They are not interested in getting the message of salvation to
a lost and dying world. They are not willing to sacrifice for
missions and missionaries. They will not invite others to
church or witness to lost people. They say they believe the
Word but will not do anything to spread the Word. They hinder more than they help.
LESSON ANALYSIS
The Lord had placed a burden upon Nehemiahs heart to
rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. He had also opened the
door of opportunity for him to enter into that work. It was a
great work, but there were detractors and problems.
Thankfully, Nehemiah knew how to handle the problems and
deal with the opposition.
26
I. The Resistance
Nehemiah 4:1
1. But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we

builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and
mocked the Jews.
Who he was. Sanballat the Horonite is mentioned ten

times in the Bible, all of which are in the book of Nehemiah.
Sanballats initial reaction to the arrival of Nehemiah was
one of grief and consternation (Neh. 2:10). He was exceeding
grieved that anyone would seek the welfare of the children of
Israel. Later, when he learned Nehemiah wanted to rebuild
the wall, he laughed them to scorn, despised them and
charged them with rebellion against the king (Neh. 2:19).
After the wall was repaired, but the doors had not yet been
set upon the gates, Sanballat attempted to draw Nehemiah
outside the walls so he might do him some mischief (Neh.
6:1, 2). When his repeated offers failed to draw Nehemiah
out, Sanballat wrote a letter wherein he made up accusations of treason and charged Nehemiah of attempting to set
himself up as king of the Jews (Neh. 6:4-8). Sanballat also
hired a man to pronounce a false prophecy upon Nehemiah
in an attempt to cause him to sin. Sanballat wanted an accusation which he might use against Nehemiah (Neh. 6:10-14).
The last mention of Sanballat reveals his daughter was married to one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high
priest (Neh. 13:28). It was a mixed marriage in the eyes of
Nehemiah and a defilement of the priesthood, so he drove
him away.
What he heard. The news which Sanballat heard was
that the Jews were working to repair the wall around
Jerusalem. News like this does not take long to get around.
Anytime Gods people start doing something good other people will talk about it. Very few things stir more interest than
a building program. When a church builds a new building or
completely relocates, as did our church a few years ago, the
whole community takes notice.
27
How he reacted. Three things were said of Sanballats

reaction. He was wroth. He took great indignation. He
mocked the Jews. Wroth means to blaze up in anger or jealousy. The word is used to describe a strong emotional outburst of anger. The expression, took great indignation, means
he was indignant. The activity of Nehemiah and the Jews
provoked Sanballat. He was greatly vexed and grieved. So he
mocked the Jews. He laughed, scorned and derided them in
an attempt to demoralize them.
When the kingdom of God is advanced and the cause of
Christ moves forward, there will always be some who will
fight against it.
II. The Ridicule
Nehemiah 4:2, 3
2. And he spake before his brethren and the army of

Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify
themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day?
will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which
are burned?
3. Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even
that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down
their stone wall.
His accusation (verse 2). There was no love lost between

the Samaritans and the Jews. The city of Samaria became
the capital of the ten northern tribes which broke away from
the southern two tribes when Jeroboam rebelled and led
them into idolatry. Years later, following the deportation of
the Northern Kingdom into Assyrian captivity, the Jewish
remnant intermarried with the foreigners who were sent by
the Assyrian king to populate the land. As a result, the
Samaritans were looked upon by the Jews as half-breeds and
traitors who had no part or lot in Jerusalem (Neh. 2:20).
Sanballat was a Samaritan who spoke before his brethren
and the army of Samaria. He made every effort to stir up his
friends against Nehemiah and the Jews in Jerusalem.
Critics are seldom satisfied to work alone.
28
Sanballats questions were not really questions at all. They

were intended more as accusations than questions. Sanballat
was not looking to inform but to inflame.
His accomplice (verse 3). Sanballats accomplice in all
this was Tobiah the Ammonite. Tobiah is mentioned in thirteen verses in Nehemiah. The Ammonites were descended
from Lots son, Ammon and were a persistent problem for the
Israelites. Tobiah mocked the efforts of the Jews by saying
that if a fox were to go up on the wall it would fall down.
III. The Response
Nehemiah 4:4, 5
4. Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their

reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the
land of captivity:
5. And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger
before the builders.
What should we do when we realize others are working

against us and criticizing us? The natural tendency is to lash
out at our critics and opponents, but this is the worst thing
we can do. We must never render evil for evil or railing for
railing. When Jesus was reviled, He did not retaliate. When
He suffered, He threatened not. Instead, He committed
Himself to the Father and left us an example to follow (1
Peter 2:21-23).
Nehemiah took his problems to God in prayer. This does
not surprise us, but we may be surprised by the nature of his
prayer. Nehemiah prayed for God to turn the Samaritans
wicked devices upon their own heads and asked Him not to
forgive their sin. This may seem vindictive to us, but
Nehemiah viewed the Samaritans as being opposed to God
and His work; therefore, he called Gods vengeance upon
them.
IV. The Resolve
Nehemiah 4:6-9
6. So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together
unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
29
7. But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and

the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard
that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
8. And conspired all of them together to come and to fight
against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
9. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a
watch against them day and night, because of them.
The cooperation of the people (verse 6). In spite of

opposition, they built the wall. In adverse circumstances,
they built the wall. In peril of their lives, they built the wall.
Nehemiah resisted the temptation to quit as well as the
temptation to retaliate. He could have said, There is just too
much opposition to this work. The community is not behind
it. Besides, these Jews probably do not want a wall anyway.
They have been here all these years and have not done anything, so why should I jeopardize my life for people who do
not even want a wall? He could have said, I will go back to
Persia. I have a good job there in the palace of the king. He
likes me. Why should I live in this ruin and rubble when I
could be living in luxury? Nehemiah was a true leader. He
did not quit until the job was done.
The people saw the need. They followed their leader. They
went to work. They built the wall. When the people have a
mind to work, great things can be accomplished. Leaders
must have dedicated followers. A leader can have a vision
and plan, but if none are willing to follow, it will all be for
naught. The problem in many churches today is not with
those who lead but with those who follow.
The conspiracy of the enemies (verses 7-9). We have
already identified Sanballat and Tobiah the Ammonite.
Arabia was the large peninsula east of Egypt, between the
Red Sea and Persian Gulf. Sargon II resettled some Arabs
into Samaria following the fall of the Northern Kingdom.
Ashdod was one of the five major Philistine cities. It became
one of the most important cities on the Philistine coast.
30
When all these enemies of Israel heard that the walls of

Jerusalem were being repaired and that the breaches (gaps)
were being closed up, they burned with anger. They could not
stand the thought of Jerusalem being improved. So they conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to
hinder it. Nevertheless, Nehemiah and the Jews made their
prayer to God and posted guards to watch for their enemies.
LESSON APPLICATION
There are several important lessons for us in the way
Nehemiah met the enemies of truth and righteousness. First,
he realized the opposition was actually attacking the Lord
and His work. Nehemiah was more concerned with the Lords
honor than his own. Second, he stayed focused on what the
Lord called him to do. He was not easily distracted by all the
side issues. The Lord called him to build a wall, and that was
what he intended to do. Third, Nehemiah took the whole
matter to the Lord in prayer rather than take matters into
his own hands. He did take measures to defend himself and
the Jews from physical harm, but he did not act presumptuously.
One of the best ways to resist the enemies of truth and
righteousness is by being steadfast in the faith ourselves.
This was the advice Peter gave when he described our adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion who seeks to devour (1 Peter
5:8, 9). When we know the truth and are established in it, we
will not be easily led astray or distracted from the work God
has given us. There is no substitute for knowing who you are
and what God has called you to do.
April 2, 2000
Challenged by Brethren
Sunday Devotional: Why Cast
Key Verse:
Be not ye afraid of them:
remember the Lord, w hich is
great and terrible, and fight for
your brethren, your sons, and
your daughters, your wives, and
your houses.
Nehemiah 4:14
Down? Psalm 42:5-11.

student will have the courage to
resist all offers that would compromise the work of God.
LESSON ADVANCE
Nehemiah faced many challenges as he carried out his
commission to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Likewise,
we will face numerous and similar challenges as we seek to
carry out the Great Commission. This is why the aim of
todays lesson could not be more timely. We are seeing more
and more church members compromise with the secular
world, and churches compromise with the religious world.
What is compromise? When we compromise, we concede
to the wants and demands of others. Not all compromise is
bad. For instance, if you want to paint the walls blue, and I
want to paint them red, we might compromise and agree to
paint them white. There
Daily Devotionals
are a lot of nonessential
issues, such as the color of M. God Will Fight for Us, Exodus
14:13-28.
paint and carpet, over T. Discouraged in the Wilderness,
Numbers 21:4-9.
which we can and should
W. God Is Mighty, Deuteronomy
compromise. But todays
10:12-22.
lesson is about compro- T. Hope in God, Psalm 43:1-5.
mise over those things F. All Is Vanity, Ecclesiastes 1:12-18.
S. Not Forsaken, 2 Corinthians 4:7-15.
which have been dictated
31
32
by God. When God tells us to do a certain thing a certain way,

we must not compromise. We must never agree to lower Godordained standards and behavior.
Baptism is an example. Gods Word clearly sets forth the
requirements for scriptural baptism. First, the person who is
to be baptized must have made a public profession of faith.
Second, the person must be completely immersed in water.
Third, the baptism must be in the name of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit. Fourth, the baptism must be performed by
the authority of a New Testament church. (See Acts 8:36-38,
Romans 6:4 and Matthew 28:18-20.) These four elements
must be required; however, there are a lot of people who
would like to see us compromise. Two thousand years of
church history tells us that if we refuse to compromise, the
enemies of truth will ridicule, belittle and persecute us whenever they have opportunity.
What is courage? Courage is the mental or moral
strength to . . . persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty (Websters Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, A Merriam
Webster 1991, page 299). It is a firmness of mind and will.
Nehemiah had it, and we need it. Many have fallen by the
wayside for one reason or another. Church members who
were once active are now sitting at home watching television
on Sunday. They have lost their focus on what is truly important. Choir members have quit singing because of a distraction of some sort. Teachers have quit teaching because of a
little problem in the class. Deacons have quit serving because
someone got his feelings hurt. Preachers have quit preaching
because they were criticized by someone in the church.
Courage has been lost, and compromise has occurred.
The kind of courage we need is a quiet confidence in God.
We need an unwavering assurance that God will do what He
has promised. Can we have it? Certainly. If we will give ourselves to prayer and meditation in Gods Word, then He will
33
keep our hearts and minds and will give us a peace that
passes understanding (Phil. 4:6, 7).
LESSON ANALYSIS
I. Why They Were Discouraged
Nehemiah 4:10-12
10. And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is

decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to
build the wall.
11. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither
see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and
cause the work to cease.
12. 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 they will be upon you.
There are numerous reasons why people get discouraged,

some of which are revealed in these three verses.
What Judah said (verse 10). Judah was the tribe
through which Jesus Christ came into the world. It was privileged to be the messianic tribe (Gen. 49:10). So it is a bit
heartbreaking to hear Judah speak out in such a discouraging way. Ideally, the people of Judah should have stood up
and encouraged everyone else, but they did not. Even those
who ought to be leaders and encouragers sometimes get discouraged themselves.
The people of Judah came to Nehemiah and said the
strength of the bearers was decayed. This meant the people
were exhausted from carrying the heavy rocks and building
materials which were needed to repair the wall. They did not
have bulldozers and backhoes. They were forced to do everything with manual labor. It was difficult, backbreaking work,
and they had become discouraged by physical fatigue. I am
glad to know this because there have been times when many
of us have felt the same way. When we are too tired to do
what needs to be done, we sometimes let it discourage us.
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The same thing happens when we become seriously ill or

have major surgery. Our physical condition can cause us to
become discouraged and depressed.
They said, we are not able to build the wall. They lost
their confidence in Nehemiah and perhaps in God. They
started out believing they could do it. Initially, they had a
mind to work, but discouragement came upon them, and they
felt they could not finish. This was a tremendous blow, and
Nehemiah had to deal with it.
What the adversaries said (verses 11, 12). The adversaries taunted Nehemiah and the workers with threats. They
said they would come into their midst undetected, slay them
and cause the work to cease. Threatening people with physical harm was serious business, and they did it often. The people who lived near the adversaries reported it to Nehemiah
ten times. They were afraid for their lives and the lives of
their families.
II. They Were Defended
Nehemiah 4:13-18
13. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on
the higher places, I even set the people after their families with
their swords, their spears, and their bows.
14. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and
to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of
them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight
for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives,
and your houses.
15. And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was
known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought,
that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
16. And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of
my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them
held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
17. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands
wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
18. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his
side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by
me.
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These verses reveal some of the practical ways Nehemiah

dealt with the discouragement which had set in among the
workers.
He employed common sense (verse 13). It may not
sound spiritual, but Nehemiah took practical steps to help
protect the workers from the threat of their adversaries. He
set people in the lower places behind the wall and on the
higher places. This helped secure those areas of the wall
which were vulnerable to attack. He also brought the families together. There is nothing quite as encouraging as being
with your family. He then outfitted the people with their
swords, spears and bows.
There is nothing unscriptural or unspiritual about using
common sense.
He gave them a reason to fight (verses 14, 15).
Nehemiah refocused the attention of the workers. He told
the nobles, rulers and the rest of the people not to be afraid
of their adversaries, but to remember the Lord, who is great
and terrible, and to fight for their brothers, sons, daughters,
wives and houses.
We tend to get discouraged when we focus on ourselves
and our own needs rather than the needs of others. We must
keep our eyes on the goal and remember our purpose. There
are souls to be won, lives to be changed, marriages to be
saved, churches to be built and missions to be supported. We
have brothers, sisters, sons and daughters to fight for.
Remember the Lord and His great and precious promises.
Then go to work.
He defended the workers (verses 16-18). Nehemiah
divided his work force into two groups. From the time they
were threatened with physical harm until the wall was completed, half of the servants worked on the wall and the other
half stood guard with spears, shields, bows and the habergeons (body-armor). The leaders of the people posted themselves behind all the people of Judah.
Even those who worked on the wall were armed. No one
was without a weapon. Every worker had his sword strapped
to his side and was prepared to use it if necessary. The man
who sounded the trumpet stayed with Nehemiah so the
alarm could be sounded without any delay.
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All of this suggests a balance between faith and action.

Nehemiah was a man of faith. He believed God would take
care of them, but he also took action and prepared the people
to defend themselves. He was balanced. On one hand, he
trusted God. On the other hand, he did what he could to protect himself. There must be balance in our lives as well. Has
God called you to preach and pastor one of His churches?
Have faith in Him. Believe He will help you do it. Then go to
a good seminary and get all the help you can from men who
have studied the Word and been down the road themselves.
Do you want to see your church grow? Then pray about it.
Trust God. To pray and not go is hypocritical. To go and not
pray is foolish.
III. They Were Determined
Nehemiah 4:19-23
19. And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the
rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
20. In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet,
resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
21. So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the
spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
22. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let
every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the
night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.
23. So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the
men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our
clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.
The project had been in jeopardy, but by Gods grace and

with Nehemiahs great leadership, the people began to overcome their discouragement, and work on the wall continued.
The situation (verse 19). Nehemiah was a man with
great perception. He recognized needs even when others did
not. He saw that the workers were strung out along the wall
and were a far distance from one another. This made for a
dangerous situation.
One of the marks of a great leader is that he sees what
needs to be done. The Bible describes a pastor as a shepherd
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and overseer. A good pastor has long-range vision. He sees

down the road and realizes what needs to be done, but some
church members resist his leadership because they do not
see the need. By the time they recognize the need, it is
already too late. They should have followed their pastor.
The solution (verse 20). Nehemiahs solution was for the
people to rally whenever they heard the sound of the trumpet. He knew the workers were scattered too thin to adequately protect themselves against an attack, so he told
everyone to come running to the sound of the trumpet.
Resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us, he
said. Once again he brought faith and action together. He
wanted them to trust God, but he also wanted them to bring
their swords and shields. Some seem to have the idea that
any personal effort on our part is a work of the flesh. They
oppose any type of visitation program or youth program on
the grounds that it is fleshly and demonstrates a lack of faith
in God to provide. If Nehemiah had adopted that attitude, he
and his workers would have been destroyed.
The success (verses 21-23). So we laboured in the work
(verse 21). They went through a very serious time of discouragement, but in the end, they went back to work. They
worked from sunrise until the stars came out. Half of them
built the wall while the other half stood guard. They never
let down their guard, not even during the night. They
remained within the walls of Jerusalem during the night and
labored throughout the day. They stayed on the alert. The
only time they removed their clothes was when they washed.
LESSON APPLICATION
The temptation to compromise is real. We must be on the
alert spiritually if we are to guard against it. Compromise
usually takes small steps. It appears to be the rational and
logical thing to do at the time. But when God has told us to
do a certain thing in a certain way, it is sin to do otherwise.
April 9, 2000
Challenged To Correct
an Evil
Sunday Devotional: Oppressors Warned, Proverbs

14:31.
Key Verse:
It is not good that ye do: ought ye
not to walk in the fear of our God
because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
Nehemiah 5:9
Aim: By the end of this lesson
the student will be challenged

to treat others fairly under the
laws of God.
LESSON ADVANCE
What Nehemiah faced. Today we will discover how
Nehemiah faced greater challenges from within. Even though
outside forces were not able to stop the rebuilding effort, the
problems which arose from within the city itself came dangerously close. Nehemiah came face-to-face with high taxation, food shortages and private indebtedness.
What churches face. The things which Nehemiah
encountered sound a lot like those things which churches
encounter today when they attempt to move forward for the
Lord. There will be those outside the church family who will
try to interfere and cause problems for the church, but those
threats can usually be
Daily Devotionals
met with prayer and personal commitment to the M. Nehemiahs Example, Nehemiah
5:14-19.
task at hand. The most
T. Shall Not Oppress, Leviticus 25:13-17.
serious problems are W. Relieve the Oppressed, Isaiah 1:16, 17.
those which arise from T. Men of Low Degree, Psalm 62:9-12.
within the congregation. F. What the Lord Requires, Micah 6:6-8.
S. Have Compassion, 1 Peter 3:8-12.
When individual families
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39
within the church do not have their own houses in order, it

will cause problems for the entire church.
LESSON ANALYSIS
Gods people are to love one another. This is how the world
knows we are His disciples (John 13:35). We are to be kind
one to another and tenderhearted (Eph. 4:32). We are to do
good unto all men but especially toward those who are of the
household of faith (Gal. 6:10). Each church is like a family.
We are to watch out for one another and assist each other in
every way possible. If we fail to do so, we will encounter problems similar to those experienced by the Jews who were
working on Jerusalems wall.
I. The Complaint
Nehemiah 5:1
1. And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives
against their brethren the Jews.
If you ever hear someone say the Bible is not relevant for
todays world, just point him to the book of Nehemiah. This
book is as up-to-date as a big city newspaper. Just about the
time the building project really began to take shape, the
workers threatened to go on strike. A great cry went up from
the people and their wives against the Jews.
The source of the complaint. The complaint which
Nehemiah heard came from the people and their wives. Few
things ring louder in the ears of a leader than complaints
from the ones who are actually doing the work. This is especially true when your workers are all volunteers, as found in
most churches. When the volunteers are not happy, the
leader needs to know why.
The object of the complaint. The men and their wives
were not complaining against the Samaritans, but against
their own brethren, the Jews. One good thing in all this is
that the workers were not complaining against their leader,
40
Challenged To Correct an Evil
Nehemiah; nevertheless, he was the one who had to deal

with it.
At a time when everyone needed to join together, there
were those among the Jews who were exploiting their own
countrymen. They did not have their heart right with God;
therefore, they took advantage of their own people. Their
love for money outweighed their love for God, so they ignored
Gods Law and exacted interest from the poor.
II. The Cause
Nehemiah 5:2-5
2. For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters,
are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat,
and live.
3. Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our
lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because
of the dearth.
4. There were also that said, We have borrowed money for
the kings tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
5. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons
and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters
are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to
redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
The cause of the complaint was fourfold. Some had large

families and were having a difficult time feeding everyone.
Due to the drought, some had been forced to mortgage their
houses and lands. Others had borrowed money to pay the
taxes of the king.
Discomfort (verse 2). The people had been working on
the wall for several weeks, and they were beginning to feel
the pinch. Their daily routine had been turned upside down
ever since they first began working on the wall. The standoff
with the Samaritan army did not help matters. The whole
situation was beginning to have some personal repercussions. People with large families were having a problem feeding everyone. They felt they needed time off to gather corn
(grain) that they might eat and live. A worker is of little
value if he is starving to death.
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Balancing the needs of ones family with the need to be

involved in church work is a tightrope. On one hand, 1
Timothy 5:8 states, But if any provide not for his own, and
specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith,
and is worse than an infidel. On the other hand, Matthew
6:33 says, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
It is not uncommon to see people go to one extreme or the
other. Some have no time for God or the church because they
are too busy working and making a living for their families.
They are in love with the world and the things of the world
(2 Tim. 3:4). The deceitfulness of riches has choked them and
they have become unfruitful in the work of the Lord (Matt.
13:22). Others are so busy in their churches that they have
neglected their families. More than a few husbands are bitter toward their churches because their wives are so busy at
church they never cook hot meals or clean their houses. More
than a few preachers have lost their families because they
were so busy pastoring their churches and preaching revivals
they did not have time for their wives and children. There
must be a balance.
The situation Nehemiah had to deal with was serious, but
it actually went a little deeper than the personal discomfort
of the people.
Drought (verse 3). A second cause of complaint was the
drought which had come upon the land of Palestine. It was
severe enough some people were forced to mortgage their
lands, vineyards and houses in order to buy food. We are not
told the reason for this particular drought, but about seventy-five years earlier, God brought a drought upon the land
because of the disobedience of the people (Haggai 1:5-11).
Drought, famine, pestilence and disease are terrible things.
It is extremely difficult to keep our minds focused on our
work when there are such adverse circumstances around us.
The best thing for us is to obey God and pray He might bless
us with a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (1 Tim. 2:1, 2).
Debt (verse 4). The people were in such a bind they had to
borrow money to pay the kings tribute. Even though they
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were eight hundred miles from Persia, they were still under
Persian rule and required to pay tribute. Personal debt
remains one of the primary hindrances to churches today.
Have you ever heard someone say, We cannot afford it, when
some item or suggestion comes up in a business meeting?
Often times the individual members have such a heavy personal debt they cannot give to the church as they should;
therefore, the church suffers financially and the proposed
project remains undone. Yet the solution to a lot of our church
problems lies at the doorstep of the individual members. We
need to get ourselves out of debt, so we can have the freedom
to give to the church and advance the cause of Christ.
Disobedience (verse 5). Some of the workers had been
forced to sell their children into bondage. This was permissible
under the Law of Moses, but there were strict regulations (Lev.
25:35-43). The Law expressly said, Ye shall not therefore
oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God (Lev. 25:17).
They were to treat them as hired servants, not as slaves.
Neither were they to charge interest for loans of any type (Ex.
22:25). They were allowed to charge interest to a foreigner, but
never a fellow countryman. This was why the people complained to Nehemiah, saying, our flesh is as the flesh of our
brethren. They were being treated unfairly and charged interest even though they were fellow Jews (Deut. 23:19, 20).
III. The Confrontation
Nehemiah 5:6-9
6. And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these
words.
7. Then I consulted with myself, and 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.
8. And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed
our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and
will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us?
Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
9. Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk
in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen
our enemies?
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Nehemiah was angry with them (verse 6). Anger is usually inappropriate, but on this occasion it was justified. When
Nehemiah heard what the Jews had done and how they had
broken Gods Law, he rose up in righteous indignation. He was
not the sort of fellow to become angry at every little thing, but
this matter caused his emotions to show. Likewise, we ought
not allow little things to provoke us, but there are some things
that should stir us up. When we see Gods people blatantly
breaking Gods laws, we should be moved.
Nehemiah assembled them (verse 7). It is important to
see that Nehemiah did not lash out in an emotional, uncontrolled outburst. Instead, he consulted with himself. This
means he thought things through before he said anything.
We might say he counted to ten before he spoke. He then
rebuked the nobles and rulers for their ungodly and unlawful behavior.
Nehemiah accused them (verse 8). When Nehemiah
made his charge against the Jews, they had nothing to answer
because they knew they were guilty. At least three wrongs
were involved. First, they had charged interest of a fellow Jew.
Second, they had enforced permanent slavery of the Jews.
Third, they had become a reproach in the eyes of their enemies. The last wrong was especially repulsive to Nehemiah
and he said, Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God?
When we disobey God and ignore the precepts and principles
of His Word, the ungodly will be among the first to notice. They
will immediately criticize us and brand us as hypocrites.
IV. The Counsel
Nehemiah 5:10-13
10. I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact

of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
11. Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands,
their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil,
that ye exact of them.
12. Then said they, We will restore them, and will require
nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the
priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
44
13. Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every
man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not
this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all
the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the
people did according to this promise.
Being the leader he was, Nehemiah did not stop with

rebuke. He went on to provide specific steps for correcting
the situation.
Stop doing it now (verse 10). Nehemiah, his brethren
and his servants were also lending to the poor, but they were
not charging interest. It was right and proper to lend, but the
charging of interest had to stop immediately. When we recognize sin in our lives, we must deal with it immediately and
stop it completely.
Make things right today (verse 11). Nehemiah wanted
them to give back immediately the lands, vineyards, oliveyards, houses and the excess they had charged on money,
corn, wine and oil. He did not want them to wait another day
and allow the sting of his rebuke to wear off. When we realize we have wronged someone, we need to take care of it
quickly (Matt. 5:23, 24). The longer we wait, the more likely
we will let the offense continue.
Vow before God (verses 12, 13). The people said they
would do as Nehemiah required; therefore, he called in the
Levitical priests and took a vow of the people before God. He
wanted them to know it was serious business, and he expected them to do what they promised. A public wrong requires
public restitution.
In a very vivid manner, Nehemiah showed what he expected to happen to those who failed to keep their vow to God
(verse 13). When we make a vow to God, we best keep it.
April 16, 2000
Challenging Gossip
and Lies
Key Verse:
There are no such things
done as thou sayest, but
thou feignest them out of
thine own heart.
Nehemiah 6:8
Sunday Devotional: Busybodies, 2

Thessalonians 3:10-15.

student will resolve to be faithful to God
and not be discouraged by gossip and
lies.
LESSON ADVANCE
The devil is a formidable enemy, and we must never forget
it (1 Peter 5:8). He has a vast array of weapons and is not
afraid to use them (2 Cor. 2:11). With the aid of his earthly
agents, the devil will make every effort to cut down those
who try to do what is right and good. He will not be deterred,
neither will he play fair. He will use every trick in his book to
defeat us (Eph. 6:11).
Thus far in our study of this great book, we have noted
some of the things the devil used to discourage Nehemiah
and distract him from building the wall around Jerusalem.
In our lesson today we
will examine even more
Daily Devotionals
of his devices. Through- M. Enemies Disheartened, Nehemiah
out the book of Nehe6:15-19.
miah, it is evident the T. A Faithful Man Chosen, Nehemiah
tongue is one of Satans
7:1-3.
chief weapons against W. Plan for Organized Society, Nehemiah
7:4-38.
Gods
people.
Even
though the Samaritan T. Priests and Levites, Nehemiah 7:39-45.
army was under his F. Questionable Background, Nehemiah
7:46-65.
direct influence, it was
S. Gifts to the Work, Nehemiah 7:66-73.
the diabolical tongues of
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46
Challenging Gossip and Lies
Sanballat and Tobiah which proved the most threatening

against Nehemiah.
Not a lot has changed. The tongue remains one of the most
damaging and effective weapons in Satans arsenal. Do not
be a Sanballat or Tobiah. Do not be a gossiper or backbiter.
Confess your sin to God and then dedicate yourself totally to
Him, beginning with your tongue.
LESSON ANALYSIS
The Scripture focus of this lesson reveals three tricks
which Nehemiahs enemies pulled out of their bag. All were
quite clever and cunning, just like Satan.
I. The Private Invitation
Nehemiah 6:1-4
1. Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and

Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I
had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein;
(though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
2. That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come,
let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of
Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a
great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work
cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
4. Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I
answered them after the same manner.
The report (verse 1). We have noted before how news of

Nehemiahs progress spread throughout the land. There
were spies in the area who kept a close watch on the wall
around Jerusalem. We know there were nobles of Judah who
wrote numerous letters to Tobiah and kept him informed
about everything Nehemiah did. Tobiah had married into a
nobles family, and the nobles had sworn an oath to him. They
were constantly telling Nehemiah what a good man Tobiah
was. At the same time they were reporting everything
Nehemiah said to Tobiah (Neh. 6:17-19).
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As completion of the project drew near, Sanballat, Tobiah

and Geshem were deeply disturbed. Everything they had
tried failed. Nehemiah had overcome every obstacle they put
in his way. Their opposition had proven futile. Nehemiah was
finished building the wall except for hanging the doors in the
gates.
The request (verse 2). Nehemiah had been working on
the wall for weeks, and the job was almost done. The time for
celebration was near. Everyone had worked extremely hard.
It was time for a break, and the enemy knew it. It was no
accident that Sanballat and Geshem sent their request to
Nehemiah when they did.
The two men sent a personal invitation to Nehemiah to
join them in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. It was like
saying, Nehemiah, we know you have been working hard on
the wall, and it is almost complete. You deserve a rest. The
beautiful plain of Ono will be just the place for you to take a
few days off. Come be our guests. No one will blame you for
taking a break. We will have a chance to talk. We know we
have had our differences in the past, but this will give all of
us a fresh start.
The generous invitation would have fooled most people,
but Nehemiah did not fall for their ploy. He knew they
intended to do him harm.
The response (verse 3). Nehemiah answered their personalized invitation. He said no to Ono. Nehemiah was a
man of discernment. Somehow he knew the men were up to
no good. He perceived their scheme and realized his life
would be in danger if he went.
How did Nehemiah know these men intended to do him
harm? We do not know all that was involved, but we can be
sure Nehemiah would not have discerned the danger if he
had not been walking in fellowship with the Lord. If he had
not been a man of prayer and devotion, he would have surely fallen for their trickery and possibly lost his life.
There is a great lesson in this for us. The devil is on the job
day and night looking for a way to destroy us. He will use the
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most subtle and deceptive methods possible. He will eventually make a proposition to us which seems to be the very
thing we need to do. How will we know to avoid it? Our best
defense against the devil is sweet fellowship with the Lord.
When we are in His Word and in His will, we will know when
to say yes and when to say no (Gal. 5:16; 1 John 1:7). James
said, Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil,
and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Many attempt to resist
the devil without first submitting to God. This is a fatal error.
Before we can resist the devil, we must first be in submission
to God.
Nehemiah sent messengers to Sanballat and Geshem. He
simply told them he was involved in a great work and did not
have time to come to Ono. He knew the work would suffer if
he were away, so he said, I cannot come down.
The Repetition (verse 4). The devil does not give up easily. He is most persistent. This was true in Nehemiahs day,
and it is still true today. When Nehemiah declined their invitation, they just kept pressing the issue and sent more invitations. Nehemiah responded in the same manner with each
succeeding invitation, but they would not take no for an
answer. They sent four invitations.
II. The Public Accusation
Nehemiah 6:5-9
5. Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner

the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
6. Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen,
and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for
which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their
king, according to these words.
7. And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee
at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be
reported to the king according to these words. Come now
therefore, and let us take counsel together.
8. Then I sent unto him, saying,There are no such things done
as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
9. For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be
weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O
God, strengthen my hands.
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Having refused their invitations to come to Ono,

Nehemiahs enemies knew it was time for a change in strategy.
A public charge (verse 5). The first four invitations were
more private in nature, but the fifth was an open letter from
Sanballat. It appears Sanballat wanted to stir up and frighten everyone in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. The letter was, in effect, a vicious public attack against Nehemiah
and the Jews. Sanballats strategy was that it was time for a
little public mudslinging.
A personal attack (verses 6, 7). The fifth letter began by
saying, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith
it. What is this? The letter was nothing more than the repetition of a rumor. There was no basis for the charges. The
fact that Gashmu had said it did not mean anything because
he was the same person as Geshem (Neh. 6:2). He was one of
Nehemiahs enemies.
Rumors, gossip and lies are powerful weapons in the hand
of an enemy. Even when there is no basis for it whatsoever,
rumors begin to be accepted as fact when told often enough.
One way to spot a rumor is to note the source. When there is
no identifiable, credible source, then label it as rumor and
ignore it.
Rumor is such a damaging force that we must not allow it
to continue. The cause of Christ is too important to allow it
to be damaged by loose tongues.
Sanballat charged that Nehemiah and the Jews were
building the wall for the purpose of rebellion against Persia.
He also charged that it was Nehemiahs intention to become
their king. Moreover, he charged Nehemiah with appointing
prophets to preach of him at Jerusalem and declare him a
king in Judah. Then Sanballat threatened to report everything to the king in Persia. Finally, he said, Come now
therefore, and let us take counsel together.
A prayerful response (verses 8, 9). If someone tells a lie
about you, there will be someone who is likely to believe it.
But how does one defend himself against rumor, gossip and
lies? How did Nehemiah answer a fabricated charge?
50
Nehemiah simply sent word back to Sanballat and said there

were no such things done as Sanballat had said, but that he
had made it up on his own. He also prayed and asked God to
strengthen his hands. Nevertheless, the charges did have an
effect on the people. They were afraid, and their hands were
weakened. Never think that repeating rumors or spreading
gossip about someone is harmless. Great damage can be
done.
III. The Personal Intimidation
Nehemiah 6:10-14
10. Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of

Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said,
Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple,
and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to
slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
11. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there,
that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I
will not go in.
12. 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.
13. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so,
and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that
they might reproach me.
14. My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according
to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the
rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
Who he was (verses 10, 11). One day Nehemiah went into
the house of Shemaiah who was shut up. Some believe
Shemaiah was probably a priest since he had access to the
Temple. It is not clear why he was shut up in his own house,
but some commentators have suggested it was a symbolic act
to indicate his own life was in danger. He wanted to make
Nehemiah believe both of them needed to flee to the Temple.
Shemaiah prophesied and told Nehemiah someone was
going to come during the night to assassinate him. He suggested they meet together within the Temple and shut the
door behind them for safety. Nehemiah refused to do such a
51
thing. He was not going to be intimidated or act presumptuously.

What he was (verses 12, 13). Once more we are
impressed with Nehemiahs perceptive abilities. He knew
God had not sent Shemaiah, but that he was a false prophet
hired by Sanballat and Tobiah. Their plan was to make
Nehemiah afraid by means of a false prophecy. They wanted
him to do something rash and foolish so they would have an
evil report to make against him.
The enemies of Gods people still work like this today. They
lay traps against us and try to make us afraid. They want us
to act hastily and presumptuously rather than put our faith
in the Lord and trust Him to defend us. If we fall for their
plan, they will have a damaging report they can use against
us.
LESSON APPLICATION
Saying no is one of the most difficult things we encounter,
but it is one of the marks of a great leader. Nehemiah said no
to the invitation to leave the work God had assigned him. He
said no to the temptation to indulge himself with special
privileges. He said no to quitting before the job was completely finished. He said no to public accusations, gossip and
lies. He said no to false prophets who pretended to speak for
God.
We all need to carefully examine ourselves with respect to
how we use our tongues. It is hurtful enough when our enemies tell lies, gossip and spread rumors on us. It is even worse
when we do it to one another. We are shooting ourselves in the
foot when we spread rumors on our fellow church members
and on sister churches. Even if a report is true, there is no
profit in repeating it unless it edifies the people involved and
the hearers. Purpose in your heart that you will use your
tongue as a builder of lives, not a destroyer.
April 23, 2000
Challenged by the
Book
Text: Nehemiah 8:19:38
Key Verse:
So they read in the book in
the law of God distinctly, and
gave the sense, and caused
them to understand the reading.
Nehemiah 8:8
Sunday Devotional: Given by Inspiration, 2 Timothy 3:14-17.

student will resolve to read the
Bible daily and prayerfully.
LESSON ADVANCE
A great challenge. Nehemiah was acquainted with challenge. The first thing he had to do was ask the king of Persia
for a leave of absence from his job as cupbearer. He also needed to secure material provisions and official letters of authority which would allow him to make his journey unhindered.
Once Nehemiah arrived on the scene in Jerusalem, he saw
just how difficult the job of rebuilding the wall was going to
be. The city was in ruin. Rocks and rubble covered the
ground. The whole situation was distressing. Moreover, his
work force would be made up of the very people who allowed
the situation to exist. Motivating them to rise up and build
was going to be a great challenge in itself.
The rubble of rock and apathy of heart was not the end of
Nehemiahs troubles.
Daily Devotionals
He soon learned there
were enemies of God M. Feast of Tabernacles, Nehemiah 8:13-18.
and Jerusalem who T. Confession of Sins, Nehemiah 9:1-15.
lived nearby. Men like W. Sins of the Fathers, Nehemiah 9:16-25.
Sanballat, Tobiah and T. Punished for Sins, Nehemiah 9:26-31.
F. Covenant Renewed, Nehemiah 9:32-38.
Geshem were deter- S. Joshuas Commission, Joshua 1:1-9.
mined to fight him all
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the way. Nevertheless, by the grace of God, the wall was finished in fifty-two days (Neh. 6:15).
A greater challenge. In chapter 8 we find a new challenge. It was not to build more walls in the city of Jerusalem,
but to build the Word of God within the hearts of the people.
This may have been the greatest challenge of all.
The most important and challenging endeavor of all is to
teach people the Word of God and build it within their hearts
and minds. The teaching of Gods Word is one of the most
important things we do in church. We should never lose our
focus or begrudge the time and money spent on literature
and other teaching aids. God put us here to teach all nations.
LESSON ANALYSIS
The Jews carried a sword by their side as they worked on
the wall. They were prepared to defend themselves if necessary. The Bible is the Sword of the Spirit whereby we might
defend ourselves against the wiles of the devil. We should
learn to wield it effectively.
I. The Request for the Word
Nehemiah 8:1, 2
1. And all the people gathered themselves together as one

man into the street that was before the water gate; and they
spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of
Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
2. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with
understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
What they did. The people gathered themselves together

as one man before the Water Gate and spoke to Ezra the
scribe to bring the book of the Law of Moses. Ezra was the
faithful scribe and priest who came to Jerusalem in 457 B.C.,
thirteen years before Nehemiah. He was not a builder like
Nehemiah, but he was skilled in the Law of Moses. Ezra
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Challenged by the Book
brought the Law before the congregation both of men and

women and all who could hear with understanding.
When they did it. It was in the end of the sixth month of
the sacred calendar that the wall was finished (Neh. 6:15).
The next week was the beginning of the seventh, or sabbatical month (Neh. 7:73). This was the month in which the Law
of Moses called for the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement
and Feast of Tabernacles. Unfortunately, the people had been
remiss about keeping the feasts in proper fashion. (Compare
Mondays Daily Devotional in Nehemiah 8:13-18 with
Leviticus 23:33-36.) The seventh month was also the New
Year, or first month of the civil calendar. It was on the first
day of the seventh month that Ezra brought the Law before
the people who had gathered themselves together at the
Water Gate.
Why they did it. We are not told expressly why the people
called for Ezra and the Law of Moses, but there are some
conclusions we might draw. Upon the completion of the wall,
Jerusalem was pretty well organized and somewhat defensible, even though they were small in number. However, organization and physical defenses are not sufficient to provide
adequate protection against the wicked one. Perhaps they
realized they needed something more.
What we learn from it. The important lesson to be
learned is that people get the message in power, and in the
Holy Ghost, and in much assurance (1 Thess. 1:5).
The way the people gathered themselves together as one
man is impressive. They wanted to hear from God. They
wanted Gods man to stand before them and share Gods
Word with them. Their eagerness is an example for us. It is
also a rebuke to those who have no interest in the Word and
would rather do something else on Sunday.
II. The Reading of the Word
Nehemiah 8:3, 4
3. And he read therein before the street that was before the
water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and
the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all
the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
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4. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which

they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood
Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and
Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and
Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana,
Zechariah, and Meshullam.
How he read (verse 3). Ezra simply, yet clearly, read to

the people from the Word of God. He did not tell them what
he thought about the situation or offer a lecture on some
ism or ology. He read the things which were written in the
Law.
Some today might say Ezras methods were too dull and
boring; however, The word of God is quick, and powerful,
and sharper than any twoedged sword (Heb. 4:12). This is
why we are to preach the Word and give attendance to the
public reading of the Word (1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 4:2). The Word
of God is inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Nothing has the ability to cut to the bone and prick our
hearts like the Word. Gods Word is a force to be reckoned
with. It will not allow us to remain neutral. It calls for and
demands a decision. When we hear it, we must either believe
it and act upon it or reject it and refuse to obey it.
Ezra read from the morning until midday. This might
seem unreasonable to people today, but they were attentive
unto the book of the law. They listened intently because they
wanted to know what God said. Few things are more encouraging to the preacher than an eager listener.
Where he stood (verse 4). Ezra stood upon a pulpit of
wood. It was not a pulpit like we think of today, but was a
high wooden platform which was built for the occasion.
Thirteen men stood with Ezra. In a sense preachers today
need men who will stand with them, not literally of course,
but in the sense that they back them up and support them as
they preach the truth. This is one of the secrets to a longtime
ministry. When you find a pastor who has been at the same
church for dozens of years, you will likely find godly men who
56
have a history of standing behind their pastor and of protecting him from disgruntled people.
III. The Reverence for the Word
Nehemiah 8:5, 6
5. 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:
6. And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the
people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and
they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their
faces to the ground.
Ezra opened the book (verse 5). When Ezra opened the
book, everyone was able to see him because he was above
everyone. When he opened it, all the people stood in reverence to it. There are numerous congregations who follow this
example today. When the pastor reads the text of his message, the congregation stands. There is certainly nothing
wrong with this practice, but a church does not have to do it
to be scriptural. Reverence begins in the heart. A person
might stand to the reading of the Word and then not live
according to the Word. Has he reverenced the Word? Not necessarily.
We definitely need more reverence and respect for the
Word and the preaching of the Word. When Gods book is
being read, we should listen attentively and prayerfully. It is
a good idea to follow along in your Bible. The Thessalonians
provide a good example. They received it not as the word of
men, but as it is in truth, the word of God (1 Thess. 2:13).
The Bereans provide an ever better example. They received
the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily (Acts 17:11).
Ezra blessed the Lord (verse 6). Blessed means to
invoke, to praise, to celebrate, to adore, to bless God. The
word has a root idea of bending the knees. In return, the
people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands.
Amen is an affirmation. Its proper place is where one person
confirms the words of another and thereby expresses agree-
57
ment or a wish for it to be so. As a congregational response,

saying Amen goes back at least as far as the time of David (1
Chron. 16:36). Lifting the hands was a custom in old times,
as was bowing the head and worshiping with ones face to the
ground (Luke 18:13). As with all such customs, the person
may be either sincere or hypocritical. God is the judge, not
man. He certainly knows which we are.
IV. The Revealing of the Word
Nehemiah 8:7, 8
7. Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub,

Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan,
Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the
law: and the people stood in their place.
8. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and
gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
We must remember these people were not as well versed in

the Scriptures as we might think. They had been affected by
seventy years of Babylonian domination followed by more
years of Persian rule. Many of them knew very little at all
about the Word. They needed Ezra and the Levites to explain
it to them in terms they could understand.
Three things stand out in this situation. First, they read in
the book in the Law of God distinctly. Second, they gave the
sense. Third, they caused the people to understand the reading.
This is an excellent model for preaching and teaching today.
When you do these three things, it will make the Bible come
alive for those who do not know nearly as much about it as
you might think they do.
V. The Reaction to the Word
Nehemiah 8:9-12
9. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the

priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said
unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God;
mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard
the words of the law.
10. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and
drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom noth-
58
ing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye
sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your
peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink,
and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they
had understood the words that were declared unto them.
When the people heard the Law of God, they wept. They
realized how disobedient and dishonoring they had been to
God. Nehemiah, who was the Tirshatha, or governor, and
Ezra, who was the priest and scribe, and the Levites, who
were the descendants of Levi, told the people not to mourn or
weep because the day was holy unto the Lord. It was the first
day of the sabbatical month. It was the civil New Year. It was
a Sabbath day of rest to be observed with blowing of trumpets and offering of sacrifices. They were told to go their way,
eat and drink, and share what they had with those who were
in need. They were reminded that the joy of the Lord was
their strength.
LESSON APPLICATION
The people had such a good time hearing the Word and celebrating the New Year that they came back on the second
day and told Ezra they wanted to hear more (Neh. 8:13). This
is what happens when we spend quality time in the Word.
April 30, 2000
The Challenge To Be
Orderly and Dedicated
Key Verse:
Also that day they offered
great sacrifices, and rejoiced:
for God had made them
rejoice with great joy.
Nehemiah 12:43
Sunday Devotional: Orderliness in

Worship, 1 Corinthians 14:26-40.
student will engage in orderly worship of God.
LESSON ADVANCE
Have you ever tried to define worship? The thrust of the
Old Testament word for worship meant to prostrate oneself,
bow down. It was used for the first time in Genesis 18:2,
where Abraham bowed himself toward the ground when he
looked up and saw three men who stood by him. Bowing
down was an act of homage and submission.
In the New Testament worship means to make obeisance,
do reverence, to revere, to awe, to honor, to serve, to pay
homage, to act piously towards. True worship must begin in
the heart and mind of the individual, but it does not stop
there. Worship involves
Daily Devotionals
our actions as well as our
attitudes. Worship is M. Pledged To Keep the Covenant,
Nehemiah 10:1-30.
what we feel, but it is T. Support of the Temple, Nehemiah
also what we do. The
10:31-39.
mind (intellectual ele- W. Population Adjustment, Nehemiah
ment), heart (emotional
11:1-36.
element), and
hand T. Registry of Priests, Nehemiah 12:1-26.
(practical element) are F. Dedication of Wall, Nehemiah
12:27-30.
all affected by worship.
S. Keepers of the Storehouse,
Worship involves going
Nehemiah 12:44-47.
to church, reading the
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60
The Challenge To Be Orderly and Dedicated
Bible, singing the hymns, praying the prayers, listening to the

sermon and having fellowship with the people; however, one
might do all these things and still not truly worship. There
must be a commitment to do what we have been convicted to
do. The Holy Spirit will lead and convict us as the teacher
presents the lesson, as the choir and congregation sing the
songs and as the pastor preaches the sermon. We must then
respond to His leading. If we agree with Him and follow Him,
we may say we have worshiped; however, if the Spirit has
convicted us about something, and we ignore it or postpone
doing something about it, we may not rightly say we have
worshiped. We may say we went to church, but we should not
say we worshiped unless we have submitted to God and
responded positively to the work of the Holy Spirit in our
hearts.
Worship of God should be the top priority of the church
today. Above and beyond everything else we do, we should
make worship the number one activity of the church. When
God gave Moses the Law, the first thing He said was Thou
shalt have no other gods before me (Ex. 20:3). The number
one occupation of the church is worship, not soul-winning,
mission work or youth work. Why? Because when we give
God first place and make worship of Him our top priority,
everything else will naturally fall into place (Matt. 6:33). We
will be soul-winners. We will do mission work. We will do
youth work and everything else that needs to be done when
we put worship first.
Worship also involves right doctrine. One of the faults of the
Pharisees was that they perverted the Word of the very God
they pretended to worship. Jesus said, But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men
(Matt. 15:9). Acceptable worship is in Spirit and in truth (John
4:24). Worship outside the sphere of truth is vain worship.
LESSON ANALYSIS
We will not limit ourselves to the verses found in todays
Scripture Focus, but will instead summerize the lesson Text.
I. The Covenant Was Signed
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Nehemiah 10
Nehemiah 10 tells about a covenant which was signed by

the leaders, Levites and priests. In view of all that God had
done for the Jews, they thought it fitting to make a binding
agreement between themselves and God, put it in writing
and sign their names to it (Neh. 9:38). Nehemiah 10:29 says
they entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in Gods
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 judgments and his statutes. This was a serious matter. They entered into a curse and took an oath. Making such
a vow was not entered into lightly. Ecclesiastes 5:4, 5 states,
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for
he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou
shouldest vow and not pay.
The covenant included numerous stipulations. They said
they would not give their daughters to the people of the land,
nor take their daughters for their sons (Neh. 10:30). This
would have prevented any sort of intermarriage with
pagans. They also promised to observe the Sabbath by refusing to buy from the people of the land who brought in merchandise and grain on the Sabbath. They pledged to forgo
working the land and the collection of debts in the seventh
year as required by the Law of Moses (Neh. 10:31). They also
assumed responsibility for the support of the Temple, the
shewbread, the offerings, the feasts, the wood for the altar,
the firstfruits and the tithes (Neh. 10:32-39). They promised
they would not forsake the house of God.
Every church with which I am personally acquainted has
a church covenant. It is a solemn agreement between the
members of the church as to their individual responsibilities.
Everything in it is based entirely on Scripture. I wonder
what would happen if we were asked to affix our seal or sign
our name to the covenant as they did in Nehemiahs day?
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II. The City Was Occupied
Nehemiah 11
Nehemiah 7:4 describes the city of Jerusalem right after

the wall was finished. Now the city was large and great: but
the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded. There were probably several reasons for this situation.
For one thing, the city had been in ruins since 586 B.C., when
it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Jerusalem had been little more than a pile of rock and rubble for the past one hundred forty years. Few people wanted to go to the trouble of
removing the debris in order to build within the city. It was
much easier to build in the surrounding areas. Besides, there
had been no incentive to build within the city as long as the
wall was broken down. A broken-down wall offered no protection.
If the city of Jerusalem was to thrive it needed people;
therefore, they cast lots to bring in one out of ten to live within the city (Neh. 11:1). This means some were drafted into
moving inside the wall. Others volunteered to move in. They
willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem (Neh.
11:2). Thank the Lord for volunteers. It is wonderful when
people agree to serve when asked but even more so when
they serve without being asked. We need more like them
today. Are more workers needed in your church? Volunteer.
You will be blessed if you do.
III. The Choir Sang
Nehemiah 12
31. Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and
appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung
gate:
32. And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of
Judah,
33. And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
34. Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
35. And certain of the priests sons with trumpets; namely,
Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of
Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of
Asaph:
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36. And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai,

Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before
them.
37. And at the fountain gate, which was over against them,
they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up
of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate
eastward.
38. And the other company of them that gave thanks went
over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people
upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto
the broad wall;
39. And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old
gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and
the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood
still in the prison gate.
40. So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in
the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:
41. And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah,
Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42. And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and
Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers
sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.
43. Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced:
for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also
and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was
heard even afar off.
Nehemiah 12 provides extensive genealogical records of

the priests and Levites (verses 1-26), records the dedication
of the rebuilt wall (verses 27-43), and describes the restoration of the Temple order (verses 44-47). The dedicatory celebration was a once in a lifetime experience for everyone
involved. Any celebration like this is an unforgettable event,
but some church members live their entire lives without having the opportunity to participate in such a service.
In our day it is customary to dedicate things to God, especially new buildings. There is no mandate in the New
Testament for such a practice because churches in the New
Testament did not have their own buildings in which to
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meet; however, a dedicatory service certainly agrees with the

spirit of the passage before us. The dedication of a new building is a public means of acknowledging God for His goodness
and grace which made the building project possible. It also
serves to remind everyone involved that the building has
been set aside for a special purpose.
When the time came to dedicate the wall, the Levites were
sought out of their places and brought into Jerusalem. The
Levites were religious leaders who were responsible for
assisting the priests with worship. They came in to keep the
dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with
singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps (Neh.
12:27). A dedication should be a celebration, and that was
what Nehemiah intended. It was a joyous occasion, celebrated with jubilant voices and all manner of musical instruments. The sons of the singers also gathered themselves
together. They came in from the plain country around
Jerusalem and from the villages where they had settled
(Neh. 12:28, 29).
The Levites purified themselves, and purified the people,
and the gates, and the wall (Neh. 12:30). This tells us it was
their job to lead in the purification of material things, but it
was also necessary to purify themselves and the people.
What good is there in dedicating a building if we are not
going to dedicate ourselves? The Spirit of God does indwell
our mortal bodies, not the brick and mortar of the church
building. We, therefore, should sanctify and dedicate ourselves to Him (1 Cor. 6:18-20).
Nehemiah brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall
and divided them into two great companies or choirs. One
group went one way and the other group went the other way.
The scene must have been awesome. The first group went to
Nehemiahs right, toward the Dung Gate (Neh. 12:31). There
were a lot of people on the wall, including adults and children. There were priests with trumpets and instruments of
David. Ezra, the scribe was the leader of this group (Neh.
12:36).
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The other group or second choir went the opposite direction (Neh. 12:38). Nehemiah was in this great group which
reached to the Prison Gate (Neh. 12:39). Then they sang. In
fact, the singers sang loud (Neh. 12:42). Also that day, they
offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God filled their
hearts with rejoicing and great joy. The wives and the children joined in the rejoicing. Everyone was happy. There was
such great joy in Jerusalem that it was heard afar off (Neh.
12:43). That last phrase is interesting because it does not say
the singing was heard, but the joy was heard. Joy is contagious. If we have it in our hearts, others will hear it.
LESSON APPLICATION
Worship is difficult to define, but we have learned in this
lesson that it involves our minds, hearts and hands. Worship
may be both private and public. The public worship of God is
made up of three basic ingredients: prayer, singing and
preaching. At times our public worship will be more reserved
and reflective, but at other times it will be all joy and celebration. God would have us worship Him with gladness and
singing, but please remember that public celebration without private purification is vain and hypocritical. A loud voice
is a poor substitute for a pure heart.
May 7, 2000
10
The Challenge to
Separation
Focus: Nehemiah 13:1-3, 23-31
Sunday Devotional: Be Separate,
Key Verse:
Now it came to pass, when
they had heard the law, that they
separated from Israel all the
mixed multitude.
Nehemiah 13:3
2 Corinthians 6:11-18.
student will have been challenged

to live by the laws of God that call
for separation.
LESSON ADVANCE
Nehemiahs temporary absence from Jerusalem seems to
provide the explanation for the striking difference between
chapters 12 and 13 in the book of Nehemiah. From one chapter to the next, the story goes from revival to regression,
singing to sighing, commitment to compromise and from
rejoicing to rebuking. The residents of Jerusalem backslid.
They lost their distinctiveness by making gross compromises
with the enemy.
LESSON ANALYSIS
An outline for the final
chapter of Nehemiah is as
follows: (1) The Word Was
Read (Neh. 13:1-3). (2) The
Enemy Was Removed (Neh.
13:4-9). (3) The Rulers Were
Rebuked (Neh. 13:10-14).
(4) The Sabbath Was Restored (Neh. 13:15-22). (5)
The Wives Were Rejected
(Neh. 13:23-31).
Daily Devotionals
M. Allied with Tobiah, Nehemiah

13:4-9.
T. Treasurers Appointed, Nehemiah
13:10-14.
W. Observing the Sabbath, Nehemiah
13:15-22.
T. Purge Out the Leaven, 1 Corinthians 5:1-13.
F. Children of Light, Ephesians 5:821.
S. Purify Self, 1 John 3:1-3.
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I. The Word Was Read
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Nehemiah 13:1-3
1. On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience

of the people; and therein was found written, that the
Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
2. Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and
with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse
them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3. Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that
they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
On the day the wall was dedicated, they read in the book
of Moses in the hearing of all the people (verse 1). A celebration of the completion of the wall would not have been complete without the Word of God being heard. The religious life
of Israel needed to be restored as the wall needed to be
restored. They sang and read in the book. Thanksgiving and
the reading of Gods Word go together.
As they read, they discovered it was written that the
Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever (verse 1). Apparently, this was a great
shock and surprise to many of them. Should they be chided
for their lack of knowledge? Perhaps, but a lot of people are
surprised when they start reading the Bible. Many of us have
had the experience of reading something, and thinking to
ourselves, I did not know that was there. There is a great
lack of Bible knowledge today as there was in Nehemiahs
day (Hosea 4:6). They did not have copies of the Law in every
home, whereas most of us have several copies of the Bible. We
are basically a biblically illiterate society. Even the overwhelming majority of church members have very little Bible
knowledge.
The Ammonite and Moabite had been forbidden to enter
Israels ranks because of the way they treated the people of
Israel when they tried to pass through Moab from Egyptian
bondage (Neh. 13:2). Rather than meet the people of Israel
with bread and water, they hired the prophet Balaam to
curse them; however, God turned it into a blessing. You can
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The Challenge to Separation
read the story in Numbers 2225.

When the people heard what the Law of Moses said about
the Ammonites and Moabites, they separated the mixed multitude from them (Neh. 13:3). They took action. When faced
with their sin, they did something about it. In this respect,
we should commend them and learn a lesson from them. The
Bible is the basis for proper association and separation (Rev.
18:4). In what should we participate? What should we avoid?
With whom should we associate? With whom should we not
associate? The answers are found in the Bible. Perhaps this
is one reason a lot of people do not like the Bible. It draws a
sharp line between right and wrong. It defines sin and leaves
no doubt in the mind of the honest reader. It tells us exactly
what to do and what not to do, and it does it on the basis that
it is the authoritative Word of God.
II. The Enemy Was Removed
Nehemiah 13:4-9
These verses are not part of our lesson Focus, but they are
a vital part of the story. They tell us what had happened previously in Jerusalem. Eliashib, the high priest, had extended
hospitality to Tobiah, one of Nehemiahs fiercest enemies and
an Ammonite himself. As high priest, Eliashib had charge of
the Temple, so he made a suite for Tobiah within the Temple
where they were to store the grain, utensils and vessels used
in the Temple service and in the support of the Levites,
singers, porters and priests. One might wonder how such a
situation could exist, but verse 6 tells us Nehemiah was not
in Jerusalem at the time. He had returned to Persia as he
promised King Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:6).
When he returned to Jerusalem, Nehemiah was made
aware of the evil that Eliashib had done and it grieved him
sore. Sin should always be viewed as evil and it should grieve
us. If it does not, something is wrong. Nehemiah did not
waste time. He cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah
out of the chamber (Neh. 13:8). He acted quickly and decisively. This is the best way to deal with sin. When we learn
of a sinful situation, it is always best to deal with it.
III. The Rulers Were Rebuked
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Nehemiah 13:10-14
The Levites and singers were to be supported from the

tithes of the people; however, Nehemiah perceived that the
portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the
Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every
one to his field (Neh. 13:10). Any time you find the Levites
in the field, you know something is amiss. As ministers in
Temple worship, they were to be supported by the other
tribes. This is why God did not give the tribe of Levi an inheritance in the Promised Land. Those who did spiritual work
were to receive material compensation from those they
served and represented. This same principle applies today.
God has ordained that they which preach the gospel should
live of the gospel (1 Cor. 9:14).
Nehemiah contended with the rulers about this situation.
This means he chided and rebuked them thoroughly. Eliashib
was the high priest. He and the rulers should have known
better. It was inexcusable for them to allow the house of God
to be forsaken (Neh. 13:11). Nehemiah straightened things
out and placed responsible and faithful men over the treasury (Neh. 13:12, 13). Those who oversee financial matters in
the church must also be responsible and faithful.
Some might think Nehemiah acted too hastily. Others
might think he was haughty; however, Nehemiah was actually a humble man. He prayed, Remember me, O my God,
concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have
done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof
(Neh. 13:14). Nehemiah realized he was responsible to God
for his actions and dependent upon God for help.
IV. The Sabbath Was Restored
Nehemiah 13:15-22
A lack of respect for the Lords Day reveals a lack of

respect for the Lord Himself, and that is exactly what
Nehemiah found in Jerusalem. During those troublesome
days following his return from Persia, Nehemiah noticed people treading wine presses, bringing in sheaves and carrying
burdens on the Sabbath. This was all contrary to the Law of
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Moses which said, Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy
work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy
God: in it thou shalt not do any work (Ex. 20:9, 10).
Nehemiah also discovered the people of Judah were ready
and willing to buy the fish and other wares from the men of
Tyre who came to sell on the Sabbath.
Nehemiah acted decisively. He contended with the nobles
of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye
do, and profane the sabbath day? (Neh. 13:17). This was the
very reason the forefathers had been chastened by God, and
there was the distinct possibility that Jerusalem would be
subject to His wrath once again because of their behavior
(Neh. 13:18). So Nehemiah commanded the gates be shut
and not opened again until after the Sabbath. When the merchants lodged outside the gates once or twice on the
Sabbath, he testified against them and told them he would
lay hands on them if they did it again (Neh. 13:19-21).
We do not worship on the Sabbath as they did under the
Law. We worship on the first day of the week, the Lords Day.
We should recognize it as a special day and set it apart for
worship. When people treat Sunday just like any other day
of the week, it is a reflection of what they think about God.
V. The Wives Were Rejected
Nehemiah 13:23-31
23. In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of
Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:
24. And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod,
and could not speak in the Jews language, but according to the
language of each people.
25. And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote
certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them
swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto
their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.
26. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet
among many nations was there no king like him, who was
beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.
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27. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to
transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
28. And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high
priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I
chased him from me.
29. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled
the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the
Levites.
30. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed
the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
31. And for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the
firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
The Jews had further broken Gods Law by intermarrying

with other nations. Some had taken wives of Ashdod, Ammon
and Moab. The result of the intermarriages was most evident
in the children who spoke half in the speech of Ashdod and
could not speak in the language of the Jews (verses 23, 24).
The prohibition against intermarriage can be found in
Deuteronomy 7:3, 4. The Lord made it clear that He did not
want His people to make marriages with anyone who might
turn their hearts away from Him. An unequal yoke is still
wrong today (2 Cor. 6:14).
Nehemiahs response to the situation was swift. He contended with them and cursed them. Contended is commonly
used of those who strive with words. Nehemiah did not mince
words. He chided and rebuked them for their wrong. Cursed
does not mean he used profanity. It means to bring into contempt or to lightly esteem. Nehemiah also smote certain of
them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by
God. This does not mean Nehemiah got into a fist fight. It
had to do with their custom for making an oath.
Solomon was not able to handle all his foreign wives, and
Nehemiah knew the children of Israel were no stronger or
wiser than Solomon (1 Kings 11:4). The wives of Israels third
king caused him to sin and the strange wives of the present
generation would cause them to sin (Neh. 13:26, 27).
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The intermarriages had gone so far that the grandson of

the high priest had married the daughter of Sanballat, the
arch enemy of Nehemiah and Jerusalem (Neh. 13:28).
Nehemiah was so outraged by the marriage that he chased
away the grandson of the high priest because he had polluted the priesthood and broken the covenant of the priests
(Lev. 21). Nehemiah then prayed God would remember those
who had defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the
priesthood. He cleansed them from all strangers and
appointed the priests and Levites to their business.
LESSON APPLICATION
Nehemiah was a courageous man, but he was not selfreliant. He trusted God and relied upon Him. We, too, need
to be courageous and stand against sin, but we must not
attempt to stand in our own strength. We need the Lords
help to do what is right and necessary for the health and
welfare of our churches.
Three things stand out in this lesson which we need to be
concerned about today. (1) Unholy alliances. Making friends
with the enemy and with the world is dangerous business.
Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the
enemy of God (James 4:4). (2) No respect for the Lords Day.
When men treat every day alike, it is a symptom of a deeper
problemno fear or respect for God. (3) Unequal yokes. As
marriage standards are lowered, the moral strength of a
society is weakened.
The Bible has the answers to our problems. We need to
read it and heed it. Gods Word will let us know whether we
should associate or separate from other people.
May 14, 2000
11
Challenged To Love God

Text: Malachi 1:12:9
Key Verse:
If then I be a father, where is
mine honour? and if I be a
master, where is my fear? saith
the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 1:6
Focus: Malachi 1:6-14
Sunday Devotional: First of All

Commandments, Mark 12:28-31.

student will resolve to love the Lord
with heart, spirit, mind and strength.
LESSON ADVANCE
The date. The book of Malachi is the last book in the Old
Testament as to its placement and as to its chronology. It was
written by Malachi, whose name meant my messenger. By
way of review, the exiles had returned to Jerusalem from
Babylonian captivity in three waves. The first group
returned under Zerubbabel in 538 B.C. The second group
returned under Ezra in 457 B.C. The third and final group
returned under Nehemiah in 445 B.C. After working on the
wall around Jerusalem, Nehemiah returned to Persia in
about 432 B.C., as he had promised the king. When
Nehemiah came back to Jerusalem, he found that spiritual
conditions had degenerated. It is generally believed Malachi
prophesied during the time Nehemiah was gone. It is also
possible he prophesied
Daily Devotionals
after Nehemiah returned. The two men M. Gods Word to Israel, Malachi 1:1-5.
certainly shared many T. Gods Word to Priests, Malachi 2:1-9.
of the same concerns, W. Chosen of God, Deuteronomy 7:6-11.
such as intermarriage T. Gods Requirement, Deuteronomy
10:12-22.
with foreign nations, F. Gods Love for Israel, Hosea 11:1-12.
the neglect of paying S. Secure in Gods Love, Romans 8:31-39.
tithes, the disrespect
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for the Sabbath, the pollution of the priesthood and the social
wrongs of the people.
The doubt. Last weeks lesson described the backslidden
condition of the Jews, but it did not explain why they became
so callous, except to say that Nehemiah was absent. There
were several factors involved, one of which was their scepticism regarding the fulfillment of Gods promises. The people
had returned from the seventy years captivity with the hope
that the promises made by God through the prophets would
be quickly fulfilled. They looked for the land itself to produce
in miraculous proportions (Isa. 35). They expected the population to grow exponentially (Isa. 54:1-3). They looked for a
mighty king like unto David to lead them in triumph over
their enemies (Jer. 23:5, 6). In essence, they looked for what
we would call millennial conditions. They fully expected the
kingdom to return to Israel; however, nothing was as they
had hoped. They had been in the land for about one hundred
years without much improvement at all. The population had
not grown as anticipated. The land languished. Crops failed.
Rubble and ruin still surrounded them, and Persia still ruled
them. It was no wonder they became skeptical, sarcastic and
self-indulgent.
LESSON ANALYSIS
The depressed conditions in Jerusalem and the delayed
fulfillment of Gods promises caused the people to doubt
Gods love for them. The same thing happens today when we
become discouraged over adverse circumstances or apprehensive about seeing better days. We are made to wonder if
God really cares.
This is why Malachi began by saying, I have loved you,
saith the LORD (Mal. 1:2). The first thing Malachi wanted
them to know was that the Lords love for them was unquestioned. Yet they brazenly retorted, Wherein hast thou loved
us? Their hearts were so hardened they scoffed at the
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announcement of Gods love. Nevertheless, God loved them

with an eternal love.
God proved His love for the people of Israel when He chose
them. Even though the people of Israel were not especially
deserving of His love, He nonetheless loved them and sovereignly chose them. I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau (Mal.
1:2, 3). The fact He chose Jacob over Esau was proof of His
love. The hatred is best understood as a ranking or preference. He preferred or ranked Jacob over Esau. An additional
proof of His love was the condemnation of Esau (Mal. 1:3, 4).
Israel (Jacob) surely deserved the same punishment as
Esau, but Gods sustaining love spared him from Esaus fate.
I. What They Professed
Malachi 1:6, 7
6. A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if

then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master,
where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests,
that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised
thy name?
7. Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say,
Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the
LORD is contemptible.
Malachis rebuke was directed at the priests, but all the

people were in effect included in what he said. The priests
were the leaders of the people, so it was right to hold them
accountable; nevertheless, everyone who claims to know the
Lord is under a moral obligation to live accordingly.
They professed to know Him. The nation of Israel was
both a son and a servant to Jehovah. God had chosen Israel
as His son (Ex. 4:22) and designated him as His servant (Isa.
41:8). The natural thing would have been for Israel to honor
God as a son honors his father and to serve God as a servant
serves his master (Mal. 1:6). But the Lord had to ask, Where
is mine honour? If He were their Father, as they professed,
then where was His honor?
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It is not uncommon to hear people talk about how disrespectful young people are. When we see a young person doing
something which dishonors his or her parents, we are offended by it. The irony is that we frequently dishonor our heavenly Father and never think anything about it. We claim to
have a relationship with Him, but we do not always show
Him the honor He deserves. Who is the greater offender? the
teenager who dishonors his father by disobeying him or the
professed Christian who dishonors the heavenly Father?
They professed to fear Him. The Lord asked, If I be a
master, where is my fear? To fear God means to honor and
trust God. When we have a healthy fear of God, we will do
both. Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come
to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that
ye sin not (Ex. 20:20). We are not to be afraid of Him in the
sense we are scared or frightened, but we are to fear Him in
the sense we fully trust Him and consistently honor Him.
Why is there so much sin and wickedness in the world? It
is because there is no fear of God before their eyes (Rom.
3:18). If men feared God, they would not do the things they
do. It is not just the wicked who fail to trust and honor the
Lord. Those of us who claim to be His servants are often
guilty of disservice. If we truly feared Him, we would not
neglect the worship of the church. We would not forget our
tithes. We would not fail to read and study our Bible. We
would not forget to pray. We would not overlook an opportunity to witness.
The Lord accused the priests of despising His name, yet
they said, Wherein have we despised thy name? (Mal. 1:6).
To despise meant to hold in contempt, to think to scorn, disdain. This was exactly what they had done to His holy and
precious name, but they did not believe it. The proof was in
the polluted bread they placed upon the altar (Mal. 1:7).
Nevertheless, they asked, Wherein have we polluted thee?
They refused to accept any responsibility for wrongdoing.
Then the Lord replied, In that ye say, The table of the LORD
is contemptible. Their heart was not right. They may have
kept up the Temple worship as a matter of duty, but their
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heart was not in it. They were purely ritualistic in their service. They were hypocrites. That was why the Lord did not
accept what they laid on the table. The same applies to us
today. If we expect the Lord to accept our service, we must
first have a heart that is right with God (Matt. 15:8).
II. What They Offered
Malachi 1:8, 9
8. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye

offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith
the LORD of hosts.
9. And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious
unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.
Why was it the Jews did not experience the bountiful

blessings of God? If He loved them, why did He not bless
them? God withheld His blessings because of the sin and
willful disobedience of the people. How could He bless those
who so blatantly dishonored Him?
The people gave it (verse 8). The problem was not that
they did not give. They gave, but they gave that which was
evil. They offered the blind, lame and sick. This was completely contrary to the Law of Moses which strictly forbade
the offering of anything defective (Deut. 15:21). The reason
they were not allowed to offer blemished sacrifices was
because the sacrifices typified the sacrifice of Jesus Christ
upon the cross. In effect, the offerings brought by the people
were a reflection of their attitude toward Gods gift, His only
begotten Son.
Our gifts and offerings are best measured by what they
cost us. If our gifts mean little to us, they will mean little to
God. Why would anyone give to God that which cost him
nothing? When Ornan tried to give David his threshingfloor,
David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full
price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor
offer burnt-offerings without cost (1 Chron. 21:24). It is a sin
to give God that which cost us nothing. It is a sin to give God
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our leftovers. I remember hearing about one church member

who came to her pastor and said she wanted to give her old
worn broom to the church because she had bought a new one
for herself. I suppose she wanted a pat on the back for her
generosity, but he told her she should give the new broom
and keep the old. It seems there are people in our churches
who want to donate worn-out stuff, but I seriously doubt the
Lord is honored by it. A governor or king would not be
pleased with such gifts, so why should the Lord?
The priests encouraged it (verse 9). This verse has a
sarcastic tone. Malachi charged the priests with encouraging
the paltry offerings of the people and told them to go to God
in prayer on the basis of those blemished offerings and see if
God would grant their requests. Some have suggested the
priests wanted to make things easier on the people and
allowed the less costly offerings in order to involve more people. Some pastors and churches do the same thing today
when they preach a religion of convenience and encourage
halfhearted worship. We fear that if we demand too much we
will run people off.
III. How They Served
Malachi 1:10-12
10. Who is there even among you that would shut the doors
for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I
have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I
accept an offering at your hand.
11. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down
of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in
every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure
offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith
the LORD of hosts.
12. But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the
LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.
Read the first part of verse 10 without the italicized words

at the end of the first question, and you get the sense of what
Malachi was saying. Who is there even among you that
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would shut the doors? Their worship to God was so contemptible they should have shut the doors on the Temple.
Vain worship is an insult to the Lord. Rather than continue
with their hypocritical, ritualistic worship, they should have
been honest about the way they felt and nailed the doors
shut.
When we sit through worship while wishing we were
somewhere else, the Lord knows our hearts. He receives no
glory and bestows no reward when we begrudge our worship.
Even though the people of that time and place did not worship Him wholeheartedly, the Lord promised a future day
when Gentiles would honor His name in every place, from
the rising to the setting of the sun (verse 11). This promise
touches on the church age and the millennial age.
As far as the Jews of Malachis day were concerned, the
fault lay with the sacrifices, not with them personally (verse
12). They profaned the Lords name in that they said, The
table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his
meat, is contemptible. Like many today, when caught in sin,
they tried to shift the blame to someone or something else. It
would be like a preacher saying, I cannot preach doctrine
because the people will not accept it. We should not blame
other people for our failure to do what God has called us to do.
IV. What They Felt
Malachi 1:13, 14
13. Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have

snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which
was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.
14. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male,
and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I
am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
The Jews were weary of their Temple worship. They said,

What a weariness is it! and they snuffed at it, which
meant it was like a foul odor to them (verse 13). When we get
a sniff of a terrible odor, we usually blow out through our
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noses and shake our heads. This is an illustration of how

they felt about worshiping God. They were tired of it. They
were bored. It is no wonder because they brought the torn,
lame and sick. They invested nothing; therefore, they
received nothing in return. The reason some are bored with
church is because they do not invest anything in it. They do
not get anything out of it because they do not put anything
into it.
It was not that the Jews did not have something to give.
They had acceptable male sheep in the flock, even though
they said they did not (verse 14). Malachi called them
deceivers, but they were certainly not deceiving God. He
knew exactly what they were doing, as He knows what we
are doing today. When we make excuses and say we cannot
do something He has asked us to do, He knows the truth of
the matter.
LESSON APPLICATION
I often feel like the man who said, Lord, I believe, help
thou mine unbelief (Mark 9:24). I want to say, Lord, I love
You, but I realize my life does not always show it. The greatest challenge we face is to love the Lord our God with all our
heart, mind, spirit and strength.
May 21, 2000
12
The Challenge of Good

and Evil
Key Verse:
For I am the LORD, I change
not; therefore ye sons of
Jacob are not consumed.
Malachi 3:6
Focus: Malachi 2:103:6
Sunday Devotional: Israel Self-destructed, Hosea 13:9-11.

student will be challenged to so live
that he will not cause God to be
weary.
LESSON ADVANCE
How does one weary God? We weary Him when we say one
thing and do another. Hypocrisy wearies God. If we want to
live to please God, rather than weary God, we must learn to
live in sincerity and truth. He hath shewed thee, O man,
what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to
do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy
God? (Micah 6:8).
LESSON ANALYSIS
I. Their Sin
10. Have we not all one
father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal
treacherously every man
against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our
fathers?
11. Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is
committed in Israel and in
Jerusalem; for Judah hath pro-
Malachi 2:10-16
M.
T.
W.
T.
Daily Devotionals
Gods Complaint, Isaiah 43:22-24.

Gods Warning, 2 Peter 3:1-9.
Pauls Testimony, Acts 22:1-6.
Laborers with God, 1 Corinthians
3:5-17.
F. Household of God, Ephesians
2:19-22.
S. Be Followers of God, Ephesians
5:1-7.
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The Challenge of Good and Evil
faned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married
the daughter of a strange god.
12. The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master
and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that
offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.
13. And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the
LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch
that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it
with good will at your hand.
14. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom
thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the
wife of thy covenant.
15. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the
spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed.
Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
16. For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth
putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith
the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye
deal not treacherously.
The Jews of Judah and Jerusalem did not understand why

the utopian blessings of God had not come upon them as
prophesied by the prophets. They had expected everything to
dramatically improve upon their return to the Promised
Land. Why not indeed? The answer was all around them.
They were not being blessed because they were still
entrenched in sin. It was not that God did not want to bless
them. It was that He could not as long as they willfully
rejected Him and His Word. The people were free from
Babylonian captivity but not free from the captivity of sin.
Sin against the national family (verse 10). Malachi
asked, Have we not all one father? The prophet asked this
question to remind them of their common relationship to
God. As a nation, Israel had been created by God. But now
thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that
formed thee, O Israel (Isa. 43:1). They were His by right of
creation. They belonged to Him by right of redemption.
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As brothers and sisters, the people had a responsibility

toward one another, but they had neglected that responsibility. Rather than look out for one another and help one another, they were guilty of dealing treacherously every man
against his brother. They were not concerned about anyone
other than themselves. Perhaps they did not realize it, but
when they sinned against one another, they sinned against
God.
There are people today who have no sense of loyalty or
responsibility to the nation in which they live. Their attitude
is that the individual is important, not the whole. When individuals look out for themselves, without any regard for the
impact their actions have on others, the whole nation will be
weakened and suffer loss.
Sin against the spiritual family (verses 11, 12). When
God created the nation of Israel, He gave it commandments
to live by (Ex. 20). First and foremost was the commandment
against having any other gods before Him; nevertheless, the
nation of Israel often went after other gods and thereby committed spiritual sins against the family. Malachi charged the
people of Judah with dealing treacherously, which means
they acted deceitfully or unfaithfully. Malachi said an abomination was committed in Israel and in Jerusalem in that
Judah had profaned the holiness of the Lord and married the
daughter of a strange god. This meant the Jews intermarried
with idolatrous wives. Moses had strictly warned against
this practice (Ex. 34:14-16), but even the priests had engaged
in it (Ezra 9:1, 2; Neh. 13:23-30). Like many today, Jews may
have thought they could work out their religious differences
after they were married, but it seldom works that way. The
seriousness of this offense is seen in verse 12, where Malachi
told them the Lord would cut off the man who did this,
including his entire family. The priests were surely involved
in this treachery because Malachi included anyone who
offered an offering unto the Lord of hosts.
Sin against the individual family (verses 13-16). This
have ye done again, indicates Malachis indictments continued (Mal. 2:13). Not only had the men of Israel married idol-
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atrous women, but they had also caused the altar of the Lord
to be covered with tears, with weeping, and with crying out.
There are at least two possible interpretations of this. One is
that the men covered the altar with tears because the Lord
had refused to recognize their offerings or answer their
prayers. The other is that it was the divorced wives of these
men who covered the altar with their tears. The second view
is preferable because when the men asked, Wherefore?
(Mal. 2:14), the prophet said it was because the Lord had
been witness between them and the wife of their youth. God
saw how they had dealt treacherously with the one He called
thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant (Mal. 2:14). A
covenant is an agreement, promise or vow. When a man and
woman make a marriage vow, they make it with God, as well
as each other. God does not take it lightly when we fail to
keep a promise we have made to Him (Eccl. 5:4, 5).
Did not God make them one? (Mal. 2:15). This meant that
as God made Adam and Eve one flesh, He so recognizes
each marriage. When Jesus spoke on this subject, He said,
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What
therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder
(Matt. 19:6). Malachi said, Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? In other words, the Lord had the
power to make more than one wife for Adam. So why did He
make only one? Malachi said, That he might seek a godly
seed. A plurality would not have been conducive to this
result. Therefore, Malachi warned, take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his
youth. Do not let your eyes or mind wander. Take heed to
yourself. Be careful what you do. Remember your vow to God.
Some had dealt treacherously against the wife of his
youth (Mal. 2:15). Apparently, there were hard-hearted men
in Judah who had tossed aside the wife of their youth, without any concern or compassion for her, and married young
unbelieving wives. It was a treacherous, heartless act which
was an abomination to God. Malachi said, The God of Israel,
saith that he hateth putting away (Mal. 2:16). This does not
mean God hated the people who were involved, but He did
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hate the sin. One reason the Jews were having problems in
this area was because the priests did not have enough conviction to preach and teach the truth. Perhaps the same can
be said about our situation today. When the pulpit is weak,
so will be the pew. Avoiding the subject, and what the Bible
says about it, will not help curb the alarming divorce rate in
our country.
II. Their Question
Malachi 2:17
17. Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say,
Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that
doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in
them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
Malachi accused the people of having wearied the Lord

with their words, but the people said, Wherein have we wearied him? Malachis counter response was threefold.
First, they said, Every one that doeth evil is good in the
sight of the LORD. In order to appreciate this, we need to
understand their frame of mind. One hundred years earlier,
Haggai had spoken for the Lord and said, I will overthrow
the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the
kingdoms of the heathen (Haggai 2:22); nevertheless, Israel
was still under Persian rule. Also, Zechariah had prophesied
at the same time as Haggai, and promised great things for
Israel (Zech. 8:12-14); however, these promises had not yet
been fulfilled. So the people accused God of rewarding the
evil nations around them and concluded there was no benefit in serving God.
Second, they said, And he delighteth in them. This
meant they accused God of delighting in the evil heathen
nations. Even though it was not stated verbally, there was an
underlying hypocritical assumption that Israel had been
faithful to God. In fact, the people had been quite unfaithful.
They kept up the pretenses of worship at the Temple, but
their hearts were far removed from God. The same thing
happens today when we accuse God of rewarding the wicked
and of failing to bless us, when in fact, we have not been as
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faithful and true as we claim. Just because we go to church

and give a little offering does not make us faithful in the eyes
of God. God knows our hearts.
Third, they said, Where is the God of judgment? They
thought the coming of the Messiah would result in their
instant exaltations and in the immediate abasement of their
enemies; however, as we learn in the following verses, God
does not change (Mal. 3:6). When the Messiah comes, He will
judge with righteousness and reign in true holiness. He has
never rewarded a hypocrite, and He never will. Woe unto
you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you?
the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light (Amos 5:18).
III. Their Judge
Malachi 3:1-6
1. Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the

way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly
come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom
ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
2. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall
stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiners fire, and like
fullers soap:
3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he
shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver,
that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
4. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant
unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
5. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a
swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers,
and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the
hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn
aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD
of hosts.
6. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob
are not consumed.
The people may have said they wanted the Messiah to

come, but they did not understand the purpose, effects or
result of His coming. They expected instant elevation for
themselves and immediate condemnation for their enemies;
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however, the coming of the Messiah would bring neither.

Malachi wanted them to know the Lord would indeed come,
but He would not change His ways of dealing with His people. The character of God is unchanging. He is immutable
and just.
First the messenger. Before the arrival of the Messiah,
the Lord promised His messenger would come first to prepare the way (verse 1). In old times it was customary for the
king to send workers ahead of him to announce his arrival
and to prepare the way by having rocks and debris removed
from the roads. Likewise, the Lords messenger, John the
Baptist, was sent to herald the arrival of the Messiah and to
call the people to repentance. The sins of the people stood out
as boulders and potholes in the roadway. The call to repentance was a call to remove the obstacles (sins) and get prepared for the Kings arrival. The people may have thought
they were ready for His coming already, but gross sin in their
lives proved they were not. They definitely needed to repent.
Moreover, there are people today who say they are ready for
the Lord to come back, but sin in their lives suggests otherwise.
Then the Messiah. Following the messenger, the Lord,
whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the
messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he
shall come, saith the LORD of hosts (verse 1). This statement
has a dual fulfillment. It was partially fulfilled when Jesus
came the first time, but it will be completely and ultimately
fulfilled when He comes the second time.
Verses 2 and 3 confirm the ultimate fulfillment of the
Lords coming. His second coming will be a time of judging
and purging for the nation of Israel. Like the refiners fire
and the fullers soap, He will sit as a refiner and purifier of
Israel. He will purify the sons of Levi, the priestly tribe, and
purge them like silver and gold so they will be fit to offer an
offering unto the Lord in righteousness. Compare to Daniel
11:35 and 12:10.
At that time, the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be
a pleasant and sweet aroma unto the Lord, as it was in the
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days of old when they were true to God (Mal. 3:4). This actually refers to millennial conditions when the kingdom will
have been restored to Israel, and the offerings of the priests
will commemorate the sacrifice which Jesus Christ made at
Calvary. Compare the last nine chapters of the book of
Ezekiel for a description of the millennial Temple and its service.
Before the millennial reign there will first come a time of
judgment for Israel. The people had asked, Where is the God
of judgment? (Mal. 2:17). They thought He should come and
judge their enemies, but in fact He will come and judge them
as well. The list of sins in Malachi 3:5 gives us insight into
the very things they were guilty of doing during the time of
Malachi. The Lord promised to come near in judgment and
be a swift witness against the sorcerer, adulterer, false witness, oppressors and those who fear not the Lord.
How could the Lord do otherwise? He is immutable. He
changes not. His character and nature are unchanging. He
has never allowed sin to go unpunished, and He never will.
He has never failed to keep a promise, and He never will. He
has never stopped loving His own, and He never will.
LESSON ANALYSIS
Todays lesson calls upon each of us to examine ourselves
honestly and completely. If we do not, we might find ourselves living the life of a hypocrite. We would do well to ask
the Lord to do for us what David asked the Lord to do for
him. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and
know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23, 24).
May 28, 2000
13
Challenged to
Faithfulness
Focus: Malachi 3:7-18
Sunday Devotional: Faithful
Key Verse:
And all nations shall call you
blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of
hosts.
Malachi 3:12
unto Death, Revelation 2:8-11.
Aim: By the end of this lesson

the student will have accepted the
challenge to be faithful to God to
the end.
LESSON ADVANCE
The meaning of faithfulness. There are a lot of unfaithful people in the world today who claim to be faithful. This is
true in the community, the church, the home and on the job.
The reason is that faithfulness is used so lightly and loosely
almost anyone can claim it.
Faithfulness actually has a very strict meaning. It is
defined as being full of faith, steadfast in affection or allegiance, loyal. It describes a person who is firm in his adherence to his promises and in observance of his duty. How
many people do you know who are truly steadfast in their
affection? How many are genuinely loyal? And what about
us? Are we absolutely firm in our commitments? Do we keep
our promises without fail? Do we fulfill our duty without
question?
Daily Devotionals
The Scripture says,
Moreover it is required M. Rewards of Faithfulness, Malachi 4:1-6.
in stewards, that a man T. Pledged to Faithfulness, Ruth 1:16-18.
be found faithful (1 W. Preservation of the Faithful, Psalm
31:21-24.
Cor. 4:2). If we expect to
T. A Faithful Servant, Matthew 25:19-23.
please God we must
F. Faithful to Doctrine, Acts 2:40-47.
learn to be faithful by S. Faithful to Calling, Acts 26:19-23.
His definition.
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Challenged to Faithfulness
The measure of faithfulness. How do we measure faithfulness in the church? Some people might say they are faithful in attendance, yet only attend two or three services a
month. Others might say they are faithful in giving, yet fall
quite short of giving ten percent. Still others might say they
are faithful, yet keep no more than two or three of the
promises made in the Church Covenant. Should they claim to
be faithful?
How do we measure faithfulness in the home? Is a man
faithful to his wife and family when he does not assume his
responsibilities as the spiritual leader? What if he fails to
provide for them financially or wastes his income drinking
and gambling? Is a wife faithful to her husband and children
if she neglects to teach her children moral and spiritual values? What if she spends more time on the Internet or watching television than in keeping the house? Should the husband and wife claim to be faithful?
LESSON ANALYSIS
The Jews in Jerusalem and Judah claimed to be faithful,
but their view of things was quite different from Gods. They
were in fact unfaithful, willfully disobedient, arrogant and
proud. The book of Malachi has earned the name, the talkback book because of the sarcastic way the people talked
back to God every time their faithfulness was questioned.
I. Wherein Shall We Return?
Malachi 3:7
7. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from
mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and
I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said,
Wherein shall we return?
The problem. The Jews of the postcaptivity era had the

same problem as those who lived before the Babylonian captivity. They continued to be unfaithful to God. Malachi, like
the prophets before him, charged the people with straying
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from the ordinances of the Lord. According to the prophets,

they swerved off track and turned aside from the ordinances.
The ordinances referred to the commandments, customs and
laws appointed by God.
This was something they had done since the days of their
fathers. The people of Israel, like many of us today, were
prone to wander from the straight and narrow path which
God had given. The many years spent in captivity had not
affected a change in heart for the whole nation.
Their reaction was both defensive and defiant. They said,
with a tone of self-righteousness, Wherein shall we return?
Malachi called upon them to repent, but they could see no
need for it. In their estimation they had done nothing wrong.
Why should they repent? They had nothing to repent of. Four
hundred years later, John the Baptist faced the same reaction from the Pharisees when he preached, Repent ye: for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt. 3:2). It remains the
usual and ordinary reaction of the population today. Few
people are willing to admit they need to repent.
The promise. Malachi made a promise to those who
would return or repent. He said, Return unto me, and I will
return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. The Jews did not
understand why the utopian conditions had not come upon
the land as promised by the prophets; however, the Lord
could not turn around and bless the people until they first
turned to Him from their sin and rebellion. The message was
clear. If they would return, He would begin to bless them.
The same thing can be said of us today. If we will turn from
our sin and commit ourselves fully and completely to the
Lord, He will bless us (James 4:8-10).
II. Wherein Have We Robbed Thee?
Malachi 3:8-12
8. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say,
Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even
this whole nation.
10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may
be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the
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LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and
pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to
receive it.
11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall
not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine
cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of
hosts.
12. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a
delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
One example of their need for repentance was in their

refusal to give God what was rightfully His. They had
swerved from Gods path with respect to giving and needed
to repent.
The charge (verse 8). Malachi asked the famous question, Will a man rob God? Think about it for a moment.
Would a man have the audacity to steal from God? Would a
man be so foolish as to defraud his creator? The answer is a
thundering yes. Nevertheless, the people said, Wherein have
we robbed thee? They refused to admit they had robbed God
in any manner, so Malachi pointed out just one area, tithes
and offerings.
Under the Law, the tithe was holy unto the Lord. And all
the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the
fruit of the tree, is the LORDS: it is holy unto the LORD (Lev.
27:30). The tithe was given to the Levites who in turn gave a
tithe to the priests (Num. 18:24-32). The offerings referred to
the parts of the animal sacrifices which were given to the
priests (Ex. 29:28). The widows and orphans also benefited
from the tithe (Deut. 14:28, 29).
The curse (verse 9). Because they had rebelled and
refused to tithe, they had been cursed with a curse. This may
surprise those who are unfamiliar with the Scriptures, but
the promise of a curse for disobedience was made in
Deuteronomy 28:15. But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt
not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to
do all his commandments and his statutes which I command
thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and
overtake thee. Their crops suffered. The land was parched.
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The fruit did not mature. Why? Because God controlled the
forces of nature. He controlled the harvest. Their land was
blighted, and their lives were bitter because God withheld
His blessings as punishment for their disobedience. No one
can rob God without suffering the consequences. If we fail to
honor Him with the firstfruits of our lives, we, too, will reap
a bitter harvest.
The challenge (verses 10-12). The Lord challenged the
people to bring all the tithes into the storehouse. This
referred to the Temple and to the rooms in which the tithes
were stored (Neh. 10:36-39; 13:12). Previously, Eliashib the
priest had cleaned out one or more of these rooms and made
a guest room for Tobiah, Nehemiahs enemy (Neh. 13:3, 5). It
is our duty to bring our financial offerings to the church of
our membership. It is the local church which has the authority to do kingdom work in the world today. We need to honor
the church of our membership and be in submission to its
authority (Eph. 3:21).
The Lord promised He would open the windows of Heaven
and pour out a blessing, that there would not be room
enough to receive. This emphasizes Gods unlimited supply
and underscores His ability to bless us beyond our expectations. It also reminds us that God honors those who honor
Him. When we obey Him and follow His plan in our lives, He
will bless us for it (Luke 6:38).
The Lord promised He would rebuke the devourer (Mal.
3:11). This may refer to locusts or other destructive forces
which might destroy the crops. If they would honor Him with
the tithe, He would make certain they always had what they
needed. It would no longer be as described by Haggai, when
he said, and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it
into a bag with holes (Haggai 1:6). God would supply their
need and give them an abundance (Phil. 4:19).
Some might say that since tithing was prescribed under
the Law, and since the Law has been fulfilled, we are not
obligated to tithe of our income; however, tithing was practiced before the Law was given. Abraham and Jacob tithed.
It remains a valid standard today. Anyone who gives less
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than ten percent of their income to the Lord is a thief and

robber of God. Nevertheless, heed this warning. Tithing is not
a magical formula for Gods blessings. God looks upon our
heart and examines our motives. If our motives were not
right, God is not obligated to bless us simply because we give
ten percent.
The Lord also promised all nations would call Israel
blessed because it would be a delightsome land (Mal. 3:12).
The idea is that Israel would be a desirable land. In contrast
to the stark conditions of that day, God promised a better day.
We know this will ultimately be fulfilled in the millennial
reign of Christ when the desert shall rejoice and blossom as
the rose (Isa. 35:1, 2).
III. What Have We Spoken So Much Against Thee?
Malachi 3:13-18
13. Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD.
Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
14. Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it
that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked
mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
15. And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work
wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
16. Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD,
and that thought upon his name.
17. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that
day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man
spareth his own son that serveth him.
18. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous
and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that
serveth him not.
Vain speech (verse 13). We expect children to honor and

respect their parents (Eph. 6:1-3). When we hear them talk
back to their parents, we are rightfully offended; yet, the
Lord charged His own children with abusive speech toward
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Him. They used stout or strong language against the Lord.

We would expect men to address God humbly and respectfully; however, they had not hesitated to chide Him.
Nevertheless, when confronted with their sin, they piously
retorted, What have we spoken so much against thee? (Mal.
3:13).
A brief review of the book reminds us that they had said,
Wherein hast thou loved us? (1:2), Wherein have we
despised thy name? (1:6), Wherein have we polluted thee?
(1:7), What a weariness is it! (1:13), Wherefore? (2:14),
Wherein have we wearied him? (2:17), Wherein shall we
return? (3:7), and Wherein have we robbed thee? (3:8).
They had indeed spoken stoutly against God.
Vain service (verses 14, 15). God promised to bless them
if they brought their tithes into the storehouse, but they said
it was vain to serve God. They claimed there was no profit or
value in keeping His ordinances. There are people today who
have the same attitude. They believe going to church every
Sunday, praying, tithing and living honestly is not worth the
effort. They cannot see any value in it, so they do not do it.
The response of the people included a twofold claim. They
said they had kept His ordinances and walked mournfully
before the Lord, but neither claim was true. Their response
also insinuated they had been faithful to God, but He had
not been faithful to them. As far as they were concerned, it
was the ungodly who were blessed by God (verse 15).
Valiant saints (verses 16-18). If anyone thinks it is vain
to serve the Lord, they should read these beautiful verses.
There was a godly remnant within Judah and Jerusalem
who feared the Lord and spoke often to one another about
Him. They meditated upon Him, which indicates they set
their affection upon Him and valued Him above all else. The
Lord heard them, as He hears all who speak of and for Him,
and He recorded their good deeds in a book of remembrance.
It was a Persian custom to write in a book all acts that
should be rewarded in the future. (See Esther 6:1.) God
never ignores or misses anything we do for Him. He is mindful of every good deed and faithful to remember it. For God
96
is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love,

which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister (Heb. 6:10).
The Lord made a promise to the godly remnant. He said
they would be His when He made up His jewels, and that He
would spare them. This means they would be treasured by
Him, and He would protect them from the judgment upon
the wicked. In the day of judgment the protected remnant
will see the evident difference between the righteous and the
wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who
does not.
LESSON APPLICATION
Do you consider yourself faithful? More importantly, does

God consider you faithful? The challenge of todays lesson,
indeed of this quarter of study is that we be faithful to God
until He calls us home. There will be a great reward awaiting those who are faithful. Jesus said, And, behold, I come
quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be (Rev. 22:12). Perhaps the greatest
reward will be to hear Him say, Well done, thou good and
faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I
will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the
joy of thy lord (Matt. 25:21).

Adult Quarterly

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Adult Quarterly

SPRING QUARTER, 2000

Courage To Face the Challenges

QUARTERLY AIM: That these studies w ill challenge the student to

American Baptist Association

Focus: Nehemiah 1:1-11

Sunday Devotional: Make Your

Aim: By the end of this lesson the

Challenged To Face a Need

Under the present world system, it seems the criminal has

Text: Nehemiah 1:1-11

meaning of these names tells us something about Nehemiah

Challenged To Face a Need

group of exiles to return under the leadership of Ezra.

2. That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain

Text: Nehemiah 1:1-11

rededicated the Temple in 516 B.C., but a lot can happen in

5. And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great

Challenged To Face a Need

11. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to

Nehemiahs prayer was a classic. It included both praise

Text: Nehemiah 1:1-11

God of Heaven. Sin is the thing which most often prevents

March 12, 2000

Focus: Nehemiah 2:1-10

Then the king said unto me, For what

Sunday Devotional: Ezra

Prepared, Ezra 7:6-10.

Aim: By the end of this

Text: Nehemiah 2:1-20

1. And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth

And it came to pass is another way of saying time

The Challenge of Preparation

ally of them. He wanted desperately to help them. His heart

II. Nehemiah Prayed to God

After waiting four long months, the door of opportunity

The Challenge of Preparation

The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked

Text: Nehemiah 2:1-20

7). The important thing is that Nehemiah kept his word. He

9. Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave

Having obtained permission of the king, Nehemiah came

The Challenge of Preparation

March 19, 2000

Focus: Nehemiah 3:1-12

Sunday Devotional: The Beauty of

Unity, Psalm 133:1-3.

Aim: By the end of this lesson the

Text: Nehemiah 3:1-32

Then takes us back to the final verses of chapter 2. Three

Text: Nehemiah 3:1-32

5. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their

The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. This building

6. Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of

There are many practical lessons to be learned from the

8. Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the

Text: Nehemiah 3:1-32

10. And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of

People of different crafts were involved in repairing the

March 26, 2000

Focus: Nehemiah 4:1-9

Sunday Devotional: Be Strong in the

Text: Nehemiah 4:1-9

1. But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we