The LORD– The Strength
and Defence of the Discouraged

This Sunday we pick up the story at a point where the returned exiles have made great progress, rebuilding Jerusalem’s city wall to half its height (Nehemiah 4.1-18). But they then become discouraged as their strength fails, completing the project still seems an overwhelming task, and surrounding hostile forces threaten the community. Nehemiah must now lead the people. He unites the people in a display of their military power, and in their faith in the LORD. And then leads them to a new level of sacrificial commitment to the Jerusalem restoration project. When we face discouragements in our great renewal project, we too can take our stand together in The LORD Christ, and take up weapons of the word, prayer, and Christian love.

This Sunday at 11am we celebrate God’s love for Stephen Young, with his baptism. Welcome friends of the Young family.

Reflection Questions 

By now Nehemiah has travelled from Susa the capital of the Persian Empire, to Jerusalem. The Lord gave him favour in the eyes of Artaxerxes (chapter 1) in answer to his prayer, and in response to his request to return and rebuild (chapter 2). He has also inspected the wall ruins (chapter 2). 

Read Nehemiah 4.

1. Review Nehemiah 4.1-6, how would you describe the workers’ initial progress? 

2. In verses 7-12, challenges multiply in front of the returned exiles and their wall rebuild project. List those challenges. How might these have made them feel?

3. Find a good bible dictionary or commentary and do some research on the location of the peoples opposing the rebuild v7-8. It seems the point is being made that the returned exiles are surrounded by hostile peoples. How would this have made them feel? 

4. If a worker left their family in a village outside Jerusalem, while working on the wall, what was the risk for that family? 

5. (i) In v13-15 how does Nehemiah unite the returned exiles in a display of military power and organisation, in response to the threat of attack? 
(ii) Looking at verse 15 in particular, what impact does Nehemiah’s leadership have? How does God use his leadership?

6. What attributes of the Lord does Nehemiah want the vulnerable returned exiles to dwell upon, in v14? How might this have encouraged them?

7. What more permanent arrangements does Nehemiah then put in place while the work continues (see v16-23)? 

8. Read Ephesians 6.10-20. (i) Who are the forces opposed to the people of God today? (ii) How may they be resisted? (iii) What part of your armour or weaponry may need repair, or more diligent use?