Bs 7 n/n WORKING “Sumas. COOPERATIVELY — Background Passage: Nehemiah 1:1—3:32 Lesson Passages: Nehemiah 1:1-4,11; 2:4-5,8b, 17-18; 3:1-2 BIBLICAL TRUTH Believers need to work cooperatively to fulfill God's purposes. KEY BIBLE VERSES Nehemiah 2:17-18 PRONUNCIATION AID Chislev [KISS lehv] 4 Eliashib [ih LIGH uh shib] Hacaliah [Hak uh LIGH uh] - Hananel [HAN uh nehl] Hanani [huh NAY nigh] Imri [IM righ] ) Nehemiah [Nee huh MIGH ul Susa [SOO suh] Zaccur [ZAK uhr] Dancra and Alice lingered after their Evangelism Committee meeting ended. Sandra said, “I can’t believe we’re having so much trouble planning the revival for next year. I thought everyone would agree quickly.” Alice replied, “Some of the committee members don’t seem to think a revival is the right thing to do. A few wanted to have a family renewal weekend rather than a revival. I wish we could find a way to cooperate. Otherwise, we'll never get anything planned.” Alice added, “I think I'll suggest at the next meeting that we devote more time to prayer. Maybe prayer can help unite us.” This week’s lesson focuses on the need for God’s people to work coopera- tively to fulfill God’s purposes. Christians can have honest disagreements on some issues; but too often misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and other minor issues divide God’s people. God has gifted us in different ways, and most proj- ects require several Christians using their gifts together to complete the plan. Week of December 31 ER1. How did Nehemiah learn about conditions in Jerusalem? (1:2) 2. What did Nehemiah ask the king to do? (2:5) 3. How did Nehemiah motivate the people to work on the rebuilding program? (2:18) BACKGROUND PASSAGE OVERVIEW Nehemiah served as a cupbearer to the Persian King Arta- xerxes. Nehemiah learned from Hanani that the wall around Jerusalem was in ruins and God’s people were still struggling. Nehemiah prayed and fasted. He confessed his sins and asked God to have compassion on his people. The king noticed Nehemiah’s sadness and asked what was wrong. Nehemiah explained the problems in Jerusalem. When the king asked Nehemiah what he wanted to do, Nehemiah asked permission to return to Jerusalem and help rebuild the city. Nehemiah also asked for letters that would guarantee a safe journey and a supply of lumber for rebuilding the city. When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he encouraged the Jews to begin rebuilding the city wall. Opponents mocked them, but Nehemiah knew God would help them. Chapter 1 identifies the many types of people who helped to rebuild Jerusalem's city wall and gates. Cooperation was absolutely necessary to make the project a success. BEGIN WITH PRayer (NEH. 1:1-4,11) Holman CSB KJV words of Nehemiah 1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah: During the son of Hachaliah. And it came tieth year, when I was in the fortress city of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I ques- tioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant that had month of Chislev in the twen- | returned from exile. Working Cooperatively to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 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 Jeru- salem.3 They said to me, “The sur- vivors in the province, who returned from the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been bro- ken down, and its gates have been burned down.” 4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven... oe 11 Please, Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and to that of Your ser- vants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success today, and have com- passion on him in the presence of this man. LAt the time,| I was the king’s cupbearer. 3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the cap- tivity 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 heav- [Sec 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 king’s cupbearer. Verse 1. Part of the Book of Nehemiah is recorded in the first person; these sections look like words taken from a jour- nal. Nehemiah was living in the fortress city of Susa, the win- ter home of the Persian kings, who generally lived in Ecbatana in the summer. Nehemiah reported later that he served King Artaxerxes (2:1). Bible scholars generally date these events around 445 B.C. Ezra had returned to Judah in 458 B.C. Nehemiah did not report why his family had chosen to stay away from the Jewish homeland. Although some Jews had returned to Judah as soon as King Cyrus of Persia gave them permission, others remained in the old Babylonian region, which had been conquered by the Persians. For example, Esther lived away from the homeland. Verse 2. Nehemiah was visited by Hanani, whom he de- scribed as one of my brothers. Hanani could have been a brother from his immediate family, a relative, or a fellow Jew. Nehemiah probably knew King Artaxerxes had ordered a stop Week of December 31 ER