Restore Rebuild Revive - Week One : 26 Jan 2011

Neh 1:1-3 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital,

that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, "The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire."

As a result of their rebellion, God’s people were in serious trouble and shame.

Trouble also translated affliction, calamity, distress, evil, wretchedness. With its ruined walls and burned gates, Jerusalem was still a city lying waste, exposed to attacks of all kinds. A less than desirable zip-code.

Shame is also translated reproach, disgrace, rebuke. The walls were not only the safety, but also the dignity of a city. Jerusalem was loaded with contempt by their neighbors. Although the Temple was in use, sacrifices for sin was being made, Jerusalem was not yet a community. This is huge! For the very purpose of Jerusalem was a community of God’s people where God Himself dwelt. The promise that God would make Himself real to His repentant people as “their God” was not yet fulfilled. Light on a hill.

Key: Hearing about the condition of Jerusalem, Nehemiah appeals to God’s covenant love, His promise to be “my God” to His people. Uses term “my God” 10x, 6x in prayer. Continually uses personal pronouns-“our God, Your people, etc. 

Neh 1:5 And I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, (Nehemiah is grabbing God’s leg-you are ‘my God’ to my bros-we have turned back, complete our restoration, rebuildiing, reviving! Deu. 29-30, lev 26)

If we have entered into a covenant relationship with Him, if we have jumped out of the arms of rebellion/idols then we can confidently, figuratively grab His leg-count on Him to restore, rebuild and revive us.

In this chapter we gain a greater understanding of how real this covenant is and how committed our God is to it. Of what it means that the great and awesome God keeps His covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep His commands, those who call Him “My God.”