Nehemiah Study Series: Intro

Where have I been? Good question. I grew scarce between the new year, family health scares, and life in general. But the one thing that never disappeared is the Lord and his Word. In that regard, He has brought me through the fire in a refining period, with a Nehemiah study series.

What does that mean?

It means I have dove deep into scripture, finding the truths the Lord has chosen to reveal to me. Now, I’ll be honest and tell you some of these lessons hurt. Others made me laugh, while still more made me cry. However, in the end, His love never abandoned me, and His grace still covers me.

So, what insight I’ve gained will now be subjected, err, I mean … imparted to you. 

To those of you returning, you know the drill. You newbies, get ready. Lock your seats in upright positions and tighten your seatbelts. Keep all arms and legs inside your seats, and put those mouthguards in. Ready or not, here we go.

This is Christian Sanity.

Bible Study Time

I have always had an affinity for the Old Testament. The complexity of the people. Their strengths and flaws. The raw emotion and unique viewpoints of diverse individuals in intense situations we can barely grasp, let alone understand. 

I know, I know, the Old Testament is under the Old Law and Covenant. But Christ came to fulfill the law and give birth to the New Covenant. In this, the Old Testament is a reflection and forerunner to the New. If we want a greater understanding of the New, we must dive into the Old.

Let’s face the fact that the Old Testament is filled with great stories. Ehud stabbing the massive King Eglon of Moab, Yael driving a tent peg through the temple of the evil General Sisera, the showdown between lone Elijah and four hundred and fifty prophets, and Daniel performing the first circus act are biblical events that cannot be passed or ignored. 

The council has spoken You have been voted off—eliminated. You are the weakest link; goodbye. Of course, I’m kidding. But the Old Testament requires reading and studying. Seriously.

They share cautionary tales alongside stories of peoples’ lives that we can use in our own lives. There are periods of faith, times of crushing defeat, and moments of trials and tribulation. The many introspective and personal looks into their struggles, successes, and failures both edify and exhort. 

This is what has driven my focus on the study of late. These ordinary humans, in extraordinary times, faced moral dilemmas and the external pressures of family, friends, government, society, and work to surrender to the ambiguous standards of the sinful, fallen world and cast off the righteous garments and armor of God. 

There are so many choices from the Old Testament. Daniel is one of my all-time favorites. Judges is filled with a Rolodex of fantastic options. Genesis is an easy pick. Moses rockets to the top of everyone’s lists. 

But my study turned to a little-read book. I’ve made my passes in this minor inclusion in the Old Testament. My highlighter has left evidence of my readings with yellow and pink lines scattered about the chapters, but I couldn’t bypass it. 

Nehemiah Study Series

My Nehemiah study series smacked me in the face with a spiritual two-by-four right from the first chapter. I wish I could say it got easier the deeper I studied. But that would be a lie. I received no spiritual coddling. God beat me low with convictions and opened my eyes to the reality that we now live in the same days of Nehemiah. 

God’s people are displaced. We are under ridicule and scorn while surrounded by enemies. The house of God is in disarray, and His temple is no longer essential. Even our own sow dissent and discord and we do not know how to move forward. 

Our nation is lost to heathens, and we are displaced from our positions. 

But just as in Nehemiah’s time, the remnant of God has a choice: to rise up and stand against the evil of the age or to fall into nothingness. We can shake off the generation’s immorality or be consumed by it. 

A simple choice with eternal ramifications. 

So this is it, the rallying cry. I will dive into Nehemiah and share what the Lord shows me. We will face the decision together. We can be a part of the Remnant and rise. Or we conform to this world and be lost. 

The question for us all is before us. 

Will we rise?

Or will we take solace in complacent sin?