What is the purpose of building walls around a city? What is the spiritual analogy to us? (don’t say it’s keeping out everybody, since Jesus has asked us to go all the world and preach the gospel ‘into to every creature’). Please be as detailed in your thoughts here as you can be. Cruel mockings In Nehemiah 4, we come across some of the largest challenges that the team of builders in Jerusalem come across. This chapter was happening at the same time as Nehemiah 3 not after. We will witness – some of the most hateful, angry and godless men in scripture in this chapter. In Sanballat and Neh.4:2-3 Tobiah mock and make fun of the Jews this is never a good idea! – In v.1 Sanballat is FURIOUS and very indignant that the Jews would even THINK of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem! How dare they! In v.2 he calls the Jews Why would he have thought ‘feeble’. this? (Hint: Zech.12:8) Show some examples about how God chooses the weak to demonstrate his strength. (Hint: look at 1Sam.14:11-12; 17:43-44 to start off with) In v.2 Sanballat sneers, they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish stones that are ‘Will – burned?’ Rotherham’s says, they bring to life the stones out of the heaps of dust, when they ‘Will have been burned up?’ There is more to what Sanballat says than even he knows! God WAS reviving the stones! There are some incredible echoes to this phrase. Explain how this phrase could tie in with Ezekiel 37. Find other scriptures where God talks about bringing to life the nation. (Hint: Isa.66:8) Bringing the point home to us, what do you make of 1Pet.2:4-5? What is Peter trying to tell us here? In v.3, Sanballat’s Tobiah, joins in the mockery. What does he say here and what happens ‘sidekick’, in Nehemiah 12 that would see Tobiah singing a different tune?
What is the purpose of building walls around a city? What is the spiritual analogy to us? (don’t say it’s keeping out everybody, since Jesus has asked us to go ‘into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature’). Please be as detailed in your thoughts here as you can be. Cruel mockings In Nehemiah 4, we come across some of the largest challenges that the team of builders in Jerusalem come across. This chapter was happening at the same time as Nehemiah 3 – not after. We will witness some of the most hateful, angry and godless men in scripture in this chapter. In Neh.4:2-3 Sanballat and Tobiah mock and make fun of the Jews – this is never a good idea! In v.1 Sanballat is FURIOUS and very indignant that the Jews would even THINK of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem! How dare they! In v.2 he calls the Jews ‘feeble’. Why would he have thought this? (Hint: Zech.12:8) Show some examples about how God chooses the weak to demonstrate his strength. (Hint: look at 1Sam.14:11-12; 17:43-44 to start off with) In v.2 Sanballat sneers, ‘Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish – stones that are burned?’ Rotherham’s says, ‘Will they bring to life the stones out of the heaps of dust, when they have been burned up?’ There is more to what Sanballat says than even he knows! God WAS reviving the stones! There are some incredible echoes to this phrase. Explain how this phrase could tie in with Ezekiel 37. Find other scriptures where God talks about bringing to life the nation. (Hint: Isa.66:8) Bringing the point home to us, what do you make of 1Pet.2:4-5? What is Peter trying to tell us here? In v.3, Sanballat’s ‘sidekick’, Tobiah, joins in the mockery. What does he say here and what happens in Nehemiah 12 that would see Tobiah singing a different tune?
ReturnOfExiles_part2.docx