Nememiah - Study 3

Nehemiah and Rebuilding Study 3 – Returning with Nehemiah: Nehemiah Chapter 1, the prayer

Welcome

Share a time when you were moved to pray with urgency and passion

Worship

Say the Lord’s Prayer together, slowly, phrase by phrase; reflect on any particular phrase that means something to you today; say the Lord’s Prayer again

Pray for openness to hear and receive God’s word and support one another.

Word – Study 3 – Nehemiah’ Prayer

1. Who is Nehemiah?

Nehemiah 1.1-2, 11. What is the meaning and significance of his name? Of his role in the court? Think about the culture of the day...
Where is his starting point?

Think about the returning dates, and any points to remember:
537BC – with Joshua and with Zerubbabel, see Matt 1 as part of Jesus’ family line. 458BC – with Ezra, who returned to Jerusalem with priests and Levites.
445BC – with Nehemiah, who returned to rebuild the city walls.

2. The situation in Jerusalem

What was important to Nehemiah? Read Nehemiah 1.3-4. What was his first response to the situation?
Can you think of any contemporary examples of a similar type?

3. The content of Nehemiah’s prayer

Read the whole prayer aloud, Nehemiah 1.5-11. Pick out sections and emphases. Cross-references to help you bring out the full meaning:

• Covenant of love: Deut 7.9; 1 Corinthians 11.23-26;

• Dwelling for my Name: Deut 12.11-14; 1 Kings 8.27-30; Ephesians 2.22

• Redeemed: Isaiah 63.9; Colossians 1.14

• Gathered: Ezekiel 11.17; Micah 2.12;

• Revere your name: Deut 6.5; 2 Corinthians 7.1

Group task – re-write the prayer so that it can be used to explain to our older Junior church members.

Witness

Now pray for people and situations that move you, as Nehemiah did.

The image used is Praying hands - public domain image from Unsplash.