THE TEMPLE

SOLOMON’S TEMPLESOLOMON FINISHED THE TEMPLE (959 BC)?DESTROYED BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR (586 BC)?

ZERUBBABEL’S TEMPLERECONSTRUCTION UNDER CYRUS (536 BC)?BUILDING CEASES UNDER ARTAXERXES (17 YEARS)?BUILDING CONTINUES UNDER DARIUS (519 BC)?TEMPLE COMPLETED UNDER DARIUS (516 BC)?

(516-458 BC)?

HEROD’S TEMPLECONSTRUCTION BEGAN (20 BC)?COMPLETED 46 YEARS (JOHN 2:20) (64 AD)?

PEOPLE TO REMEMBER

NEBUCHADNEZZAR - DESTROYED JERUSALEM (586 BC)?

ARTAXERXES - KING OF PERSIA 465-425 BC?

LONGIMANUS - SON OF XERXES

NEHEMIAH - COMFORTED OF YAHWEH

SON OF HACHALIAH - BROTHER OF HANANI 445-433 BC?

ADVERSARIES OF NEHEMIAH

SANBALLAT THE HORONITE - GOVERNOR OF SAMARIA

TOBIAH THE AMMONITE - JOINT GOVERNOR WITH SANBALLAT

GESHEM THE ARAB - CHIEF OF THE ARABS IN SAMARIA

ELIASHIB THE HIGH PRIEST

OUTLINE NEHEMIAH CHAPTER SIX

NEHEMIAH’S ENEMIES WANT TO MEET WITH HIM V. 1-4

CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST NEHEMIAH V. 5-7

NEHEMIAH PRAYS TO GOD V. 8-9

THEY HIRE A FALSE PROPHET V. 10-13

NEHEMIAH PRAYS TO GOD AGAINST THEM V. 14

THE WALL IS FINISHED IN 52 DAYS V. 15

NEHEMIAH DISCOVERS PLOT AGAINST HIM V. 16-19

READ: NEHEMIAH 6:1-2

1 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates),

2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono." But they thought to do me harm.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:1-2

1 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates),

WHO WERE THESE ENEMIES?

WHAT HAD THEY HEARD?

WERE THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM FINISHED?

WHAT WAS THE ONLY THING LACKING

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:1-2

2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono." But they thought to do me harm.

WHAT DID SANBALLAT AND GERSHEM WANT?

WHERE DID THEY WANT NEHEMIAH TO MEET THEM?

WHAT WAS THEIR PLAN?

READ: NEHEMIAH 6:3-4

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?"

4 But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:3-4

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?"4 But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner.

HOW DID NEHEMIAH RESPOND TO THEIR REQUEST?WHY DID HE REFUSE TO GO MEET WITH THEM?

HOW MANY TIMES DID THEY SEND THIS MESSAGE?WHAT WAS NEHEMIAH’S REPLY?

READ: NEHEMIAH 6:5-7

5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.

6 In it was written: It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king.

7 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' Now these matters will be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:5-7

5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.

WHAT DID SANBALLAT DO THE FIFTH TIME?WHY SEND ‘AN OPEN LETTER’?

WHO WOULD KNOW THE CONTENT OF THE LETTER?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:5-7

6 In it was written: It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king.

WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE LETTER?WHAT WAS GESHEM ACCUSING NEHEMIAH OF?

HOW MANY KNEW THE CONTENT OF THE LETTER?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:5-7

7 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' Now these matters will be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together.

WHAT WERE THE PROPHETS PROCLAIMING?WHO HAD REPORTED THESE RUMORS TO THE KING?

WHAT DID TOBIAH WANT NEHEMIAH TO DO?DOES HE REALLY WANT TO CONSULT NEHEMIAH?

READ: NEHEMIAH 6:8-9

8 Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart."

9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, "Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done." Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:8-9

8 Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart."9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, "Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done." Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

HOW DID NEHEMIAH RESPOND?WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF ALL THESE RUMEORS?

WHAT WERE THEY TRYING TO DO?WHERE DID NEHEMIAH LOOK FOR STRENGTH?

READ: NEHEMIAH 6:10-11

10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you."

11 And I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!"

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:10-11

10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you."

WHERE DID NEHEMIAH GO?

WHO WAS SHEMAIAH? A PROPHET?

‘WHO WAS CONFINED IN HIS HOME’ (NAS)

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:10-11

10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you."

WHAT DID SHEMAIAH WANT NEHEMIAH TO DO?

WHY MEET IN THE TEMPLE?

WHO WAS PLANNING TO KILL NEHEMIAH?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:10-11

11 And I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!“

HOW DID NEHEMAIH RESPOND TO SHEMAIAH?

WOULD HE GO INTO THE TEMPLE TO SAVE HIS LIFE?

WHO WAS GOVERNOR OF JERUSALEM? NEHEMIAH?

READ: NEHEMIAH 6:12-13

12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:12-15

12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

WHAT HAD NEHEMIAH PERCEIVED?

HOW DID HE KNOW THIS WAS A ‘FALSE PROPHET’?

WHO HAD HIRED HIM?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:12-15

13 For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

WHY DID TOBAIH AND SANBALLAT HIRE HIM?

HOW COULD NEHEMIAH’S FEAR BECOME A SIN?

WHAT WOULD IT CAUSE?

WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT ‘THE FEARFUL’?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:12-15

WHAT ABOUT THE FEARFUL?

READ: REVELATION 21:8

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (KJV)

READ: NEHEMIAH 6:14-15

14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.

15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:14-15

14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.

WHO DID NEHEMIAH WANT GOD TO REMEMBER?

WHO WAS NOADIAH? A FALSE PROPHET?

WAS NEHEMIAH AFRAID?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:14-15

15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.

DID SANBALLAT AND TOBIAH STOP THE WORK?

WHEN WAS THE WALL FINISHED?

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE?

READ: NEHEMIAH 6:16-17

16 And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

17 Also in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them.

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:16-17

16 And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

HOW DID THE ENEMIES REACT TO THIS?

WHY WERE THEY DISHEARTED?

HOW DID THEY PERCEIVE THIS WORK WAS DONE?

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:16-17

17 Also in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them.

WHAT DID THE NOBLES IN JUDAH DO?

HOW DID TOBIAH RESPOND TO THEM?

WHAT WERE THEY PLANNING?

READ: NEHEMIAH 6:16-19

18 For many in Judah were pledged to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to frighten me. (NKJ)

QUESTIONS: NEHEMIAH 6:16-19

18 For many in Judah were pledged to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to frighten me. (NKJ)

WHO WERE THESE ‘MANY IN JUDAH’?

WHY WERE THEY PLEDGED TO TOBIAH?

WHAT DID THEY REPORT TO NEHEMIAH?

WHAT WAS TOBIAH TRYING TO DO?