April 28 – Round Table Notes
Nehemiah 7:1-5; 73, 8:5-61-2 After the wall was rebuilt and I had installed the doors, and the security guards, the singers, and the Levites were appointed, I put my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the captain of the citadel, in charge of Jerusalem because he was an honest man and feared God more than most men.
3 I gave them this order: “Don’t open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is up. And shut and bar the gates while the guards are still on duty. Appoint the guards from the citizens of Jerusalem and assign them to posts in front of their own homes.”
4 The city was large and spacious with only a few people in it and the houses not yet rebuilt.
5 God put it in my heart to gather the nobles, the officials, and the people in general to be registered. I found the genealogical record of those who were in the first return from exile.73 The priests, Levites, security guards, singers, and Temple support staff, along with some others, and the rest of the People of Israel, all found a place to live in their own towns.
Chapter 8
5-6 Ezra opened the book. Every eye was on him (he was standing on the raised platform) and as he opened the book everyone stood. Then Ezra praised God, the great God, and all the people responded, “Oh Yes! Yes!” with hands raised high. And then they fell to their knees in worship of God, their faces to the ground.Intro Questions:
3 I gave them this order: “Don’t open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is up. And shut and bar the gates while the guards are still on duty. Appoint the guards from the citizens of Jerusalem and assign them to posts in front of their own homes.”
4 The city was large and spacious with only a few people in it and the houses not yet rebuilt.
5 God put it in my heart to gather the nobles, the officials, and the people in general to be registered. I found the genealogical record of those who were in the first return from exile.73 The priests, Levites, security guards, singers, and Temple support staff, along with some others, and the rest of the People of Israel, all found a place to live in their own towns.
Chapter 8
5-6 Ezra opened the book. Every eye was on him (he was standing on the raised platform) and as he opened the book everyone stood. Then Ezra praised God, the great God, and all the people responded, “Oh Yes! Yes!” with hands raised high. And then they fell to their knees in worship of God, their faces to the ground.Intro Questions:
- Have you ever had a renovation or building project for your home, for work, or even for your pets?
- What were some of the challenges and hurdles?
- What is it like if it was left incomplete or not to your standards?
The Big Picture
- For Nehemiah, the purpose of rebuilding the walls was for the people, but Jerusalem was still left largely uninhabited.
- In your faith journey, have you ever felt like something was still missing? How would you describe that missing aspect?
- Nehemiah began to further organize people to fulfill the greater objective.
- Has there ever been a time when you felt compelled to organize, or involve yourself in the life of the church? What compelled you? Maybe frustration, feeling as though you were capable of filling a need, or even a divine nudge?
- The people urged Ezra the scholar to speak to the people of the deeper and inner need that the people felt regarding their Holy City.
- What urging do you feel that the church needs, what deeper or inner needs do you feel that the church can address?