Consider Nehemiah Chapter 8. Do you need more JOY in your life? Are you seeking a revival in your faith? Nehemiah will show you the way. Join us today as we cover creating a spiritual “prayer booth” for rejoicing, reading Scripture, recalling what God has done for us, and receiving new JOY.

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Wall Completed

• Nehemiah and the Israelites completed the walls and gates in 52 days (Nehemiah 6).
• Now Nehemiah begins restoring his beloved people’s faith (Nehemiah 7 & 8).

Fortification and Worship (Nehemiah 7: 1-5)

• Nehemiah assigned gatekeepers to keep the city free from enemies so the people could worship without threats.
• He appointed singers to praise the Lord day and night and to lead worship. It nurtured a close relationship with God.
• He appointed the Levites to watch over all things holy.

Historic Memory

• God put it into Nehemiah’s heart to register every person.
• Historic memory is crucial to the survival of any nation or culture.
• Nehemiah had to remind the people of their heritage and that God was with them as the returning remnant.

The Gathering – New Year’s Day (Nehemiah 8: 1)

• It’s October 444 B.C., New Year’s Day, called Rosh Hashanah on the Hebrew Civil calendar.
• The Feast of Trumpets on the Hebrew religious calendar calls for the people to prepare for the holy days to come (Leviticus 23: 23-24).

Hunger for God’s Word and Joy (Nehemiah 8: 2-8)

• The people gathered to hear Ezra read from the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).
• The people stood up the entire time from morning to midday, starved and thirsty for the Word of God.
• It takes only a few fallen-away generations to leave the next ones destitute and ignorant about God.
• Ezra blessed the Lord. All the people responded, “Amen, Amen.” Thus, they (1) thanked God with their “Amen”, (2) praised God by lifting up their hands, and 3) bowed down in adoration and submission to God.

Weeping & JOY (Nehemiah 8: 9-12)

• It took hearing and understanding God’s Word to begin the healing of broken hearts and dreams.
• The Word of God revealed their sin, they were grieved, and they confessed their sins before God.
• Nehemiah and Ezra told the people: “Don’t be grieved, for the JOY of the LORD is your strength”(v. 10).

The Feast of  Booths – 444 BC (Nehemiah 8: 13-18)

• The Feast of Booths, also called the Feast of Tabernacles (or Sukkot) was celebrated for seven days.
• God called the Israelites to recall how they wandered the desert and lived in booths or huts while God provided for them.
• The Feast of Booths commemorates God’s provision and guidance, and the Israelites must live in booths to celebrate it.
• They read the Word of God, rejoiced, offered thanksgiving, and worshipped God with their families in huts/booths.
• God’s Word led them to repent; God’s Word changed everything, and they were filled with much joy.

Personal Reflection – The Feast of Booths Application

• How will you respond to these verses of Scripture? You Could
  • Prayer Booth. Set up a Holy Place (call it a booth or secret place) in your home where you can pray, praise, read Scripture, and write in your prayer journal. Your booth is your secret place – it’s like a spiritual booth/or hut/where the people celebrate the Feast of Booths. It’s a place to put yourself in God’s presence in your home. You offer praise thanksgiving and worship.
  • Listen. Take time daily to read Scripture and allow God to speak to you. You can ask the Holy Spirit to set the Words afire in your heart and help you understand as you read. Try to record a few sentences in your journal of how the Lord speaks to you.
  • Receive the JOY of the Lord. “For the Joy of the Lord is your strength.” Ask Jesus for JOY as you read His word. (See John 15: 11 & Psalm 1.)

Cup of JOY Women

• Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy Women’s small group study. It accompanies this podcast and you can begin anytime or choose another of my podcast series (e.g. Finding More JOY).
• Pray about accepting this opportunity to engage others and gently evangelize by hosting a small group of friends over coffee or tea. It’s free and I will help you get started. For information, contact me, or go to Cup of Joy Women.

Links

• Download Bookmarks from this podcast series at my website: com
• Read more on hosting a Cup of Joy Women’s small group.
• Check out more podcasts here!
• Click HERE to find the book: Nehemiah: Rebuilding Hope and Joy in Your Life.

Nehemiah reads slanderous letters from Sanballet

Pray, Speak the Truth & Persevere Always

Look to Nehemiah. Are you facing slander?  Have mistruths been spoken about you? You can overcome the discouragement and discern the lies, deception, and diversion around you! Nehemiah will show you how. Join the podcast today as he shows us to always pray, speak the truth, and persevere. Today we cover the following points:

The Outcry of the People

• In Nehemiah 5, the immoral and unlawful practices of the Jewish nobles and officials brought many families to poverty.
• After he stood back in anger, Nehemiah demanded that nobles and officials follow God’s laws, or as a consequence, they would lose their possessions in God’s justice. The Jewish officials made an oath to do this and responded, “Amen,” and “praised the Lord.”

Three Attacks from the Opposition

• In Nehemiah 6, the enemies from surrounding countries become fearful about losing authority and moneymaking practices.
• They conspired to stop the building with a 1) Fake Meeting, 2) Slander Campaign, and 3) False Prophecy.

Diversion – The Fake Meeting Scheme (Nehemiah 6: 1-4)

• They invited Nehemiah to a “fake meeting” in the hills of Ono, a day’s journey away (near Tel Aviv today).
• It sounded like a neutral place, but he discerned it was a scheme to do him harm.

Division- Lies & The Smear Campaign (Nehemiah 6: 5-9)

• In an unsealed letter, Sanballat accused Nehemiah of a treasonous plot to revolt and overthrow the king.
• Sanballat knew that others would read the lies and slander would be spread everywhere.
• The scheme had worked twenty years prior when the King of Persia shut down the rebuilding (Ezra 4).
• Nehemiah declared the truth to confront the lies and prayed: But now, O God, strengthen my hands.”

Deception –False Prophecy Trap (Nehemiah 6: 10-14)

• Tobiah and Sanballat hired Shemaiah, likely a priest and prophet, to mislead Nehemiah.
• He prophesied that he should seek refuge in the temple and make an offering.
• Shemaiah tried to use tales of terror and “religious speak, saying the enemies planned to kill Nehemiah.
• Nehemiah knew entering the temple would be a sin that the enemies would use to discredit him.

The  Completed Wall

• God blessed Nehemiah, answered his prayers, and helped the Israelites complete the wall in only 52 days.
• This was a great victory for the people because of opposition from the same enemies over twenty years.

Personal Reflection

• Today, Nehemiah reminds us how to respond to life’s assaults: Pray, Declare the Truth, and Persevere.

1. When you are facing discouragement, especially from diversion, division, or deception, pray like Nehemiah, Lord, strengthen my hands! and thus, ask God to help you discern the truth and persevere.
2. Declare the truth. Don’t be distracted by rumors or slanderous accusations. This is the devil’s way of making you compromise with evil. Instead, speak the truth in love. Declare the Scriptures. For example:
   • Romans 8:15: For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!”  Declare: I am a daughter of God!
   • Timothy 1:7: [F]or God did not give us a spirit of fear, but rather a spirit of power and of love and a sound mind. Declare: I don’t have a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and a sound mind.
3. Commit your work to the Lord and stay focused.

Cup of JOY Women

• Consider hosting a weekly one-hour Cup of Joy Women’s small group study on It accompanies this podcast and you can begin anytime or choose any podcast series (e.g. Finding More JOY).
• Pray about accepting this fantastic opportunity to engage others and gently evangelize by hosting a small group of friends over coffee or tea. It’s free and I will help you get started. For information, contact me, go to Cup of Joy Women.

Links

• Download Bookmarks from this podcast series at my website: com
• Read more on hosting a Cup of Joy Women’s small group.
• Check out more podcasts here!
• Click HERE to find the book: Nehemiah: Rebuilding Hope and Joy in Your Life.