Thursday Bible Study

  [Nehemiah] SIX: Facing intimidation_ Nehemiah 6 Nehemiah had wrestled with God so thoroughly about what he was doing in building the wall that he wasn’t side-tracked by the attempts to call him away from the work…   [Discussion starter] How do you react when people try to intimidate you regarding work that you feel confident in doing? How does your reaction change if you’re less confident about what you’re doing?   When someone reacts like Nehemiah, then the intimidator must become more and more threatening. It eventually boils down to who can intimidate the most, or who is the most confident in what God’s will is for the occasion…   [Read Nehemiah 6]   In this chapter, what are some of the different attempts at intimidation?     If you had been in Nehemiah’s situation, what would have been your reaction or how might you have reacted differently?     What kind of ‘divided loyalties’ do you find in the peop...

  [Nehemiah] FIVE: Opposition from within_ Nehemiah 5 In the previous chapter, we looked at the opposition (and oppositional tactics) from the outside… this chapter it comes in a form a bit closer to home. And we see self-sacrifice turn into self-interest…   [Read Nehemiah 5]   In verses 1-5, what three types of internal opposition do we see developing against the vision of rebuilding the wall?     How would it affect you and your energy level, to build a wall, if you saw your daughter going into slavery because you didn’t have the money to pay your bills?     Who are the people responsible for this and why do you think they would do this?     [Activity] Make two columns. In the first column, write down the practices of the nobles, officials, former governors and their servants (found in verses 7-12). In the second column, write down the practices of Nehemiah and his servants (found in verses 14-18).   ...