Shalom, everyone. Today, we are going to start another study of another book. And I would like to go back to the Tanach, to the Old Testament, and we're going to go to the book of Nehemiah. In Hebrew, we call the Men Nehemiah. And I would like you, please, to turn with me to Nehemiah, chapter one. And I would like today, as an introduction, only to read the first three verses. And then we will make some introduction. We will look at that book and see what the Lord has for us, beloved brothers and sisters. So I'm reading the first three verses of Nehemiah, chapter one. The words of Nehemiah, the son of Chalkiah.

And it came to pass in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan, the palace, that Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, "The remnants that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The walls of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire." This is the passage that I'm going to read so far in this ministry meeting, but I would like to connect with that two New Testament verses.

So if you please turn with me to Romans, chapter 15, and verse 4. Shaul Paul wrote to the brothers and sisters at Rome, and he said to them, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Then turn to 1 Corinthians, chapter 10, and verse 11. This verse often we quote that in our ministry meetings and Bible studies. And there the apostle Shaul Paul says to the brothers and sisters at Corinth, "Now all these things happen unto them, namely our people of all, the people of Israel, for an example, and they are written for our admonition upon whom the end of the age are come." Now when we study such a book as the book of Nehemiah, we have to realize that all these things that happened to our forefathers, namely the people of Israel, became for you and I as believers in this present day dispensation, a great lesson.

It's like a picture book to teach us certain things on how you and I are to behave in a time in which you and I live in just before the Messiah is going to come. We would call it the Laodicean age, the last moment before the Messiah Yeshua is going to come for his own and then ultimately to come to restore the nation of Israel back to himself. And so when we study the book of Nehemiah, we want to look a little bit in this and see how does that apply to you and I believers in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah today. I would like to go a little bit brothers and sisters over the historical setting here that we have in the book of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah. You see, our forefathers left the land of Egypt. They have been for 40 years in the wilderness, in the Midbar, as we say in Hebrew. And they were just on the shore of the Jordan River, ready to enter into the promised land, the land of Canaan, the land of Canaan. God gave a warning to the nation of Israel. Let me read you this warning found in Deuteronomy chapter 28 and verse 58. God gave his nation Israel prior to entering into the promised land. The word of the Lord came to Israel and he says, If you will not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy God.

Then go down to verse 63. And it shall come to pass that as the Lord rejoice over you to do you good and to multiply you. So the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and to bring you to naught. And ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the Lord shall scatter thee among the people from the one end of the earth even unto the other. And there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy father have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shall thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest.

But the Lord shall give thee their trembling heart and a failing of eyes and a sorrow of mind. And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shall fear day and night and shall have none assurance of thy life. Now just pause with me for a moment. Even before Israel our nation have entered into the promised land, God gave our forefathers the warning. He says, listen, I'm going to bring you into this land that I promised Abraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I'm going to give you this land because I've intended to give it to you, my people Israel. But here's the condition.

If you are going to enter into the land and if you are not going to observe the law and the words that I have given unto you, I am telling you I'm going to remove you out of this land and I'm going to scatter you among the nations of the world. And you're going to be a people that are dispersed and there you will have a trembling heart, a failing eyes and a sorrow of mind and you will have no shalom, no peace. Now that's happened before Israel even entered into the promised land. But lo and behold, beloved brothers and sisters, we are talking about the historical setting of the book of Nehemiah.

Israel have entered into the promised land. Israel have conquered much of the land, not everything, but yet Israel have experienced a time of disobedience and rejection of the Lord and influenced by the nations around. And they did not obey the word of the Lord. And I would like you to see what happened as Israel as a nation have entered into the promised land. Then God have given our own nation, the nation of Israel, the kings to rule over the nation of Israel. But of course, why did he give them the king? Because our own people rejected the Lord from being a king over them. And they said, make us a king.

The book of Samuel teaches us this, that we will be like all the other nations. So God gave Israel a king. And the king was the first king called Shaul, Saul. And he was the first king of Israel. He was head and shoulders above everyone else. The people looked up to this man. They looked much at him and he found out to be a failing king. Instead of leading our own nation to follow after the God of our fathers, Shaul, Saul led our people astray. And he oppressed our people. He oppressed the nation of Israel. And they cried for help. And God had to choose another king.

A king that would be a man after his own heart. And so he chose David. And you notice that from the year about 1040 BC. The beginning of the kingdom, the kings of our nation Israel. Then we have the first king Shaul, the second king David, and the third king Shlomo. Saul, David, and Solomon, the kings of Israel. And the rain was from about 1040 to about 960 BC. There was the kings of Israel. Especially those three kings of Israel. And what happened then? The nation of Israel again continued with rebellion against God. And the nation of Israel right now because of Rehovam, the son of King Solomon, King Shlomo.

He was oppressing, you might say, the nation of Israel. And the kingdom was divided. And now from about 960 BC till about 6 or 5 BC, we have a divided nation. What we have, the northern kingdom called Israel, the 10th tribe. And the southern kingdom called Yehuda, Judah. There were two different groups of kings who reigned over those two kingdoms. Imagine, the people of God now divided nation. And I would like to mention again, all these things happened unto them, namely Israel, for our learning, the learning of the believers in the present day dispensation of the ecclesia, of the church, of the Kehillah, of the body of Messiah.

Because everything began good. But it didn't take too long. And the people of God became a divided companies. Just like today, beloved brothers and sisters, the church, the body of Messiah is so divided. He's so scattered. He's so broken to pieces. And that is exactly the time when the Lord is preparing himself to come and to take the people away from this world and to bring them to himself. But you notice the northern kingdom of Israel? It didn't take too long. They built this golden calf in the north, in Dan. And they worshiped the golden calf just like our forefathers when they came out of Egypt.

And instead of going to the city of Jerusalem to worship in Jerusalem, they ended up to worship the golden calf in the north. And they built themselves all sorts of things. And they didn't follow the instruction that God gave to the tribe of Judah. Well, in 722 BC, we don't read it here, the Assyrian came and took to Assyria all the ten tribes of the north. They've taken captive and they've been scattered them all throughout Assyria. And they left a little minority there and they mixed them up. And that's how we get the people that are called the Shomronim, the Samaritan. They are a mixed breed.

They lived in the north of Israel, in the Shomron, in Samaria. And what happened, they have departed totally from the will of the Lord. But Judah remained somewhat faithful. You had some good kings. You had some bad kings from the tribe of Judah, from the southern kingdom of Israel. And later on, in about 606 BC, 605 BC, the tribe of Judah, the southern kingdom, were taken captive by the king of Babylon, by the name of Nebuchadnezzar. And so we read in the Bible, beloved brothers and sisters, that there were three times in which the Jewish remnant from the tribe of Judah, the southern tribe, were taken captive from 605 BC.

It was the first time, at that time, Daniel was taken captive. Then in 597, Yehoiachin and other of the remnant of Israel were taken captive to Babylon. And in the third time that Nebuchadnezzar and his army came, Zedekiah, in 586 BC, he himself was taken captive and the rest of the nation, the temple in Jerusalem was burned and destroyed. The walls of Jerusalem were completely broken. The gates of the city of Jerusalem were torn to pieces and broken down. And our people of all, the Jewish people, were for 70 years in the land of Babel, in Babylon. And why? Because they did not obey the word of the Lord, like you and I.

When we don't obey the word of the Lord, we have broken fences and broken gates and burnt out spiritual enjoyment of the things of the Lord. Because just like our people of all have departed from the ways of the Lord, you and I as believers of this church age find ourselves many times in a very similar condition and similar situation. Now please turn with me to Jeremiah chapter 25. And we want to see the historical setting because it is very important if we are going to understand. And so God gave this warning through the prophet Jeremiah to our people of all, the people of Israel. And he said in chapter 25 and verse 8.

Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, because ye have not heard my words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, says the Lord. And Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about. And I will utterly destroy them. And I will make them an astonishment, an unhissing, and a perpetual desolation. Moreover, I will take from them the voice of mirth, and a voice of gladness, the voice of the bride, the sound of a millstone, and the light of the candle. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment.

And these nations shall serve the king of Babylon for 70 years. And it shall come to pass, when 70 years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, says the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Calendids, and will make it a perpetual desolation. And I will bring upon that land all my words, which I have pronounced against it. Even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. Now notice again, beloved brothers and sisters, please look at this chart with me. Notice that the promise was that right here at about 6 or 5 BC, 6 or 6 BC.

According to Jeremiah's prophecy in verse 11 of chapter 25, that the people of Judah, the southern kingdom now, will be taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, and they will remain in Babel for 70 years. And the very Jewish people of ours who have had the land, have enjoyed the land, that the many blessings that God have intended for them now, they find themselves for 70 years by the rivers of Babylon. We find that the reason for that is because Israel, the southern kingdom, also like the northern kingdom, did not submit themselves to the word of the Lord. And so they were now for 70 years in the land of Babel. And the Jewish people who once enjoyed the things of the Lord find themselves away from the city of Jerusalem for 70 years.

In our own personal experience, in our own life, not only as Jewish people who are somehow connected with the nation of Israel, but in the body of Messiah, because we did not submit to the Lord. We do not humble ourselves before Him. Because pride rose in our own hearts and self-will came into our lives. And we thought that we can do very well without the Lord. We will be fine. And how many times we find local churches broken into pieces. And we can only say, I remember when things were so nice some years ago. And instead of standing for the Lord and for His own purpose and will in our life, we allow things to creep into our life and we ended up really suffering the consequences of our own sins and our own self-will.

Now turn with me to Daniel chapter 9. When Israel now had been in Babel for 70 years, God gave a promise that He will restore them according to Jeremiah chapter 25. And Daniel who was now in Babel understood that the 70 years were going to get over and now is the time to be restored to the land. And so Daniel prayed. And when he prayed, beloved brothers and sisters, God responded to him. Actually, the whole ninth chapter is the prayer of Daniel and the response of the Lord to Daniel. In chapter 9 and verse 21, it says, "Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gavriel," "This is the angel Gavriel, whom I had seen in a vision at the beginning being caused to fly swiftly.

He touched me about the time of the evening oblation and he informed me and he talked with me and he said." And Gavriel began to give instruction to Daniel and he gave him a prophetic message that not only speaking about the restoration of the people of Judah, back to the land of Israel, but concerning the coming of the Messiah. And notice that, beloved brothers and sisters, in Daniel chapter 9 and verse 24, he said, "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.

Know therefore," this is verse 25 now, "and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven weeks and three score and two weeks. The street shall be built again, the wall even in troublous time. And after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself. And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary and the end thereof shall be with a flood and unto the end of the war desolation are determined." And here he said to him, "Listen, seventy weeks are determined upon thy people." This is the people of Israel.

And upon thy holy city, this is the city of Jerusalem." And so I want you to notice here that there is a seventy years of our people Israel that were in exile in Babel, in Babylon. When the seventy years are over, Daniel is praying. And he's asking the Lord, the God of heaven, the God of our nation Israel. He says, "Listen, God, you have promised to restore our people to the land. You have promised to bring us back to the land. Are you going to do so? We confess our sins and our failure. God, we want the restoration of the nation of Israel." And lo and behold, God gave him this prophetic word from verses 24 on.

But you see, he gave him an additional information. Not only seventy years are going to pass by and the Jewish people will be restored. But he gave him a prophetic message about the time when the Messiah himself is going to come. And when the Messiah will be cut off and he will die on behalf of the nation of Israel and the nations of the world. And then ultimately there will be a restoration and a blessing. But certain things had to happen before all this is going to transpire. And so he mainly said to him that the Messiah is going to come and to accomplish an amazing work.

Number one, to finish transgression. Number two, to make an end of sins. Number three, for a reconciliation for iniquity. Number four, to bring in an everlasting righteousness. Number five, to seal up the vision and the prophecy. And number six, to anoint the most holy. That is yet is awaiting a future day. Seventy years have passed by. And the time to restore the people of Israel back to the land is now going to start when Daniel prayed for the Lord's restoration of the Jewish people to Israel. And so just like there were three deportations or three times when the people of Israel were in exile, there was also three returns back to the land.

Here is where we are right here in this last portion of the chart. You see, in about 538 BC, the first return of the Jewish remnant for Babylon began. Zerub Havel led about 50,000 Jewish people to return back to rebuild the temple in the city of Jerusalem. You read it in the first sixth chapter of the book of Ezra. Then in 457 BC, Ezra came to beautify the temple in Jerusalem. Not only that it was built already, but it needed to be beautified. They brought all sort of material, all sort of things with them to beautify the temple in the city of Jerusalem. He came, if I'm correct, with about 1,500 Jewish people.

The vast majority of the Jewish people still remain in Babel. That's where the story of Esther happened. It happened to the Jewish people who did not return to the land of Israel, neither under Zerub Havel nor under Ezra. They were still left in Babylon in the land of Babel. But now when we arrived to the book of Nehemiah, we are at about 444-445 BC. When Nehemiah himself was going to go to the land of Israel, to the city of Jerusalem, Ezra and Zerub Havel had built the temple and had beautified the temple. But there was still a problem there. The gates were still burnt. The walls of the city were still torn into pieces and broken down.

It was Nehemiah's exercise of heart and soul that he wanted so badly, he was so concerned with his Jewish brethren and with the city of Jerusalem, that he wanted not only now to build a temple which was already in existence, but he wanted to build the walls around the city of Jerusalem. And to fix the gates in order that the people will be in two ways preserved. The reason that you have a wall is because of protection from the nation around. The reason that you have a wall is from separation from those that will try to come in and influence God's people. And this is an amazing truth for us to understand, beloved brothers and sisters, you and I are to have an exercise like Nehemiah.

To have those two things in mind when we are building the walls around the body of Messiah, you and I might say. Why? Because there are so many things that are happening to the people of God. Things that are hindering them from spiritual growth and breaking down and hurting the lives of the people of God. And on a personal level, how many people have broken lives? How many people of God have lives that are broken to pieces? They have turned away from the Lord. They are not attending meetings anymore. They don't read the Bibles anymore. They don't worship Yeshua the Messiah anymore. What happened? Well, disobedience, like in the lives of our forefathers, happened at times in the lives of God's people.

And therefore, the book of Nehemiah, all these things which have happened unto them serve for our learning that you and I will recognize this and learn from this. And ask the Lord, Lord, what do you teach me personally in my life today? How can I be like Nehemiah? I want to read one more verse, if you don't mind. If you turn with me to the book of Psalm 137. This is the famous Psalm that we read when our people of old were in the land of Babylon. I want you to notice the words of this Psalm. And I'm reading. By the rivers of Babylon. These are the Jewish people, the people of God.

There we sat down. Yea, we wept. When we remember Zion. Zion. We hung our harps upon a willow in the midst thereof. For there in Babel, in Babylon. They that carried us away. This is the Babylonian people. They required of us a song. And they that wasted us required of us mirth. Simcha. They said, sing unto us one of the songs of Zion. And look at the answer of these Jewish remnant or people of God who were in Babylon. They said, how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? They couldn't sing. Why they couldn't sing? Because they are away from the Lord.

Because they were not in the city of Jerusalem. Because they are away from the will of God. They were under discipline. They couldn't sing. And so look. They said, how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? And then the Lord pricked their hearts. And He touched their hearts. And He showed them the realization that they were wrong. And they needed to be corrected. And look at the change in that song. They began now to say, to state statements such as verse 5. "If I forget thee, O Yerushalayim, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.

If I prefer not Yerushalayim, Jerusalem above my chief Jehoi." And you see, they began to change. Because they realized that they were wrong. And you know, God loves to see repentance. God loves to see His people confess and repent and turn around. Not only an unbeliever need to confess, but a believer need to change his or her life and repent before the Lord. And to say, Lord, I messed up. I was wrong in my attitude, in my behavior. The Lord is now, they devote themselves for the city of Yerushalayim. And they say, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning." In Hebrew we say, "Im eshkachech Yerushalayim tishakach yemini." "May my right hand forget the ability to be used if I forget the city of Jerusalem." And you see, beloved brothers and sisters, Yerushalayim is a place where God set His name.

Yerushalayim is where the temple was built. Yerushalayim is where the priests functioned. Yerushalayim is where the sacrifice was offered on the altar. Yerushalayim is where ultimately the Messiah came to. And He gave His life a ransom for many. It is a literal place, but there is also a spiritual application for the believers in their lives. Yerushalayim, for us today, who are not in Yerushalayim physically, Yerushalayim is the gathering center where the people of God gather together around our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. For us today, who are not in the physical, literal city of Jerusalem, we are here. And there are millions and millions in this world who are many places around the world.

For the believer in the present day age, the place Yerushalayim is the gathering center. Where Yeshua said in Matthew 18, 24, where two or three are gathered together unto My name. They are Mine amidst of them. He promised to be in the midst of His saints. That's why, brothers and sisters, and I'm saying it not as a criticism, I'm just saying it in reality. When we miss a meeting, and we say, you know what, today I just don't feel like going to a meeting where the saints are gathered together. You know what happened really here? You lost, I lost, because God promised to be in the center of His gathered saints.

And He promised to be a blessing to the people of God, if they will only come with a desire in their hearts to have Him as the object. To learn from Him, to glorify Him, to worship Him, because He is the one who is the gathering center. You know very well that today in the city of Jerusalem, no one even can get up to Temple Mount. Nothing there. In fact, what you have there is a mosque, is a dome of the rock. In the future, God will restore the nation of Israel. In the future, God will rebuild the promised temple, and the Messiah, Yeshua, will sit and reign and rule over the universe.

But today, 2,000 years pass by since the time when the Messiah came and died, was buried and resurrected and ascended. And God is gathering believers throughout the world, who truly, sincerely confess their sins and turn to Yeshua, the Messiah. And He's saying, I'm going to be the gathering center for you. Would you like, He says, to meet around me? Would you have a burden or your heart to see that the people of God are encouraged and blessed? Would you be like Nehemiah, Nehemiah, who desire to build a wall of protection for the people of God? That's the thought that we have from the book of Nehemiah.

This is so important, beloved brothers and sisters, to grasp it and to understand it if we are going to appreciate the book of Nehemiah. Let me read you a verse in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 22. Look at the reason why the people of Israel find themselves in Babylon, scattered. God said to our nation, who were already scattered in Babylon, because Ezekiel was taken captive as well. And God says, listen to this, in chapter 22, verse 29. It says, the people of the land have used oppression. And exercised robbery. And have vexed the poor and the needy. Yet they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. That was the condition of our own people when they were taken captive.

Then look what he's saying in verse 30. I thought it was an amazing verse. He said, I sought for a man among them. That should make up the hedge, the wall, the gader, the fence. To stand in a gap before me for the land. That I should not destroy the land. And look what he said at the end. But I found none. Can you imagine? God says, I was looking for someone. That he will stand in a gap. That he will pray on behalf of the people of God. That he will become between me and the people of God. A link. And he said, I found none.

You know why? Because the spiritual condition of our people at that time was so low. That God said, I couldn't find anyone. He says here, I sought for a man among them. That should make up the hedge. Should make in Hebrew, gader. It's like a fence. To stand in a gap before me and the land. That I should not destroy the land. And the land connect with the people. But I found none. Can you imagine how it grieved the heart of God? You know, sometimes I wonder today in your life and in mine. Are we a people who want to be a blessing to the people of God?

Are we builders or destroyers? Sometimes people say, why are you being so legal? Why are you so much standing for this and standing for that and principles? You know, God is love, you see. All you need is just love. We find out very quickly how the sheep are scattered. The people of God are divided. The truth of the word of God is a time let go. And we are guilty in that. We don't point our finger at anybody else. And we find out why it is so important. To have those godly men and women who teach us the word. And keep us focused on the written word of God.

And not on human experience. And human opinion. It was in the time of Moses. It was in the time of Joshua. It was in the time of Ezra and Amaya. It was in the time of Daniel. In every generation. In the church age. It was in the time of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It was in the time of Shimon Petros. In Shaul time. Paul. And in this every generation. God raised up godly men and women. To serve him. And to seek to minister to the people of God. So now it's about 444 BC. Nehemiah was one of these people who stayed in Bavell. He didn't come with Rubell.

He didn't come with Ezra. He remained in Bavell. And what do you think he was doing in Bavell? He had a burden for the people of Israel. But he remained away from the land. And so in those first three verses. Beloved brothers and sisters. We learn the concern of this man by the name of Nehemiah. In fact we learn that the theme of the book of Nehemiah. Is simply the return of the third group to the promised land. From the land of Bavell. He is the author. We can see in verse 1. His name by the way. Nehemiah. It's a beautiful name. The son as it says here.

Nehemiah. The son of Chakaliah. Nehemiah simply means the comfort of Yehovah. Of the Lord. You know in a time of trouble. What do we need? What is more comforting to our hearts. When someone is giving us some comfort. And care for our welfare. For the people of God. This is what Nehemiah is really representing. Nehemiah. The comfort that comes from Yehovah. From the Lord. From Jehovah. In Isaiah chapter 40 we read. Comfort ye. Comfort ye my people. Nachamu. Nachamu amim. In 2nd Corinthians chapter 1. The apostle Paul says. The God of all comfort. Will give you comfort. We need comfort in a time of discouragement. In a time of trouble.

Nehemiah is a representation of the Lord. In this book. He is the author. And he is the one that really representing the comfort of the Lord. The people of God. There is so much discouragement around. So many people are so sad. And unhappy. And their spiritual walk with the Lord. Is so broken. And the people of God need to be comforted. And encouraged. And that's what Nehemiah represents. Notice that it says. That he was the son of Chakaliah. Chakaliah simply means the enlightenment of the Lord. So he was the comfort of the Lord. Who is the son of the enlightenment of the Lord. And you know the best thing for us.

In a time of sadness. And sorrows. And trials. And problems. Is to lean hard of our blessed Lord Yeshua. The Messiah. To lean hard. And to seek to get enlightenment from him. Not to look around. And to try to find some. Will fix up problems in the world today. You will find that very quickly. That you will be very much disappointed. By the best of men. But there is one that will never disappoint us. And his name is Yeshua. He is the one that came from heaven. He is the one that represented before us. Even here in the study of the book of Nehemiah. So the theme is the return of the third group.

Back to the promised land. The author is none else. But Nehemiah himself. The comfort of Jehovah. And you notice in the time when Nehemiah went back. There was one prophet. That specifically preached to the people of Israel. During the time when Nehemiah. Brought the third group. To the promised land. And his name is Malachi. Malachi. In fact if you know very well. That Malachi. Is the last prophet of the Old Testament. Is the last prophet of our people Israel. In fact beloved brothers and sisters. The book of Nehemiah. And the prophet Malachi. Closing the Old Testament age. Between the New Testament. The Brit HaChadasha. When a Messiah came.

Introduced by John the Baptizer. In between the end of the Old Testament. The Tanakh period. To the beginning of the Brit HaChadasha. You have about 400 or 430 years. 450 years in between. Where God was silence. He didn't speak. Until the powerful messenger. By the name of Yohanan Hamadbil. Began to preach. And he said. Behold the Lamb of God. Which take us away the sin of this world. John 1.29 So there was 400 to 450 years. Where there was silence. So what we find out. That they returned. In about 444, 445. And a few years after. You see notice 433 or so. From there on. Is really the end. Of what is known. The Tanakh history.

That's it. And from here on. 400 years later. 450 years. The Messiah Yeshua. Appeared. On the scene. He was born in Bethlehem. He grew up in Nazareth. Nazareth. He ministered in Yerushalayim. In Galilee. And he was proclaimed. By a man. By the name of John the Baptizer. Behold. The Messiah has come. And so when we read. And we study the book of Nehemiah. We see. The last return. And the condition that prevailed there. When the nation of Israel. Returned back to the land. Again I would like to make a parallel for us. In the present day. You see. When you read the book of Revelation. You'll notice that the Lord wrote to the seven churches of Asia Minor.

Revelation chapter 2. Revelation chapter 3. And the last church. Ekklesia. Kehillah. Was the church of the Laodicean. You know what he wrote to them? Let me read it to you please. Turn to Revelation chapter 3. Verse 14. We read. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodicean write. These things say as the Amen. The faithful and the true witness. The beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works. That thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm. And neither cold nor hot. I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest I am rich.

And increased with goods. And I have need of nothing. And you do not know that thou art wretched. And miserable and poor. And blind and naked. I counsel thee buy of me gold. Tried in the fire. That thou mayest be rich. And white raiment. That thou mayest be clothed. And that the shame of thy nakedness. Do not appear. And anoint thine eyes with eye cells. That thou mayest see. As many as I love. I rebuke and I chasten. Be zealous therefore. And repent. And then he said in verse 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock. And notice. If any man. Not any church. Any man.

An individual. Or any woman. If any individual will hear my voice. And open the door. And I will come in unto him. And I will sup with him. And he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne. Even as I also overcame and sat down with my father in his throne. He that hath an ear. Let him hear what the spirit says unto the assemblies. Unto the churches. The called out one. He is speaking. He is speaking. In the last days. In the days of Laodicea. Just the same. Like God is speaking. In the days of Ezra.

Nehemiah. Zerubavell. He is speaking to his people. To stir them up. And to bring them close to himself. So they may live a life that is pleasing to him. And be used to be as a fence for the people of God. And how many times we have to say to our own shame. That we haven't been what we should have been. In order to be a blessing to the people of God. So now brothers and sisters. Just a setting that I really wanted you to understand. From 1040 BC until 443 BC. We have all this history that happened to the people of Israel. And here we find ourselves studying the book of Nehemiah.

And we are learning from this. How does that apply to you and I today? In verse 1 we find out the time. And the place. When Nehemiah hears of Israel's condition. Notice it says here in Nehemiah 1.1. The words of Nehemiah the son of Chakaliah. And it came to pass in the mouth of Kislev. In the 20th year that I was in Shushan the palace. Notice number one. It was in a month of Kislev. If you know the Hebrew month. There are 12 months. If you ask the rabbis today which is the beginning of the year for the Jewish people. They will say it is the month of Tishrei.

In a month of Tishrei you have what you call the four feasts of the Lord. If you remember it will be the three feasts. Specifically those three feasts. Or Moadim as we call them in Hebrew. What is called Rosh Hashanah. The Feast of Trumpet. Secondly Yom Kippur the day of Atonement. And finally what you call Sukkot the Feast of Booth. Those three feasts. But of course biblically speaking. The beginning of the year for the nation of Israel. Biblically not traditionally. Is really the month of Nisan. Which is the time when Israel came out of the land of Egypt. It's really March, April. When the beginning of the redeeming of the nation.

Redemption began. That's why God said in Exodus chapter 12. This month shall be unto you the beginning of month. But of course over the years the rabbis have kind of shifted towards the month of Tishrei. And they say that the Tishrei, God created the universe. And Tishrei happened certain things. And they made that the head of the year. That's why in Hebrew it's called Rosh Hashanah. But it's not a biblical name. It is rabbinical name. In Hebrew it's called the Feast of Trumpet. Yom Tro'ah. That is the biblical name in the month of Tishrei. But you notice it was Kislev. And Kislev comes to about the end of November.

The beginning of December. It's a wintery season. And at that time it says. And I'm reading again. And it came to pass in the month of Kislev. The end of November. Beginning of December. As far as we are concerned. In the 20th year. This is the 20th year. If you find it later on. Of the king Artaxixis. You will find out that when he reigned. Then Nehemiah was in Shushan. The palace. Verse 1. Shushan is actually the name of the city. And it says here. The palace is the capital city of the Persians. In the time that Nehemiah and the people of Israel were there. In the land of Babylon.

Later on the Persians took over. And they defeated the Babylonians. And they became the kingdom at that time. And so notice in the English it says Shushan the palace. But in Hebrew it says Shushan Habirah. Habirah means the capital city. Today the capital city of Israel is Jerusalem. The capital city of any other country. The name of the city is their capital city. Here Shushan was the capital city of Persia. In the days when Nehemiah was there. So the time. It's the month of Kislev. And the place was called Shushan the palace. Shushan the capital city. By the way in Shushan the capital city. The book of Esther began there.

If you remember Esther herself. Was in Shushan the palace. She became the queen of Shushan. The capital city of Persia. She became the wife of the king. When he chose her. From among all the beautiful women of Persia. She was the one that was chosen. To become the queen of that king. In those days. It was in Shushan. The capital city. Now secondly I want you to notice. In verse 2 now. That Hanani. One of my brethren. Came. And a certain man from Judah. And I asked them. Concerning the Jews. That had escaped. Which were left of the captivity. And concerning Jerusalem. Now we learn from this verse.

Beloved brothers and sisters. The concern. That Nehemiah had. You see. Apparently there were some of the Jewish people. Who have already left. In the time of Ezra. Or in the time of Zubabel. And they now came back to visit. Shushan. The capital city. And lo and behold. Nehemiah see them. And he said. Hey brethren. I would like to ask you a question. And he asked them. He says. Listen. What about the Jewish people? My own brethren. That are in the land. What about my city? The city of Jerusalem. How are they doing? Are things well there? You know. Just like you and I might visit another country.

And move away to another place. And we will ask back some of our friends. Listen. How are the brothers and sisters. At the Holy Scriptures in Israel. Bible Fellowship are doing? Are they doing well? How things are going on with them? Are they walking with the Lord? Do they have problems in their lives? How are they doing? You see. This is built in the heart of the believer. In fact. For us. Who are Jewish people. It's built in. In our heart. We still have a concern. For our nation Israel. Our hearts are yearning. To see what's going to happen. With our Jewish people. But also.

Our hearts are yearning. For the body of Messiah. How are the believers. Among the people of God. How are they doing? How their life is. What's going on with them? And you see. Nehemiah. Had this burden in his heart. And I wish that the Lord. Will stir up our hearts also. That we will not only. Come to attend meeting. And we forget about the people. That we will be burdened. For the people of God. And see how they're doing. And if we can. To help them. To minister to them. To pray for them. See. Nehemiah was not. The kind of a person. That says. You know what.

You know. I'm Jewish. I'm part of the nation of Israel. I really don't care. How they're doing. He had been a person. That was. What we call it. In New Testament language. An exercise brother. Or exercise sister. It's not. A physical exercise. It's a spiritual exercise. They have. He had a burden. In his heart. He had a concern. For the people of God. And so he asked. The people that came. He said. He asked them. Concerning the Jews. Hayahudim. That had escaped. They have escaped. Already from a previous time. They have left. They have left under Zerubbabel. They have left under Ezra. 538. 457. They have already left.

Babel. They are now in the promised land. But they are coming to visit. How are they doing? How are things. In the city of Jerusalem. Nor does he care for two things. Number one. The Jews. The people. Number two. The city of Jerusalem. The place where God's people. Would gather together. How is the city of Jerusalem. You know. Until today. There is not a day. That somehow. I feel the inclination. To listen to the news. About how things are going. Among my people. In the land of Israel. Today. Of course. Some of us have family. There as well. But it's not only our own family.

It's the Jewish people. The constant animosity. Against them. The constant wars. And the constant friction. And the constant terrorism. And the constant hatred. From all around. But it's not only for our Jewish people. It's also for believers. Brothers and sisters. In Yeshua the Messiah. We ought. To develop. A care. In our hearts. For them. Just like Nehemiah. Had a care for his own people. And so beloved brothers and sisters. Look at the answer that he gave. Very sad. He says. They said unto him. Another three things. The remnant. That are left of the captivity there. In the province. Are in a great affliction. And reproach.

The walls of Jerusalem. Also. Is broken down. And thirdly. The gates. Thereof. Are burnt. With fire. That must have left him. With a heavy heart. To hear such a testimony. You know. That must have been like a knife. In his own heart. To see. And to hear. Such a testimony. From those. That have already gone there. And lived there. And have experienced a time. Of return. To the promised land. That second temple. Of Jerusalem. Was still in existence. And. He heard this report. From the people. That came back. From Jerusalem. And as much as well. You and I hear this report. From. Many. Many. Believers.

When we often time. Hear the report. Well. How are things going on? And we find out. You know what. This local assembly. Local church. That used to exist there. On that street. And that place. It is no more. The brothers and sisters. Are all scattered. Oh. You know what. Those people. Who used to teach the Bible. And ministered. The word of God. And they protected. The truths of the Lord. Through the teaching of the word. They used to teach. Those kind of things. Things are changed. We are more modern. You see. We don't believe. That the word of God. Is the only authority. We have.

Have our own ideas. You see. We know better than God. And when it's come to the gates. Everything is going on. You know. Everybody can come in. Can go out. Do what he wants. Teach what he wants. Say what he wants. And so on. Everything is free. You see. We are modern. You see. We have. Moved forward. We are not like those. All religious people. Who only held to the Bible. We are modern. You see. We know better. You see. And you see. This is exactly. What we experience today too. We think. That we know better than God. And no wonder. The people of God.

The remnant. Is in affliction. And in reproach. The wall. Is broken down. The gates. Are burnt with fire. And it really hurt him. So much. Beloved brothers and sisters. And it hurt him so much. That the rest of the book. We see that he. Decided. To take a stand. He decided. That he is going to do. Something about it. He is not going to be careless. He is not going to say. Well I don't care. As long as. I am fine. You see. He says. No. I am going to. Make a decision. In my life. I am going to be used. By God. If you will use me.

I will take. Time. And effort. And energy. And I will do. Something for my people. I might not fix. All the problem. But I am going to seek. To be a blessing. For the people of God. And here is where the challenge. Is to you and I. Today. Brothers and sisters. I am challenging you. Are you. And I ready. To take part. In building. We have to question. Our hearts. And our searching. Our souls. Am I a help. Or am I a hindrance. Am I going to be used. By the Lord sincerely. For the blessing. Of the people of God. Or am I going to have.

My own way. And I am going to do. My own thing. And I don't listen to anybody. I am the captain. Of my ship. I am the pilot. Who move my own plane. I am going to drive. Of my own car. I am not going to let. Anybody teach me anything. I know better. Than anybody else. That is the question. That you and I. Have to ask ourselves today. As we study. The book of Nehemiah. May the Lord help us. To be like Nehemiah. To be the comfort. To our brothers and sisters. To be a blessing. To the people of God. So we will be.

Used by the Lord. And the Lord can say. As well to us. Well done. Good and faithful servant.