Watch Those Gates
Nehemiah 7:1-4

Lesson 21

background notes

doctrinal / teaching points

1. Growing Christians need to continually watch out for the enemy.
2. Growing Christians should also be singers and Levites.

practical application

1. Let’s never rest on our laurels.
2. Let’s especially watch our “gate areas.”

questions

1. Review
   1. When did the events in the Book of Nehemiah take place?
   2. Why did God permit Jerusalem to be destroyed and the Jews taken captive?
   3. Where were the Jews taken? How long were they in captivity?
   4. Who was Cyrus? What did he do for the Jews?
   5. Who was Zerubbabel?
   6. Who were the two prophets who helped in restoring the temple in Jerusalem?
   7. Why did God want a wall around Jerusalem?
   8. What are Chapters 1-6 about?
2. What is Chapter 7 about?
3. Of what importance are the gates around the city?
4. What do the following represent in spiritual wall building: gate guards, singers, and Levites?

answers

1. Review
   1. Near the close of the Old Testament period, 5th Century, B.C.
   2. Because they had forsaken the Lord, their God, and rebelled against His law.
   3. They were taken to Babylon, and kept in captivity seventy years.
   4. Cyrus was a Persian King (Persia conquered Babylon). He issued an edict which permitted the Jews to return to their homeland.
   5. Zerubbabel was the leader of 50,000 Jews who returned to their homeland.
   6. Zechariah and Haggai, who motivated the people to rebuild the temple.
   7. To make it less vulnerable to enemy attack.
   8. The completion of the wall.
2. A great time of blessing and revival
3. To keep the enemy from gaining entrance, and from breaking down the walls.
4. Gate guards are on the lookout for enemy attacks, singers praise to keep one from being discontent, and Levites keep on doing the work.

discuss/consider

1. Nehemiah 7:14 teaches 3 W’s: Watch, Worship, and Work. Is your Christian life balanced in the area of the 3 W’s? Consider how to strengthen “weak W’s.”
2. Why is it that watching is so difficult?

challenge

How important are the gates in your spiritual life? Can you identify your gates of vulnerability? How can you strengthen those gate areas?

memorize

• “He was a faithful man and feared God.” Nehemiah 7:2
• “Appoint guards from among the inhabitants.” Nehemiah 7:3