- 16th book of the BIBLE, Old Testament and 11th of the 12 historical books
- The historical period covered by the books of Ezra and Nehemiah is about 110 years.
- Whereas Ezra deals with the religious restoration of Judah, Nehemiah is primarily concerned with Judah’s political and geographical restoration.
- The first seven chapters deal with the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem.
- The Book of Nehemiah takes Bible readers to the end of the historical account in the Old Testament, some 400 years before the birth of Christ.
- Nehemiah is the cupbearer to Artaxerxes, King of Persia.
- Nehemiah is governor of Jerusalem from for 14 years, from 444 B.C. to 432 B.C.
- The life of Nehemiah demonstrates:
- Courage
- Compassion for the oppressed
- Integrity
- Godliness
- Selflessness
- As had Moses some 1,000 years earlier, Nehemiah was willing to give up the comforts of a palace in order to help his people.
- In the Book of Nehemiah, everything in Judea is restored except the king. The next king would be the Messiah.
- The Temple is rebuilt.
- Jerusalem is reconstructed.
- The covenant is renewed.
- The people are reformed.
- The Messianic line is intact.
- The return under Nehemiah takes place 13 years after the return led by Ezra, and some 94 years after the return led by Zerubbabel.
- Malachi ministers as a contemporary of Nehemiah
