Nehemiah was a great leader.
According to James Montgomery Boice,
Nehemiah's leadership abilities were
born from his submission to God, his
ability to focus on the right goals,
his wisdom in handling complex
situations, and his courage to act
decisively. "But the most important
thing about Nehemiah," says Boice, "is
that he was a man of God, and because
he was so close to God in prayer and
personal piety, he was able to draw
from God the wisdom, patience, skill,
and perseverance he needed."
This insightful commentary follows a
chosen leader through the great task of
rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem 150
years after it was destroyed by King
Nebuchadnezzar. Through analysis of
eight dynamics of the Old Testament
text, Boice explores all aspects of
Nehemiah's work, from taking command to
getting the work done, from dealing
with oppression to dedicating the wall
and establishing Jerusalem as a city
under God.
This commentary by Boice has a devotional quality to it as he not only explains the text in light of it's context, but he also applies the principles in the text to the lives of spiritual leaders and worshipers in Christ's church of today. For someone looking for less technical detail and more contemporary application, you can't go wrong with this one.-
Ken Mull