The Structure of Ezra & Nehemiah The Contrasting Leadership Roles of Ezra and Nehemiah Byline: Rabbi Hayyim Angel The book of Ezra-Nehemiah (viewed by Jewish tradition as a single book, to be called EN) chronicles some of the final episodes of the biblical era. Chapter 7 – King Artaxerxes authorizes the return of the second colony of Jews under the leadership of Ezra. The Book of Nehemiah covers a period of at least twenty years, from December, 445 B.C., to about 425 B.C., when Nehemiah returned from Babylon to cleanse Jerusalem and the province of various evils that had crept in during his absence since 432 B.C. But this is a huge mistake. In each story, the one constant piece is hardship. Life Lessons from Ezra and Nehemiah: Lessons in Leadership - Kindle edition by Lucado, Max. The careers of Ezra and Nehemiah overlap, as may be seen in Neh 8:1-9 and 12:26. Corporate and governmental organizations would benefit from incorporating spiritual, moral, and social justice into their core values rather than a pursuing a purely profit seeking model. His story is not much different than ours. Only such a vision is worthy of leadership. Instead, Nehemiah was a man who had a passion, who worked hard, prayed, encountered criticism and made difficult leadership decisions. Ezra knew that he had to have, as Peter Northouse explains in Leadership: Theory and Practice (2013), the right number and mix to have an effective team. It must be a God-inspired and God-revealed vision. 4 Key Leadership Components of Nehemiah 1. Ezra and Nehemiah had different leadership styles but understood the importance of ethical leadership. Corporate and governmental organizations would benefit from incorporating spiritual, moral, and social justice into their core values rather than a pursuing a purely profit seeking model. Ezra and Nehemiah had different leadership styles but understood the importance of ethical leadership. As A.D. Clarke confirms in his biblical theology of leadership, “Leadership in the Bible is framed within the overarching context of divine sovereignty.” Chapter 8 – Chronicle of the names of Ezra’s company returning to Jerusalem. First, please note that resistance, hardship, and troubles will come. This is seen in both the lives of Nehemiah and his contemporary, Ezra. These Are Not Leadership Guides. Nehemiah was a regular guy who caught a divine glimpse of what could and should be. And it allows me to make some observations that will lead to an application. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Life Lessons from Ezra and Nehemiah: Lessons in Leadership. A bstract: Nehemiah, whose role changed from that of royal cupbearer to governor of Judah, utilized multiple leadership strategies in accomplishing his goal of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The book of Nehemiah demonstrates the indisputable role of Providence in leadership. Nehemiah was always asking God to provide a vision for him. That is, if you want to understand the biblical storyline on its own terms.. Much of the modern Christian tradition hasn’t really known what to do with the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. This is still true today. The Return to Zion and the rebuilding of the Temple lie at the heart of the first period in EN (538–516 B .C.E. Of particular note is how Ezra calls upon the LORD to protect them as they carry valuables through dangerous places on the journey. Rebuilding is difficult. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Ezra Chapters 7 – 10. Then, he went after it with all his heart. Pushing forward and making progress is hard work. He understood that a true vision must come from God. Nehemiah. ). 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