Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual

Contents
Title Page
Introduction to the Teacher Manual
Lessons 1–2
Welcome to the Old Testament
- Lessons 1–2
  Welcome to the Old Testament
- Lessons 3–6
  Moses 1; Abraham 3
- Lessons 7–9
  Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5
- Lessons 10–12
  Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5
- Lessons 13–15
  Genesis 5; Moses 6
- Lessons 16–18
  Moses 7
- Lessons 19–21
  Genesis 6–11; Moses 8
- Lessons 22–24
  Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2
- Lessons 25–28
  Genesis 18–23
- Lessons 29–32
  Genesis 24–33
- Lessons 33–34
  Genesis 37–41
- Lessons 35–37
  Genesis 42–50
- Lessons 38–40
  Exodus 1–6
- Easter
- Lessons 41–44
  Exodus 7–13
- Lessons 45–47
  Exodus 14–18
- Lessons 48–51
  Exodus 19–20; 24; 31–34
- Lessons 52–55
  Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 4; 16; 19
- Lessons 56–57
  Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27
- Lessons 58–60
  Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34
- Lessons 61–64
  Joshua 1–8; 23–24
- Lessons 65–67
  Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16
- Lessons 68–70
  Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7
- Lessons 71–73
  1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16
- Lessons 74–76
  1 Samuel 17–18; 24–26; 2 Samuel 5–7
- Lessons 77–80
  2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11
- Lessons 81–82
  1 Kings 12–13; 17–22
- Lessons 83–85
  2 Kings 2–7
- Lessons 86–89
  2 Kings 16–25
- Lessons 90–91
  2 Chronicles 14–20; 26; 30
- Lessons 92–93
  Ezra 1, 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8
- Lessons 94–96
  Esther
- Lessons 97–99
  Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42
- Lessons 100–103
  Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46
- Lessons 104–106
  Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86
- Lessons 107–108
  Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150
- Lessons 109–112
  Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12
- Lessons 113–116
  Isaiah 1–12
- Lessons 117–118
  Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35
- Lessons 119–122
  Isaiah 40–49
- Lessons 123–125
  Isaiah 50–57
- Lessons 126–129
  Isaiah 58–66
- Lessons 130–133
  Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20
- Lessons 134–137
  Jeremiah 31–33; 36–38; Lamentations 1; 3
- Lessons 138–141
  Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47
- Lessons 142–145
  Daniel 1–7
- Lessons 146–148
  Hosea; Joel
- Lessons 149–151
  Amos; Obadiah; Jonah
- Lessons 152–154
  Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah
- Lessons 155–157
  Haggai 1–2; Zechariah 1–4; 7–14
- Lessons 158–160
  Malachi
Lessons 166–170
Life Preparation Lessons
- Doctrinal Mastery: Finding Answers to My Questions
- Lessons 166–170
  Scripture Study Skills
- Lessons 171–176
  For the Strength of Youth Guide
- Lessons 177–180
  Building Self–Reliance
- Lessons 181–187
  Physical and Emotional Health
- Lessons 188–191
  Preparing for Future Education and Employment
- Lessons 192–195
  Succeed in School
- Lessons 196–200
  Missionary Preparation
- Lessons 201–204
  Temple Preparation
- Lessons 205–208
  Teachings of Church Leaders
Appendix

Nehemiah: “I Am Doing a Great Work, so That I Cannot Come Down”

“Nehemiah: ‘I Am Doing a Great Work, so That I Cannot Come Down,’” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual (2026)

“Nehemiah: ‘I Am Doing a Great Work, so That I Cannot Come Down,’” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual

Ezra 1; 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8: Lesson 93

Nehemiah

“I Am Doing a Great Work, so That I Cannot Come Down”

God inspired Nehemiah to protect his people by rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. Nehemiah’s people had to overcome constant threats and distractions to accomplish this work. We too have been given important work from God, and we too may face difficulties in accomplishing it. This lesson is meant to encourage students to remain focused on the work Heavenly Father has given them to do.

Student preparation: Invite students to come to class with a list of three things that they feel Heavenly Father would have them focus on: one thing for this week, one for the next few years, and one for later in life. You might suggest that students who already have their patriarchal blessing read it again before creating their list.

Possible Learning Activities

Distraction

Years ago, as pilots prepared to land a plane, a tiny light in the cockpit failed to illuminate. The crew became so focused on the lightbulb that they failed to notice the plane was descending into a swamp. The plane crashed, killing over 100 people.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, taught an important lesson from this tragedy:

The plane was in perfect mechanical condition. Everything was working properly—all except one thing: a single burned-out lightbulb. That tiny bulb—worth about 20 cents—started the chain of events that ultimately led to the tragic death of over 100 people.

Of course, the malfunctioning lightbulb didn’t cause the accident; it happened because the crew placed its focus on something that seemed to matter at the moment while losing sight of what mattered most.

The tendency to focus on the insignificant at the expense of the profound happens not only to pilots but to everyone. We are all at risk. (“We Are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 59)

Invite students to share how they think President Uchtdorf’s message can apply to us as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Then you might display the following statement and ask students to silently read it. Encourage them to ask Heavenly Father to guide them through the Spirit to understand how this message applies to them personally. They could record their thoughts in their study journals.

President Uchtdorf continued:

Pause for a moment and check where your own heart and thoughts are. Are you focused on the things that matter most? How you spend your quiet time may provide a valuable clue. Where do your thoughts go when the pressure of deadlines is gone? Are your thoughts and heart focused on those short-lived fleeting things that matter only in the moment or on things that matter most? (“We Are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 60)

Nehemiah’s work

Explain to students that an Israelite named Nehemiah was a servant of Artaxerxes, king of Persia. Many Israelites had returned to Jerusalem years earlier to rebuild the temple. Nehemiah learned that they were in danger of attack because the protective walls and gates around Jerusalem were broken down.

Consider inviting students to complete the following activity in small groups. Encourage groups to not rush through the steps, but to take their time and learn from Nehemiah’s experience. To help groups stay on the same schedule, you may want to display only one step of the instructions at a time. Give groups enough time to complete that step before displaying the subsequent step.

Read Nehemiah 1:1–4; 2:1–6, 11–12, 17–18. Look for and discuss evidence that Nehemiah’s desires to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem were inspired of God.
Write on a blank piece of paper three things God has asked Latter-day Saint teenagers to focus on through His prophets. One way to do this is to briefly review talks from the most recent general conference.

Then, exchange papers with another group and discuss with your group what they wrote. (Note: Keep the other group’s paper. In step four of this activity, you will add things to it.)
Read Nehemiah 2:19; 4:1, 7–8, looking for how the Jews’ enemies reacted to the work God gave them. Discuss ways that Satan uses similar tactics today to get us to lose focus on what God asks us to do.
Next to each of the three things listed on the other group’s paper, write a distraction or difficulty that could make it hard for a teenager to stay focused on the work God has given them through His prophets.
Read Nehemiah 4:9, 14–20 and discuss what you learn from Nehemiah’s people about overcoming distractions and difficulties in accomplishing the work Heavenly Father gives us.
Return the paper to the original group. Read and discuss the distractions and difficulties the other group added to your paper. Discuss ideas of how someone could overcome them and stay focused on the work God has given teenagers through His prophets.
Summarize in one sentence what you learned or felt about doing the work Heavenly Father has given us. Write this truth on the board.

After the activity, encourage volunteers to share what they learned or felt with the class. You might invite students to point out a truth on the board that another group wrote and share what they learned from it. As students share truths, help them focus on Jesus Christ by asking questions such as, “What teachings or examples from the Savior’s life help us better understand this truth?”

Examples of truths groups might have written are:

Through prayer, we can receive protection and strength from God to accomplish His work. (Nehemiah 1:4; 4:9)

God will help His servants overcome opposition to doing His work. (Nehemiah 4:20)

How can what you learned in this activity help you remain focused on the work God has given you to do?

Personal application

Explain to students that Nehemiah was individually targeted by his enemies. They tried many tactics to stop him from doing God’s work of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. One tactic was to try to lure him out of the city to where they could more easily harm him.

Invite students to silently complete the following. You may want to give them plenty of time and encourage them to think about how they feel God would have them complete the statements.

Read Nehemiah 6:1–4, 15–16 and ponder what you learn from Nehemiah’s response to his enemies’ attempts to pull him away from God’s work. (You may want to mark and ponder what verse 3 could mean in your life.)

Complete the following statements based on your life. Record your thoughts in your study journal or in the margin of your scriptures next to verse 3.

I believe Heavenly Father would like me to focus on .

Some potential distractions or difficulties I might face are .

Some ways I can remain focused on Heavenly Father’s work are .

Additional Resources

What are ways that even good people might become distracted?

Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

16:37

Are there so many fascinating, exciting things to do or so many challenges pressing down upon you that it is hard to keep focused on that which is essential? When things of the world crowd in, all too often the wrong things take highest priority. Then it is easy to forget the fundamental purpose of life. Satan has a powerful tool to use against good people. It is distraction. He would have good people fill life with “good things” so there is no room for the essential ones. Have you unconsciously been caught in that trap? (“First Things First,” Ensign, May 2001, 7)

How can we apply Nehemiah’s example to our lives?

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, taught:

Think of the power we would have as individuals … if, in response to every temptation to lose focus or lower our standards—the standards of God, we responded, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down.”

… [The Lord] seeks to enlist unfaltering souls who diligently go about the work of building the kingdom of God—those who, when faced with opposition and temptation, say in their hearts, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down.”

When faced with trial and suffering, they respond, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down.”

When faced with ridicule and reproach, they proclaim, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down.”

Our Heavenly Father seeks those who refuse to allow the trivial to hinder them in their pursuit of the eternal. He seeks those who will not allow the attraction of ease or the traps of the adversary to distract them from the work He has given them to perform. He seeks those whose actions conform to their words—those who say with conviction, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down.” …

It is my fervent prayer that in spite of temptations, we will never lower our standards; that in spite of distractions, wherever they may come from, we will not lose focus on what matters most; that we will stand resolute and together, shoulder to shoulder, as we valiantly bear the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that we may … lift our heads and with unwavering voice proclaim to the world, “We are doing a great work, and we will not come down.” (“We Are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 59)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Overview of the book of Nehemiah

Before students begin the group activity in the “Nehemiah’s work” section of the lesson, it may help students to see a brief overview of the storyline. Either of the following two videos could be used for this.

“We Are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down” from time code 8:36 to 11:54. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, gives an overview of Nehemiah.

18:37

“Nehemiah” (1:38) in Old Testament Stories for Kids.

1:38

The standards of God

It may help students to see how Nehemiah’s example applies to specific commandments and standards that God has inspired Church leaders to give us. You might ask students to list some of the commandments and standards God has given us. Then ask students to share different ways we might be tempted to lower those standards little by little. Invite students to apply Nehemiah’s response to Sanballat and Geshem’s temptation (see Nehemiah 6:3–4) to modern situations when they may be tempted to “come down” from God’s commandments and standards.

You might also invite students to compare Nehemiah’s firmness in refusing to come down to the account of Lehonti in Alma 47:1–18. Lehonti also firmly resisted Amalickiah’s urgings to come down from safety the first few times. But unlike Nehemiah, Lehonti eventually yielded to the temptation to come down and was killed as a result.

Nehemiah 6:3. “I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down”

After students read Nehemiah 6:1–4, 15–16, but before they complete the statements in the “Personal application” section of the lesson, consider displaying President Uchtdorf’s statement from the “Additional Resources” section. This may give students ideas of how Nehemiah’s example and words could apply to their lives.