Nehemiah 2:
Take a moment and read Nehemiah 2.
Nehemiah had to go before a king and rebuild a wall. How do you think we apply this to our lives today? Let me share some ideas with you.
1. What has God laid upon your heart? For Nehemiah it was the ruin and disgrace of his people.
The weight of Jerusalem’s situation is so heavy upon Nehemiah’s heart that he is unable to, even in the presence of the King, mask his sorrow and King Artaxerxes notices. Nehemiah’s sorrow and concern for his people is deep and pressing not only on his mind, but also on his spirit. As a cupbearer to the King he would have been adept at putting forward a positive face and attitude. It was actually a very dangerous thing to appear before the king unhappy. Nehemiah says of that moment : “I was very much afraid,” and yet he boldly replies to the king his concern.
Rebuilding the wall would bring restoration of God’s city and protection to His people. Perhaps there is a brokenness you are aware of that God has laid upon your heart to pray for. (Nehemiah 2:1-3)
2. Who can lend you aid? It was within King Artaxerxes power to grant Nehemiah permission to rebuild the wall, provisions to rebuild the wall and protection to rebuild the wall. (Nehemiah 2:5-8)
God has given Nehemiah favor before King Atraxerxes who is caring of his servant, not only asking why he is sad, but also what his servant needs. God gave King Artaxerxes benevolence for Nehemiah.
3. What must you do to prepare? As we see with Nehemiah prayer was a big part of preparation. Planning was also a big part of preparation. Nehemiah new what he would need to rebuild the wall. (Nehemiah 1:4-11, Nehemiah 2:7-8)
Nehemiah prays before going to the king in chapter one. We know from chapter one that Nehemiah prayed for several days before praying the prayer recorded there. The time frame between that prayer and when he is questioned by the king is about four months giving Nehemiah time to think thoroughly through and prepare for his answer to the king. And yet, I think it’s extremely important to note that Nehemiah paused and prays again before answering the king.
In the book “The Expositor’s Bible author Walter F. Adeney says this about Nehemiah’s pause for prayer, “Such a sudden uplifting of the soul to God is the most real of all prayers. This at least is genuine and heartfelt, whatever may be the case with the semi-liturgical composition the thought and beauty of which engaged our attention in the previous chapter. But then the man who can thus find God in a moment must be in the habit of frequently resorting to the Divine Presence ; like the patriarchs, he must be walking with God. The brief and sudden prayer reaches heaven as an arrow suddenly shot from the bow ; but it goes right home, because he who lets it off in his surprise is a good marksman, well practiced. This ready prayer only springs to the lips of a man who fives in a daily habit of praying.” (Source)
Nehemiah has taken the time to pray, thought through his requests and needs by the time he makes his request to the King to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls.
When Nehemiah asks for their help he 1) is aware of the condition of the walls, 2) tells them about what God has done, and 3) tells them of the support of the king. Nehemiah 2:17-18 “Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.”
The conclusion of the chapter: Nehemiah 2:20 “I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
Nehemiah properly gives ALL credit to God in recognition that it is by His hand that success is given!
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