The Message of Nehemiah

 

A couple of hours spent reading the 11 verses of Nehemiah chapter 1.

Why was Nehemiah so concerned about the Jewish people living in Jerusalem? He had been born 100 years after they were carried captive into Babylon and then returned again to the land of promise. So often throughout history men and women have been moved by the injustices they see around them and that spurs them to action just as it did for Nehemiah. He knew the only person and place he could carry this problem was to the Lord in prayer. There are 9 recorded prayers in Nehemiah and each reflect his own personal experience of God as well as his knowledge of God's word.

Nehemiah was committed, sacrificial, encouraged and confident in his prayers. He confessed his own personal sin first and foremost. There is an intensity, an honesty, a realism and an urgency in his prayer. Nehemiah looked back with gratitude to what God had said and done in the past. But Nehemiah looked forward with confidence too. As a result of his prayer he enjoyed a deeper experience of God but his prayers brought others to pray.

He held such a prominent position as cupbearer to the king but Nehemiah soon realised the king was a mere man in God's eyes.

There is so much to learn from this one prayer. Have we ever been so moved by what we see around us that it drives us to prayer? Do we depend on God for the future to be worked out in his own way and for his purpose?

In Nehemiah chapter 1 we are given a glimpse into the prayer life of a man who was the cupbearer to the king.  It was a privileged position and it could be used to his advantage.  Now in chapter 2 we see how Nehemiah was able to speak to his employer.  In the last verse of chapter 1 Nehemiah asked for a very immediate opportunity to speak - "this day" but that is not how God works!

Now we see a 4 month lapse.  In the ancient days each month had a special name and this was Nisan - possibly the king's birthday month when there would be special rejoicing and feasting.  Waiting on God - have you been there - I have!  Sometimes our prayers don't get answered right away but that is God's way not ours!  However such times can be used for our advantage - I am sure in Nehemiah's daily quiet times with God all his plans were being formulated about how he could speak and act for the work to proceed in Jerusalem.

Think of the apostle Paul in the New Testament.  One time he was flogged and put in chains then thrown into prison.  At midnight when the earthquake came Paul and his companion were singing hymns to God.  That opportunity was used to bring a prison warder to faith.  Later Paul wrote to the Philippian church from another prison cell - he claimed his imprisonment brought him to realise 3 things.  It heightened his sense of privilege in suffering for Christ, the soldiers with him in prison had the opportunity to hear the gospel message and Christians themselves had learned to be more courageous in their witnessing.

William Booth was recently converted and had just completed his apprenticeship, his widowed mother was depending on him but for a full year his prayer went unanswered.  Those 12 months in poverty would later enable him to idenitfy with deprived people in many parts of the word.

Waiting time is not wasted time!

Have you ever been in a situation when you mutter a prayer to God?  Quick, straight to the point ... and wondered did it do any good?

In Nehemiah chapter 2 fear overtook Nehemiah when the question came from the king "why are you sad, you are not sick so there must be something else wrong with you."   This was a time of great rejoicing in the kingdom but here was one person who looked very unhappy.  To be in this situation could have meant immediate removal even death from the king's presence.  Nehemiah had waited months for this opportunity now he couldn't blow it!

When Nehemiah laid out his problem to the king the response was "what are you asking for right now?"   It was at that exact moment that Nehemiah prayed to God.

We see here the necessity of prayer, the immediacy of prayer, the naturalness of prayer, the intimacy of prayer, the confidence of prayer and the effectiveness of prayer.

Prayer can be said at any time in any place and for whatever occasion.  Nehemiah prayed at that crucial moment and it was the instinctive reaction of a dependent believer.  It was not the desperate cry to a distant God.  Between one breath and another he was in the audience chamber of God, assured that he would not lack anything necessary in his daring venture.  He was talking with the God of heaven, just as Jesus told his own disciples to do.  His quick prayer was immediately answered - not only was he given the right words to speak but the Lord was working in the king's heart.

If Nehemiah chapter 1 was the about the prayer of Nehemiah then chapter 2 is about his testimony.  What is a testimony?  It is a recording of something that has happened.  For Nehemiah it was what happened next in his life.  He had waited 4 months for this opportunity to speak to the king.  Now he had to change the king's mind.  You see earlier in his reign the king had made a decree that any work on rebuilding the city of Jerusalem must now stop until he said so.  Nehemiah had to make him reverse that decree.   He appealed first by using the Persian's attitude to death and then he used the gates to the city.  The Persian people had respect for their dead ancestors and did all in their powers to ensure graves were kept in tip top condition.  Nehemiah pleaded to go back and repair the graves of his ancestors.  Then when this request was granted and the king had asked how long his journey would be to which Nehemiah set out a detailed time, Nehemiah also asked for safe passage as well as timbers to repair the gates of the palace in Jerusalem.  Not once did he mention it was the city of Jerusalem to which he was returning.

Eventually Nehemiah did come to Jerusalem after a very long journey.  He was tired and in that situation not in any position to really think or see things properly.  So he waited 3 days - there it is again, waiting!  Then one night Nehemiah got up and took some men with him to really survey the work that was required.  He didn't tell them what he planned to do eventually - he didn't even tell the local rulers or people.

When he had seen all the work that was required he used his administrative skills.  Firstly he identified with them as workers, he outlined the problems they were facing and what his plan was.  Notice that he appealed on the basis of the spiritual implications not its political or economic reasons.  All the people who did not believe in God would think that God had abandoned his own chosen people and that was so wrong on many scores.  Nehemiah used his story, his testimony in the goodness of God and the way God had led him up to this point to really speak to the people.

In Nehemiah chapter 2 verses 11 to 20 we see a strategy.  Nehemiah replenished the resources, assessed the need, recruited colleagues, inspired confidence and handled opposition.  True marks of a leader!

Nehemiah used his testimony of how God had spoken to him and the way in which he had spoken to his king to motivate the people to rise up and build.

But he faced opposition.  Twice in this chapter we meet those who were against the work of rebuilding Jerusalem.  Why?  Well you will always find that the work of the Lord will not please everyone.  The 3 men introduced to us as the enemies and opponents of the work came from political, religious and materialistic opposition.  Nehemiah had effectively put one of these men out of a job when he arrived - these 3 men were governors of particular areas in Jerusalem and they should have actually rolled out a campaign to do this work before now.

Nehemiah was not put off though - his authority was from God alone and anything good that came out of their efforts would be entirely due to the generosity of God.

Have we lost focus today?  Is it a case of not seeing the wood for the trees?  Do we need to be reminded that God is in charge of all that happens in this world, despite it seemingly difficult to comprehend why bad things happen to good people?  Nehemiah waited on God for 4 months.  When he arrived in Jerusalem he waited another 3 days.  What did he do during that time?  I would think he spent a long time on his knees before God asking for direction and guidance for the project.  God began to work in the people's hearts and their willingness to rise up and build shows the determination in their hearts to work for God.  Maybe this is a call back to prayer, to wait on God and see his hand working things out in our lives?

In our church there is a memorial stone to the original builder who sadly is no longer alive.  His name lives on!

In Nehemiah chapter 3 we have the first of 7 lists of those people involved in the original construction of Jerusalem's walls.  I am sure like me you would probably skip over a lot of these names but they are important.  They preserve the story of heroic people who played their part in the continuity of the people of God.  We can see the builders priority, unity, individuality, unselfishness, disappointment, commitment, enthusiasm, privilege and reward.

The chapter starts with recording the work of the priests - they were the leaders of the people and they demonstrated that leadership through their practical application to building.  Notice that they started at the Sheep Gate, so named for the place in which the animals came through to be sacrificed in the temple.  When we "seek first the kingdom of God", put God first in our lives we have the promise "all these things shall be added unto you." 

Continually we read "next unto him/them" - everyone worked together.  Surely that is what the church is called to do.  We are the body of Christ and called to build the family together.

There were also the individuals who lived on the walls and were responsible for their own little part - they wanted others to see in years to come what they had accomplished and could lay claim to it within their family.

However in the midst of it all there were those who did not get involved - most notable the nobles belonging to the Tekoites.  Pride stopped them from getting involved, they did not want to get their hands dirty.  Isn't that true in the church today - there will always be those who prefer to leave the work to others because it seems beneath them?

Not all the people who were involved came from Jerusalem but within a certain 15/20 mile radius.  It didn't matter to them that the walls were rebuilt but when they travelled to this city it meant they knew the city would be less vulnerable and therefore would prosper.

There were different professions represented within the work who obviously were supervised by the professionals.

In Nehemiah chapter 4 not only was the opposition to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem coming from Sanballat and Tobiah but also from within the ranks.

In verse 10 we see the people of Judah were become discouraged.  These were people who had come from outside the city to help and not only were they under threat but their families back home were too.  Why?  Because the armies rallied by Sanballat and Tobiah were threatening the family members.  In addition to this pressure there was the problem of rubbish.  In order to build they had to clear the debris and it had to be removed outside of Jerusalem.

Fear was a major difficulty.  Nehemiah knew that in addition to earnest prayer, the situation called for radical action.  A strategy was needed!  First he mobilised his team by making sure guards protected the workers.  Then he considered his options.  He shared his faith and announced his plans.  He decided to split his workers in 2 - one continued to build while the others were equipped with weapons.  And to keep everyone aware of imminent danger a trumpeter alerted them to the most urgent need.

The success of the building work was dependent on the Lord who inspired its beginning.  The story of adversity becomes a testimony to the abundant sufficiency of God.  Throughout this chapter we can see God is unique, attentive, righteous, powerful, holy, sovereign and unfailing.

What a promise in verse 20 - "our God shall fight for us."  Dependence on the Lord is rewarded.

It took 4 months for Nehemiah to pray for the work God had stirred him up about, now the work is completed in 52 days - for 100 hundred years the walls had lain in ruins. Do you see what God can accomplish when a man or woman is fully tuned in to him?

The three enemies were at it again. Bringing discouragement and planning to stop the work progressing. The work was at the most crucial point. Initially Nehemiah was invited to come and meet his enemies at a neutral venue - 5 times this invitation came and Nehemiah was resolute each time. If there was one word you could put across this chapter it would be discernment. Nehemiah needed to know God's will each time this invite came and he stood firm in his conviction.

It is easy to think we are in the wrong some times especially if we depend on believing what others think of us. It is a problem of this modern age, looking for the approval of others constantly and being concened what others say about us to everyone else.

Sanallat tried another tack, to discredit him by telling him what others were saying but it was all lies. He worked on the basis of fear but Nehemiah prayed and asked for strength to cope with it all. 

God made it clear to Nehemiah when Shemaiah sent an invitation to meet in the house of God that he was a false prophet. So many today are speaking from our pulpits and proclaimong a false gospel. We need to check every word that is given in the name of the Lord. In fact Nehemiahs enemies had paid Shemaiah to trip him up. Again Nehemiah prayed for all his enemies.

When the work was completed there were many who were not happy - why - "they perceived that this work was wrought of God." An acknowledgement of Gods work. Too many today prefer not to acknowledge God is at work in this world but there is no denying something that God is working in and through - the evidence can be seen in individuals lives changed forever by God himself.

The third enemy Tobiah appears now. He has a great following of people and many wanted to tell Nehemiah about his good deeds. Again he sent Nehemiah letters to make him afraid. Our deeds will not get us into heaven!