A mother once approached Napoleon seeking a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that it was a second offence and that justice demanded death. “But I don’t ask for justice,” explained the mother, “I plead for mercy.” “But,” declared the emperor, “he does not deserve mercy.” “Sir,” cried the mother, “it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for.” “Well then,” said Napoleon, “I will have mercy.” And her son was spared.
Notice God’s mercy when you think through God’s narrative about Nehemiah…
If you are following the chart, as we enter into Nehemiah, we are around 500 B.C., where many Jews returned from exile in Babylon, to the land of Judah.
The Persian Empire rules Judah. Nehemiah is in Susa, 800 miles east of Jerusalem, serving as cupbearer to the sixth king of Persia, Artaxerxes I, in the 20th year of his rule. This would put the date around 445 B.C. It is in the month of November (Chislev), which means that Nehemiah is in the winter residence of the Persian king.
Ezra had been in Jerusalem for thirteen years when Hanani, the brother of Nehemiah (7:2), and possibly the head of Jewish affairs in Judah, met Nehemiah in Susa. In response to Nehemiah’s question about the survivors of the exile now in Jerusalem, Hanani gives a report:
"Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." (Nehemiah 1:3, NIV)
Nehemiah’s response sets the tone of the entire story: he prayed. In fact, he ‘sat down, he wept, he mourned, he fasted, and he prayed for many days’ (Nehemiah 1:4). Like Ezra, he identified with his fellow Jews by confessing that “we” have sinned (Nehemiah 1:6).
God uses Nehemiah in two significant ways, which are easily shown in the division of the book:
- Reconstruction of the Wall (1-7)
- Restoration of the People (8-13)
Nehemiah was in a position of high honor as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. The previous king died by poisoning. Esther was Artaxerxes’ stepmother, suggesting that she may have arranged Nehemiah’s appointment as cupbearer. None of this prevented Nehemiah from remembering his own people.
Four months after receiving news about his people, in March, Nehemiah appeared before the king with a sad countenance. This would normally anger the king, but the king asked why he had a sad face. Before Nehemiah answered the king, he ‘prayed to the God of heaven’ (Nehemiah 2:4).
Sharing:
- The God of heaven’: The first time this title is recorded of God is in Ezra when King Cyrus used it. It continues to be used by Nehemiah.
- This title makes God more than a tribal deity. It takes us back to Exodus, where God ‘moved into Israel’s neighborhood’. He is not a God like pagan ‘gods’ who are restricted to one place.
- This title speaks of God’s sovereignty.
When you think of Nehemiah, think of another Moses! Here is a man of prayer. There are eight references to prayer throughout the narrative:
4:9: Ruined walls exposed the Jews to the enemy, and Nehemiah knew it was time to remind the God of heaven about His promises to His people. His burden was to have favor and mercy with God and with the king. When you are burdened with bad news, talk through chapter 1 with God.
2:4: Before presenting his request to return to Jerusalem, Nehemiah stood before the king and prayed. The king granted his request, which Nehemiah acknowledges was ‘according to the good hand of my God upon me’ (vs. 8). When you have a request for someone, talk through chapter 2 with God.
4:4-5: The Samaritans, represented by Sanballat, mocked and ridiculed the rebuilding of the walls. In his anger, plotting, and hostility, Sanballat, joined by Tobiah the Ammonite, criticized the Jews. Imagine standing next to Nehemiah and hearing his prayer about the enemy. He addressed God’s anger. When the enemy opposes God’s work, talk through chapter 4 with God.
4:9: When the work progressed, the animosity intensified. The Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites conspired together to attack Jerusalem and create confusion. Nehemiah’s solution was to get the workers together for prayer, and then set a continual watch against the enemy. When there is the need for unity against opposition, talk through chapter 4 with God.
5:19: An unselfish person needs to be rewarded by someone, and Nehemiah knew that. The people around him were oppressed by the economic stress from their Jewish brothers. Nehemiah turned the situation around through his generosity. He knew that “God would defend the right” (Churchill), so he prayed: ‘Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.’ When others are taking advantage of you, talk through chapter 5 with God.
6:9, 14: The enemy feigned concern for Nehemiah, so tried infiltrating the ranks by instilling fear in them. The enemy tried to draw Nehemiah away from the safety of Jerusalem – all the way to Ono in the northwestern corner of Judah. When he recognized the plot, Nehemiah prayed. When there is a conspiracy against you in the Lord’s work, talk through chapter 6 with God.
13:14: Disobedience to God was rampant, with the priests polluting worship, and the Jews neglecting the financial matters of the temple, their day of rest, and their marriages. Nehemiah knew he needed help, so he prayed: ‘…do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of God…’ When you are distracted by disobedience in your service to God, talk through chapter 13 with Him.
13:29: The wall was repaired, and the lives of the people were restored. It was time for Nehemiah to pray for the people. When the lives of others around you are torn apart, talk through chapter 13 with God.
13:30: Duties in service were assigned, and Nehemiah knew only God brought spiritual maturity. So, he prayed: ‘Remember me with favor, O my God!’ When you sense the need for God’s favor, talk through chapter 13 with God.
All these prayers show something about God’s attributes. Do you see any of them?
Sharing:
- Our prayers reflect our relationship with God. We are concerned about how they sound and what words we use. God focuses on the heart! When we read about the prayers of men like Nehemiah, we discover a personal relationship with God where prayer is natural, forthright, and honest.
- Our immediate reaction to our circumstances reveals our relationship to the God in heaven. We should learn to respond with prayer without hesitation in our journey of faith. They may be brief prayers and very specific, but they can address the issues we are facing at the time.
- Prayer is the real work! It is an act of submission to God, when we acknowledge that He is sovereign, in control of all things.
S.D. Gordon said: “Co-operation increases efficiency in amazing proportions. Two working together in perfect agreement have fivefold the efficiency of the same two working separately… the moment co-operation is sacrificed as an essential, real power is at the disappearing point.” There’s no better demonstration of this than Nehemiah’s narrative.
Nehemiah challenged his countrymen to rebuild the shattered walls of Jerusalem. Wherever there is cooperation, there is opposition. Nehemiah was surrounded by the enemy, and his answer to them was, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build…” (Nehemiah 2:20). Worse than the opposition from without was the internal dissention. The people of Judah protested: “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall” (Nehemiah 4:10). Nehemiah 4:14 explains how the matter was settled: And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your house.”
There was also internal oppression because of a food crises in the Jerusalem area. In addition, there were heavy taxes under the king so that the people borrowed money. People were prepared to take advantage of the situation by charging high interest rates, which resulted in slavery by men selling their children to settle their debts. Nehemiah dealt with these matters. His prayer in Nehemiah 5:19 shows how he understands that God defends the right: Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
In spite of the opposition, the task was completed in only fifty-two days. By contrast, the task of reviving and reforming the people of God demanded years of Nehemiah’s godly life and leadership.
Sharing:
- Nehemiah first did a quiet, nighttime survey of the conditions before starting the work. A good leader makes a proper evaluation before starting a project.
- How do we recognize when it is a plot against us or when it’s against God? All things are determined by God. Whenever there is a ‘plot’, whether against us, or God, that is the time to pray. The adversity (‘plot’) may very well come our way so that we are reminded to turn to God in prayer. Nehemiah knew it was a plot because of the history of the enemy – he recognized the evil. We should know our enemy enough to know how to identify their intentions. Whether a plot is against us or against God, prayer is where we should start. Prayer gets us in line what God is doing.
- Every so often there is something humorous in the story, and we get a glimpse of that when the enemy mocked the work by suggesting that “if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall” (Nehemiah 4:3).
- Nehemiah had to deal with his own people when building the wall. He was not afraid to confront sin when it was present.
- Nehemiah prayed for protection, and then acted. We should not just sit back and watch.
- Nehemiah required that the people build the wall in front of their own houses. The work is not going to be shabby when you have to depend upon it for your own personal safety.
- It is encouraging to read that Shallum and his daughters made repairs (Nehemiah 3:12). The status and importance of women are elevated to their rightful place in God’s work.
- The rubble was cleared and then used to rebuild the wall. First removing the rubble is essential to good building.
The completion of the wall of Jerusalem marked a great victory and a great achievement, but it was no moment for relaxation on the part of the builders. In fact, this was a moment of extreme danger. Mountaintop experiences warn of the valley! When it came time to delegate responsibility, Nehemiah did not look for someone to volunteer for the task; he instead gave charge to a man who had already proved himself competent: I gave charge to… Hananiah the leader of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many (Nehemiah 7:2). Once Nehemiah completed the gates of the city, he organized the inhabitants into watchers for the safety of the city. Each one was required to guard “in front of his own house” (Nehemiah 7:3).
The people gathered together in Jerusalem for the Feast of Trumpets (Nehemiah 8:2: on the first day of the seventh month – see Leviticus 23:34), where Ezra read and expounded the Book of the Law of God. The people’s response: all the people wept. Ezra’s response: “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep” (Nehemiah 8:9). Obedience followed: true Jews separated themselves from all foreigners; they confessed their sins and those of their fathers; they stood and read from the Book of the Law for three hours; and for another three hours they confessed and worshiped God (Nehemiah 9:1-3). Read the prayer of the Levites in Nehemiah 9:5-38 and appreciate the references to God’s attributes.
After an absence of twelve years, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to bring about reform over the same matters Ezra faced: corruption among the priests; neglect of the temple; breaking the Sabbath; and intermarriage with foreign wives. Nehemiah cleansed them of everything pagan (Nehemiah 13:30). Like the book of Ezra, Nehemiah does not end on a high note, but on the note of the need for continual reform.
Sharing:
- After the good experience of having the wall built, the people became less challenged and less aware of sin. After good times, it is easy to become complacent and fall into sin.
- Nehemiah was aggressive in his leadership, while Ezra was passive. Both types of leaders are needed.
- Ezra and Nehemiah cooperated and had a greater impact because they had different target groups. Ezra dealt with those who were ready to deal with the issues. Nehemiah prodded those who resisted change.
- The ongoing story shows of lives of restoration and repentance. Repentance is an action, but we can be really good actors. Sending the foreign women away shows the real cost in their actions. This is what it takes for true repentance. We need to be aware of our potential to move our worship to something or someone else.
- The women and children were sent away as an act of mercy that provided the women with those who could take care of them later in life.
- How do we respond to sin our each other’s lives? Do we pray and then do nothing about it? God doesn’t work in magical ways, but through His people.
- The prayer of Nehemiah 9:5-37 shows an amazing depth of the understanding of God.
- Nehemiah 9:18-19 seems to indicate that God simply passed over Israel’s sin of worshiping the golden calf. We need to recognize the timing of Israel’s journey of faith. They had lived in idolatry during their bondage in Egypt, and were not yet trained in their faith in the God of Israel. When we see sin in others, we need to be mindful of God’s dealing with people where they are in their journey, rather than judge them hastily. We need to come alongside new believers and get to know where they are in their relationship with God. God is merciful in His relationship with us as we grow in Him.
- Nehemiah ends with the reminder that God needs to remember us!
Prepare for our next session by reading through Esther, the Jewish queen for thirteen years under King Xerxes I of Persia. Her position gave the Jews status at the king’s court and made it possible for Nehemiah to rebuild the Jerusalem walls.
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