June 21, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Nehemiah? Here’s today’s reading:
Nehemiah 2 (NIV)
Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem
1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”…..Continue Reading
Nehemiah shows great faith that God is with him when he shows the king his sorrow something that is normally not allowed and it is obvious that God is with him in this interaction with the king. The king instead of being angry asks what is wrong and seeks to help Nehemiah.
Nehemiah also takes a minute to pray before he addresses the king. So often this is a step we miss before interacting with someone in a stressful situation to ask for God to lead our words and actions.
Clearly God’s hand is on the situation as he allows Nehemiah to leave to rebuild Jerusalem with all he requested to do so! I love Nehemiah’s approach when he arrived there…slowly assessing the rubble and despair. We can never truly rebuild something until we take account of the damage done…take ownership and responsibility of the hurts and the mistakes and then move forward to rebuild in hopes not to repeat the past.
Still contemplating the Jerusalem//Heart concept.
Nehemiah’ courage is breathtaking. As he spoke directly to the king; we need to come boldly before Christ for our petitions. He cared more for his country than self (he feared to speak).
He was quite wise. Instead of making a public display, he traveled quietly. Nehemiah assessed conditions before acting, and his inspection was detailed and accurate. Only then did he reveal his plan before the elders.
Objectors, critics, naysayers are everywhere. Nehemiah confronted them in open rebuke.
Nicely done, Nehemiah! Peace, -gy
As we know in chapter 1 Nehemiah sought with tears day and night with prayer and fasting before coming to the king. Now in chapter 2 he is very sad because of his grief for Jerusalem and is now in the king`s presence. This is the first time that the king has seen him sad. He is probably wondering how he is going to bring up Jerusalem before the king. But God answered his prayer and the king showed compassion to him and asked what was wrong. God put the timing as He wanted for God also had the queen there. God knows the heart of men. The king even asked for Nehemiah`s request. So Nehemiah prayers to the God of heaven. [ Probably a silent prayer]. All of his prayers are answered and the king gives him all his requests. It is interesting that Nehemiah mentions the queen like she is not always there. Never underestimate the influence of a wife especially when it involves compassion for others. Of course God could still change the king`s heart whether she was there or not but He prefers to work through people. Often times Melodye has influenced me in the right way to show compassion toward people. Or maybe to see what they might be going through. Sometimes I can be so logical and blunt. But we do have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Then after three days in Jerusalem Nehemiah wants to investigate the wall himself and see it first hand. How can you make a plan to build the wall when you haven`t been to it. Then he tells the people of his leading from God and the king`s blessing to build the wall, etc. The people are strengthened and want to build the wall. There are always enemies of those who desire to follow God. In this case they are Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian. They laughed at those who were building the wall to scorn and despised them. They also accursed them of rebelling against the king. Nehemiah at this point doesn`t give them the time of day to take time to answer their questions which are a distraction to the work getting done. He only replies that [ The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build; but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.] Neh 2; 20. Nehemiah counted the cost of following God`s direction and lead. And was fully ready to do whatever it took. Even not allowing others to stop the work. May we follow Christ`s lead in our lives.
It speaks highly of the character of the Jews as well as the hand of God upon them that they held positions of influence and/or interaction with the kings of the nations that they had been exiled to. Just think of the nature of Nehemiah’s relationship with this king for the king first to notice he was sad and second that he would care. What a compliment that Nehemiah usually had joy in serving the king. It is also telling that the king would be responsive to the requests as well as send provisions and protection for him. Nehemiah also gives a good example of strategy to not take others opinions about the condition of Jerusalem and the wall, but to assess it himself. He also gets a handle on the nature of the work before he involves others in it to be able to communicate accurately about it and know what resources will be necessary. Once he knows, he tells people and gives them the dire nature of the situation so as to motivate them to get involved. He also addresses those who are seeking to disrupt the work and tells them directly and clearly why they cannot.
Nehemiah 2
Nehemiah 2
“So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.””
Nehemiah 2:20 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/neh.2.20.NKJV
Nehemiah 2…. it was remarkable that the countenance of Nehemiah was such that when he took the wine to the king, that the king noticed he was sad, …because “I had not been sad in his presence before…” (NIV). Indicating Nehemiah was fairly content and of good cheer most of the time, but also indicating an ongoing relationship between the king & Nehemiah to the point where king Artaxerses’s not only perceived his sadness, but also cared enough to inquire about it and ask “what do you want?” (to do about it?).
Then, as Kelly pointed out above, before Nehemiah answered the king, Nehemiah “…prayed to God in heaven”… = wisdom and trust in our God…..Very Cool….I hope that I could do that more frequently before answering an important question…..and then actually follow God’s lead instead of reverting back to my own opinion of the matter.
It seems likely that Nehemiah heard from God in that moment of prayer…..Possibly remembering (and trusting) the instructions God gave to Moses the promise that “if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name”…drawing his wisdom, confidence, and intentions from God’s Words.
Even though Nehemiah was fearful, he prayed to the Lord, trusted in him, and spoke his mind to the king. The king, in turn, granted him his wish and provided him with the resources needed to do so. The enemies of Israel deterred Nehemiah from building the wall; however, he stuck to his faith and confidently told them that God would give him success and they had no share in Jerusalem. May we be so bold as to state the truth to the enemies of God who mock, ridicule, and challenge our beliefs about his Word and the gospel of Jesus Christ