| Introduction One of the most iconic movie scenes for a whole generation is the one in which Tom Cruise is dangling from the ceiling in the inner sanctum of the CIA building in Langley in order to steal the knock list. It was the impossible mission. Well, Nehemiah may be faced here with an even greater challenge than infiltrating the CIA building. He wants to secure the kings permission to rebuild Jerusalem, something that the king had already said he wasn't going to do. So he prayed earnestly to God that he would be able to do what needed to be done. "Hurry up and wait!" was God's answer to all those prayers that the Lord would use him to rebuild Jerusalem. Chapter 2 begins four months after the events of chapter 1, and it is dominated by two scenes: Nehemiah before the king and Nehemiah inspecting the wall. Even here things are not happening in lightening speed. It is likely that the trip nonchalantly described in verse 11 took several months. It was a 900-mile trip and we know it took Ezra about four months to complete it. Granted, Nehemiah had an escort and letters guaranteeing safe passage, so he may have traveled a bit faster than Ezra. But it would still take considerable time to get from Shushan to Jerusalem. I Opportunity Given – Opportunity Taken, 1-8. A. The opportunity to talk to the king about Jerusalem is providentially brought about by Nehemiah's sadness, 1-3. 1. By now is the beginning of the new year. a. Nisan is the first month of the Jewish calendar. b. It has been four months since Nehemiah received the grim report from Hanani. 2. Why did it take four months for Nehemiah to be able to talk with the king? 1) The king was away in a military campaign – but wouldn't he take his cupbearer with him anyway? 2) There were many cupbearers that took turns – possible but unlikely based on historical record. b. I think the opportunity had not presented itself. c. This raises another question: why is he sad now? 1) Some say that he was manipulating the king because it is likely that the beginning of the year was a time of feasting in which the king would be more likely to grant requests (feast implied in the expression when wine was before him). 2) This is inconsistent with the integrity that Nehemiah demonstrates throughout the book – manipulation doesn't seem to be his thing. 3) I think the best explanation is that on that particular day, by God's providence, he was feeling an even greater burden for Jerusalem to the point that he just couldn't put on a happy face for the king. 3. The king noticed that Nehemiah's sadness wasn't something superficial, 2. a. He calls it "sorrow of heart." b. This was a very dangerous situation because the king didn't want anyone looking sad around him, 2b. 4. Nehemiah was devastated because the city of his God was still laid waste, 3. a. First, notice that Nehemiah spoke in terms that the king understood – everyone thought it was important to preserve the place where your ancestors were buried. b. Second, Nehemiah was sad event to the pointing of mourning (1:4) because of the state of the state of Jerusalem as the place where God made himself evident on earth to his people. Dt. 12:5-7 – But you shall seek the place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which the Lord your God has blessed you. 1) The Church is now the place where God makes himself evident on earth. 2) What is her attitude towards her? a) Are you saddened by the world's attack on her? i. Each month 322 Christians are killed for their faith. ii. Each month 214 church and Christian property is destroyed. iii. Each month 772 Christians are beaten, abducted, raped, arrested, and forced into marriages because of their faith. iv. According to Open Doors USA, there are more than 65 countries where Christians are persecuted. b) Are we grieved with corruption in her? c) Are we working to build her? d) Do we long to be in her? Ps. 42:1-4 –As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, "Where is your God?" When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. "Though with a scornful wonder men see her sore oppressed, by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed: yet saints their watch are keeping, their cry goes up, "How long?" And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song!" The Church shall never perish! "Her dear Lord to defend, to guide, sustain, and cherish, is with her to the end: though there be those who hate her, and false sons in her pale, against or foe or traitor she ever shall prevail." Samuel John Stone in The Church's One Foundation B. Nehemiah came prepared with a prayer and a plan, 4-8. 1. What Nehemiah had been praying for, by God's sovereign providence, fell on his lap – "What do you want?," 4. 2. Notice when he is asked the question of his life, he takes a moment to pray, 4b. a. This is not like the prayer of chapter 1. b. This is a torpedo prayer, sent up to heaven in a split second. c. It does demonstrate Nehemiah's dependence on God. 1) Last week we saw the importance of lingering prayer – taking the time to pray. 2) How about the daily, moment by moment attitude of prayer? a) What is the first thing that you do when you are faced with a challenge? Coming to the throne of God, the mercy seat or trying to solve it? b) What is the first thing that you do when something good happens to you? Phil 4:6-7 – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. d. It also demonstrates his understanding that God is sovereign – it would make no sense to pray for a god that can't answer. Dt. 32:39 – Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand. 3. In Nehemiah's heart prayer became plans and plans became actions, 5-8a. a. Notice that Nehemiah knew what he wanted – send me back to Jerusalem to rebuild it, 5. b. Notice that he was specific in his plans, 6-8a 1) The king wanted to know what he was committing to, 6. a) The parenthetical comment that the queen was there too seems out of place. b) Also, it uses an uncommon word for queen. c) A possible explanation is that Artaxerxes and Nehemiah had moved to a more private room where the queen was present in order to talk about Nehemiah's request. d) Another possible explanation that takes into account the unusual word for queen is that this is the king's step-mother, Esther herself, who would have great interest in what is going on in Jerusalem. 2) The king knew the what, where, and why, he now needed the when, how, and how long – Nehemiah had thought about all these things ahead of time and was ready to give the king all these answers. a) Not sure what he said regarding how long but it as satisfactory to the king (it ended up being 12 years for the first part of his mission), 6b. b) He anticipated that some of the regional government officials would give him grief, so he asked for letters that would guarantee safe passage, 7. c) He also knew what supplies he needed and how to get them including the name of Home Depot manager, 8a. c. This is a characteristic of godly leadership in all spheres of society: family, church, work, government. 2) How are you going to fulfill God's calling/vocation in your life? 3) This has also a Gospel application – have you thought through what you are going to say when someone asks you why you believe in Jesus? 1 Pt. 3:15-16 – But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 4. When the king acquiesced to all his request, Nehemiah didn't exalt his eloquence or planning – it all came from the hand of his God, 8b. Pro. 16:1, 9 – The preparations of the heart belongto man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord…. A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Pro. 21:1 – The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. a. God was a personal presence in Nehemiah's life – he calls him my God several times (see v. 18). 1) God wasn't an occasional thought or presence. 2) It was his God – not his parents', church's, or country's god. b. Nehemiah acts because God is sovereign. 1) Throughout this chapter we see Nehemiah's strong belief in the sovereignty of God. 2) That belief led to action. 3) That's the opposite of what some people believe concerning God's determining of all things. "The whole paragraph is thus a model of the balance that needs to be maintained between the total sovereignty of God, with prayer as its proper response, and human responsibility with its counterpart in wise and thoughtful activity. In the practicalities of the situation, Nehemiah appears unaware of any clash between these two, for he needed to know the truth of both if he was to make any substantial progress." H.G.M. Williamson in Word Biblical Commentary II Assessing the Work, 9-16. A. As Nehemiah journeyed to Jerusalem, he met with governors of all the regions between the Euphrates and Jerusalem, 9 – the three men who provide constant opposition to Nehemiah throughout the book were likely governors to the north, south, and east of Judea. 1. We also learn that the king sent some muscle with Nehemiah. 2. That was a wise move on the king's part knowing that Nehemiah would face opposition from his own governors. B. After a couple of months on the road, Nehemiah needed three days of rest, 11. C. Before setting out to do the work, Nehemiah assess what the actual work is, 12-16. 1. He did not go all the way around the city either because it was unpassable or because what he saw was sufficient for him to see the massive project he was about to start. 2. He took the smallest possible delegation with him, including the fewest possible number of animals (probably donkeys). 3. Nehemiah is doing what our Lord told us to do – consider the cost/task Lk. 14:28-32 – For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enoughto finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 4. He doesn't start talking with people about the project till he has something concrete to tell them, 16. III Gaining Support, 17-18. A. Notice that there is no blaming anyone for anything – he says weand us. B. His main motivation is not guilt, but need and what is right, 17. C. Notice how he encouraged the people with what the Lord had done, 18 – again my God. D. I keep on saying it, but it bears repeating – Nehemiah was a godly leader. 1. A godly leader is able to assess and communicate reality with clarity and he was sure able to do that – response of people in 18b. 2. A lot of trouble comes from mangled communication. 3. As husbands, fathers, mothers, bosses, elders, deacons, etc., we must be clear in our communication. E. What a year ago seemed like an impossibility, now is a reality – they put their strength into doing this good work, 18b. IV Dealing with Opposition, 10, 19-20. A. These three individuals were governors of the territories around Judea and had been enjoying the extra space in Judea since it had been left unattended for a while. B. They are the anti-Nehemiah – they were deeply disturbed that someone actually cared for these people, 10! C. They despised Nehemiah and the Jews, and they falsely accused them (they will do that throughout the book), 19. D. Notice how Nehemiah deals with the opposition – he is content with leaving it God for him to deal with them, 20. "This… is one of the hardest lessons for any church or individual to learn." H.G.M. Williamson in Word Biblical Commentary 1 Pt. 2:21-23 – For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously…. Rom. 12:19 – Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rathergive place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. E. At the same time, he did not compromise at all – "you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem." F. They were experiencing what John Newton immortalize in song. "Savior, if of Zion's city, I through grace a member am, let the world deride or pity, I will glory in Thy name; fading is the worldling's pleasure, all his boasted pomp and show; solid joys and lasting treasure none but Zion's children know." John Newton in Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken There are four action items that I would like for all of us to take home today as we think about Nehemiah 2. 1. There is nothing that we cannot or should not bring to God in prayer. 2. Beeke – "A man who realizes his dependence on God will be frequently directing prayer heavenward." 3. How would you describe your prayer life? 1. Consider your life and all the parts in it. 2. Assess where things are and plan how you are going to fulfill the calling/vocation God has on your life. 3. This includes all areas: your finances, education, living situation, raising kids, ministering in the church. 1. All the good planning and executing that you accomplish is God accomplishing through you. 2. Humbly acknowledge that – the good hand of my God upon me. 1. The cause of God will be opposed by the world – those who seek to live a godly life will suffer persecution. 2. Yet, the gates of hell cannot prevail against us!
"God's servant should expect opposition and victory, suffering and success if they seek God's kingdom and righteousness." Joel Beeke in Family Worship Bible Guide
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