Nehemiah 2:16

Nehemiah 2:16 says, And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.  While Nehemiah was looking over things at night, he hadn’t told anyone he was doing so.  He hadn’t told the rulers, priests, or the Jews, what he planned to do, not wanting glory for himself, but was quietly looking at what needed doing.  As we do God’s work today, I believe we would be better off just quietly doing what He calls us to do than making a big production of it that calls attention to us. 

Verse seventeen adds, Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.  Then, after he saw for himself what needed doing, he called on the people who could also see the waste that Jerusalem still lay in to help him rebuild the walls of the city.  He did not demand that they do it because he said so but asked that they join him in the task.  Even if we are in a position of leadership in the church today, I don’t believe that we should demand that the members of the congregation do something just because we demand it.  Instead, as a leader, we should ask them to join us in doing what we think God is calling us to do, and if God is behind it, they will willingly join in as long as they are being obedient to God as well.  Nehemiah said that the fact that the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem had been neglected was a reproach to all of the people of Israel.  I wonder if the state of the church today is a reproach to Christians.   Have we allowed concerns for our own success to keep us from building up the church? 

Verse eighteen continues, Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.  Nehemiah then told them that God’s hand was on him to do the work and that he also had the approval of the king.  It would be nice if we always had the approval of the government in everything we do to build up the church, but often the opposite is true.  Still, as long as we have God’s hand on us in what we are doing, nothing else should matter.  The people agreed to help him, and we need to work together as followers of Christ today to do His work. 

Verse nineteen states, But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?  Not everyone in the area agreed with what Nehemiah was going to do.  Some of the people who were not a part of the nation of Israel despised them and laughed them to scorn.  They then asked if they would rebel against the king by rebuilding the walls.  We can expect opposition from the lost people of the world today when we do God’s work.  They may even laugh at what we are doing and accuse us of going against the government, and at times we may have to do so.  Yet, no matter the opposition, if we know God has called us to do a work, we need to be faithful in doing it. 

Verse twenty adds, Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.  Nehemiah told those who opposed them that God was with them, and they really had no say in it, so as servants of God, they were going to rebuild in accordance with His will.  This needs to be our reply and our belief if we face opposition to God’s work today.  We are going to arise and do what God has called us to do.  Of course, to do what God calls to do, we must be one of His people by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. 

Nehemiah 2:9

Nehemiah 2:9 says, Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.  Nehemiah crossed the river with not only a letter from the king but with the captain of the army and horsemen with him.  He had the authority and the protection of the king, and when we go into the world to do what God has called us to do, we have both His authority and His protection. 

Verse ten adds, When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.  Not everyone was pleased that Nehemiah had come to check on the welfare of the people of Israel, and not everyone is going to be pleased when God sends us to check on the spiritual welfare of people and offer them hope by putting their faith in Jesus Christ.  They had rather maintain power over them. 

Verse eleven continues, So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.  Nehemiah got to Jerusalem and was there for three days, and no one took notice of his being there nor asked his purpose for being there evidently.  We may do a lot for God and never be noticed by people as we do it, but we are still to do what God has called us to do. 

Verse twelve states, And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.  Nehemiah said he went at night with a few men with him and only the beast he rode on for help.  He did not tell the people what God had placed on his heart to do in Jerusalem.  We may go alone as we do God’s work, or even with a few others, but we must tell people the good news as we go, not to call attention to us, but to bring honor and glory to God and to call people to salvation. 

Verse thirteen adds, And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.  Matthew Henry says that Nehemiah went at night so he could look over the city to see what needed to be done and decide what was needed to get it done.  We need to look over our calling from God and decide what we need to get it done.  We are promised God will provide what we need, but we should first allow Him to help us underhand what that is.  We should not just run ahead with no idea what we are actually going to need to do and what we need to do it.  Nehemiah had the authorization to rebuild the walls, but he now needed to know what he needed to accomplish that task.  We have not only the authorization but the command to share the gospel, and we may need to plan ahead how we are going to do that. That is not to say that at times we will have the opportunity to do so without any planning to do so at that time, but even then, we need to know what we are sharing. 

Verse fourteen continues, Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.  Nehemiah got to the gate of the fountain and to the king’s pool, but his beast couldn’t even pass through.  There was a lot that needed doing, and Nehemiah was seeing for himself what that was.  Matthew Henry says if we are going to build up the walls of the church, we must first see what needs doing. 

Verse fifteen concludes, Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.  After looking things over, Nehemiah returned to the city.  After we look over what needs doing in the church today, we need to return to God to allow Him to strengthen and guide us. 

   

Nehemiah 2:5

Nehemiah 2:5 says, And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.  After the king asked Nehemiah what his request was, he first prayed, as the last verse stated. If we are to make wise choices today as followers of Christ, when asked what we want or just when deciding what we want ourselves, we would be wise to talk to God first.  Then, Nehemiah asked that if he had found favor with the king that allow him to return to Jerusalem and rebuild it.  If our Christian life has been falling apart, we need to ask God to help us rebuild it.  As followers of Christ, we have already found favor with Him.  

Verse six adds, And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.  The king, with the queen by his side, wanted to know how long Nehemiah would be gone, so he set a date for when he would return. The king allowed him to go.  We are not told how long he set the time for, but we know from chapter five, verse fourteen that Nehemiah presided there for twelve years at least.  Matthew Henry points out that it is unclear if he kept extending the time or went back and forth during that period.  I can say that if we are rebuilding our life of faith after it has been torn down that it is a lifelong commitment.

Verse seven continues, Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;  Nehemiah also asked for letters to the governors beyond the Jordan instructing them to help Nehemiah on his journey.  We don’t need letters to get support spiritually, because we have the Holy Spirit with us at all times. 

Verse eight concludes, And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.  Nehemiah also asked for a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, instructing him to provide Nehemiah with timber to rebuild the city.  Though Nehemiah was asking the king for these things, it was after he had prayed about it, so I believe that God was behind his requests, and Nehemiah had to have faith that God would answer his prayers.  Nehemiah gave God the credit for all this being granted by the king.  For this to happen, Nehemiah had to put his life in God’s hands, and so must we.  The only way we can do that is by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  

 

Nehemiah 2:1

Nehemiah 2:1 says, And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.  While performing his duty as the cupbearer of the king, Nehemiah was sad for the first time.  This probably wasn’t a good thing, since the king would expect him to be happy to serve him.  We may be happy with our job today, but as followers of Christ, we should be saddened by the spiritual state of the world. 

Verse two adds, Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,  The king noticed Nehemiah’s sadness and since he didn’t appear to be physically ill, he asked him why he was sad, and Nehemiah was very afraid.  The king had power over him, and he didn’t want to say something that would make him angry.  We cannot allow fear to keep us from speaking out about spiritual concerns today, especially when people are trying to destroy God’s people and His word. 

Verse three continues, And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?  Nehemiah started by praising the king, and then told him why he was sad.  The city where his ancestors were buried, Jerusalem, was in ruins and the gates of the city had even been burned.  There are a lot of the things of God that people are trying to destroy today, and this should leave us sad, but also willing to act to help restore them. 

Verse four concludes, Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.  When the king asked Nehemiah what he wanted from him, the first thing Nehemiah did was pray, and that should be our first action today.  Of course, in order to work to restore the things of God in the world, we must first be one of His people.  The only way to do that is by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord.