Nehemiah - Chapter 1

We begin our study of the book of Nehemiah with his self introduction and his response to a very difficult report and his prayer concerning what he had heard.

1-4:

REPORT RECEIVED AND RESPONSE

The book begins with a verse that is typically Jewish, Nehemiah introduces himself by telling us his name and his father's name. All throughout the OT we see the emphasis placed upon family and generations. We immediately know who is writing and where he places himself within his family.

We are told that he is in the Persian city of Shushan, the citadel city of the kings.

He reveals the time of his writings, being in the 20th year of the rule of king Artaxerses, who ruled from 465 to 423 B.C., therefore we begin our story in 445 B.C. Nehemiah tells us even the Jewish month of his writing, Chislev, which corresponds to our late November to early December calendar.

A brethren named Hanani arrives with other men from Judah and Nehemiah questions him concerning the condition of those Jews who had escaped the Babylonian victory years before, remaining in Jerusalem, AND the condition of the city itself.

The answer given came in two parts. The Jews were in great distress and reproach, facing dire economic times. We will learn in chapter 5 that famine had come over the land and the people were in terrible struggle just to survive. Secondly, the answer on the city itself was just as grim. The city walls are broken down and the gates have been burned down by fire.

Nehemiah received these reports with weeping and mourning for many days. Not only did he weep and mourn but he also fasted and turned to God in prayer.

5-11:

NEHEMIAH'S PRAYER

Nehemiah prayed strongly and stayed in prayer day and night. His prayer was one of intercession for the Holy City and its people, God's chosen people.

The prayer begins with him acknowledging that God is a great and awesome God, and that Nehemiah submits to His sovereign authority. He shows that he understands God's faithfulness within the old covenant and Nehemiah interceded for the people directly by first confessing their sins. He includes an honest confession of his own sins and those of his father's house. He says that these have acted very corruptly against God.

He is humbly submitting himself as the Lord's sinful servant.

He asks God to remember the covenant promises made so long ago and he clearly assures God he himself remembers the Lord's words to Moses.

He closes his prayer in verse 11 by asking for mercy and compassion toward the city, the people, and himself. He words this final request in a way that depends on the faithfulness of God, not of the people or himself, both of whom had failed the Lord, and had broken the holy covenant.

He focuses the closing request on his own status simply as the servant of the Lord, and nothing else.

He asks God to grant himself mercy in the sight of the king, and he concludes with the sentence that allows us to know he is the king's cup bearer. So even though he holds a high position of responsibility and authority, he humbles himself before God in confession and submission.

We see how Nehemiah waited until the last sentence of his prayer to reveal his high position. We see also how even though he was a man of influence, he had a vulnerable heart, a heart able to feel pain. Nehemiah's tears remind us of another strong leader, David, who wept openly at times and Jesus himself, in his human form shed tears of sadness and grief.

What did Nehemiah do with his grief over these sad answers?

He did not try to forget it, rather, he fasted and prayed. He took his grief before God. Prayer is the place where we clarify and deepen our relation with our Lord and his call on our souls. Nehemiah is already teaching us strong and valuable lessons in his first chapter about our personal prayer life. What are those lessons?

• We should remember and confess who is in charge.

• We should ask God to bless our plans and work for Him.

• We should consistently seek God's guidance for our lives.

Nehemiah heard most difficult news about his people and their Holy City and he quickly mourned at the news and prayed. As he prayed it seems clear that he was already sensing the call of God on his heart for action. He was already requesting that God arrange mercy from the king as he knew already that he was going next to speak to the king concerning the need of restoration of the the walls of Jerusalem.

These were hard times in Jerusalem, and only hard work and God's will would bring restoration of the walls and revival of the spirits of the people there.