Nehemiah: Rebuilding A Community
The Plan
Nehemiah 1:11bc-2:20
An Audience with the King (1:11c-2:8)
- Nehemiah served as Artaxerxes’ cupbearer (1:11c)
- A food taster to the king who ensured that the royal meals were of high quality, and not poisoned
- In some instances, they would act as counselors to the king as well
- He already had the ear of the king
- Shows God’s providence in the situation
- Nehemiah waited and prayed from Kislev (1:1; Nov/Dec) until Nisan (2:1; March/April)
- 4 to 5 months of prayer waiting for the right opportunity
- When the time was right, Nehemiah let his guard down before the king
- Letting the king see that something was bothering him
- And surprisingly, the king notices and cares!
- Nehemiah shares what is on his heart
- And the king’s response is to ask him how he could help
- But, before Nehemiah asks for help, he prays, again! (2:4b; see 1:5-11)
- Then he asks for permission to rebuild Jerusalem
- Along with letters to guarantee his safety on the journey back
- And material support to finish the project
- This was risky, since Artaxerxes had actually halted the rebuilding of Jerusalem previously (Ezra 4:17-22)
- But the king & queen* gives him everything he asks for
- Asking only when Nehemiah would return
- Which shows that the king valued him greatly
- Nehemiah sees all of these events as God’s hand upon the work
Surveying the Problem (2:9-20)
- When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he met with the leaders of the region
- He received opposition from Sanballat and Tobiah
- He then went out at night to survey the damage to the city walls in secret
- He had not sought out the Jewish people’s help yet
- He wanted to see the extent of the work that needed to be done first
- After his survey, he gathers the people and explains what God has laid on his heart to do
- And he includes himself in their troubles (v. 17)
- While explaining how God has already begun the work through Nehemiah’s relationship with the king
- The people were so inspired that the took up the call right away (v. 18)
- As the people rallied to Nehemiah’s side, the naysayers started in (v. 19)
- Accusing them of rebellion against the king
- But, Nehemiah places his hope firmly in God (v. 20)
So What?
- Nehemiah sought God throughout the process
- And he used his secular connections to help with God’s work
- As well as calling God’s people to step up
- As we seek to rebuild our community, we must do the same:
- Constantly seek God
- Use our connections, both within and outside the Church
Meditation Verse: Nehemiah 2:20a