Nehemiah 1
There was once a tombstone that read "Here lies the body of a politician and an honest man" - many people have pondered how they managed to get two bodies in the one tomb!
Reading the book of Nehemiah, one cannot help but think the epitaph would be fitting, here is a politician with faith and integrity, as we shall see.
If the book of Ezra was about the rebirth of the Jewish, Monotheistic, faith Nehemiah is the rebirth of the Jewish national identity, and the 2 fit together.
Nehemiah was one of the Israelite exiles taken to Babylon. He had reached a position of trust and authority as cupbearer to the king.
He had a visit from his brother who had visited Susa from Jerusalem and he asked how things were going in the homeland.
The report disturbed him so much that he spent several days fasting and praying - the land was being settled but the walls of Jerusalem were in ruins and the people were at threat from attack and pillage as they had no defences.
Nehemiah reminds God that he promised that if the people turned back to him, God would gather them from exile.
Nehemiah 2
The events of Nehemiah 1 actually affected his work life - there is a valuable lesson here I think, nobody should have to suffer in silence and a good employer will care enough about their employees to spot dropping standards or changed behaviour and see what they can do.
Artaxerxes (what a cool name with 2 X's!) astutely notices that Nehemiah is not his usual cheerful self and deduces that something is wrong and it does not appear to be physical.
Nehemiah is aware that he is on very thin ice - if the king is in a bad mood, his demeanour could get him summarily executed on the spot and he is afraid, but answers the king that his sad because the city where is ancestors are buried lies in ruins and the walls and gates destroyed by fire.
The king asks "What is it that you want?"
There are what I sometimes call "Arrow prayers". In a situation that is tricky or dangerous or upsetting I sometimes pray a very quick silent prayer of "HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!" or something similar, Nehemiah has a similar moment now, making a quick arrow prayer before answering "If it pleases you, please send me back to Jerusalem so I can rebuild the walls"
This is a big ask - Nehemiah is paid to serve wine in Susa, not work as a bricklayer a thousand miles away!
The king asked how long was the journey and when would he be back - with this response, Nehemiah set a time limit on his trip
Nehemiah also decided that God was with him so far, so he might as well push his luck a bit - and asked for letters of authorisation to the provincial governors along the way until he reached Judah and to the royal park keeper allowing him to take timber to build his residence and the walls.
Nehemiah attests that because God was with him the king gave all he requested and more - he sent an armed and mounted guard with Nehemiah
2 local leaders, Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite heard about this and decided to try and stop the rebuilding project.
Arriving in Jerusalem Nehemiah rested 3 days and then made a night time inspection of what used to be the city walls - Nehemiah had given no indication of his plan to the leaders in Jerusalem.
Next day he told the officials, nobles, priests and workmen "look at the trouble we are in, Jerusalem lies in ruins, the gates burned with fire, lets rebuild and no longer live in this disgrace" He also told them of the favour of the king and the help from God that had bought him to this place.
Sometimes an account like Nehemiah's telling of the goodness of God is very powerful, my own story is rather less dramatic and I promise to share it one day - but this post has gone on long enough I think!
Anyway the people decided to start working on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem - Sanballat and Tobiah and an Arabic leader called Geshem heard about the rebuilding of the walls they came to ridicule, intimidate and try to stop the work - first accusing the Jews of rebelling against the king.
Nehemiah personally knew the king and queen (the regional officials almost certainly did not) and that the king had sent him , but he declares that God will give the builders success and really they have no claim to Jerusalem or share in the city.
There was once a tombstone that read "Here lies the body of a politician and an honest man" - many people have pondered how they managed to get two bodies in the one tomb!
Reading the book of Nehemiah, one cannot help but think the epitaph would be fitting, here is a politician with faith and integrity, as we shall see.
If the book of Ezra was about the rebirth of the Jewish, Monotheistic, faith Nehemiah is the rebirth of the Jewish national identity, and the 2 fit together.
Nehemiah was one of the Israelite exiles taken to Babylon. He had reached a position of trust and authority as cupbearer to the king.
He had a visit from his brother who had visited Susa from Jerusalem and he asked how things were going in the homeland.
The report disturbed him so much that he spent several days fasting and praying - the land was being settled but the walls of Jerusalem were in ruins and the people were at threat from attack and pillage as they had no defences.
Nehemiah reminds God that he promised that if the people turned back to him, God would gather them from exile.
Nehemiah 2
The events of Nehemiah 1 actually affected his work life - there is a valuable lesson here I think, nobody should have to suffer in silence and a good employer will care enough about their employees to spot dropping standards or changed behaviour and see what they can do.
Artaxerxes (what a cool name with 2 X's!) astutely notices that Nehemiah is not his usual cheerful self and deduces that something is wrong and it does not appear to be physical.
Nehemiah is aware that he is on very thin ice - if the king is in a bad mood, his demeanour could get him summarily executed on the spot and he is afraid, but answers the king that his sad because the city where is ancestors are buried lies in ruins and the walls and gates destroyed by fire.
The king asks "What is it that you want?"
There are what I sometimes call "Arrow prayers". In a situation that is tricky or dangerous or upsetting I sometimes pray a very quick silent prayer of "HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!" or something similar, Nehemiah has a similar moment now, making a quick arrow prayer before answering "If it pleases you, please send me back to Jerusalem so I can rebuild the walls"
This is a big ask - Nehemiah is paid to serve wine in Susa, not work as a bricklayer a thousand miles away!
The king asked how long was the journey and when would he be back - with this response, Nehemiah set a time limit on his trip
Nehemiah also decided that God was with him so far, so he might as well push his luck a bit - and asked for letters of authorisation to the provincial governors along the way until he reached Judah and to the royal park keeper allowing him to take timber to build his residence and the walls.
Nehemiah attests that because God was with him the king gave all he requested and more - he sent an armed and mounted guard with Nehemiah
2 local leaders, Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite heard about this and decided to try and stop the rebuilding project.
Arriving in Jerusalem Nehemiah rested 3 days and then made a night time inspection of what used to be the city walls - Nehemiah had given no indication of his plan to the leaders in Jerusalem.
Next day he told the officials, nobles, priests and workmen "look at the trouble we are in, Jerusalem lies in ruins, the gates burned with fire, lets rebuild and no longer live in this disgrace" He also told them of the favour of the king and the help from God that had bought him to this place.
Sometimes an account like Nehemiah's telling of the goodness of God is very powerful, my own story is rather less dramatic and I promise to share it one day - but this post has gone on long enough I think!
Anyway the people decided to start working on rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem - Sanballat and Tobiah and an Arabic leader called Geshem heard about the rebuilding of the walls they came to ridicule, intimidate and try to stop the work - first accusing the Jews of rebelling against the king.
Nehemiah personally knew the king and queen (the regional officials almost certainly did not) and that the king had sent him , but he declares that God will give the builders success and really they have no claim to Jerusalem or share in the city.
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