The Book of Nehemiah
The book of Nehemiah focuses on the bold and godly
leadership of the title character. A true servant of the Lord, Nehemiah is a
man of prayer and action, leading the Jewish exiles through challenging times
in the fragile land of Judah. His leadership – his approach to challenges and
his stand for righteousness – holds incredible insight for Christians today.
Nehemiah 1:11 (ESV) "O Lord, let Your ear
be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants
who delight to fear Your name, and give success to Your servant today, and
grant him mercy..."
READ: Nehemiah1
The book of Nehemiah spans 12 years and is the
sequel to the book of Ezra, which documented the return of the Babylonian exiles
to Jerusalem. Ezra was sent to
Jerusalem by Artaxerxes I to ensure that the people were living according to
the Law of Moses. Nehemiah comes to the city 13 years after Ezra’s arrival. Nehemiah’s
strong and godly leadership is a focus of the book, which tells an exciting
story and shows that following God requires both prayer and action.
Nehemiah was the cupbearer to king Artaxerxes I of
Persia. The cupbearer was the official in charge of serving the king’s wine.
Though it sounds amateur, it was a high-ranking position. It was not uncommon
for adversaries to attempt to poison the king, thus the cupbearer had to be a
man of complete confidence and loyalty, fully trusted by the king.
At the outset of the book, Nehemiah’s brother,
Hanani, brings news about the returned exiles living in Jerusalem. It seems that
the people are in trouble, shamed because the walls of Jerusalem are in
shambles. The walls were an important part of a city’s stability, offering
protection; broken walls left a city weak and vulnerable to enemy invasion.
Nehemiah is clearly distraught over this. The ruined walls reveal that the
people have broken their commitment to the Lord. Nehemiah knew well God’s
promise of prosperity for the Jews if they kept to their covenant; these broken
walls were proof that the people had abandoned their side of the covenant. So
what is Nehemiah’s response? He launches immediately into a heartfelt prayer,
acknowledging God’s character and repenting personally and corporately for the
sins of the nation. We see right away that Nehemiah is a man who knows the
Lord. He knows God as God had
presented Himself to His people, and he has learned to take God at His word. He
trusts in God’s steadfast love, and he expects his prayer to be heard, and to
make a difference in the heavenlies.
JOURNALING
AND PRAYER
1. Is your attitude towards prayer the same as
Nehemiah’s? Do you pray boldly and earnestly, expecting God to hear, and
expecting your prayer to make a difference? If you lack faith and boldness, ask
the Holy Spirit to reveal to you why this is so.
2. Nehemiah knew the Lord. He was able to display
all his emotions before God and speak to God openly. As Christians, we can have
a personal relationship with God – this is something no other religion can
claim. Take some time today to get personal with God. Sit with Him. Pour out
your heart to Him like Nehemiah did. Tell Him the things you are struggling
with. Tell Him what you love about Him. Invite Him to tell you what He loves
about you. Sometimes our devotional times can seem dry or boring, but we must
push through this and remember that our God is real and personal.
3. Nehemiah declared God’s character saying, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and
awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and
keep His commandments” (v 5). As you spend this personal time with the
Lord, think about His character – the characteristics He claims to have in His
Word. Thank Him for these things and declare them out loud as Nehemiah did.
Meditate on what it means for your life that God truly is these things!
