Arise and Build Nehemiah 2

Introduction

LAst week Nehemiahs brother came and gave him a report of the state of Jerusalem and the report he receive was not very good. Jerusalem was destroyed and the gates were burned with fire, and the people were in trouble.

Nehemiah fasted and prayed and was grieved for his country. This week we will see Nehemiahs predicament, his request, his journey and his charge.

Nehemiahs predicament vs. 1-3

Chapter 2 starts in the month Nisan which would be our mid-march to mid-april. This would be about 4 months from when Nehemiah got the news about the condition of Jerusalem.

We see that Nehemiah is still the kings cupbearer, trying the beverages before the king to make sure they aren’t poisoned.

He tells us that he had never gone before the king with a sad countenance. The sadness of his homeland being in shambles had not worn off in the 4 months that he had known about it.

The king noticed his sadness vs. 2a

The king asked why he was sad

You aren’t sick, but rather you have some sorrow of the heart.

Nehemiah was scared vs. 2b

In those days kings were sheltered from anything that might bring them unhappiness.

Nehemiah could no longer hide his sorrow and the king noticed on this particular day and Nehemiah was very sore afraid.

He was scarred because in those days him bringing unhappiness to the king could have got him banished or killed, but instead on this day the king inquired as to why he was sad.

Nehemiah gives his reason for his sorrow vs. 3

He asks the king why he shouldn’t be sad and then gives him the reasons

the City (Jerusalem) where my fathers are buried lies in waste and the gates are destroyed by fire.

Surely the king would have known the condition of Jerusalem, but maybe didn’t realize that Nehemiah was still attached to his homeland.

Nehemiahs Request vs. 4-8

While the king could have killed him or the very least fired him and shunned him, but instead we find the king asking Nehemiah what he is requesting.

Look at Nehemiahs response: He prayed to the God of Heaven.

One thing we will notice about Nehemiah is he sends lots of quick prayers when it comes time for a decision, but those quick prayers were preceded by 4 months of fasting and prayer.

An amazing thought about the place Nehemiah found himself is he had to be invited to the throne of artexerxes, but we have access to the throne of grace at any time with any need

Hebrews 4:14–16 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Next we find that Nehemiah had two requests

Send me vs. 4-6

He asked Artexerxes to send him to Judah

Remember being the kings cupbearer wasn’t a normal job that you could just turn in his two weeks notice and leave. He had to have permission to leave.

He also couldn’t just go and rebuild a city without the authority of king.

He didn’t only get sent to Judah he was appointed governor of Judah

The king asked him how long he would be there and Nehemiah told him (although we don’t have the details it seems that a time was agreed upon)

The king agreed to his first request

His second request was give me vs 7-8

Now that he had permission to go and build, he needed protection and material.

He asked for a letter that would get him from the palace to Judah so he wouldn’t get captured or killed.

He then asked for a letter that would get him the materials he needed to rebuild the gates and the walls.

His second request was granted as well.

Notice where Nehemiah gave the credit though, he didn’t give the credit to himself or the king, he gave the credit to the good hand of the Lord.

Every good thing comes from the good hand of God, The good hand of God provides exactly what we need.

Nehemiahs Journey vs. 9-15

Not much is told about his journey outside of the fact that he got a military escort.

Then we are introduced to a few enemies of the work of God Nehemiah was trying to do

Sanballat- He was from Beth-Horan, about 12 miles outside of Jerusalem

Tobiah - an Ammonite

Sanballat was Nehemiah’s chief enemy and was in some kind of official position in Samaria

Tobiah being an ammonite was a sworn enemy of Israel

One thing this reminds us of is there will always be opposition when we do the things of the Lord

When these guys heard about Nehemiah and his entourage coming they grieved exceedingly that someone came to care for Israel.

There will be some people who will be grieved that we are trying to turn America back to God, but just as Nehemiah went on we must go on as well.

After they arrive in Jerusalem, Nehemiah gets a few people and they go out and assess the damage, but nehemiah doesn’t tell them what God had placed on his heart to do, but he is about to challenge those who remain in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah’s Charge vs. 16-20

Nobody knew what Nehemiah was up to, he didn’t tell the priest, the nobles, the rulers or any of the other workers.

He didn’t want his plans to get to Sanballat or Tobiah

Then he tells them the state they are in

We are in distress (afflicted greatly)

Jerusalem lieth in waste

The gates are burned with fire

Have you ever been so surrounded by chaos, that you have tuned it out? I believe this is how the people in jerusalem were living, they had lived in distress for so long they had tuned it out.

Nehemiah wasn’t going to allow them to tune it out any more

Nehemiahs Charge

let us build up the walls of jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach (Shame; infamy; disgrace.)

He told them we need to rebuild these walls because we are bringing shame to the name of the Lord.

Christian may I remind us today that if we sit and tune out the fact that our churches are lying in ruins we are bringing shame to the name of the Lord as well.

Then Nehemiah gives a testimony on the goodness of God vs. 18

The peoples response

They said let us rise up and build

Then they strengthened their hand

The enemies response

It started out with Sanballat and Tobiah, but misery loves company, so they add Geshem the Arabian to their group

They laughed them to scorn

Scorn here means A subject of extreme contempt, disdain or derision; that which is treated with contempt.

They despised them and then they asked two questions

What are you doing?

Are you rebelling against the king?

Nehemiahs answer

He tells them the God of heaven will prosper (To grow or increase us)

And because of that we will arise and build, but you guys need to get out of here because you have no business here

Conclusion

Like Nehemiah we must be faithful to the work God has called us to no matter how much backlash we receive