Nehemiah: A Man of Prayer and Planning

Today we will be studying Nehemiah 2:1-10. I encourage you to open your bible or bible app and follow along.

Last week, we saw that Jerusalem was in trouble and disgrace. Upon Cyrus’ command in 538 BC, the Jews had returned. Then, after the long journey, and taking time to get settled, they began working on the temple.

The people around them created trouble, and they had to stop working on the temple. Eventually, they started working on the temple again in 520 BC, and finished it in 515 BC. But when they started working on rebuilding the city, their enemies and local government officials stopped them.

They wrote to Artexerxes, king of the Persian empire, sometime around 460 BC, and had the work stopped at his command.

Now, 15 years later, Nehemiah learns from his brother and friends, that Jerusalem is still a pile of rubble. The people are surrounded by enemies, and have no security. Their lives are hopeless. They are in trouble and disgrace.

Nehemiah was a man of character, and prayer. He begins to pray. That was in Kislev, our month of December.

What happened next? That is what we are going to look at today. Again, while we go through this, be thinking about how we can apply what we see in God’s word in our own lives.

Let’s pick up with Nehemiah 2:1.

Nehemiah 2:1 NIV

In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before,

The first thing that stands out here is that Nehemiah now says it is the month of Nisan. That would be our April.

Why is that significant? Well, the previous chapter was in Kislev, our December. So, in December Nehemiah prayed,

Nehemiah 1:11 NIV

Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.

He was asking for success today. That means from December until April, Nehemiah was praying, and hoping for an opportunity to speak with the king about Jerusalem.

Nehemiah: a man of patient prayer

Nehemiah was praying for success today, but was patiently waiting for an opportunity to speak to the king. He was waiting for the Lord to open the opportunity.

Nehemiah knew he wanted to talk with the king, but he also knew,

Proverbs 16:9 NIV

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Nehemiah knew he needed the Lord to open the door for him to speak to the king. He needed the Lord to establish his steps, and not just go out on his own, trying to accomplish what he wanted.

Nehemiah could not change the king’s mind or heart toward Jerusalem, which he already determined to be a rebellious city which should not be rebuilt. But he knew a God who could!

Proverbs 21:1 NIV

In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.

God can change hearts, even the hearts of leaders who do not follow him.

So, Nehemiah prayed. And he prayed. And he watched for an opportunity, and he prayed.

He kept this up for four months!

That is persistence in prayer! That is patience!

Nehemiah was patient in prayer.

What else do we see in this verse?

Nehemiah 2:1 NIV

In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before,

Nehemiah: a man who experienced grief

Nehemiah was just like you and me. After four months of praying and watching for the Lord to give an opportunity, he was sad. For four months, he had born the grief of his people being in trouble and distress. It was a very real weight to him.

And like many of us, he carried that inwardly. He tried to not let his inner feelings show.

I wonder if he started out excited, and waiting for the Lord to answer his prayer, but after four months, the excitement wore off, and his inner grief over Jerusalem was growing?

Whatever the case may be, Nehemiah was overcome with grief, and this day it showed on his face.

Part of me admires Nehemiah in this. I am not good at hiding my feelings. Nehemiah would not allow his personal grief to effect him in his duties. He continued on being cupbearer of the king for all these months, keeping a cheerful attitude in his service. He did not burden others with his personal grief. He remained cheerful in the other aspects of his life.

However, this day, it was heavy on his heart, and he could not hide it.

What happened next?

Nehemiah 2:2 NIV

so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid,

Nehemiah: a man who experienced fear

So, the king asked why he was sad, and then Nehemiah was afraid!

Why afraid? Well, these ancient kings were not in the habit of wanting mopey people around them. They wanted cheerful people around them, people who would not bring them down.

And, Nehemiah being the cupbearer, the king would watch for any change in mood or behavior. He was already paranoid about being poisoned like his father. And for him to be poisoned, it would have to go through the cupbearer… unless the cupbearer was in on it! So, any change in mood in the cupbearer was a suspicious act!

What would the king do? Nehemiah’s life hung in the balance.

What would he do? How would Nehemiah handle his fear?

Nehemiah 2:3 NIV

but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

Nehemiah: a man of tact and honesty

Nehemiah was afraid. But he didn’t run for it. He faced his fear. He answered the king with tact an, honesty.

He answer with tact in making sure the king knew he was for the king. He built up this man who held his life in his hands.

He also did not accuse the king of being the reason the cit was in ruins. It was by the decree of the king, but Nehemiah just kept it to the fact that the city was destroyed and in ruin.

It was not the kings edict that made him sad. It was the ruin of the city. So, he answered with tact and honesty.

What happens next...

Nehemiah 2:4 NIV

The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven,

Nehemiah: a man of opportune prayer

This was it! The Lord opened the door of opportunity for Nehemiah. The king asked what Nehemiah wanted!!

But Nehemiah didn’t just blurt out that he wanted Jerusalem to be allowed to be rebuilt. He didn’t just rush into what he wanted.

Nehemiah prayed!! This was the moment. This was the time. But Nehemiah once again did not want to rely on himself. He relied on the Lord, so he prayed.

And, he spoke.

Nehemiah 2:5 NIV

and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

Nehemiah: a man who seeks responsibility

Once again, Nehemiah used tact and honesty. He worded it in a way that was respectful of the king who was in authority—the same king who had stopped the rebuilding of Jerusalem. He was respectful, and asked.

I love that Nehemiah did not just ask for the king to proclaim the city should be rebuilt. Instead, he sought responsibility. He wanted to be sure this was done, and done well. He asked the king to give him the responsibility to get the job done.

Many people want things, but do not want any responsibility for seeing it get done. That was not Nehemiah. He was a man who sought out responsibility.

Nehemiah 2:6 NIV

Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

Nehemiah: a man who saw God at work

Wow! God was at work! The king didn’t say, “No. That is a rebellious city.” He didn’t say, “I already made my mind up about that city.”

He asked how long Nehemiah would be gone!

Nehemiah saw God at work in the heart of this man.

This is an interesting verse for another reason.

Why did Nehemiah include that the queen was sitting beside the king? An added detail, that is actually noticeable. Because we know that the queen was not typically in the king’s presence unless requested. We see that in the book of Esther.

Well, Nehemiah points out that the queen was present. What I find interesting is that this word could be used for the queen mother. Who was the queen mother, or step-mother in this case?

Esther!

Could it be that Esther was sitting there? Could it be that God was orchestrating everything to open up the door for Nehemiah to have this opportunity to request, and be granted the responsibility of rebuilding Jerusalem?

Absolutely!

Regardless of whether Esther was there, this was God orchestrating things to change the heart of the king to allow the rebuilding of Jerusalem. God was at work!

It pleased the king to send Nehemiah!

Let’s keep reading.

Nehemiah 2:7–9 NIV

I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.

Nehemiah: a man with a plan

This is great! From this reply to the king’s question about how long, Nehemiah had an answer! He didn’t hem and haw. He knew, and he answered.

That tells me that Nehemiah didn’t just pray. Nehemiah planned. He wanted to be ready when God opened the door.

That reminds me of a clip from the movie, Facing the Giants. In that movie, a man challenges the coach,

“Two farmers prayed for rain. One of them plowed his fields. Which one was prepared to receive the rain?”

Nehemiah had prayed. And, he had planned. He was ready to receive ‘the rain’ when God sent it. He was ready for the opportunity with the king. He had an answer. He gave him a time.

But he didn’t just give him a time, did he? He asked for papers. He knew what he would need, and he asked for it all. He knew about the opposition he would face, so he wanted letters from the king, and an army escort.

If anyone had questions, he would show them the letters. And no one would dare cross him with the king’s troops there.

And, when he got there, there was opposition.

Nehemiah 2:10 NIV

When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.

Nehemiah: a man who faced opposition

The local leaders of the people around Jerusalem that had stopped the work, did not like this. But Nehemiah was prepared.

He had prayed, and he had planned. Then, he saw God at work!

And, one more thing...

Nehemiah 2:8 NIV

And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.

Nehemiah: a man to gave proper credit to God

Nehemiah didn’t think it was his praying and planning. He didn’t think it was because he buttered up the king so well. He didn’t think it was because the queen was on the king’s case.

Nehemiah gave God proper credit. God was the one who changed the heart of this king who ordered that Jerusalem not be rebuilt, to telling Nehemiah to go and rebuild the city, at the king’s expense, with the king’s authority, and the protection of the king.

God did that!!

And Nehemiah gave God proper credit.

What a great example for you and me today?!

That brings us to consider:

What about me?

Nehemiah was truly a man of God and an example for all of us.

Nehemiah was patient in prayer.

Am I patient in prayer?

Will I faithfully pray for things, even if it takes months or years for the Lord to work out His plan in that area of life?

Psalm 40:1 NIV

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.

It is important for us to be patient. God is working out His plans. To us, things need to happen immediately. God is patient, and working all things together for the good of those who love him. It is like a tapestry, in which the individual threads may not understand why they are woven or going through the things they go through. But God, sees the whole tapestry. He knows what He is working it out to be with all of the individual threads, and how they are woven together. We can trust Him. He is faithful. Let’s be patient in prayer.

Nehemiah felt grief and fear. So do we!! We all do. We need to learn to turn to the Lord in those times, and trust Him.

1 Peter 5:7 NIV

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Psalm 34:4 NIV

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

We need to take those griefs and fears to the Lord in prayer, and patiently wait for him to work!

Like Nehemiah, when faced with the king asking him why he was sad, we need to go to the Lord in all settings and circumstances.

Ephesians 6:18 NIV

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Pray, and watch for the Lord to work!!

Colossians 4:2 NIV

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Because the Lord is at work! We can trust him, like Nehemiah did. And in His time, at just the right time, God will work!

When there is an issue in our lives, we need to take it to the Lord in prayer. We need to patiently and persistently seek Him.

It is also proper for us to prepare for God to act! We need to plan with His wisdom, so we will be ready to move when God says go!

Proverbs 16:3 NIV

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

We should be people who plan for when God will act. We commit it to the Lord, and then plan for when God opens the door. We trust Him to establish the plans.

Nehemiah did, and God used him greatly.

Do you want to be used by God?

I do!

Let’s be Nehemiah’s today!

Let’s pray patiently and persistently. Let’s watch. Let’s plan. And then, let’s act with boldness and give God glory!

Homework

Read Nehemiah 1:1-2:10. Note the dates in verse 1:1, and 2:1. How long was Nehemiah watching and praying? Have you ever prayed for something persistently and patiently? Read Psalm 27. Waiting for the Lord is a message in many passages of the Bible. Psalm 37:7 and Psalm 40:1 are two other passages. As well as Isaiah 40:27-31. How does waiting patiently on the Lord develop us, and grow us into men and women of faith? What are you praying patiently for at this time? Is there anything in your life where you need to patiently, and persistently pray?

Nehemiah knew he needed to the Lord to have success. Read Proverbs 16:1-9, and Proverbs 21:1. We were given minds, and God does want us to make plans. However, who is the One who establishes what will or will not happen? Who grants success? Often, we think our plans are good, but God know our true motives. What does verse 3 tell us to do? How do you commit your plans to the Lord? What does that mean in light of verse 2? What plans do you have? Are you committing them to the Lord? In light of Proverbs 21:1, are we praying for our government leaders? How can we pray for them?

Read Psalm 34. David certainly knew grief and fear. how did he and Nehemiah handle grief and fear? David said the Lord delivered him. When has God delivered you in the past? How does that encourage you today? What do you see in this Psalm that encourages you? What would you use in this Psalm to encourage others?

Read how Nehemiah talked to the king: Nehemiah 2:5, 7-8. How should we address others, even those we feel have acted to harm us and those we love? What does scripture say about our speech? Proverbs 10:32; 15:1; 16:24; 17:27; Ecclesiastes 5:2; 10:12; 1 Corinthians 4:13; 1 Peter 3:15. What may need to change about your speech?

Nehemiah 2:8. Nehemiah gave God credit. He glorified the Lord for what He had done. What has God done for you? Hebrews 13:15. Make a list, and read it out loud to God, giving Him credit and honor for what He has done!