God will supply the way

Last week we seen the brokenness that Nehemiah was feeling because of the brokenness of the nation of Israel and the spiritual, social and economical condition the people were in there in Israel.

Because of this brokenness Nehemiah was very burdened for the people of God and the Promise Land.

This Burden had cause Nehemiah to fast and pray, and also a deep sorrow to come upon him.

This morning we will be looking at how God will supply the way when we are going through brokenness, and when we are in need of being rebuilt.

As we look in Nehemiah 2:1-10 this morning we will see 5 things from our text, and how God worked in Nehemiah’s situation to supply the way.

I. The Burden Vs. 1-3

Nehemiah 2:1–3 CSB

1 During the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, 2 so the king said to me, “Why do you look so sad, when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” I was overwhelmed with fear 3 and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

We are once again given a time, the month of Nisan, which would be our late March and early April in 444 B.C. of the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes.

This being four months after Nehemiah found out the news of Israel and the people of God.

Nehemiah states he had never been sad in the presence of the king before, as a royal servant, he was to conduct himself in a proper manner but after these four months, this burden had worn on him.

He goes into the presence of the King to perform his duties and he is so burdened that he does not realize that his appearance has failed, and is showing his sadness.

The King ask why do you look so sad, when you are not sick? The king could tell, this was a heavy burden on Nehemiah’s heart, as he states, this is nothing but sadness of heart.

Nehemiah suddenly realizes he has allowed his appearance to show what his feeling are, and now he is afraid, because he has not conducted him self in the proper manner.

As Nehemiah began his address to the king, he started with a common formula for addressing kings in those days, May the king live forever.

Then he states why he is sad, Nehemiah says, why should I not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?

Nehemiah raises his response in the form of a question, as why wouldn’t I be sad?

We notice that Nehemiah does not mention the city or the nation, Nehemiah knew what he was about to ask to do, and he also knew the history of the king and Jerusalem.

That is that years before the king had ordered the construction of the walls be stopped, which we find in Ezra 4:21-23

Ezra 4:21–23 CSB

21 Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me. 22 See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests will suffer. 23 As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

Nehemiah was nervous to bring up his concerns, his request, but now that he had allowed this burden to show in his appearance, he must now move forward.

Some times, when we are not doing what God is leading us to do, He pushes us a little bit, and that is what he did with Nehemiah, He allowed his appearance to show the burden, and the king to recognize it.

All this in order that the next things we see could happen, the request.

II. The Request Vs. 4-5

Nehemiah 2:4–5 CSB

4 Then the king asked me, “What is your request?” So I prayed to the God of the heavens 5 and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I may rebuild it.”

Because Nehemiah was so distressed the King says what is your request? The king could tell there was something heavily weighing on Nehemiah’s heart, so King Artaxerxes asks what is it you need?

We know that Nehemiah had been praying for this very moment, as we seen last week in chapter 1 verse 4, Nehemiah had fasted and prayed day and night over the situation in Jerusalem.

Therefore, he was prepared for this moment, he was prayed up we might say, but he still probably took a quick moment to quietly asks God to speak through him.

Nehemiah tells us specifically who he prayed too, it was not just some pagan god, it was not an idol, he says, I prayed to the God of the heavens.

Why did he specify that it was the God of the heavens, because no other god could make it happen, only the God of the heavens, that is God Almighty.

Nehemiah then answers the king with what he is seeking to do, what he would like to do.

He speaks with courtesy to the king, saying - if it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you.

Nehemiah is about to ask for a large request, as he holds a very important role in the Kings court.

We might think of him as the presidents chief of staff, or a cabinet member, again he plays a very important role, some one that is needed on a daily basis.

Nehemiah proceeds with asking the king for a leave of absent, he says, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I may rebuild it.

This is not just a request to take a few days off to go to the beach, this is not a request to go visit your family back home for a week, but an extended time.

And we must remember that Nehemiah holds a very valuable position in the kings court.

Normally the cupbearer would not leave the royal court as they would stay close to the king at all times, in order to serve the king.

Normally the cupbearer would not be making request of the king, especially request of this manner, but God had opened the door and supplied the way.

III. The Response. V. 6

Nehemiah 2:6 CSB

6 The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So I gave him a definite time, and it pleased the king to send me.

Now that God has given Nehemiah the opportunity to make his request and Nehemiah had prayed faithfully for four months for this opportunity.

Nehemiah then allows God to make the request through him, as he respectfully and humbly speaks to the king.

King Artexerxes responds with the queen seated beside him, which most believe that this shows us that this is more of a private occasion.

The king asked Nehemiah, how long will your journey take and when will you return?

The king is a Gentile, but yet God is moving in his heart to allow Nehemiah to go and do the work God is leading Nehemiah to do, but the king just wants to know how long is the journey going to take and when can the king expect him back.

We must remember that Nehemiah is important to the king, and hold an important position in the kings palace.

With that the king is willing to let Nehemiah leave, but does not want him gone forever.

He wants to know that Nehemiah will return, therefore, Nehemiah states, it pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

Now Nehemiah does not tell us here the time period that he gave the king, we will see later on in the book that Nehemiah will spend a lengthy period of time as governor but first he goes to rebuild the wall and set the gates.

This was not something that would usually happen, for the cupbearer to request a leave of absent, and the king to grant it, and say well how much time do you need, but when things are bathed in prayer, like Nehemiah did here, God supplies the way.

IV. Then God. Vs. 7-8

Nehemiah 2:7–8 CSB

7 I also said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let me have letters written to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah. 8 And let me have a letter written to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuild the gates of the temple’s fortress, the city wall, and the home where I will live.” The king granted my requests, for the gracious hand of my God was on me.

Nehemiah was not done with request, he knew God was on his side, and he knew he had bathed this in prayer, as he had fasted and prayed over this for the last four months.

Therefore, Nehemiah steps out in faith, once again with respect, Nehemiah says, if it pleases the king.

Now Nehemiah is about to really rely on God for this request, as he asks, let me have letters written to the governors of the regions, so that I will have safe passages until I reach Judah.

He does not just stop with safe passage, but ask for a letter to Asaph to supply timber to rebuild the gates, the city wall, and the homes of the people.

Some might say that Nehemiah is really pushing his luck here with king Artaxerxes but luck had nothing to do with this, it all came down to Nehemiah’s faith in the one that could do all things, the one who supplies all things.

As Nehemiah ends verse 8 with, the king granted my request, not because of luck, but he says, for the gracious hand of my God was on me.

Nehemiah could have just went with the request of going to Judah to rebuild the walls, and left it at that but Nehemiah knew God had a plan, he knew God is in the business of supplying the way and all needs.

Therefore, he did not just leave it at just going, but he asked for a letters of safety, and a letter to supply the timber to do the rebuilding.

And just as Nehemiah knew, God did what God does, he showed up and showed out, by making all things work to the good for those who love him.

To many times we rely on our own abilities, on our own ways, our own resources, but Nehemiah knew that the only way that Jerusalem’s wall and gates, and the people were going to get help was through God.

We need to realize that when we are faced with situations in life, that instead of trying to fix them on our own, in our own ways, through our own resources, and in our own abilities, if we will take it to God immediately, God will supply the way.

He is there, He is waiting, and He is wondering how long we are going to mess around trying to do it our way, before we bring it to him.

As we seen last week, Nehemiah immediately took it to God, fasting and praying day and night and when the time was right God made the way.

V. The Action Vs. 9-10

Nehemiah 2:9–10 CSB

9 I went to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to pursue the prosperity of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.

Nehemiah has got the approval from king Artaxerxes to go to Judah, to rebuild the walls and gates, he has been given letters for safe travel, and a letter for timber for the project.

Now Nehemiah puts this plan into action, He goes to the governors in the regions and presents the letters that king Artaxerxes has written for him so that he can travel safely.

Not only did the king write letters, but he also sent military officers and soldiers with Nehemiah to make sure he safely makes it to his destination.

Again we must remember that Nehemiah holds a very valuable position in the kings palace, and he is valuable to the king, and the king wants to make sure Nehemiah is able to make it there and back safely.

Once again we see that God is supplying the way for Nehemiah to get the job done.

Verse 10, we do see that there are two guys, Sanballat and Tobiah, that do not like the fact that Nehemiah is on his way to rebuild the wall and replace the gates of Jerusalem.

The reason is because they have been going into Jerusalem and bullying and robing the Israelites but if the wall and gates are rebuilt the Israelites will be able to protect themselves.

We will hear more about these two men as we study the story of Nehemiah.

Even as Nehemiah passes through the countries where Sanballat and Tobiah reside God has protected Nehemiah and supplied him with safe passage.

Nehemiah held an important position in the royal palace, a position that would generally never leave the kings location, the cupbearer was not someone that would generally speak before the king and especially make request of the king.

But Nehemiah knew how the situation in Jerusalem was going to get better, and it would only get better through seeking God.

Therefore, as we seen last week, Nehemiah fasted and prayed day and night, and he did this for four months.

This led to an opportunity, God supplied the way, God opened a door, the king noticed that Nehemiah was heavy burdened and asked what was needed.

Which was the open door, God then continued to supply the way, by giving Nehemiah what he needed to get to Jerusalem, which was letters for safe travel, also protection in the form of military escort, also a letter so that Nehemiah would be supplied with the timber to rebuild with.

We need to see that God has a plan, He had a plan for Nehemiah, and he has a plan for us, instead of trying to make our own plan and our own way, we need to seek God and his plan.

Allow him to make the way, allow him to open the doors.

We had a meeting with Farm Share this past Tuesday, and were approved to start receiving product, with that we needed to have freezers and refrigeration.

My wife put on Facebook that we were in need with in 10 minutes I recieved a call someone was donating a large chest freezer, and with in 2 hours someone else was donating another freezer.

By Friday, we had someone that had located a commercial refrigerator that needs a little work but we are on the right track with it.

Our state convention has approved us for 1,000 for our food ministry to helps us get what we need, our local association has approved us for 500 to help us get what we need for our food ministry.

We also are working on getting set up with feed America, to receive product in order to be able to help those in need in our area.

We also are going be start a second food give away time in the month of March, as it was brought to our attention when we meet with Feed America, that those that work but needy cannot come during are other time period, therefore we need a second time that those who work can come.

When I found out that the group we were working with before was dropping us, and we needed to do this on our own, in December at first I thought we can’t do it.

We will have people that will get turned away, but God said to me, are you trusting in yourself, and in the people or you going to trust in me.

See if we will seek after him, God will supply the way.

I do not know what you may be facing in your life right now, what you may have going on at work or at home, or with your health, or with whatever, but let me tell you this God will supply the way.

He is a way maker, miracle worker, chain beaker, He can do whatever it is you are needing if you will bring it to him, and allow him.

Whatever it is, will you come to the altar today, will you come and seek the father today, he is waiting with arms open wide.