Prayer, Patience, and Proceed
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These last few weeks have been interesting in many ways. One of the hardest things though was being unable to respond instantly to problems. Two weeks ago I received a call from our alarm company saying that a motion sensor was set off in the church. It was in the late evening and everyone else on the call list was probably asleep already. Normally I would have just jumped in my car and come right over, but I had to figure something else out. Of course that needed solved right away, but sometimes it is not so urgent, or we give it more urgency than it needs. One of the things I did while isolating was I did some more work on the dining room table I am attempting to build. There was plenty to do and I had brought my materials and most of my tools with me. However, I realized that there were some things I was missing. Normally I would just hop in the car, run to Home Depot or Lowe’s and buy what I was lacking. Instead, I simply went on to another step, realizing that I still had things I could do and that I could wait to tackle “that problem” until I was able to be back in society. I think there is something in my nature that makes me want to tackle a problem the moment I think about it.
We
Anyone else have this temptation? We want to instantly address problems. This often can get us in trouble too. Think about it, what do you do when you hear bad news? What about when something breaks? Today we are going to be starting a series on Nehemiah so let’s open our Bibles to Nehemiah chapter 1.
God
As we are turning there I want to remind you of the setting of the book of Nehemiah. If you will recall after the reigns of King Solomon, Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The northern 10 tribes were known as Israel, and there history is characterized by evil kings and eventually they are conquered by Assyria and deported. Their defeat was so complete that history has lost track of anyone descended from those 10 tribes. The two southern tribes, Judah and Simeon became the kingdom of Judah with some Benjamites sprinkled in as most of Benjamin’s territory came under control of Judah. The kingdom of Judah continued to have a descendent of David on its throne for most of its history and while it had both good and evil kings, after weathering the attack from Assyria, eventually it to was conquered and deported by Babylon, which had defeated and replaced Assyria.
Yet when the Medes and Persians overthrew Babylon, which is recorded in Daniel, the process of the exiled Jews (from Judah) returning began. Before we get into Nehemiah let’s read in Ezra chapter 4. If you have found your way to Nehemiah, just turn back to the left a few pages.
At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, the people who were already in the land wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem.
During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.
Rehum the chief deputy and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:
From Rehum the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues—the judges and magistrates from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa (that is, the people of Elam),
and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and the region west of the Euphrates River.
This is the text of the letter they sent to him: To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River:
Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations.
Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer.
Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king, and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king
that a search should be made in your predecessors’ record books. In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.
We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.
The king sent a reply to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River: Greetings.
The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.
I issued a decree and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts in it.
Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates River, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them.
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.
See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests will suffer.
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.
A few things to note. First, those who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem preyed on the King’s insecurities. Second, Artaxerxes was wise in that he gave himself time to review. Lastly, the letter was used as an excuse to do more then they were commanded. It is most likely that these are the events that immediately precede what happens in our text.
The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: During the month of Chislev in the twentieth year, when I was in the fortress city of Susa,
Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile.
They said to me, “The remnant in the province, who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned.”
Things were not as Nehemiah thought they would be. The temple had already been rebuilt. I’m sure he was expecting that progress was being made on the wall. Instead it had be destroyed and the gates burned, again. Let’s take a look at Nehemiah’s response.
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.
I said, Lord, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands,
let your eyes be open and your ears be attentive to hear your servant’s prayer that I now pray to you day and night for your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins we have committed against you. Both I and my father’s family have sinned.
We have acted corruptly toward you and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances you gave your servant Moses.
Please remember what you commanded your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples.
But if you return to me and carefully observe my commands, even though your exiles were banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have my name dwell.”
They are your servants and your people. You redeemed them by your great power and strong hand.
Please, Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to that of your servants who delight to revere your name. Give your servant success today, and grant him compassion in the presence of this man. At the time, I was the king’s cupbearer.
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,
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
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?”
Then the king asked me, “What is your request?” So I prayed to the God of the heavens
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.”
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.
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.
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 does three things that I think we can learn from here. First, he prays. Not only does he pray but he fasts.
Nehemiah’s Action Plan
He prays and fasts
In his prayer he references Deut 4:25-27 and acknowledges the sins of his people and he also takes personal responsibility for his sins and the sins of those who went before him.
“When you have children and grandchildren and have been in the land a long time, and if you act corruptly, make an idol in the form of anything, and do what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, angering him,
I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that you will quickly perish from the land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. You will not live long there, but you will certainly be destroyed.
The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be reduced to a few survivors among the nations where the Lord your God will drive you.
But then he also paraphrases Deut 30:1-6 which reads:
“When all these things happen to you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you come to your senses while you are in all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you,
and you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and all your soul by doing everything I am commanding you today,
then he will restore your fortunes, have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you.
Even if your exiles are at the farthest horizon, he will gather you and bring you back from there.
The Lord your God will bring you into the land your ancestors possessed, and you will take possession of it. He will cause you to prosper and multiply you more than he did your ancestors.
The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live.
Use the Bible as your prayer book.
Nehemiah uses the Bible to acknowledge the sins of his people and to call upon God to do what He promised to do. We are much more likely to see answers to prayer that are yes when we pray in keeping with God’s word.
Nehemiah’s Action Plan
He prays and fasts
He is patient
Four months later Nehemiah finally allows the king to see that something is wrong. Nehemiah was extremely patient, continuing to pray and fast. Why did Nehemiah choose this time? We do not know, but we do know that Nehemiah did not rush in to the king with his problem, he prayed, fasted, and was patient.
Nehemiah’s Action Plan
He prays and fasts
He is patient
He proceeded when the opportunity was there
Nehemiah seized the opportunity when the King asked him what was wrong. He also continued praying before he asked. Not only that, but he had prepared for the encounter. So maybe the real action plan looked like this:
Nehemiah’s Action Plan
He prays and fasts
He is patient
He planned
He proceeded
Please do not misunderstand this as “God helps those who help themselves.” That is a bunch of well meaning baloney that is not found in the Bible. We must pray and we must act. Prayer alone is not enough. Faith alone is not enough. Genuine faith spurs action that is bathed in prayer and scriptural truth.
You
What problems are you facing right now? How are you facing them? Are you facing them as if you must act and then wait for God to bless you or your action? Or, do you approach them as Nehemiah did, prayerfully, with a patience, some planning, and then being ready to proceed as God gives the opportunity. Take a few moments right now and pray to God about what He is speaking to you in this moment.
Pray
We
Now I want us to turn our attention to our church.