Nehemiah – he’s work would earn a price today.

 Nehemiah was an official serving the Persians King Artaxerxes about 430 years before Christ was born during the time Ester was the quinn, the time coincidend with Ezra’s second visit to Jerusalem.

Nehemiah understood how to successfully, combine practical work with prayer. He was also an example of, how one person can change and influence generations to come.

It is worthwhile to study his life. The problems he faced are the same today. Every time God starts something new on earth, may it be a revival or a new discovery, the enemy will come and try to kill or distort it with criticism and challenge, attack or both. Therefore to understand Nehemiah, it is necessary to focus on the challenges he faced and how he overcame obstacles.

A call and strategy 

A survey and planning

Different sorts of criticism challenge and attack

Different reaction to problems

Celebration

Infiltration and maintenance

Comments                                                                                                       

Something new on this earth starts with a vision an idea or a burden or all of it.

Important as well is the timing and surroundings – to be at the right time on the right place with the right people. All this occurred as described in the book of Nehemiah.

Chapter 1 verse 2: Nehemiah – his name means the one that comforts – is staying in the Kings palace in Susan, the capital city of Persia.

Nehemiah receives a visit from Hanani – most likely an official from Jerusalem – with a few others exiles living in  the Babylonian kingdom.

Nehemiah inquires the state of Jerusalem from them, and receives a very pessimistic answer.

Verse 3:The walls are in ruin and the entrances are burned down.

Chapter 1 verse 4: When I Nehemiah heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Verse 8: He reminded God about the promises he gave to Moses, regarding the return of the people, and prayed for compassion from the King, when he gets to serve him as his cupbearer.

One of the cupbearer duties was to choose and taste the kings wine to make certain it was not poisoned .Therefore Nehemiah had to be a man who enjoyed the confidence of the king. The father of king Arhasuerus was killed by a courtier.

The people of Israel where driven out of there country a few time for not obeying the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.

At the same time God also promised to restore them back to their country.

The kingdom where divided in 2 – Judah and Israel, after the rain of king Salomon.

After him followed 20 kings in Israel and 20 kings in Judah. During that time 7 kings from Judah where more and less acceptable in Gods sight.

2 Chronicles chapter 36: The last king Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the Lord. Jerusalem was therefore burned down, the people killed or brought to Babylon to serve as servants. Daniel and his friends where among the captives.

Verse 21: The word of the Lord by Jeremiah: Chapter 25 verse 8-11.

The land had to lay desolate for 70 years, because the people did not obey the law given to Moses concerning the Sabbath.

Daniel, captive in Babylon, where fasting and praying, when he understood through Jeremiah, 70 years had past. Ezra established the temple with its offerings. Nehemiah restored the walls and its gates. King Ahasuerus son Artarerxes was married to Ester, who saved her people from destruction, as described in the of book Ester, which comes after Nehemiah.

Jerusalem and the temple had to be restored before Christ where to be born. The same will happen before Christ 2 return according to the book of Daniel.

Chapter 2: Describes how one month later – Nehemiah gets an opportunity to serve the king. The King notices the sad expression on his face, and ask him about it. After Nehemiah explains what is weighing him down, the king asks him, what he would do. Nehemiah having planned ahead  – takes courage and explains to the King and the Quinn who was sitting next to the King, what had to be done, to restore the wall and its gates.

Verse 8: The king gave me what I needed for God was with me. I also asked for letters to the governor of the provinces, and a letter to Asaph that he may give me timber from the Kings forest. The King sent Nehemiah of with an army of horsemen and officers. He also promised to supply all his needs. 

It was now official that Nehemiah was the governor of Judah.

Attack no. 1

Chapter 2 verse 10: When the Horonite Sanballat and the Ammonite Tobiah heard about it, they became very displeased.

It may well be, that those 2 governors had some sort of extra income because of caravan trafficking in that area, and that they where afraid of loosing it, if the Jews got better organized.

Before getting started, Nehemiah already knew, who may oppose him in his assignment, but he also knew, that God was on his side.

First he very carefully examined the walls and gates by night and does not tell anybody, what he is up to, before deciding what must be done.

Chapter 3: Families works in groups on the wall. The names of them all are listed in the same chapter.

Attack no 2.

Chapter 4: When Sanballlat and Tobias heard how well the work progressed,  they started to verbally assaulting the Jews.

Verse 4: Nehemiah prayed, when he heard about it: Hear O God how we are despised

Attack no 3

 Chapter 4 verse 7: When Sanballat Tobia and the Arabs heard that the repairing of the walls and gates went on, they conspired together and made plans to come to fight and make disturbance.

Verse 14: Nehemiah comforts the people, and remained them, that the Lord fights on their behalf.

Verse 13: He cut the work in half, so that one party stood guard, while the others where working. They guarded the walls by day and night, causing delay of the work, because of the circumstances.

Verse 20: At whatever time you heard the trumpet –be ready – the Lord will fight for us. In this way they frustrated the plans of the enemy.

Attack from inside – no 4:

Chapter 5: A difficult situation arose among the people, because the more wealthy ones explored their own poor people. Some had to sell their land or borrow money, or give their children into slavery, so that they would be able to pay tax to the king and have something to live on.

Verse 6 and continuing: Nehemiah got very angry, when he heard about it.

He consulted with himself and the nobles.

Verse 9: Nehemiah – the things you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of God because of the reproach of the nations our enemies? 

Corruption had come in to the camp, and Nehemiah deals with it firmly.

Verse 11: Please give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, their houses, also a hundredth part of their money, and of the grain, the new vine and the oil that you exacting from them.

Verse 12: Then they said: We will give it back and will require nothing from them. We will do exactly as you say. 

Verse 14: Nehemiah himself was an example. In those 12 years Nehemiah was governor neither did he nor his kinsmen ask for allowance from the people which the former governors had done.

Verse 17: Moreover there where at my table 150 Jews and officials daily. 

Verse 18: Exact calculation of food needed day by day.

Attack no 5 – the enemies plot.

Chapter 6 verses 2: Sanballat Tobia and the rest of the Arabs got rapport that the walls were finished. They thereafter sent a messenger to Nehemiah saying: Let us meet together. Nehemiah answered: I can not come, because I am doing a great work. 4 times they sent a message and 4 times Nehemiah answered the same way.

Verse 6: Sanballat sent a message the 5 time: People say, that you are going to rebel against the king and making yourself king and so on – come let us counsel together. Verse 8: Nehemiah answered: Such thing, as you are saying have not been done – but you are inventing them in your own mind.

Verse 13: Nehemiah realise that they had planed to scare him, in order that he might act accordingly and sin – so that they would have an evil rapport about him.

Verse 16:When the enemies all around them heard, that the work had been done, they realised that the God of heaven had supported the work of the Jews.

Celebration of the Wall.

Chapter 11: Interesting to notice – one out of 10 of the tribes where to live in Jerusalem together with the leaders. Choosing was done by  the means of casting lots. The names of them all are listed in the same chapter.

10 % is a Godly measurement as seen throughout the bible, starting with Abraham meeting the King of Salem: Genesis 14 verse 17 -24, giving him  10%.

Chapter 12 verse 31 onwards: Nehemiah’s organizing talent is clearly seen.

One part of the tribes went one way on top of the wall, and another part the other way on top of the wall.

They offered sacrifice and celebrated with songs, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

Verse 44: On that day men where appointed over the chambers for the stores for the portions required by the laws given by Moses for the priests and Levites.

Chapter 13.

Verse 1 Rules and Maintenance: When the book of Moses where read out loud for the people, it was discovered, that the Moabites and Ammonites should not have part in the Assembly of God.

Some situations are judged on earths like Sodom and Gomorra. Others will be

judged at the end of times, according to the law given to Moses.

Jesus came to forgive and restore, but it is a free choice for those who have understood.

God is and was and will be for ever the highest level of power and authority.

Verse 4:  Infiltrations – The priest Eliashib, who was appointed over the chambers of God, was related to Tobiah – opposition’s leader to Nehemiah. During the time Nehemiah visited the King Artaxerxes of Babylon,

the priest Elishib gave one of the stores toTobiah – corruption.

The Levites and singers had gone back to their land because there was no supply for them. The house of God was forsaken.

Verse 13: Correction– When Nehemiah returned from Babylon, he appointed other people for the contribution, to the people in charge of the house of God.

Listed are priest Shelemiah scribe Zadok Levite Pediah and others.

Verse 15:  Nehemiah discovered that the Sabbath was not respected.

Verse 19: Correction by action by closing the opportunities for trading and give strong warnings with penalties if rules where broken.

New Testament reads free choice for a day of rest. The Apostles made the day of rest the day the Lord was resurrected – Sunday.

Colossians chapter2 verse 16: No one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.

Verse 23 and onward: Nehemiah cleans out sins among the people according to the law given to Moses.

For those believing in Christ, these laws have been fulfilled because the perfect lam of God Jesus Christ paid for all sin past, present and future, for those who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart, that God all mighty raised him from the dead.

The Gentiles – the foreigners are accepted into the family of God, as prophesied long ago through the prophets. 

Comment:

Nehemiah prayed and fasted, before he did something important.

He had big plans and acted on them in spite of oppositions.

He stood in for the people and shoved his feelings.

He had insight in situations and acted on them, when necessary.

He did everything carefully, being fully aware of his responsibilities.

He was well organized and he had high expectations.

He did not differentiate between people –  rich or poor.

He understood to comfort people and to lift their sight to new expectations.

He led people on the right path, to follow God and made them respect the laws and commandment.