Nehemiah 10

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The people of God heard the Word and confessed their sins. Yet this was not all that was required. What commitment would they make to the Lord?

According to the last verse of the prior chapter, the princes and religious leaders made a covenant with God. They were not alone. The rest of the people joined with their brothers in this solemn promise “to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD.”

Their pledge was not only to obey in general. Specific obligations were cited in writing. They would not intermarry with the people in the land who were not Jews. They would keep the Sabbath day and even the Sabbath year. They would care for the poor in their midst.

The assembly also agreed to support the religious rituals of Israel in ways that were not precisely enumerated in the Law of Moses. They pledged to do what was right and necessary even beyond the exact letter of the Law. They would give their goods and even their children to the service of the Lord.

They would also respect the offices of priest and Levite according to the Lord's Word. These religious leaders also pledged to do their part. Concerning the worship of God they gave this solemn word: “We will not neglect the house of our God.”

This was a faithful step for the leaders and the people to take. It was good for them to make this commitment, but would they do what they had promised? The people in the days of Moses and Joshua had also promised to do what the Lord commanded. At various moments in the history of God's people exemplary kings had led the nation in commitments of ceremonial and moral faithfulness. Yet all of those words had come to nothing. God required perfect obedience from His people. How would they ever satisfy His holy demands?

Now we know how the Lord determined to keep covenant not only with the Jews, but with all His elect from every nation. He has perfectly kept the demands of His own Law and then died the death that our disobedience deserved. We are still called to pledge our obedience to God. We are never permitted to say that we have decided to keep on sinning. But when we fail, the Lord of glory lifts us up again calling us to repent and to recommit ourselves to obedience. His Son has accomplished a salvation for us that can never fail. Jesus is our perfect confidence.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, Your Son’s Name is on the seal of the Covenant of Grace. In His faithfulness we have been granted life. We thank You for His Name, which is the Name above all names. He faced such trouble and pain for our sake. He set His heart upon doing what was right according to Your Law and He has accomplished this wonderful obedience. He did not need to do this for Himself. He had life through His divine nature forever. Yet He became man and obeyed You as our substitute. He came to build a new house for You, a temple made without hands. We are in that temple, for we are in Him.

Nehemiah 9

Read Nehemiah 9

The faith of a renewed Israel needed to be more than ceremonial. After the celebration of the festival of Tabernacles, the leaders of the people led the entire covenant community in an official time of repentance and commitment before the Lord. Nehemiah 9 recorded their communal repentance and Nehemiah 10 their covenant obligation.

The words of repentance were accompanied by fasting and the cultural practices of deep mourning. The Book of the Law was read in their hearing followed by a time of confession and worship. The spiritual leaders of the people called the congregation into the presence of the Lord as they acknowledged their guilt.

Their prayer followed the story of God's people through Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and beyond. The Word of the Lord was the basis for their solemn entreaty. The Lord, the Creator, the God who keeps His promises, was acknowledged as the One before whom they needed to humble themselves, not only for their own sins, but also for the sins of their fathers.

God had made a promise to Abraham. He kept that commitment by delivering Israel out of Egypt and bringing them into a land He had given to them. In the process of this great redemption the Lord had revealed Himself through deeds of power and through the words of His oracles. But Israel had not obeyed the Lord's commandments. Despite very memorable provocations against His holy Name the Lord continued in mercy to His people.

Continuing with the history recorded in Joshua and Judges, the people acknowledged both the guilt of their ancestors and the many mercies of the Lord. The nation continually turned away from God, but when they cried out to Him He sent them “saviors” who rescued them from hands of oppressing nations who were too strong for them. Despite the forbearance of the Lord the people habitually slid back into disobedience. The problem was not only their outward behavior but also the stubbornness of their hearts.

Centuries of kings and prophets were summarized in this prayer. Through it all the pattern remained the same. The Lord was faithful in His discipline and the nation continually disobeyed her God.

The returned exiles now cried out again to the Lord asking Him to look upon their present hardships. They did not blame Him for their troubles. “You have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.” They appealed to the Lord as slaves of the Persians who knew that they had deserved the Lord's discipline.

In every generation we who worship God need to acknowledge our transgressions before the Lord. If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves. The cross of Christ makes no sense if we are faultless. Our disobedience demands honest confession and sincere repentance but it also insists on an effective atonement. Only the blood of a perfect substitute can remove our debt. We still need to repent, but we can boldly approach the throne of grace knowing that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, when we truly repent, our hope shines forth in the brilliance of Your grace. Thank You for the day of conviction of sin. Thank You for the will and determination that You grant to Your servants to worship You. Teach us to remember Your great acts of redemption that You have done for Your people in previous days. You have given us a good rule of life and have provided for all the needs of our bodies and souls. Would we return to the slavery of sin? You will not let us go in the way of foolishness forever. You sustain us, and You lead us. All of Your promises are absolutely faithful. There can be no question about Your goodness. There is also no doubt concerning our sin. We have been hardhearted. We have hated both Your Law and Your prophets. You have sent us the greatest Savior, Your Son Jesus Christ. According to Your abundant mercy turn us again to the way of life in Him. Do not make an end of us. Do not forsake us. You who keep covenant for generations, look upon our hardships and have mercy. With true sorrow we acknowledge our sins. Look on us now. We must have You. We give ourselves over to You again. It is our solemn intention to follow You. Never forsake us. Bring us to a place where we will finally and fully give up our love of sinning.

Nehemiah 8

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The people who were back in the Promised Land trying to reestablish the nation of Israel were in great need of the Word of God. But how could they understand it unless someone explained it to them?

Ezra the scribe not only read the Word to the men and women who gathered to hear from God, he also saw to it that this Word was expounded in their presence. A team of men helped the people to make sense out of what they were hearing.

Though the people of God undoubtedly had much cause for mourning concerning their disobedience, they were instructed by Nehemiah, Ezra, and his team that this was not a day for sadness. The honest receiving of God's Word with a humble and contrite heart is a cause for celebration. They would obey the Lord more fully if they came to appreciate the gift of “the joy of the Lord.”

Those who knew God best instructed the others with these important words: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” The nation had been living in ignorance and disobedience for too long. Now God had enabled them to love His Word.

This all took place in connection with the Feast of Booths, the final feast in the biblical Old Testament annual calendar. According to the Law, this last festival was to be a great celebration of the Lord dwelling with His people. Mourning would not have been appropriate.

The people learned how to rejoice in the Lord even back in that Old Testament period when there was so much biblical truth that they could not yet comprehend. If they had reason for gladness, we have far more. The Lord of hosts has dwelt among us. He is building an eternal temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are a part of that great tabernacle. God will accomplish His great purpose. He will live with us forever. No matter what difficulties we may face in this world of sorrow, the church is called to rejoice in the Lord always. All the promises of God are securely established for us in Jesus Immanuel, God with us.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father, we want to hear Your Word. Bring Your truth before Your assembly. Grant Your servants diligence in speaking and explaining Your Word, so that Your people may receive the sense of the Word that is spoken in their presence. May we rejoice in Your truth together. Teach us to love You with our minds and also with our hearts, our souls, and our strength. Teach us to hear and receive the joy of the Lord. Your grace is our sure salvation. When we understand Your words, there is hope, and cause for the greatest celebration. Teach us to love the truth that You are coming to dwell with us forever. May we hear Your Word day by day and rejoice in You without end.

2 Thessalonians Hymn

We Thank the Lord our God

Tune: Louisville, S.M.

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians

Verse 1

We thank the Lord our God

For brothers in His grace.

They suffer for their faith today.

They shall behold His face—

They shall behold His face!

Verse 2

The vengeance of the Lord

Will come upon the world,

But He will grant His sons relief

Who have believed His Word—

Who have believed His Word.

Verse 3

Our prayers ascend to God

That they might stand in faith,

According to His perfect love

Empowered by His grace—

Empowered by His grace.

Verse 4

The coming of the Lord

Is our hope every day.

With shouts of joy we sing to Him

Unmoved by what men say—

Unmoved by what men say.

Verse 5

The man of lawlessness

Will die by Jesus' voice.

All lawlessness will be removed.

God's people shall rejoice—

God's people shall rejoice!

Verse 6

Lord God, we love the truth.

Keep us in Your embrace.

We will not love unrighteousness.

O answer us in grace—

O answer us in grace.

Verse 7 of 10

The chosen of our God

Will seek the living Lord.

Established in the life of love,

They stand upon the Word—

They stand upon the Word.

Verse 8

We speak an urgent Word—

A Word from God Most High.

Though enemies would still our voice,

The Lord will hear our cry—

The Lord will hear our cry.

Verse 9 of 10

An enemy within

Would like to see us fall.

Why should we follow empty words?

We'll answer when You call—

We'll answer when You call.

Verse 10 of 10

Stand firm in Jesus' Name

In every time and place.

Now may the Lord of heav'nly peace

Be with you by His grace—

Be with you by His grace.

Nehemiah 7

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Nehemiah, the courageous governor that the Lord had used to lead His people at this important time in their history, had completed a monumental project. The wall was finished and the gates were in place. Yet Nehemiah's work was not over. Only the obedience of other officials and many servants of the Lord could insure that this important achievement would be used for the purposes of God. The governor needed to have people in the chain of command that he could trust. His standards were high. He said of at least one man whom he placed in an important role, “he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many.”

The right people needed to have a good plan in order for Jerusalem to be secure. The governor directed them concerning the times when the doors would be opened and the necessity of maintaining an effective system of guarding access to the city until the doors were barred shut at the end of the day. The entire perimeter of the wall required people who would be committed to protecting God's children from those who sought their destruction. Sloppy procedures could not be tolerated.

The right kind of faithful and God-fearing people were very important to the success of Nehemiah's plans. With that in mind the Lord put it upon the governor's heart to record for posterity the names of those who had led the children of God back into the land over the preceding decades. The information here was not new. We already encountered most of it in Ezra 2. What is new is the context. These names remind us that God was using specific people to reestablish the city of Jerusalem. They and their descendants would have to do their part in order to continue the good work that had been accomplished. It was time now for houses to be rebuilt that needed repairs. The heart of Jerusalem needed to be a place where people could live in peace. The city of God needed to be great once again, and that would require wisdom, strength, and faithfulness.

The people would have to be willing to give funds in order for the city to thrive. They gave their gold coins and other valuable possessions as an expression of their dedication to the Lord's purposes. Nehemiah led the way.

We sometimes imagine that our work is done when it is only entering a new phase. The completion of one crucial task only opens up new possibilities for those who will serve the Lord. Our King began the work of building a resurrection world. On the cross He said, “It is finished.” Yet He did not mean that He had nothing left to do to build the city of God. Even now He is watching over an unparalleled work involving many people. He appoints leaders to teach the Word and to lead others in works of mercy. The gospel of His death and resurrection had to be proclaimed and obeyed among all the people groups of the world. This would take many years. He is still leading all of these efforts down to the present moment. He is perfectly steadfast in His mission. He calls on us to do the tasks that He has prepared for us to accomplish. He gives us gifts of people and the blessing of wise and biblical directives. Our Lord is great. The city that He is building will be glorious.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord of Hosts, there is a day of celebration coming. While we wait for that greatest of all Sabbaths, there is yet work to be done. Put it within the hearts of Your people to consider seriously and deeply that our names are recorded in the Book of Life. When our callings require steadfast perseverance, help us to remember that You have chosen us from before the foundation of the world. Bring about a most glorious celebration at just the right time. Send forth Your Son, together with the holy angels and all who rest in Christ above. May our King separate the righteous from the wicked in perfect wisdom, that we might live in Your grace and rejoice in Your mercy forever. We have a godly heritage in this Son of David.  In Him we can prove that we are rightly in the land of promise, for He is Your eternal Son. He has given Himself for our salvation. Gather together the whole assembly of Your people that we might rejoice in Your presence forever. Even now we give You gifts out of the blessings that You have kindly bestowed upon us. May we dwell peacefully and joyfully in Your land forever.

Nehemiah 6

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Nehemiah had enemies. They wanted to discourage him in the work that the Lord had given him. They invented stories to distract him, but they were not successful. The man that they wanted to destroy was a steadfast servant of God. He was also a man of insight. When his detractors feigned interest in discussing their concerns with him he was able to see that they intended to harm him. His response to their invitation was uncompromising: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.”

These adversaries did not give up easily. They sent for this great governor four times without success. Eventually they increased their pressure against Nehemiah, suggesting that he was leading an insurrection against the Persians. They threatened to make a case against him. His response to their ridiculous charges: “You are inventing them out of your own mind.” His plea to God: “Strengthen my hands.”

His detractors still did not give up. They hired a man who was an inside adviser to Nehemiah. He attempted to move the governor in the direction of fear. They wanted him to flee for his life to the temple hoping to discredit him among those who were working on the wall. Nehemiah did not fall for it. He stayed on task and on message. He also turned over his enemies to the Lord's justice.

All of the plots against this man of courage were unsuccessful. During this entire period of testing the Lord's people continued their work until the wall was finally completed. At that point it was time for the enemies of God to be afraid. They could not deny that the Lord had done great things for Nehemiah despite their concerted opposition. Though they had help in their evil plots from some of the nobles of Judah, they could not achieve their goals. God gave His servant strength through all of these difficulties.

Perseverance in a good work is a gift from heaven. Jesus had plenty of it. He was building a new kingdom of God. Many powerful leaders wanted to stop Him. They thought they had outwitted Him when He was dying on the cross. But their plots which were carried out by the hands of lawless men were also accomplished according to the plan of a holy God. Evil men and angels wanted to trouble the Son of God. Instead their actions established Him as the Cornerstone of a new temple in the Lord. No weapon formed against Him or His servants will ultimately prosper.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, why must there be those who conspire against Your people? We are doing a great work, and it is a work that You have called us to do. Make us wise to know how and when to reply to the baseless accusations of those who seek to harm Your people. Help us not to run away because of the fear of men. We must do what You command, and not be unduly moved by the plots of those who seek to frighten us. You will make a good end to the work that You have called us to do.

Nehemiah 5

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In every era God's people are called to live in righteousness. We need good examples of holiness all around us so that we can see the right way to go and imitate it. Nehemiah was an example to the returned exiles in his day.

As the governor over the people Nehemiah was not afraid to confront them because of their abuse of the poor. The Law of God had provisions of mercy to help the weak. Those with the ability to come alongside their neighbors in times of difficulty were to lend generously to their brother Israelites. They were not to consider the hardship of others as an opportunity to get rich through the collecting of interest. The sabbath year, the year of Jubilee, and even the laws for indentured servitude were all directed toward helping those who were in need. These statutes were a very enlightened system for training up the needy and providing for their growth in dignity and industry. But the people of God did not obey the Lord's commandments concerning these matters.

Nehemiah confronted the rich among the people of his day. He heard the cries of desperate men and women. He took action to bring freedom to those in bondage and to stop people who were abusing others.

Nehemiah was not a hypocrite, accusing others of wrongdoing while he made himself rich at everyone else's expense. He was a man who knew how to give. He was willing to forgo what was his by right in order to make sure that the basic needs of many other people were satisfied. Others before him had not been as generous. Why was Nehemiah different? He feared God. He also called upon the Lord in prayer, asking God to remember his obedience in caring for the least of those who were among the children of Israel.

The gospel of the cross and the resurrection which is our life does not scoff at works of mercy. It insists that those who have experienced divine generosity through the gift of Jesus must be generous with their possessions and their lives. We care for young and old because Jesus has cared for us. We need not be embarrassed to ask the Lord to take note of our works. He has told us that He will one day publicly acknowledge that what we have done to the least of these His brothers we have actually done to Him. When you give to the poor you lend to the Lord. It is our privilege to be like Nehemiah because it is God's gift to us to be saved through the blood of His Son.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Our God, will we destroy our own people in Your church and ruin Your mission from within? Grant us godly leaders who will move forward in truth. We need to walk in Your fear. We need to use our resources in a godly way. We must not abuse the weak. Sanctify Your people and purify Your church. Teach us the blessing of not taking what may seem to be our right, so that we can care for those who need our help. May many people be fed at our tables and give glory to Your Name, for You are the Giver of every good gift.

Nehemiah 4

Read Nehemiah 4

The Jews who were called by the Lord to rebuild the wall in the days of Nehemiah did not serve for the applause of their neighbors. Important local leaders openly scoffed at this project and did all that they could to discourage the Lord's people. These enemies were angry and dangerous.

Nehemiah appealed to the Lord for help. “Hear, O our God, for we are despised.” He looked to the Lord for deliverance.

Most importantly, the Lord's people kept on working. With their disciplined efforts came progress and increased opposition. How did the builders respond to the schemes of their enemies? They prayed to God and they kept guard to protect themselves against any attacks that might come against them.

The opposition to this great project came not only from other people groups. Some Jews spoke against the mission. Even those who were on the front lines may have felt that they were reaching the end of their strength. The builders took up arms for their own protection. In this time of great trouble Nehemiah directed everyone's attention away from enemies and toward the Lord. Then he urged them to be ready to fight for their families and their homes.

When the Lord's people resisted evil, they found the strength to continue their work on the wall. With one hand carrying a weapon and one hand doing the work of building, the Lord's servants moved forward in the task that God had given them. Nehemiah urged them with this inspiring word: “Our God will fight for us.” Night and day they attended to their mission.

The work that Nehemiah and his companions did was appropriate for the era in which they served. The Lord was reestablishing Israel in the land.

Our kingdom task throughout the world is different today. While some within our number are called to serve in the military, the church has an eternal mission and better weapons. We preach the Word everywhere, and the Lord uses the truth to defeat the lies of the devil. “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4)

We use the Word of God not only to bring the gospel to those who have yet to believe, but also to protect the Lord's people in the church. The Lord is building a community of faith. We call one another to obey Christ. Without this accountability, we are not adequately protecting the Lord's city.

In all our endeavors of building up the kingdom and protecting our own families, our confidence is in Jesus. The city of God throughout the world is His creation. The Word that we preach is His message. It works in our midst by His power. The One who gave His blood for this great city will achieve all of His excellent desires.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Father God, You must be with us when our enemies mock us and laugh at the mission that You have given to us. Hear us, O Lord, for we are despised. Could it be that some of those who hate us might be granted a true heart of repentance? Many will only be moved to anger if we seem to succeed. They will not be humbled. Even within our ranks people may arise who counsel that we must abandon the work. Teach us to be wise in our thinking and in our tasks. Protect us with help from on high. May we daily hear Your Word in the depths of our hearts. Grant us a godly plan and strength of heart. May Your enemies be put to shame when they see Your faithfulness, for You know how to use our weakness for Your glory.

Nehemiah 3

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How can the Lord's people serve Him well in a time and place when those who oppose God and His people insist that everyone must give them and their demands preeminence? In the days of Nehemiah the Promised Land had become such a place. It was essential that Nehemiah and those who worked alongside him stay on message and be true to the mission that their Lord had given to them.

The wall that would provide needed security for Jerusalem was not a solo project. Each family who was engaged in this great work had an assignment that could not be ignored. The wall would only be as effective as its weakest section.

Some people who should have thought of this great work as God's gift to them instead thought that the tasks they were being told to perform were beneath them. The nobles of the Tekoites “would not stoop to serve their Lord.” Their arrogance is recorded forever in the Scriptures. Other important people understood the moment and did their part. One man who was “ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.” What a record of faithfulness!

Important religious leaders did not exempt themselves and their families from the manual labor. “The priests … repaired.” Many families repaired the portion of the wall that was “opposite their house.” Some worked near their extended families. The names that were recorded among these servants of God may not be recognizable to us today, but it is wonderful to consider that their efforts were recorded for our benefit.

In our era the kingdom of God reaches far beyond one city or nation. Each person who believes in Jesus is called to serve in a mighty endeavor that reaches all over the earth. Widows are cared for and orphans are protected and fed. The message of the cross is not only preached but lived out by many families who are seeking first the kingdom of God.

This great work started out with the hard labor that could only be accomplished by our great Captain. He bravely gave His life for us. Now we have the privilege of giving our lives for Him. It would be a great mistake for us to decide that something else was more worthy of our attention than our portion of the wall that the Lord has assigned to us.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Our Father, we must take a first step when we are engaged in a great work. Should we be successful in that first step, give us energy and wisdom for the next task in front of us. If we would build the wall around the city, we have no choice but to go step by step. While there are those who may consider themselves above hard work, Your men and women who love Your Name will count it a privilege to work on the mission that You have given to Your people. While each of us is weak and lacking in many important attributes, You are in the midst of Your people and are capable of using us in exciting ways. The work that You have for us is a person-to-person mission. What will we do in Your kingdom if we will not love Your people? You must fill us with the love of Christ, so that the work will move ahead in accord with Your holy will.

Nehemiah 2

NO MORNING WORSHIP AT CHURCH THIS MORNING BECAUSE OF SNOW. 

We will continue with Nehemiah 2 next Monday, Lord willing.

Read Nehemiah 2

The city of Jerusalem was in great need and Nehemiah knew about it. He had fasted and prayed before the Lord. Now, at just the right moment, this official serving the king of Persia had his opportunity.

When the king questioned Nehemiah regarding the cupbearer's demeanor, this devout man of compassion and action gave him an honest reply. Nehemiah was sad because of the miserable condition of Jerusalem.

The king responded with these words of opportunity: “What are you requesting?”

There was no time at that moment to organize all the faithful in prayer. The Bible simply tells us what one man did. “So I prayed to the God of heaven.” Right then, in the silence of that instant, Nehemiah sought the Lord. Then he asked the king to send him to Jerusalem to rebuild the city.

The king permitted Nehemiah to go. He also gave him the support that was necessary to undertake this great project. What was Nehemiah's conclusion regarding this amazing blessing? “The good hand of my God was upon me.”

When Nehemiah came to the local governors in the region around Jerusalem he immediately encountered people who would stand against him in his great project. They were not pleased with his arrival despite the letters that he held from the king of Persia and the military escort that came with him.

The Lord had given Nehemiah a job to do. Understanding the sensitivity of working in the midst of enemies, he went out secretly at night to inspect the remains of the wall. Then he met with the Jewish leaders who would have to be his allies in the days ahead and secured their commitments. They heard about what the Lord had already done, and they offered this encouraging reply: “Let us rise up and build.”

The enemies of Israel began to scoff at what was being attempted. They made their subtle threats. They would soon learn that the Lord had provided more than a royal letter and the promise of timber for this mission. He had sent a man of courage who would not run away when people tried to discourage him.

A man of courage is a great gift of God. The New Testament church is working in the midst of the ruins of Adam's world. Not everyone here below is happy about what we are doing. Above every other practical gift that God gives us is this: He gives us the greatest Man of courage to be our Captain forever. Jesus was willing to die in order to establish a new age of resurrection for His people. He will not be stopped by any enemies who imagine that they can thwart His perfect plan. He will build His church.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

Lord God, teach us the appropriate boldness of Your servants as You call us to a great work. May we turn to You continually in prayer. Grant us success in the mission of Your choosing. Your good hand will be upon Your children for the sake of Your Son. Fill us with hope in the darkest of nights. Show us the brokenness of Your kingdom and give us a vision for the rebuilding of Your holy city. Grant to us allies in faith who will believe with us in the calling that You have placed upon our hearts. Teach us to take courage, even in the face of opposition.

Nehemiah 1

Read Nehemiah 1 

In the days of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, the Persian Empire maintained control over Jerusalem and Judah. Some, but not all, of the Jewish exiles had returned to the Promised Land. Others had made a home for themselves and their families in the midst of the nations of the ancient Near East.

In the fifth century before the birth of the Christ, a Jewish man named Nehemiah, a faithful worshiper of the Lord, was an important official who had the confidence of the Persian king. This Nehemiah received a report concerning the sad condition of the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem. The report came several decades after the rebuilding of the temple. Though worship had been reestablished in Jerusalem, the people of God who lived there were in great trouble. The city wall was broken down.

Nehemiah cared. He came before the Lord with true humility, and he took steps not only to be informed about the plight of the Jews but to do what he could to be a part of the solution.

The prayer of this well-placed official was recorded in this opening chapter of the book that bears his name. Nehemiah honored the Lord and confessed the sins of the people in his heartfelt plea for divine help.

Nehemiah was a servant of the Lord making an impassioned plea for all the Lord's servants. They and their fathers had sinned against God and had brought great trouble upon themselves.

This devout Jewish leader turned to the Scriptures in his time of need. The Law had come to Israel through Moses, the author of the first five books of the Bible. This Law of Moses not only told Israel what God required of them, but it also explained how the people might find a way back to the Promised Land again after a time of rebellion.

Nehemiah made his plea before the Lord based on these historic instructions recorded in Deuteronomy 30. The Lord had scattered His people among the nations, but He was very capable of gathering them again in the security of His chosen city if they would repent of their sins and obey Him.

Nehemiah wanted to be a part of the Lord's answer to the prayer he prayed to the Lord. He would need to have the favor of the king of Persia. Nehemiah could make a plan, but only God could give him success in speaking to the king. If the walls of Jerusalem were to be rebuilt, the head of the Persian empire would need to have mercy when he heard his cupbearer's distress.

Where do you turn when you need help? Nehemiah knew that the God of the Jews was far above all the leaders of the earth. He knew that the Lord had sent His people into exile, but he also knew that God had made a provision for their restoration. The Lord is full of compassion and willing to move powerfully according to the earnest petition of one of His servants.

Our God is a God of mercy and action. When He sent His Son to die for us, He saw us in our pitiful condition, and He did what was needed, not only for the Jews, but for His chosen remnant from the nations. Jesus, our Messiah, accomplished so much for our salvation. It all started with this fact: He cared. Without His mercy, all that was necessary for our eternal safety would never have even been attempted.

Prayer from A Book of Prayers

O God, Your church faces great difficulty. We need You. Deliver us from trouble and shame. You are the God of heaven. We confess our sins before You. Please hear us and help us. We return to You now according to Your Word. We cast off all sinful patterns of thinking and living, and seek the gift of Your Spirit in fuller measure. Hear our prayer, and grant us success in our desire to serve You.