Bible Commentaries

John Brown

Nehemiah 1:1-11

Recognizing the Need

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Nehemiah is a book about John 5:30 (NKJV) "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

D. The book of Nehemiah gives us tremendous insight into the Biblical principles of Haggai 1:1-7 (NKJV) In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, "Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying: `This people says, "The time has not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built." " " Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, "[Is] [it] time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple [to] [lie] in ruins?" Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: "Consider your ways! "You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages [to] [put] into a bag with holes." . . .

4. It has been more than90 years since the first group returned and built the foundation for the Temple and the walls around Jerusalem remain desolate!

a) The people are vulnerable to attack on every side and are kind of a "laughing stock" to everyone.

(1) You see the walls around a city stood for strength and protection.

(2) God needed someone who would be willing to rise to the occasion. Someone dedicated enough to even ask the Lord how He wanted him involved!

(a) That man was Nehemiah!

1. Nehemiah 1:1-11 (NKJV) The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, (November- December) [in] the twentieth year, (of King Artaxerxes- 445 BC) as I was in Shushan the citadel,

2that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3And they said to me, "The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province [are] there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem [is] also broken down, and its gates [are] [burned] with fire."

4So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned [for] [many] days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

5 And I said: "I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, [You] who keep [Your] covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,

6 "please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned.

7 "We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.

8 "Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, `[If] you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations;

9 `but [if] you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, [yet] I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name."

10 "Now these [are] Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.

11 "O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." For I was the king's cupbearer.

A. What does this have to do with me? (Modern applications)

1. Every Christian needs to keep the walls in good repair around the city if his/her soul!

a) Perhaps at one time our relationship with the Lord was strong and wonderful.

b) But, often those walls begin to fall into disrepair, and when they do we are very vulnerable to attack from the enemy!

c) Not only are we at risk, but so are our families.

d) Perhaps you are sitting here this morning and the walls have been broken down for a long time!

(a) Maybe this is the morning you begin repairs.

(b) As with Matthew 9:36 (NKJV) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

b) Luke 23:34 (NKJV) Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.

c) LET US ARISE AND BUILD!