Today's lesson comes from the book of Nehemiah 1: 1-11. There has been a lapse of 12 years since the events of last Sunday's lesson. Ezra and Nehemiah lived during the reign of Artaxerxes. Some scholars believe the king wanted to build up the province of Judah as a base for military operations in the west. Trouble was developing in Egypt, and a strong pro-Persian group of people in Palestine would be militarily advantageous.
Nehemiah was the cupbearer for the king. Such a man not only mad sure the food and drink of the king was free from poison, but he also served as a counselor and friend to the king. It was a prestigious position in the Persian Empire. Yet, Nehemiah's affections were centered on the condition of his people, the Jews. If he could advance the Jewish cause, he would gladly give up his position and luxuries.
Prayer is an important subject in today's lesson. Nehemiah's prayer included praise, humility, confession, God's promises quoted, and petition. Too often when people pray, it focuses only on petition. I remember the old line, "Gimee, gimee, gimmie, my name is Jimmy." Prayer is so much more than just asking for things. As the story progresses, you will see Nehemiah's constant communion with God.
The first section is: Report of Affliction. vv. 1-3 Nehemiah's brother, Hanani, arrives back in the capital city of Shushan in 446B.C. Ninety years have elapsed since Zerubbabel led the first group of Jews back to Palestine. Nehemiah would have been curious as to how everyone was doing in the homeland. While Nehemiah had a high position in Persia, he kept his affections set on a distant land. We should be the same way. We live here, but our home is in a place far away. Our affections should be there and not become too attached to the world.
The men gave Nehemiah a disturbing report. The small group of Jews in Palestine were struggling. They were surrounded by people who were antagonistic to the Jewish cause. Some of the enemies were outspoken and they had taken steps to stop the Jews from rebuilding their nation. There had been an attempt to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, but that attempt had been brought to a halt by the Jews' enemies (Ezra 4). The gates had been burned during the Babylonian invasion. Without walls and gates, the city was unprotected and could be easily overrun. Their national and religious center was defenseless. All of this would have been very troubling to Nehemiah.
The summary points of this section:
1. While we live here, our hearts should be on the kingdom of God.
2. Bad information received should be a matter of prayer, not gossip.
3. We should as we are able assist our Christian brothers and sisters in need.
The second section is: Response of Anguish. vv. 4-7 Nehemiah loses his strength when he hears the report. It was not just an emotional sadness, but instead it was a real soul burden. Nehemiah began seeking God for approximately 120 days. He "fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." When facing a problem, the first action should be to seek God in prayer.
Nehemiah addresses God similar to how Daniel did in Daniel 9:4, "God of heaven, the great and terrible God." God is not only powerful, but He is gracious in that He "keepeth covenant and mercy." Nehemiah was consistent in praying "day and night." To help the Jews plight, Nehemiah would need King Artaxerxes help. That is why he would have prayed that God would "grant him mercy in the sight" of the king.
Nehemiah's prayer involved both petition and confession. He stated, "We have sinned against thee." Prayer is an act of humility bringing the need to Almighty God for His assistance and help. I worry when I hear people command God in prayer. We are to be respectful and honest in our praying. It is acceptable to talk to God even if you are unhappy with His lack of response to your requests. I believe God enjoys our raw emotion and honesty, but it must come from a place of deep humility and contrition.
The summary points of this section:
1. Prayer is the first act to take when facing a problem.
2. We should pray honestly with an attitude of humility.
3. When interceding for others, we need to identify with the ones we are praying for, feeling the weight of their sin and making confession.
The third section is: Request of Assistance. vv. 8-11 Having come before the LORD in reverence and praise, Nehemiah begins quoting the promises of God back to Him. Just like a parent takes pleasure when his child speaks what he has said, God takes pleasure when we quote Him. Nehemiah, like Moses, reminded God of His promises and His word. Moses prayed that God would not destroy the Israelites in the wilderness. Nehemiah prayed that God would gather the Jews and bring them "unto the place that I (God) have chosen to set my name there." God had promised to gather back His people once they had turned back to Him and Nehemiah was reminded God of His word. Notice that Nehemiah did not carry the burden alone (v. 11), but enlisted others to pray with him. Nehemiah closes his prayer with a specific request, "prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." If we have God's mercy, He will work on our behalf. And, He did.
The summary points of this section:
1. Praying God's Word back to Him builds our faith, and pleases God.
2. God always has a man that He can use in the right place at the right time.
3. You should enlist the help of other to pray with you.
Examples of summary point 2 are:
1. Obadiah was in Ahab's court for Elijah and God's prophets.
2. Ebed-melech was in Zedekiah's court for Jeremiah.
3. Nehemiah was in Artaxerxes's court for the Jews.
The Golden Text is: "O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant." (Neh. 1:11) There are several keys to Nehemiah's prayer:
1. Verses 4 and 5, he began by exalting the LORD.
2. Verses 6 and 7, he followed with a confession of his and his people's failures.
3. Verses 8 and 9, he quotes the promises of God.
4. Verses 10 and 11, he makes a specific application.
Nehemiah provides a good pattern to follow in praying. Let us be faithful.
Next week, "A Call to Labor." (Nehemiah 4-13; 17,18)
No comments:
Post a Comment