Nehemiah 1:11b-2:8

Nehemiah 1:11b-2:8

If the culture of Gods Kingdom is going to be driven deeper into our DNA as a church, and that culture, expressed in our mission as a church is going to be lived out we must begin to understand that God does not need us. However, God graciously invites us to represent him well, have our faith strengthened and enjoy the show as he shows his might, power and mercy

2:1 Nehemiah persevered in mourning/repentance, prayer and fasting for roughly 4 months
- Chislev (9th month) to Nisan (1st month)
- Psalm 126:5 “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!”
- “restore the fortunes” v. 1, 4; “shouts of joy” v. 2, 5, 6
- Other nations see and give credit to Jesus
God values
- Perseverance
- Our best (mourning, repenting, praying and fasting people inherit the
kingdom)
-

1:11b Nehemiah, as cupbearer, was right where he needed to be and waited for Father to arrange the right time and means

Nehemiah was not trying to make things happen by shaking things up.

- Stay where you are until the mission demands you to
change positions barring any necessary survival requirements (loss of a job).

- This requires:
- Trust
- Personal patience to wait (don’t believe the lie that you are 27 and
missing life. 20’s you are finding your passion. 30’s you are
narrowing your passion and improving your game and must
focus your attention. 40’s you are refining what you do. 50’s
you hit your prime)
- Knowing what makes you pound your chest not what makes you
a better income
- This is the intersection of what you do well and enjoy
and what brings God great glory

1:11b Nehemiah, as cupbearer, was in an vital position although not
counted as vital personally
- Nehemiah was a slave
- Nehemiah was probably made a eunuch to serve in this position
- God does not need vital people, people need a vital God
- God delights to take humble people and use them vitally
- This humbles people to a place of usefulness


2:1 Nehemiah was consumed with Jerusalem and the Lord’s name there. He was so consumed it showed on his face.
- Nehemiah’s countenance showed the wear and tear of the internal emotive
struggle and he could not hide the internal state anymore. He was probably
unaware of the fact that he was showing this countenance. His fearful
seems to indicate he was taken aback and realized he had “goofed”.

- Don’t seek to happy up just because you are down over godless ills (I understand there are medical circumstances where this does not apply, but by and large we are a culture that seeks the immediate removal of the slightest feeling of the blues with entertainment)
- Seek the Lord’s directives and what needs to be done not what
makes one feel better quickly.
Illustration: only after divine confrontations do we usually act. It was Father confronting me with the fact that I was going to do what I say personally or show I really do not believe in regard to Daniel’s adoption.
The ensuing legal battle taught me to love and was a year long emotive tug of war that resulted in my love of that boy.



1:11, 2:4 Pray like the mission depends on it (it does)
Nehemiah had already gathered a team of prayers and planners (1:11 the plural indicates there were others praying the same prayer and it was probably Nehemiah who had gathered them) and when the Father gave the go he was ready.
- “...servants who delight delight to fear your name.”
- Luke 18:
- John 15:16
- Prayer is to be patient and persevering
- Prayer is also to be a quick request for instant direction usually
applying to a well prepared situation.

2:6-8 Nehemiah was mobilized to act
- Nehemiah was prepared
- Nehemiah mobilized a team of people 1:11
- Gather people who do not do what you do and do what you don’t
- Go

2:8b Understand and enjoy that God is providential.
This is the perfect safety net.

The “hand” of God is the visual image given to the reader to indicate that it is God in his goodness for his people guiding these events and not Nehemiah. Nehemiah is responding to the Lord’s promptings and Nehemiah can read them. Nehemiah knows when God is moving.
“God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he (1 preservation) keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which he created them ; (2 concurrence) cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and (3 government) directs them to fulfill his purposes. – Wayne Grudem
- This produces worriless action
- This produces confident action
- This produces worship in action and song