A royal mission.
Nehemiah
Chapter 2:1-8
In
the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when
wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now
I had not been sad in his presence.
And
the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not
sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very
much afraid.
I
said to the king, “Let the king live for ever! Why should not my
face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in
ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
Then
the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to
the God of heaven.
And
I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant
has found favour in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the
city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.”
And
the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will
you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to
send me when I had given him a time.
And
I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given
to me for the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they
may let me pass through until I come to Judah,
and
a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give
me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple,
and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.”
And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was
upon me.
As
we saw last time Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king. That was clearly
and important and privileged role. He was in reality the protector of
the king. It was often also a very precarious occupation. We remember
the cupbearer to Pharaoh at the time of Joseph. He was imprisoned and
in danger of execution for some wrongdoing. Also Ester who was Queen
to a different king in Susa around the same time as Nehemiah could
not even enter into the presence of the king with a sad persona. The
job of cupbearer was privileged but wrought with danger.
With
all of this in mind Nehemiah had to serve the king with wine even
though he was broken hearted due to the problems in Jerusalem.
Remember he had received news that the city was in disgrace because
it's defences were broken down, to Nehemiah this news was akin to the
death of a close relative. He mourned and prayed greatly over the
situation because it was not only the protection of the people that
was at stake but more importantly the honour of God who had chosen to
make Jerusalem the place where His presence would be seen and known
amongst His people. He was in effect their Emmanuel or God with them
and now all and sundry could come and go into the place that was
meant to be holy to Him.
That
is why Nehemiah was so distraught.
Clearly
he could not hide his feelings no matter how hard he tried. I am sure
that he hid the fact that he had been fasting and praying constantly,
he would have freshened up his face and made it shine with the best
of cosmetic oils available to him but that did not hide from the king
the matter of the heart. This was a new experience for both Nehemiah
and the king, Nehemiah had always been happy to be in service to the
king but this day was different and the king could tell immediately.
We will consider from our passage:
- The King's commission.
- Nehemiah's faith.
The
King's commission:
God
was at work in bringing his people the Jews back into Judea.
Zerubbabel had previously led a large number back to Jerusalem under
the guidance of Cyrus king of Persia. 72 years later Ezra had been
sent by King Artaxerxes in order to in his words “beautify the
house of God.” What he meant there was to teach the people the law
of Moses, Bible truth is the most beautiful adornment the people of
God can have. But now there is still a great need, the temple had
been re-built by Zerubbabel enabling worship to take place, the law
had been put in place enabling worship and the knowledge of God to be
true.
BUT
The
walls of protection were broken down and the gates of correct
entrance into the city of God were destroyed. The people were
defenceless and this is the city where God had chosen to make His
presence known amongst His people. That to Nehemiah and to all Godly
people is a disgrace and that is why he was so sad. Clearly even
though he tried to hide it from the king he could not.
BUT
God
was working His purposes out through the king and so he was concerned
for Nehemiah and more importantly for the reputation of God. It
pleased the king to send Nehemiah and a large number of capable Jews
to Jerusalem to build up the city's defences.
Artaxerxes
was a man who was brought up as a heathen who did not know who God
was until he came across folks like Ezra formerly and now Nehemiah.
He had clearly seen their faith in God even though they were captive
in a foreign land. They were excellent servants and so when the time
was right in God's purposes they were respected by the king and sent
away to perform mighty tasks for the glory of God.
Nehemiah
was a missionary for God sent by the king of a foreign land for the
purpose of “beautifying the house of the Lord: see Ezra 7:27.
God
uses the most unlikely of people to further his kingdom and also the
most unlikely of means of support. The king not only sent both Ezra
and Nehemiah (as had Cyrus sent Zerubbabel before them) but they also
paid the bill! Artaxerxes was a vital part of Nehemiah's mission but
as yet Nehemiah did not know what the outcome would be. Artaxerxes
was the sole supporter of the work but yet Nehemiah needed to
discover that. The way of discovery is fascinating and centres
around:
Nehemiah's
faith:
We
need to remember what we learned last week to fully understand what
is happening here. Nehemiah is in grief because of bad news from
home. His concern is not primarily the security of the people nor
really of the city but the reputation of God is broken down as is
demonstrated by the state of the city walls. For that reason Nehemiah
fasted and prayed continually that he might be able to do something
about it. He was being called of God to enter into a mission that
only he could fulfil. He was being drawn to a situation that would be
his great passion and god was about His business of motivating his
man into action. At the same time the king was being moved in his
spirit but all of this was in the background. God was working His
purposes out you see!
Everything
came to a head when Nehemiah could no longer hide from the king his
broken heart. The king saw right through him and was concerned for
his servant. At that point Nehemiah had a choice to make: Should he
be faithful to his calling or would he wimp out for fear of his own
reputation, comfort and security?
Enter
the “arrow prayer” that is often made so much of. I have heard on
many occasions how important an arrow prayer is that we can shoot up
to God in times of great need. Of course that is true but that is not
exactly as it was with Nehemiah, he had been constantly praying and
fasting for this very opportunity. He desperately needed to go to
Jerusalem and now was the fulfilment of all of those hours of prayer
and hunger. It was here that the “rubber would hit the road” and
make or break would be evident.
Nehemiah
prayed to his God in heaven!
He
needed boldness at that particular moment and so he prayed for it and
then he boldly requested of the Lord. God not only calls His people
into works of service for Him but He also gives them the boldness to
go! What is it that God has laid on your heart? Have you fasted and
prayed before Him that He might make it possible against all of the
odds for you to go for Him? God is still calling His people to acts
of service both young and old but are we like Nehemiah who was
passionate or are we rebellious and happy to sit in our ease and
comfort?
Nehemiah
had faith in God because by his own testimony “the good hand of God
was with him!” when the good hand of God is with you He then will
make your calling both possible and as we shall see from our studies
in Nehemiah you will also be successful in what God has called you
to.
Support
is always the difficult issue for any servant of the Lord. As we see
from Nehemiah support comes in full and from the most surprising of
places.
Where
does support come from?
On
this occasion it was from the king but he is not solely responsible
for his own generosity. God had moved his heart to be disposed of
towards Nehemiah, and it was God that opened up Artaxerxes cheque
book. Nehemiah could not afford all that was necessary to “beautify
the house of the Lord” but the king could.
It
is exactly the same today: god is still calling men and women to
service in “beautifying the house of the Lord” which is the
church. The church is made more beautiful by the addition of more
beautiful people who are the Christians! God's glory is made more
evident by ever convert to Jesus and so He sends his people into
mission whether it be Bolivia or Birmingham, Cornwall or Columbia!
When He sends He also supports. It is true that Nehemiah had to go by
faith and trust God for all things but it is equally true that God
supplied his every need. God usually supplies the needs of His
workers through the generosity of the church. He has gifted the
church in many ways and often with finance and God expects us to
release funds for the sending, training and support of those whom he
has called into gospel service. It is often said that a church keeps
it's pastor poor to keep him humble before God! If that is your
mindset then take a lesson from Artaxerxes, let us release what we
have for gospel purposes, there is no better investment that could be
made.
Nehemiah
was moved by faith to acts of righteousness, Artaxerxes was moved
with compassion and support and together they made a difference for
the glory of God.
How
will we glorify God?
God
is working his purpose out
as year succeeds to year:
God is working his purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
From utmost east to utmost west,
wherever foot hath trod,
by the mouth of many messengers
goes forth the voice of God;
give ear to me, ye continents,
ye isles, give ear to me,
that earth may filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
What can we do to work God's work,
to prosper and increase
the brotherhood of all mankind--
the reign of the Prince of Peace?
What can we do to hasten the time--
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
March we forth in the strength of God,
with the banner of Christ unfurled,
that the light of the glorious gospel of truth
may shine throughout the world:
fight we the fight with sorrow and sin
to set their captives free,
that earth may filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
All we can do is nothing worth
unless God blessed the deed;
vainly we hope for the harvest-tide
till God gives life to the seed;
yet nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
as year succeeds to year:
God is working his purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
From utmost east to utmost west,
wherever foot hath trod,
by the mouth of many messengers
goes forth the voice of God;
give ear to me, ye continents,
ye isles, give ear to me,
that earth may filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
What can we do to work God's work,
to prosper and increase
the brotherhood of all mankind--
the reign of the Prince of Peace?
What can we do to hasten the time--
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
March we forth in the strength of God,
with the banner of Christ unfurled,
that the light of the glorious gospel of truth
may shine throughout the world:
fight we the fight with sorrow and sin
to set their captives free,
that earth may filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
All we can do is nothing worth
unless God blessed the deed;
vainly we hope for the harvest-tide
till God gives life to the seed;
yet nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
Words:
Arthur Campbell Aigner (1841-1919), 1894
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