Psalm 79 and Nehemiah 1 - 3
In summary:
Yahweh demonstrates His sovereignty once again when He receives Nehemiah’s prayer and provides everything necessary to attain another step forward in the reconstruction of Jerusalem.
Yahweh demonstrates His sovereignty once again when He receives Nehemiah’s prayer and provides everything necessary to attain another step forward in the reconstruction of Jerusalem.
In more detail:
Here in Nehemiah 1 we meet another man like Ezra, another who was prepared by the study of God’s word and whose deepest desire was poured out in devoted prayer to Yahweh.
Notice the news that inspired his prayer: “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire” (Nehemiah 1:3). It’s been more than a century since Cyrus decreed that the Jews could return and rebuild Jerusalem, and a large part of the city is still in ruins and without defense. Although the group that left with Zerubbabel finished the construction of the temple and the group that came with Ezra was confirmed in Moses’ Law, Jerusalem remained physically vulnerable to attack and in shameful ruins.
Part of the reason for this state of affairs is their enemies’ success in preventing the rebuilding of the city. We’ve read previously a letter written to Artaxerxes, the reigning king during the book of Nehemiah: “Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired” (Ezra 4:12-13). With Artaxerxes’ response, the neighboring enemies forcibly stopped the construction of the walls, (Ezra 4:23).
Nehemiah was impacted by the news and presents his request, not to Artaxerxes like his enemies had done, but before the God who has authority even over Artaxerxes: “I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4). His description of Yahweh in Nehemiah 1:5 echoes His revelation to Moses in Exodus 34:5-7 when the latter pleaded for mercy after the idolatry of the golden calf at Mount Sinai. Through this reference and his reference to the covenant, Nehemiah places this new petition firmly in the tradition of Moses’ intercession, here asking Yahweh to forgive the people for their more recent idolatries.
Just as in Ezra’s confession of sin in our previous reading, Nehemiah identifies himself with the sins of his people: “Hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses” (Nehemiah 1:6-7).
How does Nehemiah dare to seek forgiveness for his people when they deserve Yahweh’s just wrath for their sins? He quotes from Yahweh’s covenant, a summary of Deuteronomy 30:1-5: “Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there’” (Nehemiah 1:8-9). He rests in the security of Yahweh’s past mercies, specifically in the redemption from slavery in Egypt, for the certainty that He will visit His people in mercy again: “They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand” (Nehemiah 1:10).
He closes his prayer with his most immediate request: “Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man” (Nehemiah 1:11). “This man” is Artaxerxes, the most feared and powerful king in all the earth, a king with
dominion over numerous cities and peoples; but before Yahweh, he is simply “this man”. In a few months, Yahweh responds to Nehemiah’s request through Artaxerxes, and after a century of ruin, the walls of Jerusalem will be rebuilt in a relatively short time.
The prayer of a righteous person has great power (James 5:16).
But upon Nehemiah’s arrival in Jerusalem, it is evident that prayer is only one part of the project. First, he must address the lack of vision and diligence regarding
Jerusalem. When we read of Nehemiah’s solitude in riding through the city at night with just a few men, not perceived by anyone, and when we read of the evidence of Jerusalem’s destruction still remaining after a century, to the point where Nehemiah could not pass on horseback (Nehemiah 2:11-16), we realize that the city is nearly abandoned. Jerusalem at this time probably served as a religious and administrative center, nothing more; as night fell, the vast majority of those who worked there would leave the city still in ruins and return to their homes outside the remains of the wall.
Therefore Nehemiah gathers the priests, nobles, officials and others to present his plan: “Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 2:17). Notice how he identifies himself with them in their shame and in its resolution: “You see the trouble we are in… Come, let us build… that we may no longer suffer derision” (Nehemiah 2:17). Just as he identified himself with them in prayer from afar, now he identifies himself with them close up in their difficulty, shame, and (God permitting) in the solution and victory, too. He also explains to them how God prepared everything for this opportunity and the royal approval of this project (Nehemiah 2:18). Everyone’s attitude changes, and they are eager to participate in the work: “So they strengthened their hands for the good work” (Nehemiah 2:18).
Opposition begins immediately, too: “When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, ‘What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?’” (Nehemiah 2:19) Notice that none of these are Israelites; none have a part in Yahweh’s covenant, and all of them hold significant influence in the region now that the Israelites have been weakened. Because of the change that would transpire from a walled city belonging to a different ethnic group right in the midst of their spheres of influence, they begin to protest and falsely accuse the Israelites of rebellion. It is interesting to note that Nehemiah does not answer their threats by showing off his credentials from the Persian king; instead, he identifies himself with Yahweh and separates this new work from them completely: “I replied to them, ‘The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem’” (Nehemiah 2:20).
David had his army of valiant men in 2 Samuel 23:8-39 and 1 Chronicles 11:10 – 12:22; now Nehemiah has his army of valiant workers in Nehemiah 3. Instead of heroic
military deeds, these men and women accomplish feats of construction, removing the debris of Jerusalem’s destruction, restoring the defensive walls and raising towers and bolted and barred gates. Workers participate from every social class: priests, merchants, gold and silversmiths, perfumers and even the governor and his daughters. There is a reproof of those who do not participate (Nehemiah 3:5); we see others would have a great interest in participating because their homes are directly behind the wall’s protection (Nehemiah 3:10, 23, 28, 29, 30). One stands out for the long extent of the wall he rebuilt (Nehemiah 3:13), but in all this impressive reconstruction, they realize that this is the work of the Lord (Nehemiah 3:5).
What an impressive transformation from prayer to action, from shame to diligence! And all of it is accomplished through the work of the: “LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments (Nehemiah 1:5), the God who is attentive to the prayers of His remnant even when they are in shame (Nehemiah 1:3).
Here in Nehemiah 1 we meet another man like Ezra, another who was prepared by the study of God’s word and whose deepest desire was poured out in devoted prayer to Yahweh.
Notice the news that inspired his prayer: “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire” (Nehemiah 1:3). It’s been more than a century since Cyrus decreed that the Jews could return and rebuild Jerusalem, and a large part of the city is still in ruins and without defense. Although the group that left with Zerubbabel finished the construction of the temple and the group that came with Ezra was confirmed in Moses’ Law, Jerusalem remained physically vulnerable to attack and in shameful ruins.
Part of the reason for this state of affairs is their enemies’ success in preventing the rebuilding of the city. We’ve read previously a letter written to Artaxerxes, the reigning king during the book of Nehemiah: “Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired” (Ezra 4:12-13). With Artaxerxes’ response, the neighboring enemies forcibly stopped the construction of the walls, (Ezra 4:23).
Nehemiah was impacted by the news and presents his request, not to Artaxerxes like his enemies had done, but before the God who has authority even over Artaxerxes: “I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4). His description of Yahweh in Nehemiah 1:5 echoes His revelation to Moses in Exodus 34:5-7 when the latter pleaded for mercy after the idolatry of the golden calf at Mount Sinai. Through this reference and his reference to the covenant, Nehemiah places this new petition firmly in the tradition of Moses’ intercession, here asking Yahweh to forgive the people for their more recent idolatries.
Just as in Ezra’s confession of sin in our previous reading, Nehemiah identifies himself with the sins of his people: “Hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses” (Nehemiah 1:6-7).
How does Nehemiah dare to seek forgiveness for his people when they deserve Yahweh’s just wrath for their sins? He quotes from Yahweh’s covenant, a summary of Deuteronomy 30:1-5: “Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there’” (Nehemiah 1:8-9). He rests in the security of Yahweh’s past mercies, specifically in the redemption from slavery in Egypt, for the certainty that He will visit His people in mercy again: “They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand” (Nehemiah 1:10).
He closes his prayer with his most immediate request: “Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man” (Nehemiah 1:11). “This man” is Artaxerxes, the most feared and powerful king in all the earth, a king with
dominion over numerous cities and peoples; but before Yahweh, he is simply “this man”. In a few months, Yahweh responds to Nehemiah’s request through Artaxerxes, and after a century of ruin, the walls of Jerusalem will be rebuilt in a relatively short time.
The prayer of a righteous person has great power (James 5:16).
But upon Nehemiah’s arrival in Jerusalem, it is evident that prayer is only one part of the project. First, he must address the lack of vision and diligence regarding
Jerusalem. When we read of Nehemiah’s solitude in riding through the city at night with just a few men, not perceived by anyone, and when we read of the evidence of Jerusalem’s destruction still remaining after a century, to the point where Nehemiah could not pass on horseback (Nehemiah 2:11-16), we realize that the city is nearly abandoned. Jerusalem at this time probably served as a religious and administrative center, nothing more; as night fell, the vast majority of those who worked there would leave the city still in ruins and return to their homes outside the remains of the wall.
Therefore Nehemiah gathers the priests, nobles, officials and others to present his plan: “Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 2:17). Notice how he identifies himself with them in their shame and in its resolution: “You see the trouble we are in… Come, let us build… that we may no longer suffer derision” (Nehemiah 2:17). Just as he identified himself with them in prayer from afar, now he identifies himself with them close up in their difficulty, shame, and (God permitting) in the solution and victory, too. He also explains to them how God prepared everything for this opportunity and the royal approval of this project (Nehemiah 2:18). Everyone’s attitude changes, and they are eager to participate in the work: “So they strengthened their hands for the good work” (Nehemiah 2:18).
Opposition begins immediately, too: “When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, ‘What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?’” (Nehemiah 2:19) Notice that none of these are Israelites; none have a part in Yahweh’s covenant, and all of them hold significant influence in the region now that the Israelites have been weakened. Because of the change that would transpire from a walled city belonging to a different ethnic group right in the midst of their spheres of influence, they begin to protest and falsely accuse the Israelites of rebellion. It is interesting to note that Nehemiah does not answer their threats by showing off his credentials from the Persian king; instead, he identifies himself with Yahweh and separates this new work from them completely: “I replied to them, ‘The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem’” (Nehemiah 2:20).
David had his army of valiant men in 2 Samuel 23:8-39 and 1 Chronicles 11:10 – 12:22; now Nehemiah has his army of valiant workers in Nehemiah 3. Instead of heroic
military deeds, these men and women accomplish feats of construction, removing the debris of Jerusalem’s destruction, restoring the defensive walls and raising towers and bolted and barred gates. Workers participate from every social class: priests, merchants, gold and silversmiths, perfumers and even the governor and his daughters. There is a reproof of those who do not participate (Nehemiah 3:5); we see others would have a great interest in participating because their homes are directly behind the wall’s protection (Nehemiah 3:10, 23, 28, 29, 30). One stands out for the long extent of the wall he rebuilt (Nehemiah 3:13), but in all this impressive reconstruction, they realize that this is the work of the Lord (Nehemiah 3:5).
What an impressive transformation from prayer to action, from shame to diligence! And all of it is accomplished through the work of the: “LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments (Nehemiah 1:5), the God who is attentive to the prayers of His remnant even when they are in shame (Nehemiah 1:3).
