Be Aware - Nehemiah 1:1-11 - March 1, 2009

Sunday School Lesson – Be Aware – March 1, 2009

This is lesson one (1) in a new series of study entitled “Stepping Up to Serve.”

Our scripture for the month of March will be taken from the book of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah was not a prophet or a priest but a layman called by GOD to rebuild the wall surrounding Jerusalem. He was a descendant of the Jews that had been taken captive in 586 B.C. and carried off to Babylon. In 539 B.C. Cyrus the Persian conquered the Mesopotamian (Babylonian) area and permitted the Jews in that area to return to Jerusalem. These returning Jews had been living in the Jerusalem area for close to 100 years. They had rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem in 516 B.C. but they had not been able to rebuild the wall around the city or the gates to the city. There were several attempts to rebuild but local enemies complained to King Artaxerxes I. They said that the Jews wanted to rebuild the gates so they could withdraw from the rule of King Artaxerxes I. So the King sent a letter to the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem commanding them to stop all work on rebuilding. Artaxerxes ruled from 465 B.C. to 424 B.C.

The Book of Nehemiah takes place during the rule of the Persian ruler, Artaxerxes I. Our scripture begins about 445 B.C. Nehemiah was the cupbearer for King Artaxerxes I. A delegation of Jews from Jerusalem came to Persia. One of the returning Jews to Persia was Nehemiah’s brother, Hanani (huh-NAY-nigh). Nehemiah 7:2 - 2 Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who • feared God more than most.

Nehemiah learned from this delegation of the awful conditions in Jerusalem. The city gates which had been burned and the walls surrounding the city had not been rebuilt.
The condition of Jerusalem touched the heart of Nehemiah and he wept, fasted and prayed about Jerusalem’s awful situation. Nehemiah knew the condition of Jerusalem was the result of sin. So first he acknowledged his sins and then the sins of the Jewish people. This is ground zero. We will see how GOD will use a dedicated layman to accomplish a mammoth task and how doing the will of GOD is not easy. We will also see how obedience builds confidence and trust in GOD.

Our scripture is Nehemiah 1:1-11.

Our scripture begins with Nehemiah in the city of Shushan (SHOO-shan), which is the winter home for Persian kings.

Let’s read Nehemiah 1:1-3:

1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah (HAK uh LIGH uh):

News from Jerusalem

During the month of Chislev (KISS loo) in the twentieth year,[1] The twentieth year of King Artaxerxes of Persia, November–December 446 (or 445) b.c. when I was in the fortress city of Susa, 2 Hanani (huh NAY nigh), one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant that had returned from exile. 3 They said to me, “The survivors in the province,[2] Neh 11:3 who returned from the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned down.”[3] Neh 2:13

The month of Chislev (KISS loo) included parts of November and December. Nehemiah was at the winter place with King Artaxerxes in the city of Shushan or Susa, when he learned of the disgraceful conditions in Jerusalem. This detail helps to establish the time period. It is likely that Nehemiah kept a journal and recorded these events.

Nehemiah’s brother was part of a delegation coming from Jerusalem to report these awful conditions. Speculation is that since Nehemiah was the cupbearer for the king, Hanani sought out his brother to either get word to the king or get an audience with the king to seek help for Jerusalem.

As mentioned earlier, when Cyrus the Persian defeated the Babylonians in 539 B.C., he allowed the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem. Our scripture takes place about 445 B.C. or roughly 94 years later. Even though the Jews had been allowed to return to Jerusalem for these 94 years, the city was deplorable and a disgrace to the Jews. There had been attempts to rebuild the city gates but local enemies prevented them from restoring them. This deplorable situation touched Nehemiah’s heart.

But we need to keep in mind that King Artaxerxes I had sent a letter to the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem to stop rebuilding the walls and the gates to the city.

It was a disgrace for a city to be so vulnerable. Its vulnerability sent a message of weakness to all. In that day it was a battle of the gods. When a nation serving a certain god defeated a nation serving another god, it showed the strength of the conquering god. This notion may have been looming in Nehemiah’s mind along with the awful conditions of a city which at one time was focused on the worship of the true GOD.

Let’s read Nehemiah 1: 4-7:

Nehemiah’s Prayer

4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 I said, Lord God of heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him and keep His commands,[4] Dt 7:9 6 let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive to hear Your servant’s prayer that I now pray to You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins[5] Lit sins of the Israelites we have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted corruptly toward You and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances You gave Your servant Moses.

WOW! What a prayer. We just completed our study on prayer. This is a good example of an effective prayer. It is likely Nehemiah kept a journal and recorded his experience as he journeyed with GOD. Keeping a journal is a good idea for believers as well.

Nehemiah took ownership of the situation. He immediately recognized and acknowledged the circumstances of the Israelites were the result of sin. Sin caused the defeat of the Israelites who were led away as captives to Babylon. Sin was still the problem for the Israelites. They were not worshiping and obediently serving GOD. Nehemiah’s heart was touched by the Spirit of GOD.

This reminds me of salvation. The Sprit of GOD touches the heart of a sinner who confesses his/her sin, asks CHRIST for forgiveness and for CHRIST to come into his/her life. Salvation brings about a life altering change. It is the beginning of an exciting journey and relationship with GOD through CHRIST. Nehemiah had a life altering experience that led him to an intimate relationship with GOD, as he obediently sought to serve HIM.

Nehemiah acknowledged the faithfulness of GOD. GOD never left the Israelites but they left HIM. Now it was time for them to confess their sins and seek to rebuild their relationship with HIM through obedience.

Nehemiah has been pouring out his heart to GOD day and night. Nehemiah is committed to restoring his relationship with GOD. By his consistent prayers he is acknowledging to GOD that he and his fellow Israelites have neglected serving GOD as GOD commanded through Moses.

Let’s read Nehemiah 1:8-11:

8 Please remember what You commanded Your servant Moses: “[If]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples.[6] Dt 4:25–27; 28:64 9 But if you return to Me and carefully observe My commands, even though your exiles were banished to the ends of the earth,[7] Lit skies I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have My name dwell.”[8] Dt 30:4 10 They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed [them]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. by Your great power and strong hand.[9] Dt 7:8; 9:26,29 11 Please, Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and to that of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success today, and have compassion on him in the presence of this man.[10] = the king [At the time,]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. I was the king’s cupbearer.

Nehemiah sees his sin and the sins of the Israelites. He was asking GOD to remember HIS promises to Moses. Nehemiah in essence was telling GOD, “I get it. I see what has prevented me and collectively us as a nation from being restored as a nation. My heart has been broken because of our disobedience. I know YOU delivered us from slavery in Egypt and led us to the Promised Land. I understand and see that when we turned our back on YOU, YOU allowed us to be defeated and led away as captives. Now that I understand that, please remember that YOU also said if we return to YOU and obey YOUR commands YOU will restore us as a nation who honors and obeys YOU.”

Nehemiah feels like GOD has abandoned them. Often believers feel as if GOD has abandoned them. GOD never moves but is always ready and available for a repentant sinner to come home. What a joy it is to know we have a loving, caring heavenly FATHER that is always available regardless of what we have done.

The word “redeem” means delivered from danger and slavery by the power of GOD. Only GOD can deliver us from any situation and only HE provided deliverance from the bondage of sin and death through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of HIS only SON, JESUS.

In verse 11, Nehemiah is asking GOD to give him success in the presence of “this man.” The man was King Artaxerxes I. As you recall, the king had written a letter stopping the rebuilding process. Once a king gives an order it is very dangerous to try to get him to change it.

Nehemiah, being the cupbearer for the king, knew this. In that day it was a life threatening experience to speak to the king. Even the Queen took her life in her own hands if she approached the king without the king summoning her. The person approaching the king would request permission to speak to him. If the king extended his scepter to that person, that was the signal for the person to speak. However, if the king did not extend the scepter that person better remain silent and hope the king did not have him/her killed. So naturally Nehemiah was very concerned because he was preparing, that day, to ask the king to help rebuild Jerusalem’s city walls and gates. Nehemiah had been praying for days but that day was decision day. The day for action and trusting GOD with what was on his heart had arrived.

This act reveals the heart of Nehemiah and his dependence upon GOD for help and guidance. Nehemiah was trusting GOD in a difficult situation. This was a step of faith to put into action what he believed in his heart.

Believers can learn from Nehemiah. Nehemiah had prayed confessing his sins and short comings. He had prayed for days. Then decision day arrived and he was concerned. He prayed and asked GOD for success for that day. This caused me to ponder his request to GOD. Yesterday has passed, tomorrow has not arrived but believers need to pray for success for the day. In these troubling times, we need to pray for success for the day. We can pray such a prayer because we have done our part to prepare for the day at hand.

There are times in our lives when we have to take a step of faith to serve the LORD. A step of faith is not to show GOD what is in our heart but to confirm to ourselves the provision and care of GOD when we act upon what GOD has placed in our hearts. As believers take steps of faith, they continue to confirm their service to the LORD. It builds a believer’s trust and confidence in HIM, which in turn builds his/her relationship with HIM. It is important as we journey with our LORD that we always remain in HIS will. When we are in the right relationship with HIM, we are always in HIS will. But I am reminded of the time when GOD told Moses to speak to the rock for water but instead he struck the rock. GOD may have led a believer to do something a certain way many times but when HE says to change, it is time to change. Often, we have to work outside our comfort zone. However, when we do work outside our comfort zone, make sure it is GOD that is leading us. Pray about it and then act as GOD leads you.

Nehemiah will be an exciting study and it is fitting that this study follows our study on praying with power. Nehemiah is an ordinary person that GOD called and equipped to do extraordinary things.

GOD is equipping HIS saints. Step one is to be honest with GOD. Have we neglected HIM and as a result we have been defeated and led away captive? Is it time to confess our neglect, return to HIM and ask HIM to restore our relationship with HIM? Have our walls been broken down and out gates burned which has made us vulnerable to the ravages of Satan? Our power and strength comes from the LORD. It is time to rebuild our relationship and that takes a step of faith. Why not take that step today at this moment.

FATHER, I realize I have allowed the walls of my heart to be broken down and the gates of my heart burned. I repent and come to YOU asking that YOU restore the joy I once knew in obediently serving YOU. Restore our relationship as we rebuild together a fortress which will glory YOU. I ask this in the name of JESUS and thank you that YOU have heard my earnest request. This day is decision day to walk with YOU as YOU lead and direct my life. AMEN.