Tag Archives: Nehemiah 1-3

Daily Bible Study

June 2, 2023 Bible Study — Fasting, Praying, And Planning

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Nehemiah 1-3.

Today has a follow-up theme to yesterday’s.  When Nehemiah received news about the state of things in Jerusalem, he sat down and wept.  Once he had wept for a short time, he began to fast and pray.  After fasting and praying before God for “some days”, Nehemiah went before the king of Persia, Artaxerxes, with a plan.  Interestingly, he does not tell us he had a plan, but we can tell that he had one because he was able to answer Artaxerxes when the latter asked him when he would return.  Further, once Nehemiah knew that Artaxerxes looked favorably on his mission, he had a list of things he requested of Artaxerxes.  So, when Nehemiah prayed to God asking God to fix the terrible situation in Jerusalem, he did not just petition God, he listened to God speaking to him and followed the plans he heard God giving him.  We see more of the way Nehemiah combined prayer, faith, and thought from his account of what he did when he got to Jerusalem.  When he got there, he did not tell the people there the purpose of his coming to Jerusalem until he had time to assess the situation.  First, Nehemiah went out and inspected the walls so that he would have an idea of what the project would entail before he began talking to the leaders who had been here all along.  So, likewise, we should not just pray about the problems which God places upon our hearts.  We should pray, and sometimes fast, and listen to God telling us what actions He wants us to take.  Then, while still praying and fasting (if fasting is called for), we should begin planning how we can carry out what God has laid on our hearts to do, listening to God’s prompting the entire time.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

June 2, 2021 Bible Study Seeking God’s Guidance Through Prayer and Fasting While We Plan To Do His Will

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Nehemiah 1-3.

This passage contains a model we should follow when we plan a major undertaking, whether that undertaking is a mission or a business, or some other sort.  First, when Nehemiah learned of the need (but it might be us learning of an opportunity), his first reaction was to fast and pray.  Some time during his fasting and praying, Nehemiah conceived a course of action which he could take.  Then he planned for what he would need to accomplish this plan.  Finally, he approached someone (the king) who could provide him with the resources he would need to carry out his plan.  And throughout this whole process, Nehemiah prayed to God for guidance and support.  We also see that Nehemiah recognized that he would need to do more detailed planning once he had gotten his support lined up.

Now I want to look at the parts of what Nehemiah did which are specific to a mission.  He recognized that the problems he sought to address were the result of sin.  This recognition meant that the problems would only be fixed by repentance and doing God’s will.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Study

June 2, 2020 Bible Study

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 1-3.

It would be easy to think that the news which Nehemiah’s brother brought him from Jerusalem just represented the lack of rebuilding which had happened since it was sacked by the Babylonians.  However, if that were the case, he would have reported that the walls and gates had not been rebuilt.  Realizing that the walls had been rebuilt by the returned exiles and then destroyed once more puts some needed context on the rest of the passage. When Nehemiah received this news, he mourned, fasted, and prayed.  However, when Nehemiah was finished fasting and praying, he had a plan of action, which means that his definition of fasting and praying was different from what we normally think of when we talk about fasting and praying.  It is time to re-evaluate what God intends for us to do when He calls for us to fast and pray.

Daily Bible Study

June 2, 2019 Bible Study — New Thoughts (For Me) About the Book of Nehemiah

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 1-3.

As I read this today I thought about the news Nehemiah receives from those who recently visited Jerusalem.  When they tell him that the walls have been torn down and the gates destroyed by fire I have always understood that, and have even heard preachers preach, this goes back to the fall of Jerusalem.  If the walls of Jerusalem had never been rebuilt since the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem, this would not have been news to Nehemiah..  Which suggests that the walls of Jerusalem had been rebuilt earlier by the Returned Exiles, and torn down again.  It also puts the commission Nehemiah receives from the King of Persia in a different light.  Actually, it puts Nehemiah’s trepidation in making his request in a different light as well.  By asking permission to go and rebuild Jerusalem, Nehemiah risked the possibility that Jerusalem’s condition was actually the king’s policy and also risked suggesting that the king had failed to keep control over his kingdom.  This understanding also gives new insight into why the King of Persia sent a military bodyguard with Nehemiah.

My thoughts concerning the end of today’s passage go in a completely different direction.  Usually when I read this account of the people who rebuilt the different sections of the wall I wonder why I should care who built which portion.  However, today I noticed something I was aware of but never thought about before.  Many of the sections of Jerusalem’s walls were built by people who did not live in Jerusalem, or even very close to it.  When I paid attention to where the people were from, it reminded me of Mennonite Disaster Service crews going into an area after a disaster.  While some of the sections of the wall around Jerusalem were repaired by residents of Jerusalem, many of the work crews came from several days travel away.  The walls of Jerusalem were not rebuilt by people taking a few hours a day away from their normal activities.  Those who worked to rebuild the wall were not just people looking out for their own interests as would be the case if everyone who did so lived within the city.

Daily Bible Study

June 2, 2018 Bible Study — Nehemiah Goes to Jerusalem

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 1-3.

    The Exiles first returned to Jerusalem under King Cyrus, the events recounted in this passage take place approximately 100 years later. Which raises the question, had the walls of Jerusalem been rebuilt and destroyed once more, or was the rebuilding by Nehemiah the first time since the Exile for the walls to be rebuilt? If the second, which is how I have always understood this passage, what happened that made rebuilding the walls necessary now? Having set the stage for this passage I will now go on to what the passage communicates to me.

    When Nehemiah received word that the Returned Exiles were having troubles in Jerusalem, he was stricken by the need to do something, but he did not know what he should do. So, he did what each of us should do when we feel similar conviction; he fasted and prayed. At some point during his days of fasting and praying, Nehemiah came to believe that he should go to Jerusalem and oversee rebuilding the walls. He knows he needs authority to do this, but he also knows that he has access to the man who can give him that authority, the King of Persia. Before entering the presence of the king, Nehemiah prays once more. However, in addition to praying Nehemiah had done some planning. He knew what it would take to accomplish his goals. So, when given the opportunity, Nehemiah knew what to ask for. There are three elements that we should imitate when convicted about something that is not right:

  1. Fasting and praying, so that God will reveal what actions we should take.
  2. Planning out how to execute the actions God has directed us to take in step 1 (step 1 is not over yet)
  3. Seeking the authorization we need to put our plans into effect.

In step 1 we need to be open to what God wants us to do about the issue. Perhaps we are called to take leadership in addressing the issue, as Nehemiah was. Perhaps we are called to assist someone else who has been called to take the lead. Or, perhaps we have only been called to intercede with God for those who are addressing the issue. Do not make the mistake of thinking that just because you have never before been a leader that God is not calling you to lead this time. However, if you are someone who knows they can be a leader do not wait for someone else to step forward.

    I find it interesting that the King of Persia gave Nehemiah an armed escort, especially in light of the opposition he faced as soon as he arrived. Another thing which is never made clear is why Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem opposed the fortification of Jerusalem. Based on what I read here and found elsewhere, it seems like Sanballat and Tobiah were officials of the Persian Empire whose authority was similar to that given to Nehemiah in neighboring areas, while Geshem appears to have been a client king of the Persian Emplire who ruled over areas of the Arabian Peninsula (also nearby). From that I conclude that their initial conversation with Nehemiah was one seeking to force him to accept a subordinate position to themselves. Further, I suspect that they had been using Jerusalem as a place through which to smuggle goods. The way it would have worked was that none of them was responsible for seeing that Persian law was enforced in Jerusalem, but all three had more authority there under Persian law than anyone else, prior to Nehemiah’s arrival. If they could have intimidated Nehemiah they could have continued their little game, with Nehemiah as the fall guy if the Empire found out.

Daily Bible Study

June 2, 2017 Bible Study — Praying Does Not Take the Place of Planning

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 1-3.

    When Nehemiah learned that the situation in Jerusalem was bad, he did not immediately act, nor did he put it aside. Instead he prayed and fasted, seeking God’s guidance. In addition, it seems like he planned what he could do. Once Nehemiah thought he had a plan that he believed to have God’s blessing he turned to God in prayer and acknowledged his sinfulness. At every step of the way, Nehemiah prayed before he acted. Not only did he pray, but he acknowledged his own sin. I want to emphasize that before Nehemiah asked God to give him success when he went before the king, which he did before he went before the king, he had a detailed plan and knew what he would require. He was prepared for success. He had the answer to the king’s questions about how long it would take and what he would need to accomplish his task.

    When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he did not reveal his plans until he was able to make a site survey. We do not know why Sanballat, Tobaih, and their allies opposed rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, but it is clear from the beginning that they did. They seem to have viewed any success by the returned exiles as an affront. It seems as if they were afraid that if the Jews rebuilt Jerusalem it would show their own people that they did not have to be satisfied with what they allowed them to have. The rebuilding of Jerusalem would demonstrate that a group of people working together could improve their lot in life and not be stuck in whatever rut they found themselves.

Daily Bible Study

June 2, 2016 Bible Study

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

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Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 1-3.

    When Nehemiah was convicted to go to Jerusalem to oversee rebuilding the city his first act was to fast and pray. As part of that prayer he acknowledged that God was in the right when He allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed. The people had sinned against God. Nehemiah asked God for guidance in what action he should take. The plan he conceived was designed to bring honor to God. Once he had made his plan, Nehemiah asked God’s aid in executing the plan. Two figures of local political prominence were unhappy that Nehemiah was sent to Jerusalem by the Persian king. They reacted this way before they even knew what Nehemiah’s plans were. I had never noticed this before but when Nehemiah arrived at Jerusalem the people living there were subject to what were little more than bandit raids by the government officials of the surrounding lands. With no walls around Jerusalem, the government officials could sweep in with their military escort and take goods and services, claiming they were taxes due. Once the walls were reconstructed, they had to arrive and justify the taxes they wished to collect. If the taxes were legitimate and the people refused to pay them, the king, back in the capital would send his army and reconquer the city. However, unlike before the wall was built, if the “taxes” were illegitimate the people could refuse to pay them and close the gates against the officials. Then the officials would have to justify to the king why they were demanding these “taxes”.