Month: May 2024

Nehemiah 8:6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground..

Ezra led the assembly of people in worship after the reading of the Law, following the completion of the wall. Ezra blessed the Lord, and the people responded, “Amen.” They lifted up their hands and bowed their head in a posture of worship. The praise and thanksgiving was a genuine response to the great God who did a great thing.

Even though the people worked hard at rebuilding the wall, they gave God the credit for starting and finishing His work. There are many good things that we do, but the response of thanks, praise, and worship prevents us from congratulating ourself. God may have used our time, work, and effort, but it is He who is worshipped for what He did. We spend our lives praising Him for who He is and thanking Him for what He does. Our constant response to God’s daily grace, His finished work of salvation, and His present help in all our troubles is worship. We live a continual life of worship for God is always good. Thus we give credit to whom it belongs.

Nehemiah 8:2, 3 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand, and the ears of the people were attentive unto the book of the law.

The Jews returning from captivity had rebuilt the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. The religious reform and restoration of the true faith was capped off with a public celebration including a public reading of the book of the Law, the five Books of Moses. The Word of God is the source and foundation of the renewal of the faith of the returnees. Ezra read the book aloud for all to hear. The people were attentive to the words and heard the Word of God with understanding.

Our response to God working in our life for our salvation is to hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Word of God. Receiving the Gospel with faith is one way to thank and praise the Lord for His mercy and grace. For this reason we attend public worship to hear the Word preached and spend daily time with God in His Word. The public reading and preaching of the Word is God’s gracious invitation to us to receive His life by faith. Our affirmative response is to listen attentively.

Nehemiah 5:7, 10-11 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, everyone of his brother….I pray you, let us leave off this usury. Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses.

Nehemiah told the rich Jews to stop charging interest on their loans to their brothers and sisters who were in need. God never intended people to profit from the misfortunes of others. Caring for one another is more important than personal gain.

We should help God’s people who are in need, not exploit them. The early church believers in Jerusalem worked together to eliminate poverty in their church. Proverbs 28:27 says: “Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing.”

The NT believer responds to God’s generous gifts and blessings by sharing them with others in mercy. So we willingly give both material and spiritual blessings to others. And when God finds a generous giver, He will give him more so that he can give more to those who lack. Voluntary, cheerful giving is God’s way and God’s will.

Nehemiah 4:14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

Nehemiah speaks to the people and tells them not to be afraid of the enemies who are harassing you and hindering your work. Instead, remember the Lord, that is, believe Him and trust Him to keep His promises. Fear God, not man. When you are tempted to be afraid, turn to the Lord and remember Him. “Perfect love casts out fear.” When you actively remember how much God loves you then you are filled with love and there is no room for fear.

Yes, you will have spiritual enemies in this life who seek to destroy you. In all kinds of ways Sin, Death, and the Devil harass and attack us. However we respond by remembering the Lord, turning to Him, trusting Him, and we see fear, worry, and doubt disappear. We remind ourselves again what God has done for us, what He says to us, and what He promises to do for us.

”He has given us not a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” We live through many threats and scares so that we learn experientially the presence and power of God for us in Christ in practical terms. We remember our Baptism, in which we are sealed in love, made children of God, and promised peace and protection.

Nehemiah 4:7-9 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

The enemies of the Jews were very angry that they built the wall and fought against them to hinder it. Their anger may be unwarranted and unreasonable, but we don’t expect the devil to be reasonable in his attacks against the people of God.

Nehemiah’s response to this threat was to pray to God for protection and for wisdom to know what to do. When we are confronted with any spiritual attack or threat from the Enemy our first response is to pray. We need God’s guidance and protection. We put on the armor of God and stand, “praying at all times in the spirit [Ephesians 6:18].” This response makes us strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Nehemiah combined prayer with preparation and planning. We trust God and keep vigilant watch at the same time. We pray and look for what God wants us to do. We are serious when we combine prayer with thought, preparation, and effort. We are always sober and vigilant for the devil is always prowling. We pray, and then we act according to His will. We recognize the Enemy, pray to God, and are watchful for his schemes.

Nehemiah 4:6 So built we the wall, and all the wall was joined together unto the wall thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

Under Nehemiah’s leadership the people finished building the wall around Jerusalem. It was a major accomplishment in the face of enemies and obstacles. With God’s help and Nehemiah’s leadership, they finished the wall because the Lord had put into the hearts the mind to work. It took a determined and courageous effort on the part of everyone. The people responded to God’s blessing and deliverance by loving the Lord with all their heart, soul, and mind. God gave them the determination and skill to finish the job. God always finishes what He started.

In our own sinful flesh we do not have the desire or ability to resist the Enemy and actually do and complete the works of God. This power comes to us through the Gospel by the Spirit. Because of the grace and goodness of Christ we respond with the mind to work. The good works we do for others and for the church we do because He first loved us. The mind to work is created from the love of God in Christ. So we work.

Nehemiah 4:1, 4 And it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews….Hear, O our God; for we are despised, and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity.

The response of the enemies to Nehemiah’s building the walls and gates of Jerusalem was anger, indignation, and mockery. He responded by turning to the Lord in prayer for His defense against the attacks of the enemy. The devil responds to a work of God with rage; the believer responds with prayer and turning to God for defense.

We build up the walls of our heart by weekly church attendance and daily devotions. The Enemy of souls hates that and tries everything to get us to stop. We see the tactics for what they are and turn his attacks into prayer. We let God turn the tables by resisting his temptations and persisting in the Word and prayer (building a wall).

The devil is a roaring lion, whom we resist firm in the faith. We realize that any work of God that we begin will be opposed, but God is on our side, so we pray in faith that the good works He started in us will be finished. If God has called us, we are determined to complete the task, even in the face of opposition and discouragement.

Nehemiah 2:19-20 But when Sanballat the Horowitz, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? Will ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us, therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

The Enemies of God and of His kingdom will oppose the building and fortifying of the kingdom of God. These worldly enemies used by the Enemy of souls are here named. When they heard what Nehemiah was trying to do, they laughed them to scorn and derision. Nehemiah answered back with faith: God will prosper us, and so we will arise and build. Nehemiah had faith in God’s Word and Promise, and he had the courage of conviction that the Lord wanted him to rebuild. And with God nothing would stop him.

We also recognize that we have spiritual enemies that will try to prevent and hinder the building up of the kingdom of God in our hearts. We will be laughed at for believing in Jesus Christ. We put on the armor of God (the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit, etc.) and stand against and resist the attacks of the Evil One. Building up the defenses against Sin, Death, and the Devil will be resisted by the devil, the world, and our flesh. Therefore we respond by weekly church attendance and daily devotions to build up the walls in our heart against evil forces that seek to destroy us, our souls, and our lives.

This requires the courage of faith that God is with us to grant us His life, peace, and protection. The Gospel strengthens our faith to believe that the Lord will do what He says and prosper us in His kingdom. Count on it. Live by it.

Nehemiah 2:18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me, as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

In the face of strong opposition and the seemingly impossible task of rebuilding the walls and gates, Nehemiah stood up with firm faith that the hand of God was with them. In such faith he exercised strong leadership and encouraged the people to rise up and build. Under his influence and encouragement they were able to strengthen their hands to begin and to finish this good work.

When God has a mission to accomplish, He raises up a man of faith to lead His people to carry out His purposes to finish the job in spite of the obstacles in the way. The Bible is full of stories of men and women of faith whom God used to finally bring the Savior into the world for all of us.

Leadership demands faith that God is in this mission and will finish the work. Accomplishing the mission also requires faithful people who will respond to the call to service and strengthen their hands for this good work. We respond to God’s call with faith which strengthens our hands to do His good work.

Nehemiah 2:4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

In Babylon, Nehemiah had heard reports of the poor condition of the returnees in Jerusalem and the city in disrepair. He was cupbearer to the king, and one day in his presence he appeared troubled and sad. The king asked him what was wrong, for he had never appeared so before. He told him that Jerusalem lies in waste and the walls and gates broken down.

When the king asked what he requested, Nehemiah immediately prayed to God. He knew that by himself he was not wise enough nor strong enough to respond, so he prayed. With little time to think he immediately prayed. He records in this book that he stopped what he was doing to pray nine different times.

Nehemiah prayed at any time, even while talking to others. He knew that God is always in charge, is always present, and He hears and answers every prayer. He could confidently pray throughout the day because he had established an intimate relationship with God during times of extended prayer.

When we need to reach God with our emergency prayers, we need to take time to cultivate a strong relationship with Him. Constant prayer becomes instant prayer. We pray about anything, anywhere, any time, living a live of prayer and thanks. “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [Philippians 4:6].”