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NEHEMIAH

CHAPTER 2

1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. 2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

In those days, as still today, most leaders like to be surrounded by happy people. It's hard enough for a leader to maintain a good positive attitude with all the difficulties that he faces. He doesn't want to be surrounded with people who are always "down and out."
The king could dismiss Nehemiah as his cup-bearer; or worse, he could have him killed for showing a "sad countenance."
NO WONDER Nehemiah was "very sore afraid!"
But this must have been Nehemiah's plan from the time he prayed, because he had asked God to grant him mercy in the sight of the king (Neh. 1:11).
Nehemiah was so concerned for the people of Jerusalem, that he was willing to chance being killed to get the king's attention.

3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? 4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

When Nehemiah told the king why he was sad, the king immediately wanted to know what Nehemiah had in mind. He knew Nehemiah so well, that he realized Nehemiah wanted something.
Immediately, Nehemiah prayed silently (verse 4). Then he said that he wanted the king to appoint him to go to Jerusalem and build up the city.
Realizing the friendship and trust between these two men, we must understand that the king KNEW Nehemiah wanted MORE than just the appointment.

6 And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. 7 Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah; 8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

The main concern the king had was HOW LONG would Nehemiah be gone? Obviously Artaxerxes valued Nehemiah's friendship and loyalty. He did not want Nehemiah to be gone too long.
We are not told how LONG a time Nehemiah set, however, he was gone for TWELVE years!
Nehemiah added to his request. He also wanted "letters" giving him authority; he wanted the king to give authority to utilize timber for the building of the gates, and for Nehemiah's HOUSE. YES. He intended to stay quite a while!

Now, these verses 1-8, have shown us there was a close friendship between Nehemiah and Artaxerxes. So close, in fact, that the king did not really want Nehemiah to go away. However, Artaxerxes wanted to see Jerusalem built properly, and he knew that Nehemiah was a capable man and could be TRUSTED.
He complied fully with Nehemiah's request.
Notice in the last of verse 8 that Nehemiah accredited God with having blessed his request. He says that God CAUSED the request to be granted because God's "good hand" was upon him.
Christians, when you KNOW that God has called you for a mission, you should do all that you can do accomplish it for His glory. And you should BELIEVE that God will bless the endeavor.

9 Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

Not only did Artaxerxes grant Nehemiah's request, but he also sent a company of soldiers to protect him and help him.
When the "adversaries" of the building program saw that Nehemiah had received the king's authority, they were "grieved." The reason they were grieved is because the monies used to build up Jerusalem would come from THEIR budgets!

Neh 2:11-18 11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. 12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. 13 And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. 14 Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. 15 Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned. 16 And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work. 17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. 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.

After Nehemiah had been there for three days, he began to walk around at night and "take inventory" of the situation.
He did not tell anyone what he was doing just yet. He wanted to formulate a PLAN!
When we are sent on a mission by our Lord, we should first determine a plan of action to complete the mission.
Then Nehemiah went to the leaders, and told them why he was there, and that he wanted them to help him BUILD!
He also gave them a testimony of God's grace, and how God had brought him to this point. He told them of what the king had ordered.
This encouraged the people, and they "strengthened their hands for this good work." (verse 18)

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, 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? 20 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 adversaries could not legally stop the building program now. But they COULD laugh and make fun of the work. And they did.
But Nehemiah used his testimony against them! He said God had BEGUN the work, and God would FINISH the work!
That's the way God IS! What He begins He will finish.
And when God begins salvation in a person, God will finish that work!

Phil 1:6 6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

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