048. Prayer Of Nehemiah.
Prayer Of Nehemiah.
We previously noticed the successful expedition of Ezra, and of the Jews who accompanied him, on their return to Jerusalem. The arrival of that reinforcement, especially the presence of one so discreet and efficient as Ezra, was of great importance to the small band who had gone thither, at a prior date, under Zerubbabel. It gave them strength and consideration in the eyes of their Samaritan adversaries. The attention of Ezra being chiefly directed, however, to the improvement of religion, and the reestablishment of the Jewish church, their civil condition remained, in several respects, gloomy and distressing. They were often reproached and insulted by their adversaries; “the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and the gates thereof burned with fire.”
Such was the state of the returned Jews at the time, that one of their number, Hanani, visited Shushan, the royal city of the Persian monarch, Artaxerxes Longimanus. At this time, also, there was residing in that city a Jew, by the name of Nehemiah, whose ancestors were of the captivity. Like Ezra, he was distinguished for his piety and patriotism. He held an important and responsible office, that of cup-bearer to the king; yet, “neither distance of place, nor dignity of station, could alienate his affection from Jerusalem.” On his arrival at Shushan, Hanani makes known to Nehemiah the depressed condition of his countrymen at Jerusalem. Saddened by this intelligence, Nehemiah addresses himself to the necessities of their case. Artaxerxes, the king, had the power to grant them all that assistance which their wants required; but, how to approach him, Nehemiah, for a time, was at a loss. In his perplexity, however, he did as a good man should do; as one may do, who has power with God, and no power with man, but through the divine influence. He could fast and pray, and, in this way, propitiate the divine favor; and, that being secured, God could impress the heart of a heathen monarch, and thus prepare the way for a successful application for aid, whenever that application should be made. Says Henry: “Let those who are forming any good designs, for the service of the public, take God along with them, from the conception of them, and utter all their projects before Him: that is the way to prosper in them.”
Nehemiah well understood the secret of success. Accordingly, we find him at a throne of grace, as the most direct means of securing the object of his sympathy and patriotism. In the first place, he expresses his awe of the divine majesty and glory; at the same time evincing a holy confidence in the covenant mercy of God. Next, he pours out his soul in a penitent confession of his own sins, and the sins of the people of Israel. He and his father’s house had sinned, in common with the nation, for which God had scattered them. A long and dreary captivity had been the result of their sins. But God had also promised, upon their repentance, to gather them again, and “bring them unto the place where he had chosen to set his name.” That he had also done; but they were poor, afflicted, and persecuted; and now his prayer was, that God would kindly dispose the heart of the king to aid him in the succor which he contemplated for his afflicted brethren. “Prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Nehemiah held to the doctrine of Scripture, as well as of reason—that all hearts are in God’s hands, and that the surest way of influencing some hearts, is to secure the divine influence upon them. Nor does he forget an additional argument, of great force—one which has been employed by the good in all ages. It is this: where God has done much for an individual, or a people, that may be urged as a reason why he should do more. God had redeemed Israel, with great power, and by a strong hand, Nehemiah 1:10; surely, therefore, God would not now forsake them.
Thus the prayers of Nehemiah are before the Lord. He had confidence, doubtless, that they would be heard, and would be answered; yet he seems to have carried a sad countenance before the king. Whether he designed this as a mode of attracting the notice of the king, I cannot say; but so it turned out. The king inquires the cause, and Nehemiah responds. But, mark the wisdom of the man! Before he replies to the question of Artaxerxes, he mentally prays God that he would help him, at this critical juncture, to manage his cause before the king. The appeal to Artaxerxes is successful. Most honorably does the king listen to the proposals of Nehemiah; and most kindly and liberally does he aid him in extending protection to the people of God, at Jerusalem, and in building up that city of ancient renown. The preceding narrative suggests several important truths pertaining to prayer, which, however, the reader will naturally deduce for himself. The writer will, therefore, only briefly observe, that irreligious men, in high stations, often have it in their power to advance the welfare of Zion; and that, when such is the fact, the most probable means of securing their aid, is to pray for them. An appeal to them, without some preparation of their hearts, might serve only to excite their prejudices, and strengthen their opposition. It is not necessary, and, in some cases, not even desirable, that they should know that the good are praying for them. Artaxerxes was doubtless ignorant of the supplications which Nehemiah was daily pouring out before God in his behalf; but the hearts of princes and presidents are in God’s hands, to move them according to his pleasure. The friends of God may, therefore, plead—nor are they likely to plead in vain—that he would cause “kings to become nursing fathers, and queens nursing mothers to his church.” The writer recollects to have heard an aged lady observe, that, in her youth, far more prayer was offered to God in the family, and in the sanctuary, and, she believed, in the closet, for the rulers of the land, than at the time the observation was made. Years have since elapsed; but has there latterly been any increase of prayer, in respect to such men? Indeed, within the writer’s own recollection, there has been a noticeable decline of public prayer for public men. They are, it is admitted, on the Sabbath, brought before a throne of grace in the sanctuary; but how often, apparently, in a formal manner, and in general terms! Is there not less pleading for them than formerly; and far less than the interest of the nation, and the welfare of Zion demands? In the social prayer-meeting, seldom is there even an allusion to them; and, in the closet, it is to be feared that the neglect is still more common. The writer will not affirm it; but he may venture to ask, whether the spirit of party does not so pervade even the good men of the nation, as to prevent them from those earnest and importunate supplications for rulers which they would otherwise offer? It may be easier, and more delightful, to pray for rulers, whose political biases are similar to our own; but, if we believe the tendency of the principles and administration of rulers to be in opposition to the best interests of the nation, should we not pray still more earnestly for them? And is not such the dictate of our holy religion? Shall we pray ardently and importunately only for those whose doctrines and principles accord with our own?