Nehemiah (Sections 34-35)
Section 34
"O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine Ear be attentive to the Prayer of thy Servant,
and to the Prayer of thy Servants, who desire to fear thy Name."—Nehemiah 1:11
Nehemiah believed that there were others praying besides himself. He was not so gloomy, so self-opinionated, so uncharitable as to think that he alone loved the house of the Lord, and prayed for it. He believed that the Lord had many praying servants besides himself. In this he was more hopeful than Elijah (1 Kings 19:10; 1 Kings 19:18).
Nehemiah valued the prayers of his fellow-servants, and felt supported in his own supplications by the fact that he was one of a crowd of pleaders.
Even those of the feebler sort, who could get no further than desiring to fear God, were prized by this holy man when they lifted up their prayers. The littles of supplication, when multiplied by the number of those who present them, help to turn the scale. Who are the persons that make up this class—"who desire to fear thy name?" We will try to find them out.
I. This includes all who have any true Religion.
1. True godliness is always a matter of desire. Not of custom, fashion, habit, excitement, passion, or chance. Nor of unwilling dread, or compulsion, or bribery. Nor of boasted full attainment and conceited self-satisfaction.
2. Every part of it is a matter of desire.
Repentance, faith, love, etc. None of these can be found in a man unless he desires to have them.
Prayer, praise, service, alms, and all good deeds, are matters of the heart's desire. Oh, to abound in them!
Progress and maturity of grace are never so far attained as to content us. They are still matters of desire.
So, too, usefulness among our fellows, the prevalence of truth, the prosperity of the Church, and the spread of Christ's kingdom ever remain things of desire. The same may be said of heaven, of resurrection, and of the future glories of Christ's reign on earth.
Good men are like Daniel, men of desires (Daniel 9:23, margin). Desire is the life-blood of piety, the egg of holiness, the dawn of grace, the promise of perfection.
3. The desire is accepted where there can be no more. In giving, in working, in self-dedication, the Lord takes the will for the deed where the power to perform is absent. To him the essence of even the most self-sacrificing action is found, not in the suffering involved, but in a desire for God's glory.
4. But without even the desire, man is in a condition of spiritual death, and all that he does is as dead as himself.
II. This includes many Grades of Grace. Not the merely temporary wishers and resolvers, for these are only blossoms, and the bulk of blossoms never turn to fruit; of such we may say with Solomon. "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing" (Proverbs 13:4). But—
1. Those who earnestly and heartily long to be right with God, though afraid to think themselves saved. These are always desiring.
2. Those who do believe, but fear lest there should be presumption in their calling themselves God's people. Their faith shows itself far more in desire than in a sense of having obtained the object of their search.
3. Those who know that they fear God, but desire to fear him more. Some of the best of men are of this order.
4. Those who wish to serve the Lord with greater freedom, constancy, delight, and power. What would they not do if they could but obtain their hearts' desire?
5. Those who delight in the ways of God, and long to abide in them all their days. No man perseveres in holiness unless he desires to do so. Tender desires breed watchful walking, and, by God's Spirit, lead to consistent living.
Now all these people can pray acceptably; indeed, they are always praying, for desires are true prayers.
We need the prayers of all these people, as well as of advanced saints. The rank and file are the main part of the army. If none but eminent believers prayed, our treasury of supplication would be scantily furnished.
We should gratefully associate such beginners with us in our cries for prosperity to the cause of God; their struggling petitions will excite us all to pray better, and the exercise will increase their own prayer-power.
Lastly, let us pray now—all of us, great and small. In the Holy Ghost let us pray, and thereby support our ministers, missionaries, and other workers, who, like Nehemiah, lead the way in holy service.
Spices This description of God's servants—"who desire to fear thy name"—reminds us how largely their religion in this world consists of "desire." They have real piety, but are dissatisfied with their attainments, and aspire to better things. Their desire is, however, to be carefully distinguished from that of many who substitute occasional good wishes for actual piety. The real Christian's desire impels him to the diligent use of all those means by which a higher life is reached. He "exercises himself unto godliness"; and what he attains he employs in spiritual and moral living. But the word used rather signifies "delight," expressing the pleasure which God's servants feel in their religion.—Pulpit Commentary. That which we desire when we have it not we delight in when we obtain it. At least, this is the case in matters which are really worth desiring. Those who never pine for grace will never prize grace. When Napoleon returned from Elba, a man at work in a garden recognized the emperor, and at once followed him. Napoleon welcomed him cheerfully, saying, "Here we have our first recruit." When even one person begins to pray for us, however feeble his prayers, we ought to welcome him. He who prays for me enriches me. The gospel ministry is so dependent upon the power of prayer that it should be a pastor's main object to educate the praying faculty among his people. There should be numerous prayer-meetings, and these of varied order, that women, youths, children, and illiterate persons may unite in the holy exercise. Every little helps. Grains of sand and drops of rain combine for the greatest of purposes, and achieve them. There may be more real prayer in a little gathering of obscure desirers than in the great assembly where everything is done with ability rather than with agony of desire.
Never let your pastor lose his prayer-book. It should be written in the hearts of his people. If you cannot preach, or give largely, or become a church-officer, you can at least pray without ceasing.
Section 35
"Then he said unto them, Go your Way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet,
and send Portions unto them for whom Nothing is prepared; for this Day is
holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the Joy of the Lord is your Strength."—Nehemiah 8:10
"Also that Day they offered great Sacrifices, and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice
with great Joy: the Wives also and the Children rejoiced; so that the Joy of Jerusalem
was heard even afar off."—Nehemiah 12:43 The people who had wept before, under a sense of sin, were now called upon to rejoice. Holy mourning prepares the way for spiritual mirth. Clear shining follows rain.
It was well that they kept themselves under such control that they could weep or rejoice as they were bidden. Their joy was remarkable for its spirituality and universality, and in these and other ways it was an example for us.
I. There is Joy of Divine Origin.
"The joy of the Lord."
1. It rejoices in God himself, his character, his doings, his commands, and all that makes up his glory. It rejoices especially that he himself is ours. "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord" (Php 3:1).
2. It possesses a deep sense of reconciliation, acceptance, adoption, and union with Christ Jesus. Joy must necessarily flow from all these fonts of blessing (Isaiah 12:3).
3. It enjoys assurance of future perseverance, victory, and perfection, by reason of the finished work of Christ, and the immutability and omnipotence of divine grace (Hebrews 6:17-18).
4. It is exalted by the present personal fellowship with God out of which it springs "We also joy in God" (Romans 5:11).
5. It is happy in the honor of service (1 Timothy 1:12).
6. It is acquiescent in the divine will, in providence, affliction, disappointment, etc. (Romans 5:3).
7. It is full of hope for the future—a well of delight.
II. That Joy is a Source of Strength.
"The joy of the Lord is your strength."
1. It arises from considerations which strengthen. The same truths which make us glad also make us strong.
2. It is sustained by a life which is strong, even the life of Christ within us, maintained by the Holy Ghost.
3. It fortifies against temptation, or persecution or affliction, and so it proves a present strength in time of need.
4. It fits for abounding service. He who is joyous of heart himself will seek the good of others.
5. It forbids all fear by giving a sense of ability to face every enemy.
It is calm, constant, humble, real, deep-seated strength.
III. That Strength which comes of Holy Joy leads to Practical Results.
1. Praise. "Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen" (verse 6).
2. Sacrifices of joy. "They offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced."
3. Expressions of joy. "God had made them rejoice with great joy."
4. Family happiness. "The wives also and the children rejoiced."
5. This joy insured the notice of the neighbors, "so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off."
IV. That Joy is within Reach.
It was God's gift, but it came by—
Hearing attentively. "The ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law" (verse 3).
Worshipping devoutly. "They bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord" (verse 6).
Mourning penitently. "All the people wept when they heard the words of the law" (verse 9).
Understanding clearly. "Great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them" (verse 12).
Obeying earnestly. "They made booths and sat under the booths," etc. (verse 17).
Let us seek after joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the atonement; for this is a true, safe, sanctifying joy. It is such an ornament as well becomes the thoroughly devoted believer while on earth, and prepares him to unite in the hallelujahs of heaven.
There is such a thing as a joyless heart. God help us to have no personal experience of it!
There are also deadly joys. From these let us flee to the living joys of grace.
Sparkles
It is a bad fireplace where all the heat goes up the chimney: true religion spreads joy over all around. Yet the fire warms first the chimney in which it burns, and grace comforts the heart in which it dwells. Nobody will be warmed by a cold hearth.
Faith is the key of happiness; use it at the gates of the Lord's house, and chambers of bliss shall open to you. If your religion only admits you into vaults and dungeons it must be very incomplete. Christ comes from ivory palaces, and leads his chosen into banqueting houses. That the Christian religion is favorable to human happiness is, I believe, the secret conviction even of many who may not openly confess it; hence it is no uncommon thing to hear even the openly wicked say, "I believe that the real Christian is the happiest man in the world." I recollect the remark of a certain sceptic, made to myself, in the hour of affliction, "Oh, sir, you Christians have the advantage of us."—From "Addresses to Young Men," by Rev. Daniel Baker.
Mr. Moody says: "I never knew a case where God used a discouraged man or woman to accomplish any great thing for him. Let a minister go into the pulpit in a discouraged state of mind, and it becomes contagious; it will soon reach the pews and the whole church will be discouraged. So with a Sabbath-school teacher. I never knew a worker of any kind who was full of discouragement, and who met with great success in the Lord's work. It seems as if God cannot make large use of such men." When we are weakened by sadness we do not speak attractively. Our statements lack certainty and energy. We are apt to quarrel over trifles, to be turned aside by discouragements, and in general to do our work badly. Soldiers march best to music, and sailors work most happily when they can join in a cheery note; and I am sure we do the same.
Joyful Christians set the sinner's mouth a-watering for the dainties of true religion. When the prodigal returned, he was shod, and clothed, and adorned, but we do not read that the servants were to put meat into his mouth. Yet they were to feed him, and they did so by themselves feasting—"Let us eat and be merry." This would be the surest way to induce the poor hungry son to make a meal. If saints were happier, sinners would be far more ready to believe.