Nehemiah 2

CHAPTER 2THEME: Nehemiah’s return to Jerusalem

Nehemiah 2:1

NEHEMIAH’S REQUEST TO RETURN TO JERUSALEMIn this chapter we see that Nehemiah requests permission from the king and returns to Jerusalem. He reviews the ruins of the city and encourages the people to build the walls. Notice it is at this particular point where the “seventy weeks” of Daniel begin: “in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king.” This is an important date in prophecy. This man Nehemiah is a delightful fellow, as we are going to see. I would have loved to have known him. He is the kind of a layman that you want to get acquainted with. He has a political jobthat of cupbearer to the king. His function is to taste anything brought to the king. For example, if a glass of wine is brought to the king, Nehemiah tastes it first. If he suffers no ill effects, then the king will drink the wine. His job as cupbearer is dangerous, as you can see. The job of cupbearer demanded that Nehemiah be in the king’s presence much of the time. Naturally he would become a friend of the king. I think that many times when the king had to make a decision he would ask his cupbearer, “What do you think about this matter?” In time the cupbearer became sort of an advisor, a member of the king’s cabinet. Probably because of his job Nehemiah stayed in the land of his captivity, hoping that someday he might be able to use his position to help his people. Maybe that is why he asked his brethren how things were in Jerusalem. Nehemiah is preparing to make a request of the king, but he is not quite ready. On this particular day he does not feel well. Since he received the bad news about the Jews in the land, he has been fasting, mourning, and praying. I think his eyes were red. He did not look his usual happy self. Never before had he looked sad. Usually he was a bright, cheerful fellow. The king noticed that Nehemiah was not himself.

Nehemiah 2:2

Nehemiah did not know that his feelings showed. He had tried to conceal the way he felt but apparently was not able to. So the king asked him a point-blank question, “Why are you sad? You are not physically ill, so it must be sorrow of heart. Something is troubling you. Tell me what it is.” At the king’s question Nehemiah became very much afraid.

Nehemiah 2:3

Nehemiah said, “Let the king live for ever.” The cupbearer could always say that wholeheartedly since he tasted what came before the king! He hoped the king would stay in good health, and he hoped he would also. Then he blurted out what was troubling him, “Why shouldn’t I be sad, O king, my master? The city of my fathers and the sepulchers where they are buried lie in waste and the gates are consumed with fire.”

Nehemiah 2:4

This is the first verse in this book where the word so occurs, but it will occur thirty-two times. Nehemiah uses this word as a shortcut to get around a lot of protocol and flowery verbiage that does not mean anything. You will find that this man gets right to the point. He does not beat around the bush. He said, “So I prayed to the God of heaven"right in the presence of the king. The king had said to Nehemiah, “You evidently want to make a request of me. What is it that you want to ask me?” So Nehemiah shot up a prayer to the God of heaven. It was a brief prayer and I think it was something like, “Oh Lord, help me say the right thing. I am in a very tight spot!”

Nehemiah 2:5

Nehemiah asked the king to grant him a leave of absence that he might go to Jerusalem to help rebuild it.

Nehemiah 2:6

There is a reason for that parenthetical insertion: “(the queen also sitting by him,).” Not only was Nehemiah a young man, I think he was a handsome young man with a very good personality. I imagine there were times when court business could become quite boring. The king would become involved with some petty political matter and would have to settle it with a great deal of discussion. The queen would become bored and start a conversation with the cupbearer. She might have said, “Where did you go this weekend?” And Nehemiah would say that being a Jew he went to the synagogue on Saturday. Then on Sunday he took a little trip in a boat up the Euphrates River and did a little fishing. The queen and Nehemiah probably had many conversations along this line. So when Nehemiah asked the king for permission to return to the land, the queen probably nudged the king in the ribs and said to him, “Let him go if that is what he wants to do.” The king thought about it for a moment and then asked, “For how long shall thy journey be?” The king probably started to say, “This is a busy season. It is going to be difficult to get along without you, Nehemiah. I don’t know if we can spare you or not.” About that time the queen nudged him and said, “Let him go.” Finally the king asked, “How long will this take and when will you return?” Obviously the king liked Nehemiah, too, and he wanted him to come back. At this point Nehemiah could have gone into detail but he does not. He simply says, “So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.” There is a lot of wasted verbiage today. The other day I listened to a television program concerning the work of one of our government committees which was hearing witnesses concerning a certain matter. A certain lawyer was speaking. I listened to him for fifteen minutesand he could have put his entire testimony in two sentences. He certainly did string it out. He took advantage of the fact that he was appearing before this committee and that he was being televised. He used a great deal of excess verbiage. Nehemiah did not waste words. He got right to the point.

Nehemiah 2:7

Nehemiah realized that his trip would be a difficult one through dangerous country. He asked the king for letters of introduction and explanation to the governors along his route so they would give him protection as he traveled through their lands.

Nehemiah 2:8

Now Nehemiah trusted the Lord, but as a government official he didn’t mind asking the king for his official assistance and protection along the route.

Nehemiah 2:9

NEHEMIAH’S REVIEW OF THE RUINS OF JERUSALEMIt looks as if half the army of Persia accompanied Nehemiah on his journey. God had opened the heart of the king to protect Nehemiah, and he knew that the hand of God was upon him. He went on his journey well protected. You remember that when Ezra had asked the king for permission to return to the land, he wanted to ask the king for protection; but he had been so eloquent in telling the king how God would take care of him and lead him that he was ashamed to ask for an escort. He was afraid the king would say, “Aren’t you trusting the Lord?” Nehemiah, however, felt that he had the right to ask for protection because he was a government official. Friend, God is not going to lead all of us alike. He led Ezra one way, and he led Nehemiah another way. He will lead you one way and He will lead me another way. I made a mistake at the beginning of my ministry by trying to imitate a certain preacher. He was highly successful and a great man of God. One day an elder of my church, who had known me ever since I was fourteen years old, said, “Vernon, I want to have lunch with you.” I went to the bank where he was vice president, and from there we went to his club for lunch.

All he said to me as we sat there was, “You know, we would rather have an original Vernon McGee than an imitation anybody else.” That was all he said and that was all he needed to say. From that day to this I have not tried to imitate anyone. And Lord help the man who would try to imitate me! What a tragic thing it is for one man to try to duplicate another man. God will not lead us alike. Ezra went back to the land with no support whatsoever.

Nehemiah returned to the land with half of the Persian army. God will use both ways.

Nehemiah 2:10

When Nehemiah reached his destination, there was already opposition. There are three fellows we are going to meet. There is Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, whom we will meet later on. These three men were the enemies of God and His people. They had tried to hinder the building of the temple, and now they want to hinder the rebuilding of the wall. When Nehemiah came with a tremendous entourage of servants and soldiers, everybody in the country heard of it. They wanted to know who in the world he was. They were told that he was cupbearer to the king of Persia, and that he was coming to help the Jews. When that word got around, the enemy was grieved. They didn’t like that. It is always interesting to see how news is received. It usually depends upon who you are whether news is good or not. The gospel is not good news to its enemies. In fact, it is anything but good news.

Nehemiah 2:11

In this verse we note the word so again. At this point Nehemiah could have written two or three chapters about his journey to Jerusalem and the thrilling experiences he had on the way. Instead he simply says, “So I came to Jerusalem.” Mark it down every time he uses the word so. He is cutting down on a great many words.

Nehemiah 2:12

After arriving in Jerusalem Nehemiah did not want to stir up undue alarm, so he went out at night under the cover of darkness to make his inspection and see what the real condition was. He had no entourage of servants with him. It was no parade. He was a laymanthis is the way a businessman would do it.

Nehemiah 2:13

There was so much debris that Nehemiah could not ride horseback through it. He had to dismount.

Nehemiah 2:15

Nehemiah had circled the entire city. He was finished with his inspection.

Nehemiah 2:16

Nehemiah used caution and good judgment in doing God’s work. I love to see certain laymen today who are doing things for God. If I may be personal, we have here in California a group of men who comprise the “Thru the Bible Radio” Board. They meet regularly and they are always a great encouragement to me. I am no businessman and, very candidly, I need advice. It is marvelous what these men do. I just listen to them as they discuss certain things. Every once in a while one of them will take me to lunch and say, “Now look, here is something I think is important as far as the radio ministry is concerned.” It is usually something I have never thought of before. Now this man Nehemiah intrigues meI am anxious to follow his story through and see what action he will take.

Nehemiah 2:17

NEHEMIAH’S ENCOURAGEMENT TO REBUILD THE WALLSNow having made the proper survey and evaluation of the work to be done, he called a meeting. Nehemiah called a meeting of the leaders in the surrounding area of Jerusalem. He told them how God had led. He told them about his leave of absence and why he had come to Jerusalem. He had already made his inspection. He knew what the situation was and he said to the group, “Let’s do this job. God is with us.” They all responded to his enthusiasm and said, “Let us rise up and build.” Nehemiah was a real leader, a God-inspired leader. The leaders responded to this man. Again here is his familiar word so. “So they strengthened their hands for this good work.” He could have elaborated a great deal and told us how this group gathered together and responded to his leadership, but Nehemiah did not do that. He is a very modest layman who stays in the background.

Nehemiah 2:19

Here is the enemythree men. This is not a nice little trio to have around you, friend. I suppose that every man of God not only has wonderful men around him, but he also has a few like Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian. The enemy will use different methods to try to discourage you. Generally, ridicule is the first method the enemy tries. When I was converted, I worked in a bank and I had gone the limit into sin, I must confess. I was in grave sin. I shall never forget the reaction when I made the announcement that I was resigning and that the Lord had called me into the ministry. I did not know anyone could be ridiculed like that. I remember how discouraged I was when I left that place. I felt like giving it all up and going back and saying, “Look fellows, I was kidding you.

I just want to come back and be one of you again.” But I soon found that I was frozen out. I had lost a lot of my so-called friends. It was during the days of prohibition, and they were only interested in drinking rot-gut liquor and running around. I went back to school and, oh, how discouraged I felt. The enemy started out by using ridicule. He doesn’t do that to me anymore.

That is the first phase of the devil’s warfare against you, friends. He will have folks make fun of you as a Christian. At times you will find the going extremely rough. It was true of Nehemiah. The three leading enemies used the weapon of ridicule at first to deter the people from attempting the herculean project of rebuilding the walls and gates.

Nehemiah 2:20

Notice what happened. I cannot help but love Nehemiah, and I hope you do too. He said, “Get out of my way. We are going to work. God is with us in this.” How wonderfuland God was indeed with them.