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October 14 - Nehemiah 2 · A Chapter a Day Bible Reading

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Hello friends, it's Sean here. It's Monday, the start of a new
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week, and it is the 14th of October, and you have tapped on
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play to invite me in. Hello, I hope you're going well.
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Me. Ah, I'm going great, thanks for
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asking. We are continuing to read
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through this lovely book, Nehemiah.
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And this book, as well as being used as a historical document,
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it is also used as a exposition on how to be an awesome leader
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today because Nehemiah, well, he kind of rocked it.
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So a lot of people look to Nehemiah as an example for how
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we can trust God but also be bold in our actions, in getting
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things done, knowing that God is on our side.
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And so we continue this story in the voice of Nehemiah, hearing
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about him in his transition from royal cupbearer in the courts of
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Persia all the way to governor over in that old land that their
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people have been restored to. So come with me, friends, all
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the way back to hear the story recorded in Nehemiah Chapter 2.
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Early the following spring, in the month of Nissan, during the
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20th year of King Artaxerxes reign, I was serving the king
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his wine. I'd never before appeared sad in
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his presence. So the king asked me, Why are
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you looking so sad? You don't look sick to me.
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You must be deeply troubled. Then I was terrified, but I
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replied, Long live the king, how can I not be sad?
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For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins and the
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gates have been destroyed by fire.
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The king asked, Well, how can I help you with a prayer to the
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God of heaven? I replied, if it pleased the
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king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me
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to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.
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The king with the queen sitting beside him, asked, How long will
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you be gone? When will you return?
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After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed
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to my request. I also said to the king, If it
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pleased the king, let me have letters addressed to the
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governors of the province West of the Euphrates River,
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instructing them to let me travel safely through their
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territories on my way to Judah. And please give me a letter
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addressed to Asaph, the manager of the King's forest,
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instructing him to give me timber.
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I will need it to make beams for the gates of the temple
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fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.
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And the king granted these requests because the gracious
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hand of God was on me. When I came to the governors of
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the province West of the Euphrates River, I delivered the
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King's letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent
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along army officers and horsemen to protect me.
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But when sun belapped the horror night and to buy the Ammonite
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official a heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that
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someone had come to help the people of Israel.
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So I arrived in Jerusalem three days later.
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I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with
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me. I had not told anyone about the
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plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem.
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We took no pack animals with us except the donkey I was riding.
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After dark I went out through the valley gate, passed the
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Jackal's well, and over the dung gate to inspect the broken walls
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and burnt gates. Then I went to the fountain gate
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and to the King's pool, but my donkey couldn't get through the
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rubble. So though it was still dark, I
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went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall
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before I turned back and entered again at the valley gate.
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The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I
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was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my
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plans. I had not yet spoken to the
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Jewish leaders, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone
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else in the administration. But now I said to them, you know
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very well what trouble we are in.
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Jerusalem lies and ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by
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fire. Let us rebuild the wall of
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Jerusalem and end this disgrace. Then I told them about how the
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gracious hand of God had been on me and about my conversation
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with the king. They replied at once, yes, let's
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rebuild the wall. So they began the good work.
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But when Sanbulat, Tobiah and Gheshem, the Arab herd of our
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plan, they scoffed contemptuously.
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What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the
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king? They asked.
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I replied. The God of heaven will help us
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succeed. We his servants will start
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rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal
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right or historic claim in Jerusalem.
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Ah, Lord, thank you for the story of Nehemiah.
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And you move in his heart and give him this mission.
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But instead of running headlong into it, he does the groundwork.
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He gets the validation of the King and that protection before
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he heads off so that when he does come across the challenges
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that he expects, he's one step ahead, able to do your work.
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Lord, as you move us into action for you and your Kingdom, Lord,
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give us the wisdom we need to begin wisely, to set ourselves
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up for success, and to hold firm to the truth that You have
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already set us up. Because you have won the war,
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You have been victorious over sin and death, and You welcome
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us with wide open arms into your family and into your eternal
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embrace. And so, Lord, help us always
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keep that in the front of our mind that we are loved children
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of the victorious God of the universe and everything else is
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secondary. Our Lord, bless us today as we
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go about doing your will and sharing your love and that
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incredible good news that Jesus came to tell us all about South.
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Lord, we just ask for your blessing, we thank you for your
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love, and we pray all of this in that name of Jesus, Amen.