(5) The Story of Nehemiah
1) Invitation to God’s War
He Wept and Fasted Upon Hearing of Jerusalem’s Ruin
Nehemiah was a descendant of Jews taken into exile in Babylon. Despite being a captive, he rose to a position of high rank as cupbearer to the Persian king, enjoying wealth and honor. He could have easily settled into a life of comfort and considered the fall of Israel, which had happened over a century earlier, as little more than an old story of the past. Yet Nehemiah belonged to the kingdom of God—Jerusalem, where God’s eyes and heart still remained. Instead of indulging in worldly riches, he wept, fasted, and sought Him in prayer upon hearing of Jerusalem’s desolation.
》Scripture Prayer
(Nehemiah 1:3-9,NIV) 3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” 4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept; for some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said: “LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,” 6 “let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel; I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.” 7 “We have acted very wickedly toward you; we have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.” 8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,’” 9 “but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.”
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Those who are content with comfort can never fight God’s war. One who is entangled in personal comfort cannot answer the call to be a soldier. Only those who understand the Lord’s heart and walk in step with it can respond to His call to battle. Let us pray that the churches on earth will rise as faithful soldiers, unhindered by personal ease, carrying the heart of God.
2. Nehemiah prayed holding onto the promise of Deuteronomy 30:4. The restoration of Jerusalem was not something that could be accomplished through his own emotions or strength. It was entirely God’s war, and those who are called to it must follow His will and plan with obedience through faith. Let us pray that churches called into God’s war will obey not with human zeal, but by faith grounded in the Word.
2) Understand God’s Warfare
Remember the Help of God’s Gracious Hand
The rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls under Nehemiah was not merely a construction project. It was a spiritual mission to restore and establish the kingdom of God—one that inevitably involved warfare against the kingdoms of this world that oppose Him. Enemies used every tactic—intimidation, persuasion, attack, threats, and slander—to disrupt the work. The only path to victory in such warfare is to remember the gracious hand of God who began the work and to fight with unwavering faith to the end.
》Scripture Prayer
(Nehemiah 2:8, 12, 17–18, NIV) 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem, and there were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. 17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire; come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me; they replied, “Let us start rebuilding,” so they began this good work.
(Nehemiah 4:14, 20-22, NIV) 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them; remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” 20 “Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there; our God will fight for us!” 21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.”
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Nehemiah began rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls because he discerned and obeyed God’s heart and will. In response to his obedience, God’s gracious hand helped him. When churches today discern His will and respond in bold faith, they too will experience His helping hand. Let us pray that every church discerns God’s plan for His kingdom and seeks His gracious help in faith.
2. When the Church wages war for the revival of God’s kingdom, let us pray that it will not fear its enemies. May we remember our great and awesome Lord, and fight boldly for our fellow brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Even in the face of greater hardship or opposition, let us pray that the Church will rely solely on faith and the help of God’s gracious hand and persevere to the end.
3) The Purpose of God’s War
A holy life of the people of God is centered on His temple.
The wall was rebuilt in just 52 days, but that was not the end. If the people of God living within the city of Jerusalem did not live lives worthy of His kingdom, the rebuilding would be meaningless. Once the physical boundaries were established, the true measure of success was whether those living within them would submit to the sovereignty of God.
After the completion of the wall, Ezra the scribe led a reform centered on the temple. Through the dedication ceremony, the roles of priests and Levites were restored, and a “holy separation” took place according to the Law, removing the foreign influences among the people.
Yet not long after, the people once again disobeyed the Word, neglected the temple, and returned to their former ways, living for their own desires. Nevertheless, Nehemiah held more tightly onto the Word and earnestly prayed for God’s grace to uphold and preserve them.
》Scripture Prayer
(Nehemiah 12:43-47, NIV) 43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away. 44 At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. 45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. 46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
(Nehemiah 13:1-3, 14, NIV) 1 On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) 3 When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.14 Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Let us pray for the lives of God’s people, the members of the Church, to be holy. The Church is a holy community that delights in God’s Word and lives by it. Just as the Israelites committed to holiness according to the law after the wall was rebuilt, let us pray that today’s churches will also hunger for holy lives and make continued decisions of faith.
2. Let us pray for the restoration of a life that acknowledges everything we have comes from God and offers everything—our offerings, time, gifts, and whole lives—back to Him. Though many say they’ve been blessed or transformed, over time, they often settle into a faith that suits their preferences. Pray that as believers grow in their walk with God, they will not compromise the truth of the gospel of the cross, but grow in purity and passionate obedience. May God raise up ministers and believers who live this way.
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