The city of Jerusalem had a problem. Though it had been in ruins for many years, the people had rebuilt the temple and most of the houses. What was still lacking, though, was a wall. And in 446 BC, if you did not have a wall around your city, you were in big trouble.
Eight hundred miles away, in the city of Suza, lived a man named Nehemiah. He was a cup bearer to King Artaxerxes, one of the most powerful men in the world. When Nehemiah heard the news about the city of Jerusalem, it saddened him, because that was his ancestral home.
Eventually the king notices that Nehemiah is not quite himself and asks, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill?” (Nehemiah 2:2). When Nehemiah tells him, the king asks, “What is it that you want?” and that is where this story becomes important to us.
Nehemiah’s said, “If it please the king, and if the king thinks well of me, send me to Judah, to the city where my family is buried, so that I can rebuild it” (verse 5).
The most important part of this is that Nehemiah says “Send ME”. Most people in that situation would have said, “Send some royal carpenters” or maybe, “some slaves” or “some money”, but Nehemiah says, “Send me”.
Now, we have no indication that Nehemiah knew how to build a wall. He certainly did not go because he had experience. The people did not seem that concerned about the wall, so he was not going because he had an eager work force. Note too that he was eight hundred miles away. That was virtually the other side of the world in those days. This is not really Nehemiah’s problem. He could have lived his whole life with or without a wall around Jerusalem and it would not have affected his life one bit.
So, why did Nehemiah ask to go?
The short answer: It was the right thing to do.
Nehemiah knew that the people needed help. He knew that God’s city should have a wall. He thought that God’s temple ought to be protected and he decided that if someone needs to go, why not me?
This, by the way, is a rare attitude. Many people can point out the problems. Anyone can be a critic. It does not take much time or effort to see how things “ought to be better”.
It takes a different sort of heart and a different way of thinking to say, “I know what needs to be done and I will do it”.
Incidentally, after lots of prayer, planning and some old fashioned hard work, Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem successfully rebuilt their wall.
Just one of many examples of what can happen when Godly people have the courage to stand up and say, “Here I am. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)
Eight hundred miles away, in the city of Suza, lived a man named Nehemiah. He was a cup bearer to King Artaxerxes, one of the most powerful men in the world. When Nehemiah heard the news about the city of Jerusalem, it saddened him, because that was his ancestral home.
Eventually the king notices that Nehemiah is not quite himself and asks, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill?” (Nehemiah 2:2). When Nehemiah tells him, the king asks, “What is it that you want?” and that is where this story becomes important to us.
Nehemiah’s said, “If it please the king, and if the king thinks well of me, send me to Judah, to the city where my family is buried, so that I can rebuild it” (verse 5).
The most important part of this is that Nehemiah says “Send ME”. Most people in that situation would have said, “Send some royal carpenters” or maybe, “some slaves” or “some money”, but Nehemiah says, “Send me”.
Now, we have no indication that Nehemiah knew how to build a wall. He certainly did not go because he had experience. The people did not seem that concerned about the wall, so he was not going because he had an eager work force. Note too that he was eight hundred miles away. That was virtually the other side of the world in those days. This is not really Nehemiah’s problem. He could have lived his whole life with or without a wall around Jerusalem and it would not have affected his life one bit.
So, why did Nehemiah ask to go?
The short answer: It was the right thing to do.
Nehemiah knew that the people needed help. He knew that God’s city should have a wall. He thought that God’s temple ought to be protected and he decided that if someone needs to go, why not me?
This, by the way, is a rare attitude. Many people can point out the problems. Anyone can be a critic. It does not take much time or effort to see how things “ought to be better”.
It takes a different sort of heart and a different way of thinking to say, “I know what needs to be done and I will do it”.
Incidentally, after lots of prayer, planning and some old fashioned hard work, Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem successfully rebuilt their wall.
Just one of many examples of what can happen when Godly people have the courage to stand up and say, “Here I am. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)
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