Crisis/Trouble/Need: how Nehemiah responded
The trouble: Nehemiah 1:1-3 (ESV)The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, ^2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. ^3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” Nehemiah 2:3b (ESV) the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
How Nehemiah Responded
- He responded emotionally
- 1.4 He wept/mourned and fasted
- He responded spiritually
- 1.4 He prayed
- 1.6 He prayed day & night
- He prayed for four months; from Kislev (1.1) to Nisan (2.1); and Lk 18.1-8 says such persistence in prayer complies with GodÕs instructions to us
- 1.6 He prayed day & night
- 1.4 He prayed
- 1.6 He confessed sins
- He responded practically
- He sought the King's help for:
- A leave of absence (2.5)
- Sponsorship for safe passage (2.7)
- Supplies for the work to be done (2.8)
- He sought the King's help for:
- He responded expeditiously
- He went to Jerusalem and soon after arriving (3 days) he inspected
- As soon as he finished his inspection he gathered the people and proposed they start the work
- He responded thoroughly
- He personally inspected the damage
- He gathered all the influential people to propose to them the project
- He oversaw the work through to completion