Nehemiah 1:1-2. The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, That Hanani, one of my brethren came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
This good man was, of course, one of the banished Jews, but he had greatly prospered. He had risen in the empire of Ahasucrus until he had come to be great even to be one of the chamberlains of the empire; but his heart was towards his poor people his brethren that were in poverty. Now, whenever God exalts a Christian man in temporal position, he ought not to disown his poor brethren, but his heart should go out towards them to see what he can do for them. It is a shame for any man to forget his country. Does not the Pole still say, «No, Poland, thou shalt never perish»? And we admire such patriotism. But the like feeling should be in every Christian breast. We should love the church of God even as Nehemiah loved the chosen race, from which he had sprung. So when he met with Hanani, the conversation was all about the poor brethren that remained at Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 1:3. And they said unto me, the remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
A sad story they had to tell. Ezra had assisted in somewhat rebuilding the temple, but little had been done for the private dwellings, and for the walls and public buildings of the city. It was in a sad and wretched estate; and the Jews were despised and reproached. Nehemiah was a great man, but he was sorry to hear this. He felt as if he was a fellow-sufferer with his poor brethren.
Nehemiah 1:4. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
Was it his concern? Was it any more his concern than that of other men? Yes, he felt it to be his: and the tender heart which he had towards the people of God made him feel it to be peculiarly his. If nobody else did anything, he must. And, oh! dear brothers and sisters in Christ, whenever you see the cause of God in a sad estate, lay it to heart: weep, lament, and pray: feel that you have an interest in it. Christ is your Saviour. Of the church you are a part. These blessed interests of sovereign mercy belong to you. Take them to yourself and say, «By God's help, I will lay myself out for the progress of his cause. I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.»
Nehemiah 1:5-6. And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
He seems to act like a priest for God, taking the sin of the people upon himself, and confessing it. If they were hard-hearted, and would not confess, he would, and pour out his complaint before God.
Nehemiah 1:7-10. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me and keep my commandments and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
You see what an admirable prayer this is. There is a full confession of sin an acknowledgment of the justice of God in having punished his people; but then there is a quoting of the divine word a putting of the Lord in remembrance that he had made such and such a promise. That is the very backbone of prayer. If you go to the bank, the main part of the transaction is to put the cheque the note of hand upon the counter. You get no money else. So when you go in prayer, the main part of prayer must lie in pleading the promise, «Thou hast said it: thou hast said it.» Hold God to his word with a sacred daring of faith. «Thou hast promised: thou hast declared. Now be as good as thy word.» Then notice another plea he has. He says he is pleading for God's servants his redeemed redeemed by great power. Oh! it should always make us feel strong in prayer when we recollect that God's people are very dear to him, and he has done great things for them; therefore he loves them, and for those whom he loves, surely, he will work great deliverances. These are arguments. There ought to be great argument in prayer if we hope to prevail.
Nehemiah 1:11. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
That was king Artaxerxes, whom he rightly viewed as a man, for, great as he was all-potent king of Persia yet still but a man. Nehemiah consoles himself in the prospect of having to go in before him to ask favor at his hands.
Nehemiah 1:11. For I was the king's cupbearer.
This exposition consisted of readings from Nehemiah 1:1 to Nehemiah 2:8.