Nehemiah openly expresses his heart before the king and shares his vision. This shows the courage and determination of someone who holds a vision.
1. The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2. Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them concerning the J…
Today's sermon discusses how God raises up visionaries through Nehemiah. Nehemiah demonstrates courage in the face of fear, moving forward with the vision given to him by God and striving to restore the people of Israel. Let us remember to hold onto God's vision like he did, and to move forward with faith even in difficult circumstances. I hope we can live our lives in each of our places, practicing His will, while looking forward to what God will accomplish through us.
- Nehemiah 1 1. The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2. Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3. They said to me, “The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” 4. When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven, 5. and said, “I beg you, Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments: 6. Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Yes, I and my father’s house have sinned. 7. We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses. 8. “Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples; 9. but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.’ 10. “Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand. 11. Lord, I beg you, let your ear be attentive now to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cup bearer to the king.
- Nehemiah 2 1. In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad before in his presence. 2. The king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3. I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why shouldn’t my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates have been consumed with fire?” 4. Then the king said to me, “For what do you make request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5. I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may build it.” 6. The king said to me (the queen was also sitting by him), “For how long shall your journey be? And when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. 7. Moreover I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah; 8. and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple, for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into.” The king granted my requests, because of the good hand of my God on me. 9. Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen. 10. When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, because a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. 11. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. 12. I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem; neither was there any animal with me, except the animal that I rode on. 13. I went out by night by the valley gate, even toward the jackal’s well, and to the dung gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and its gates were consumed with fire. 14. Then I went on to the spring gate and to the king’s pool: but there was no place for the animal that was under me to pass. 15. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned. 16. The rulers didn’t know where I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest who did the work. 17. Then I said to them, “You see the evil case that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we won’t be disgraced.” 18. I told them of the hand of my God which was good on me, as also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. They said, “Let’s rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they ridiculed us, and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?” 20. Then answered I them, and said to them, “The God of heaven will prosper us. Therefore we, his servants, will arise and build; but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.”
- Nehemiah 2:1 1. In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad before in his presence.
- 1 Samuel 17:47 47. and that all this assembly may know that Yahweh doesn’t save with sword and spear: for the battle is Yahweh’s, and he will give you into our hand.”
Visionary Leadership Before Giants
- The Importance of Upward Leadership
- Harmony Between Vision and Reality
- The Importance of Preparation
Six days of devotions drawn from this Sunday's sermon — one for each day, Monday through Saturday.
Five quick questions from this Sunday's message. Tap an answer to see if you're right.
-
What was the vision that Nehemiah received?
Nehemiah received the vision to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and restore the people of Israel.
Hallelujah. I welcome all the saints who have come to this sacred worship today. At this time, I would like us to greet each other. You have come very well. You have come very well. Now, let us all rise from our seats and confess our faith with the Apostles' Creed as we move into the worship.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
I would like us to pray for our worship time. As we pray together, let us first give thanks to the Lord who has led us to this place of worship and ask that through this worship, we may believe in the Lord's work and fully dedicate ourselves to Him.
Leave your email to unlock Tuesday–Saturday devotionals, the full transcript and quiz free for 4 weeks. The weekly sermon email keeps coming after that.
Already subscribed? Sign inUnsubscribe anytime from the link in each email. Already subscribed? Open the link in your email.
