Hanani was sent to ask the king for help for his fellow Jews in Jerusalem. Nehemiah, a cupbearer for the Persian king, upon overhearing this news, is overcome with grief at the shocking conditions in Judea. He prays to the Lord God of heaven for his people. Nehemiah requests to visit Jerusalem. Would you be willing to give up a well fixed post in the palace to respond to such a crisis? He goes to Jerusalem with letters of introduction to governors of the province Beyond the River. The man has no credentials! Is this Abraham Lincoln of his day? Sanballat, a Samaritan elder is displeased when he hears that someone has come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. At night Nehemiah inspects the battered walls of Jerusalem to formulate his plan for reconstruction. The Jewish leaders respond favorably to the plan to build the wall. Geshem from Arabia considers this new effort as rebellion. Opposition continues from Sanballat and Tobiah. In the face of danger, Nehemiah sets armed groups in the open paces under the cover of the wall. The workers themselves are armed. An alarm system is set up to rally the people to any place of attack along the wall. He orders those who live outside the city to come within during this time of danger. A devoted servant and hard worker! Leading by example. Rev. Michael Piazza in Liberating Word asks “Why would a king care about a mere servant’s mood? Further, when the king discovered the reason, he gave Nehemiah a leave of absence and the resources with which to return to the city and begin the restoration process.” Piazza further observes “This story is a parable about how the way we live our lives can make allies of enemies. There are many with whom we may disagree who can be partners in areas of service.”
Hanani was sent to ask the king for help for his fellow Jews in Jerusalem. Nehemiah, a cupbearer for the Persian king, upon overhearing this news, is overcome with grief at the shocking conditions in Judea. He prays to the Lord God of heaven for his people. Nehemiah requests to visit Jerusalem. Would you be willing to give up a well fixed post in the palace to respond to such a crisis? He goes to Jerusalem with letters of introduction to governors of the province Beyond the River. The man has no credentials! Is this Abraham Lincoln of his day? Sanballat, a Samaritan elder is displeased when he hears that someone has come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. At night Nehemiah inspects the battered walls of Jerusalem to formulate his plan for reconstruction. The Jewish leaders respond favorably to the plan to build the wall. Geshem from Arabia considers this new effort as rebellion. Opposition continues from Sanballat and Tobiah. In the face of danger, Nehemiah sets armed groups in the open paces under the cover of the wall. The workers themselves are armed. An alarm system is set up to rally the people to any place of attack along the wall. He orders those who live outside the city to come within during this time of danger. A devoted servant and hard worker! Leading by example. Rev. Michael Piazza in Liberating Word asks “Why would a king care about a mere servant’s mood? Further, when the king discovered the reason, he gave Nehemiah a leave of absence and the resources with which to return to the city and begin the restoration process.” Piazza further observes “This story is a parable about how the way we live our lives can make allies of enemies. There are many with whom we may disagree who can be partners in areas of service.”
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