The Difference of One
As our Bible reading begins, the children of Israel had been in Babylonian captivity for a long
time. God had used the Assyrians and the Babylonians to chasten the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Assyrians deported and scattered the ten northern tribes, and centuries later, the
Babylonians captured the remaining tribes in Jerusalem. These Israelites, now referred to as
Judah (made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin), were in Babylonian captivity for seventy
years. During this time of captivity, the Babylonians came under the control of the Persian king
named Cyrus. After 70 years in exile, in 538 BC, King Cyrus issued a decree that freed the
Jews and allowed them to return to their homeland. Zerubbabel led the first return, and about
60 years later, Ezra led a second group. Now the year is somewhere around 444 BC, and the
city of Jerusalem was still in bad shape. As our story begins, Nehemiah is being made
aware of just how bad things are in Jerusalem. Nehemiah is almost 1000 miles away from
Jerusalem. He is in Susa (modern day Iran). It is the month of Kislev which is the equivalent of
November- December for us. The temperature there is about like it is here at this time of year.
Nehemiah was born in Persia to parents who had been exiled from Jerusalem to Persia.
Nehemiah must certainly have had it good in Persia. He worked for King Artaxerxes. He was
the king’s cupbearer, and as such he had earned the king’s respect. One evidence of this is
seen in the fact that the king was concerned about Nehemiah’s countenance.
This book really is a story about how God can use one person to impact a large number of
people. A man with a humble beginning can be used of the Lord to lead others to do great
things.
I wonder what God wants to use you to do. We see all sorts of needs in our country.
What do you think God wants to change in the lives of the people around you? (Table
talk) (Make a list.)
If God wants to use you to help bring about these changes (or other changes)
are you willing to do so?
This first chapter of this book is about Nehemiah identifying God’s call on his life. This
was not just what Nehemiah thought would be a good thing to do. Nehemiah was
burdened by what he heard about the condition of the Jews in Jerusalem. He was
convinced that how they were living was not how God wanted them to live. He was also
convinced they somehow, God wanted Nehemiah to help get his fellow Jews back on the
right track in life. Nehemiah was what we would call a layman. He was neither a
prophet nor a priest. He was just a guy working a service sector job as cupbearer to the
king. But God’s plan for Nehemiah was revealed to Nehemiah through a burden laid on
his heart when he heard the story of his fellow Israelites who had returned to Jerusalem.
1 These are the memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In late autumn, in
the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at
the fortress of Susa.
2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had
just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there
from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem.
3 They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the
province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of
Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted,
and prayed to the God of heaven.
5 Then I said, “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who
keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his
commands,
6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your
people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own
family and I have sinned!
7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and
regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.
8 “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful
to me, I will scatter you among the nations.
9 But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even
if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I
have chosen for my name to be honored.’
10 “The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your
servants.
11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who
delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king
favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the
king’s cup-bearer.
- In what ways do you think Nehemiah’s job helped equip him for the work of
rebuilding the city walls and gates in Jerusalem?
A cupbearer was a high ranking official in the king’s court. This was a person with whom
the king trusted his life. His role included being in charge of serving the wine to the
king and tasting it first. No doubt, Nehemiah saw example after example of great
leadership while serving in the court of Artaxerxes. Things were built. Projects were
completed. Goals were met. Nehemiah was right there to see it all. Nehemiah had built
lots of social capital among powerful people. The king knew him to be a man of
integrity and trust, and Nehemiah knew that the king could make arrangement for
materials, supplies, and help that Nehemiah couldn’t have done. He knew how to work
in the field of politics to network and get things done. Nehemiah had spent years
watching the king and the king’s officials leading people to accomplish all sorts of tasks.
No doubt, his leadership skills were learned from some of the finest leaders around. - What report did Hanani and his men give to Nehemiah? What do you think living
conditions were like in Jerusalem prior to Nehemiah’s arrival? (1:3)
3 They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the
province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of
Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
The Jews must have been living under conditions that were not safe, not comfortable,
and not what any Jew returning from exile would have expected to find in Jerusalem
The walls of a city represented the strength of the people and of the gods they served.
For the walls to have been in disrepair would have been a situation of practical danger
and public disgrace for the Jews. It would have also been seen as a negative sign
about Judah’s God. To a Jew hearing this story, it must have been like seeing hope
hit a brick wall.
- How did Nehemiah react to the news about Jerusalem and the exiles? What situation
or condition in our world should break our hearts? (1:4)
4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted,
and prayed to the God of heaven.
Nehemiah was heart-broken over the news from Jerusalem. It seems to me that the
first step towards getting great things accomplished is having a great burden. When we
have a great burden, we are in useable form for God to use us effectively in His
kingdom. I wonder if the biggest challenge in all of Christianity might be the
lack of burden. I spent some thing this week examining my heart and asking God to
do the same. Where is my burden? If I am not burdened, I cannot be effective in doing
very much. The good news for me is that do have a burden. I want to see people get
out of poverty and out of addiction and live the stable life of a Jesus-follower.
Where is your burden? Are you plugged into meaningful ministry that is
addressing real needs of people? Do you want to see people follow Jesus? - How did Nehemiah describe God in his prayer? According to Nehemiah, with whom
does God keep His covenant of love? (1:5)
5 Then I said, “O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who
keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his
commands,
Nehemiah described God as the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of love
with those who love and obey Him.
What sort of relationship does God have with what we might call “Casual
Christianity?” - What made Nehemiah more aware of his own sinfulness? On whose behalf did
Nehemiah pray and fast? (1:6)
6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your
people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own
family and I have sinned!
Nehemiah is not making excuses for why Jerusalem was in the shape it was in. He is
not blaming all the outsiders who had treated Judah so poorly. He is not saying this is
all the fault of some previous leader. He simply accepts the responsibility for
himself and his people. He prays and fasts for himself and Judah. - Of what sins were the Israelites guilty? (1:7)
7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and
regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.
They had not given the Lord first place in their lives and that was evidenced by the
condition of their city. They had worshiped idols. They had married women who served
other gods.
- What promise of the Lord could the Israelites claim, according to Nehemiah? (1:9)
9 But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even
if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I
have chosen for my name to be honored.’
Israel (Judah) had disobeyed God by turning away from Him in life. But God is a
loving and a forgiving God. As long as we have breath, we have hope of forgiveness.
His promise to His people was that when they return to Him and obey Him, He will
bring them home to the Promised Land.
Where is the Promised Land for us? - How did Nehemiah describe the people of Israel in his prayer? What specific request
did Nehemiah ask God to grant him? (1:10-11)
10 “The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your
servants.
11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who
delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king
favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the
king’s cup-bearer.
Nehemiah describes the people of Judah as delighting in honoring God. Think about
where you are right now in your life. Do you delight in honoring God? When you
do it shows up all around you. You are a blessing to others. You bring joy into
people’s lives. You encourage people towards the Lord. Nehemiah asked God to
cause the king’s heart to be kind to him.
God wants to use you and me to make a difference in our world. Our humble obedience
to Him will influence person after person to follow Jesus. Christianity is to have a
compounding effect upon society. Each person compounds the people in the Kingdom of
God by moving those people closer to the Lord. They in turn influence others, and the
cycle continues.