Nehemiah 1:11

Prosper thy servant, this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.

This leads to the object of the prayer. He desired to obtain. great favor from an arbitrary and despotic king, no less than to be appointed governor of Judea, with permission to rebuild the walls. He desired God to help him to present his request in the wisest way and to incline the king to grant his prayer. We can now form little conception of the perilous character of such. request.. Persian king was regarded almost divine, and it was held one of the highest of earthly privileges to be in his presence. To ask to leave his court was almost treason. Unless it could be asked in such. way as to succeed the request was likely to prove Nehemiah's ruin. "This man" refers to the king.

For. was the king's cupbearer.

This was. very important office in ancient courts, both on account of the confidential nature of the office and the opportunity afforded of approaching the king. Oriental monarchs were seldom seen by the people. The cupbearer presented him his wine daily, was one completely trusted, as otherwise he could poison the king, and always tasted the cup before he gave it to the king. Nehemiah's relation would give him an opportunity of making his request in person.

It was several months before he saw. fitting time to make his request, (chapter 2d,) and then he succeeded in obtaining all that he asked, accompanied by. promise to return again to Shushan after his work was done. Going to Jerusalem, before he had made known his purpose, he made the circuit of the walls in the night, in order that the enemies around might not suspect his design and then suddenly set the whole population to work, assigning to various families parts of the wall. By night and day they labored, every rank and order, and when the Samaritans, Ammonites and Arabians became threatening, one-half the people stood ready for defence armed, and the other half worked on the wall with their swords at hand. In fifty-two days the united effort of the people erected the walls and towers so that they could defy their enemies and Jerusalem, after. lapse of over. century and. half, was again. walled city, ready to enter upon. new career of prosperity.

PRACTICAL AND SUGGESTIVE.

1. Earthly prosperity cannot make us happy if we have evil tidings from those we love.

2. When our own arms are too short to deliver the only hope is in God. To him we may appeal, sure that he will hear in justice and mercy.

3. The peace and prosperity of Jerusalem should be the heart's desire of every child of God. We should pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and be able to sing:

"I love thy kingdom, Lord, The House of thine abode." 4. If the people of God sin they will suffer for their sins. If they repent and turn he is faithful and just to forgive their sins if they confess them.

5. The prosperity of Zion depends on the faithfulness of the servants of God. When God's people "walk in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit they are multiplied." No church ever languishes or dies save by its own fault.

6. When we have any great and trying work to do we should prepare for it by special prayer. It is the men who have prayed much who are God's mighty men. It was on his knees that Luther wrestled for Germany, Knox for Scotland, and Judson for Burmah. Nehemiah not only prayed and fasted before he made his request to the king but when he made it. "Then the king said unto me, What dost thou request? So. prayed the God of heaven. And. said unto the king: If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that. may build it." Strengthen thyself for great works by prayer.

7. The Christian must be. builder, but he must also carry the sword, the sword of the Spirit.

8. Dr. Judson, the great missionary, gives his experience as this: "I never was deeply interested in any object,. never prayed sincerely and earnestly for anything, but it came. At some time, no matter at how distant. day, somehow, in some shape, probably the last. should have devised,-- it came. "