NEHEMIAH'S PRAYER.-- 1:1-11.
GOLDEN TEXT. --_ Give us help from trouble; for vain is the help of
man._ -- Psalms 108:12. TIME. --B. C. 445. PLACE. --Shushan, or Susa,
the capital of the Persian Empire. HELPFUL READINGS. -- 2 Kings
25:8-17; Nehemiah 2:17-20; Nehemiah 4:13-23; Deuteronomy 30:1-10.
LE... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HANANI, ONE OF MY BRETHREN, CAME.
We learn from chapter 7:2 that Hanani was the brother of Nehemiah. It
is probable that Nehemiah had sent him on. tour to Judea,. distance of
near one thousand miles by the route traveled, to learn of the state
of the Jews there. In those days when there were n... [ Continue Reading ]
THE REMNANT THAT ARE LEFT OF THE CAPTIVITY.
The small numbers of those in Palestine compared with the great
population in the days of the Jewish kings seemed like only.
"remnant." We have found that only from 40,000 to 50,000 returned at
first.
IN THE PROVINCE.
Judea, now. province of the Persian... [ Continue Reading ]
SAT DOWN AND WEPT.
This sad account of the condition of Jerusalem deeply moved Nehemiah.
Though it was. hundred and fifty years since his fathers had been
brought from Judea, and though he had. high position and great favor
with the king, still he looked upon himself as an exile and Judea as
his ho... [ Continue Reading ]
LORD GOD OF HEAVEN, THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE GOD.
This expression occurs in several places in Nehemiah, and is taken
from Deuteronomy 7:21, and the remainder of the verse from Deuteronomy
7:9, showing that Nehemiah was familiar with this book. He reminds God
of his faithfulness in keeping his covenan... [ Continue Reading ]
CONFESS THE SINS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, WHICH WE HAVE SINNED
AGAINST THEE.
God had not proved unfaithful. It was Israel who had broken the
covenant, and had thus alienated the favor of God. The lowly state of
the people was due to their own sins. This Nehemiah humbly confesses.
So it is still.... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE DEALT VERY CORRUPTLY WITH THEE.
He next specifies the nature of their sins. The commandments, the
institutions, and the judgments or penalties, that God had established
through the law of Moses had been disregarded. When King Josiah heard
the copy of the law, found by Hilkiah, read and saw... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER.... IF YE TRANSGRESS. WILL SCATTER YOU ABROAD AMONG THE
NATIONS.
The reference is not to any particular passage, but to various
statements to this effect; such passages as Leviticus 26:33-45;
Deuteronomy 4:25-31; Deuteronomy 30:1-5. Twice have these predictions
been fulfilled, once at the t... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THESE ARE THY SERVANTS, THY PEOPLE.
Those who had returned to Jerusalem were those whom God had gathered
out of the nations on their repentance. Their cause Nehemiah pleads.
They are the servants of God, his people, redeemed by his power out of
the Captivity.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 hi... [ Continue Reading ]