Nehemiah 1:1-11 In
the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of
Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other
men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the
exile, and also about Jerusalem.
3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and
are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of
Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For
some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then
I said:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who
keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his
commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the
prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants,
the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself
and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted
very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and
laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant
Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the
nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if
your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from
there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed
by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be
attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your
servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by
granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer to the king.
Nehemiah demonstrates power in prayer. As a servant to King
Artaxerxes of Persia, he had no right to request leave to rebuild Jerusalem’s
walls, much less to requisition materials and protection. Yet knowing the
nature of the God he served, Nehemiah did not hesitate to act boldly and ask
the king for what was needed.
His prayer began, “I beseech You, O lord God of heaven” (Neh.
1:5). Lord, when it appears in all capital letters, denotes the word Jehovah (a
form of Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God). It means “God who is eternal in
His being”—conveying that everything everywhere is in His presence. So, when
God makes a promise, He knows how He will keep it. That is why Nehemiah called
Him “the awesome God who preserves the covenant.” He knew God was committed to
bringing repentant Israelites back to their homeland to dwell in His presence (Neh.
1:9).
Another Hebrew name used to refer to God, Elohim, is
translated “He who is absolutely sovereign.” If He spoke the world into being,
then He is certainly more than able to provide Nehemiah with supplies, some
time off from work, and favor from the Persian king.
There are many other names for God, such as Adonai (“master”), Jehovah-Jireh(“provider”),
and Jehovah-Rapha (“healer”). Since the Hebrew language is precise,
it can help us to better know who He is—when we need solace, we call upon the
God of comfort; in our confusion, we have the God who teaches. Just as knowing
one’s audience affects which words we choose to speak, the way we view God
impacts how we pray.
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