Nehemiah 1

575 BC 375 BC475 BC

Decree of CyrusBC 536Ezra 1:1 Completion

Of TempleBC 516

Ezra 6:15

Ezra Returnsto Jerusalem

BC 457Ezra 7:7

Neh. Returnsto Jerusalemto Build Wall

BC 445Neh.2:1, 1:1

Neh. ReturnsTo Reform

PeopleBC 433

Neh.13:6Death of Seraiah?586 BC

II Kings 25:18-21

559 530 522 486 465 424 404

Cyrus Cambyses DariusXerxes I

(Ahaseurus) Artaxerxes Darius II

Smerdis522

Xerxes II424

Daniel’s 70 Week Prophecy

7 weeks + 62 Weeks unto Messiah

AD27 AD33 AD70

AD27 AD33AD 30-31Ministry

BeginsCrucifixion Stephen – Gospel

To Gentiles

BC 606-536

70 Years CaptivityJer.25:12,29:10,Dan.9:2

Who was Seraiah?Ezra 7:1 Nehemiah 10:2,11:11

Nehemiah Chapter 1

v.1 Shushan the Palace - 200mi E of Babylon - winter residence of Persian monarchs

Exhort - Neh. - Living in the lap of luxury - mind was elsewhere

“Looking beyond the temporal to the eternal”

v.2 “Hanani” - ‘gracious’ - Neh. bro. in the flesh - faithful - 7:2

Jerusalem to Shushan 800-1,000 miles!

WHY ?

Exhort - Recognize strength of others!

Nehemiah’s Concern (v.2)

1. The Escaped Jews - the remnant - Ezra 9:8,9,14, Is.37:31-32, 4:2

A love for the people of God!I Pet. 1:22

2. Jerusalem Ps.122:6-9Ps.137:5-6Jer.51:50 - ‘Let Jerusalem come into your mind’

v. 3 “The Remnant”Heb. ‘to remain, be left over, be left behind’

(perhaps old, infirmed, wives, children)“affliction” - Heb. ‘misery, to suffer hurt or wrong’“reproach” - Heb. ‘scorn, taunt’ - Ps.44:10-14, 79:4

“The Wall of Jerusalem is

Jer.39:8Jer 52:14

II Kings 25:10

Remained as the Chaldeans had left them 100 yrs. ago!!!!!

v. 4SAT DOWN

WEPTMOURNED

FASTEDPRAYED

“ I will gatherthem that are sorrowful”Zeph.3:18

Empathy“weep with them

that weep”Rom.12:15

….. certain days 3-4 months!

v. 5

James 5:16

Ecc.7:3, II Cor.7:10, Prov.15:13, Ps.126:4-6

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‘If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God’ (1:5)

Gr. , RV – add conjunction ‘but’

Gr. ‘wanting, destitute’ – 2:15

Gr. ‘sophia’ – ‘insight into the true nature of things’ (Vine)

Ex.31:1-6, 36:1-4 – ‘in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted have I put wisdom’

Job 28:12-28 – Where shall wisdom be found?

Prov. 9:1-6,9-10 – Calling of Miss Wisdom

Mt.7:7-11

How do we ASK so God will hear?How do we ASK so God will hear?

Searching/Yearning – Prov.2:3-6, Jer. 29:11-13

Willing to Spread it Out Before Him – Is. 37:14

Don’t Stop Praying – Luke 22:44

In my name – Jn.14:13, 16:23-24

We abide in Christ…his words abide in us – Jn.15:7

Keep his commandments – I Jn.3:22

According to His will – I Jn.5:14-15

‘let him ask in faith nothing wavering’ (1:6)

Gr. ‘conviction, constancy’

Gr. ‘not even one’

Gr. ‘doubting’Thayers – ‘be at variance with

oneself, hesitate,doubt’

Same Gr. wd.Rom.4:20 – ‘staggered not’Mk.11:23 – ‘doubt in his heart’Mt.21:21 – ‘doubt not’Ja.2:4 – ‘partial’

‘Is any sick among you.’ (5:14)

Gr. ‘astheneo’ – ‘to be feeble (in any sense)’Thayer – ‘to be weak, to be without strength, powerless’

1. Physically weak.Mt.10:8 – ‘heal the sick’Mk.6:56 – ‘laid the sick in the streets’Lu.4:40 – ‘sick with divers diseases’Jn.5:3,7 – ‘multitude of impotent folk’Jn.6:32 – ‘diseased’Jn.11:1,2,3,6 – ‘Lazarus was sick’Phil.2:26 – ‘Epaph. … had been sick’

2. Morally/spiritually sick.Acts 20:35 – ‘support the weak’Rom.4:19 – ‘being not weak in faith’Rom.14:1-2 – ‘him that is weak in faith’Rom.14:21 – ‘is made weak’I Cor.8:9 – ‘them that are weak’I Cor.8:11 – ‘the weak brother perish’I Cor.8:12 – ‘weak conscience’

PHYSICAL OR SPIRITUAL ??

‘the prayer of faith shall save the sick’ (5:15)

Gr. ‘kamno’ – ‘to toil, tire (fig. faint,sicken)’ ‘to grow weary, be weary’ (Thayers) ‘weariness of mind’ (Vines)

Used 3X• Heb.12:3 – ‘wearied’• Rev.2:3 – ‘fainted’• Ja.5:15• LXX – Job 10:1 – ‘my soul is weary of my life’

‘effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much’

one Gr. wd. ‘energeo’ – ‘to be active, efficient’‘to be operative, be at work, put forth power’ (Thayer)

Gr. ‘to have (exercise) force’ – Phil.4:13 ‘I can do all things through Christ’

RV – ‘the supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working’Philips – ‘tremendous power is made available through a good man’s earnest prayer’Wey. – ‘the heartfelt supplication of a righteous man exerts a mighty influence’

(5:16)

EFECTUAL FERVENT PRAYEROF A RIGHTEOUS MAN….

FOR THOSE WHO ARE WEAKAND FATIGUED

• November 2011• Conducted On-Line • Global Christadelphian Community• ~ 400 respondents• Bro.Steve Davis for Bro.Wkd.

94.9%

In the past 6 months, how often have you prayed?

When do you usually pray? (Select all that apply)

In the past 6 months, my prayers generally relate to…(Select all that apply)

If married, do you regularly pray with your spouse?

If you have children, do you: (select all that apply)

Does God Answer Your Prayers?

Overall are you Satisfied with your Prayer Life?

47.2%

If you have struggledpraying, what are your

biggest obstacles??

Apathy

Too busy

Feeling the need to pray

Knowing what to sayFinding the right words Anger

Depression

Lack of Faith

Concentration

Lack self-discipline

Prioritizing prayerFatigue-Lethargy-Laziness-Lack of energy

Falling asleep in mid-prayer

Distractions of LifeHard to focus Mind wanders

Repetitions – Repeating myself

Making time for God in my day

WHERE SHOULD I PRAY?• Fishes Belly - Jonah2:1• Ship’s Deck - Acts 27:35• In the King’s Presence - Neh. 2:4• Facing Toward the Wall - Is. 38:2 (Hezekiah)• Face Toward Jerusalem - Dan.6:10• In Public Silently - I Sam.1:13 (Hannah)

PRAYER POSTURE• Hands Uplifted - Ps.28:2, I Tim. 2:8• Standing - Mark 11:25• Kneeling - Eph. 3:14, Ps. 95:6• Prostrate - overwhelming emotion - Ezek. 11:13, Mt.26:39• Bowing Head - Gen.24:48, Ex.34:8, I Chron.29:20

It’s not the position of the body….It’s the disposition of the MIND !

PRAYER TIME• Morning and Night - Ps.141:1-2, 88:1•Three Times per Day - Dan. 6:10•Seven Times per Day - Ps. 119:164• Daily - Ps.86:3• Morning - Ps. 5:3, 11:13• Midnight - Acts 16:25KEY = Make the time!

The Language of Prayer

“ Godly men make requests framed in biblical thoughts,and even in Biblical Language.”

v.5 “great and terrible God” Deut. 7:21“keepeth covenant” Deut. 7:9“observe his commandments” Ex.20:6

v.6 “let thine ear now be attentive” II Chron.6:40v.7 “have not kept the commandments..” Deut.5:28-31

Deut.6:1,8:11-14v.8 “if ye transgress…I will scatter” Lev.26:39-45

Deut. 28:64, 30:1-4v.9 “but if ye turn unto me” Deut.30:1-2v.10 “thy people” Deut.9:26

Familiarity with the Law in a Foreign Land!!!!

The Attitude of Prayer

“The self-sufficient do not pray; they merely talk to themselves.The self-satisfied do not pray; they have no knowledge of their need.

The self-righteous cannot pray; they have no basis on which to approach God.”(Nehemiah - Learning to Lead pg.22-23)

Structured Prayer

Adoration v.5

Confession v.6,7 - note: “we”

Thanksgiving v.8-10

Supplication v.11

• 1:5 “I beseech thee”• 2:4 “So I prayed”• 4:4 “Hear O our God”• 4:9 “…we made our prayer”• 5:19 “Think upon me, my God”• 6:9 “strengthen my hands”• 6:14 “My God, think upon….”• 13:14 “Remember me, O my God”• 13:22 “Remember me, O my God”• 13:29 “Remember them…”• 13:31 “Remember me, O my God”

We need God’s help and guidance every moment: in everything we do, in every step we take -- however simple or trivial. This is the whole secret of life. Without this, we do not have a chance. Without this, we are just blind, perishing animals, bumbling out our sad, brief, faceless existence to death and oblivion. Train yourself to keep God in the very forefront of your mind at ALL times. Let Him totally dominate your thoughts. Make pleasing Him your only motive and desire. Keep pulling your mind back to this, over and over. It will wander, for we are all, and will always be, very much children -- but never give up forcing it back. Don’t worry over the failures: we can’t change anything that’s past. Just keep concentrating on the effort. This is reality. This is living. This alone is joy and peace.

G. V. Growcott

v. 6

“Let thine ear now be attentive”Ps. 34:15 - ‘eyes and ears of Lord open to cry of the righteous’

Lu. 18:7-14 - prayer of wicked - prayed with himself!!!! - prayer of righteous - God be merciful to me!!!

“confess”Proverbs 28:13 - Exhort - necessary step for forgiveness!!!

“day and night”

v. 8“Remember ….the word”

Ps.119:49-50 - ‘….upon which thou hast caused me to hope’Lev.26:39-42 - ‘if they confess…remember cov’t & land’

v. 9

‘guard, observe, give heed’ - Not a passive act - an active principle!

“keep my commandments”

THEN GOD WILL HEAR OUR PRAYER!!THEN GOD WILL HEAR OUR PRAYER!!

“though you were cast out…yet I will gather”

‘thrust out, banished’

Jer. 29:11-14“the thoughts I think toward you saith the Lord,……

thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end”

v. 11

Def’n - one who ‘desires to fear thy name’

‘delight, have pleasure in’ ‘inspire reverence, be held in awe’

All about an attitude...

Exhort

Service in the family of Christ will be a natural by-productof such a state of mind!

The Prayer of a Servant

“prosper” ‘to push forward’

ExhortAsking God to give him a push!Asking God to push him beyond his comfort zone!

• here we’re dependent upon God• requires us to live by faith

“grant him mercy in the sight of this man”

Nehemiah’s confidence ... ‘The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord’

Proverbs21:1

Prayer…must pervade every aspect of our life…must be part of everyevent in our life…our life must be an enacted prayer…including the Lord

in every aspect of our being.

Prov.3:6 – ‘In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths’Phil.4:6 – ‘Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer & supplication’

Emotional Rx

Invent Possibilities

Take Right Action

Prayer Fellowship Godly Wisdom

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