NEHEMIAH CHAPTER 1 – THE PRAYER

Nehemiah was serving as the cupbearer for King Artaxerxes of Persia when he receives a discouraging verbal report from some fellow countrymen concerning Jerusalem. This report revealed that the remnant Jews in Jerusalem were under opposition and the walls and gates of the city remained in a deplorable state.

Previously, during the time of the Ezra, and the second remnant groups return to Jerusalem an erroneous report from their opposition had been sent to King Artaxerxes which resulted in him stopping the rebuilding of the walls (Ezra 4). So, since that time, no repairs had been done, and the Jews were defenseless, disgraced, and discouraged.

Nehemiah’s response was similar to Ezra and mournfully, he retreats to prayer and fasting. In his prayer he acknowledges the greatness and mercy of God, he requests God to hear his prayer, he confesses the sins of the Jews, he reminds God of the covenant that He made with his forefathers, and he asked Him to cause the king to grant him a favor.

The gleaning points that I received from this chapter are:

1. Bad news will find you.
2. Don’t forget your homeland
3. When faced with issues, pray.
4. Before petitions, confession of sins is needful.
5. God is our complete source, and it is He who causes men to respond positively to us.
6. Put God in remembrance of His Word.