Nehemiah, study (1)
the effective fervent prayer and intercession of the righteous man avails much.
Nehemiah was a man of resolve – a man of action – a man of God – a man of prayer. Nehemiah was a man who loved his God – obeyed His word and trusted His promises, and so God used this man of Israel to be an instrument in His purposes for His people.
Nehemiah had spent his life in Persian captivity- far away from his homeland in Israel, but he had proved himself trustworthy- having been appointed cupbearer to the king. He was also a man of action. Nehemiah was a man that set about getting things done.
We discover Nehemiah to be a man with a great heart-burden for the things of God. He loved his homeland – his city – his people and he was a man that loved his Creator – and when news of the pitiable state of Israel reached his ears, his heart was grieved. The heavy burden he bore started in sorrow – and then progressed into prayer, The burden of his heart began in tears – which inspired his intense intercessions.
Nehemiah began his prayer declaring the faithfulness of his covenant-keeping God. He acknowledged God’s greatness, and His willingness to hear His peoples’ cry. Nehemiah prayed day and night in earnest trust that God would listen and hear him – and his intense intercession was for his own nation – the people of Israel….. 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, let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes be open to hear the prayer Your servant is praying before You day and night – for Your servants, the people of Israel…… Nehemiah 1:5-6
Nehemiah pleaded the cause of Israel – based on God’s everlasting faithfulness. Nehemiah’s intercessions were rooted to trust in God – as a convent-keeping God. His prayer continued with penitential pleadings for his sins – and those of the nation. He confessed on behalf of himself and Israel for their disobedience and wickedness. The prayer of Nehemiah continues: I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against You. We have acted very wickedly toward You. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws You gave your servant Moses.… Nehemiah 1:6-7
Nehemiah admitted that all the fault lay with the errant nation of Israel and not God. He knew he and his forefathers were guilty as charged for they’d not obeyed God’s Law. He knew the whole nation was well-deserving of God’s righteous and just punishment. So Nehemiah rehearsed God’s righteous command and just conditions in His ears – He reminded God of His promise to His people – before continuing his prayer.. “Remember the instructions you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 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.’… Nehemiah 1:8-9
Israel had failed to keep God’s commands and God carried out all He had spoken. God must never be counted as unfair, for Israel deliberately disobeyed her God. Nor must we count God unfair – for that is to distort His righteous and holy character.. but Nehemiah’s prayer finally translated into deep intercession for God’s people, “They are Your servants and Your people, whom You redeemed by Your great strength and Your mighty hand. Lord, let Your ear be attentive for the prayer of this Your servant and to the prayers of all Your servants who delight in revering Your holy name.. Nehemiah 1:10-11
Let us like Nehemiah plead the cause of our people – based on God’s holy character. Let us pray for the Church :the body of Christ.. based on God’s everlasting faithfulness. Let our intercessions be rooted to trust in God.. as our covenant-keeping, faithful God. Let us confess our sin and those of the church with penitential pleadings to the Father – and never let us forget.. the effective, fervent prayer and intercession of the righteous man avails much. James 5:16
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