Silence: A space for God (Nehemiah 2 : 1- 5)

Now in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, so the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, though you are not ill? This could only be sadness of the heart.”

I was overwhelmed with fear and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

“What is your request?” replied the king.

So I prayed to the God of heaven and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city where my fathers are buried, so that I may rebuild it.”

Verse of the day: “'What is your request?' replied the king. So I prayed to the God of heaven"

Commentary:

As a child, I used to think that to walk with the Lord meant to pray when I woke up and then again before I went to sleep. There was never a transitional lesson that taught on the knowledge of what it means to walk with God. Here in Nehemiah, we see so much of how he walks with God. In the previous chapter, Nehemiah fasted and prayed for four months. And now, we watch as he takes the chance to speak before the king. We don't know the work that God did in his heart during that time either. But we can not assume that God didn't talk back to him. As a kid, I thought it was so cruel that God made him kneel so much and said nothing and then he goes to the king and risks so much. But the truth is , we just don't know what was said. We know only what Nehemiah did next.

Now, I'm sure that Nehemiah had sad days at work before but he never let the king see it. But the day he needed to make a request of the king, he shows his emotions. Emotions aren't just about how you feelings about something. They are tools of manipulation and should be wielded with care. That requires self-control one of the fruits of the Spirit ( Matthew 7). From Nehemiah's fruit, we can see that he walks with God. He shows his emotions for a purpose. For this to work, Nehemiah must have been a valuable worker and close to the king. He must also not show this level of emotion often for it to be noticed.

"Fix your face" is an expression wielded by parents and employers alike. But it's not an expression that a good leader would use. King Artaxerxes paid attention to Nehemiah and asked about his needs.

Nehemiah doesn't immediately responds with his need. Instead, he complements the king. I'm not sure if this phrase is a required first phrase to say before speaking the king. But I do know that it is a stroke of understanding to tell someone who you wish to make an a appeal a complement. You are softening them up to accept your request.

Nehemiah didn't ask the king first. He left it in God's hands to open the mouth and mind of the king first. His will was never exerted over the situation. This makes me more curious to know what was said in those four months of prayer. Of course, he wanted something from the king. But this seems to suggest caution in going ahead of God to get what you want.

And then he prayed some more. He did not response immediately. He paused. He prayed. He gathered his words. We often don't like the uncomfortable pause in a conversation. We want to fill the space. But that space is there for God to do his work. Before this, I had never thought of praying to God in the middle of a conversation. I was raised to pray in the morning and the night. But this showed me a path of in the moment prayer to take myself out of control of the situation and insert God instead.

Daily Practice: During a conversation today, pause and pray to God. It doesn't need to be longer prayers but bring him into the conversation with you. Walk with him in the needs of your life.

Historical Note

This isn't the first time that someone noticed the dilapidated state of Jerusalem. Haggai did 70 years before ( Hag 1: 2-6). This wasn't the first time that people tried to rebuild the wall (Ezra 4: 7 - 23). King Artaxerxes would've been the same ruler who stopped the previous work, and in order for the work to resume he would need to rescind his order. He ended the work because he was suspicious of their work. After the revolts in Egypt and Syria, he reacted to a information about a possible rebellion in Judea (Ezra 4:7–23).

It's hard to talk with some bosses. Any suggestion of a change is an act of war against their very being. So for Nehemiah to ask him to reverse an earlier decision is a risk that could've ended in this death. So maybe it took him four months of courage to prepare for his potential death.

Nehemiah would've still been working through this time of prayer. We have no indication that he stopped working and went away for four months. The king didn't mention it either.

Download the Study Materials (Paid Members Only)

P.S. What is one other thing you see in this section of the text? Want to share a testimony? Have a prayer request?

We share them with the readers in Friday's newsletter. Complete the form to have yours shared.

References

Ulrich, Dean R.. Now and Not Yet : Theology and Mission in Ezra-Nehemiah, InterVarsity Press, 2021. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/fuller/detail.action?docID=6822721.