Blog
“Reviving Stones – Supplication (Neh. 1)”
Reviving Stones – Supplication (Neh. 1)
Wade Webster
Every chapter in Nehemiah gives us a stone that must be revived in the Lord’s work. The stone in the first chapter is supplication. Almost the whole chapter is a prayer or a supplication (all but three verses). You might see the word supply in the word supplication (Phil. 4:19). Nehemiah was asking God to supply him with mercy in the sight of the king. We read, “O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer” (Neh. 1:11). Please consider six characteristics of Nehemiah’s supplication.
He Prayed Compassionately- Nehemiah was comfortable where he was. He had everything he needed and then some. When he heard of the condition of those remaining in Jerusalem, he sat down, wept, mourned for many days, fasted and prayed. His heart went out to them. Their pain was in his heart. Though Nehemiah was miles away from them physically, he was with them emotionally. I am reminded of the words of Ezekiel: “Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days” (Ezek. 3:15). It does us good to sit where others sit. It does us good to sit with others at the hospital and at the funeral home.
He Prayed Reverently - Nehemiah understood who God was and who he was. He knew that God was a great and awesome God (Neh. 1:5). He knew that God was to be had in reverence by all those about him (Psa. 89:7) and to be feared above all gods (Psa. 96:4-5). He knew that he and his people had sinned. He knew that they had not kept God’s commandments (Neh. 1:6-7). He knew that God was a holy God and that he and his people had been unholy. Therefore, he approached God with great reverence and fear.
He Prayed Continually - When Nehemiah heard about the condition of Jerusalem and its inhabitants, he wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed many days (Neh. 1:4). He didn’t pray just one prayer or just one day and stop. He prayed day after day and night after night. We read, “Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned” (Neh. 1:6). No doubt, the Bible student is reminded of Anna. Luke records, “And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Lk. 2:36-37). What a wonderful thing to be known for! Sadly, some of us might be known for a lack of prayer instead of a life of prayer (1 Thess. 5:17; Rom. 12:12; Acts 2:42).
He Prayed Humbly - At least two times, Nehemiah used the word please (Neh. 1:6, 11). He wasn’t making demands of God. He was asking. He repeatedly described himself and his people as God’s servants (Neh. 1:6, 11). They were sinners in need of grace and lawbreakers in need of mercy(Psa. 34:18; 51:17; Isa. 57:15; 66:2). Likely, the Bible student is reminded of the praying publican who wouldn’t live up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast begging for mercy (Lk. 18:9-14).
He Prayed Confidently - Nehemiah knew God’s promises. He knew the punishment that God had promised for disobedience and the restoration that God had promised for repentance. We read, “Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there” (Neh. 1:8-9). Nehemiah was confident that God would keep His promises and answer the prayers of His people (1 John 5:14-15; Jam. 1:5-7; 1 Tim. 2:8).
He Prayed Specifically - Nehemiah didn’t just pray for God to prosper him. He prayed for God to prosper him in the sight of one man - the king. The king was the only one who could give him permission to return. Nehemiah further prayed for God to do it on that day. Nehemiah wanted God to soften the heart of a specific man on a specific day. We read, “O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer” (Neh. 1:11). Although the opportunity to make his request wouldn’t present itself immediately, it would eventually come (Neh. 2:1-4). Perhaps, God began softening the king’s heart that day and continued to do so until the time was right for Nehemiah to make his petition.
If we are going to revive the Lord’s work where we are, we must begin with prayers asking for God’s blessings. With God’s help, nothing can stop us (Rom. 8:31). Without God’s help, our labor will be in vain (Psa. 127:1).
