Against All Odds Series

We had a remarkable breakthrough in chapter 2 when Nehemiah was granted the opportunity to see the King, after 4 months of praying and waiting.

• Even with all that praying, it wasn’t a simple thing for Nehemiah to seek the King’s favour. He was very much afraid (2:2).

• Imagine asking for leave from a Persian King for something that’s personal and Jewish.

• Moreover, this request would require the King to reverse a previously established policy (according to what we read in Ezra 4).

Yet we know God aided him. He did not need to initiative any talking. The ball started rolling when the King asked him questions.

Nehemiah was led to answer these questions a matter-of-factly. The King asked:

• 2:2 “Why do you look so sad when you are not sick?”

• 2:4 “What is it you want?”

• 2:6 “How long will your journey take and when will you get back?”

• These leading questions led him to reveal what was in his heart. Having ascertained the King’s favour, Nehemiah made the other requests.

Even for the King to grant his request was a sovereign act of God.

• If we look back at Ezra 4 and see how the King first penned the order to stop work on the rebuilding of Jerusalem walls, this was what he wrote:

• 4:21 “Now issue an order to these men to stop work so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.”

• By God’s sovereign grace, the King has given himself the room for a possible change (13 years ago), which he would need now in Nehemiah 2.

We have no outward sign of God’s presence nor any record of God saying anything, but we know God was present and He has acted.

• And Nehemiah knew that. He has gotten the green light NOT because of his good relationship with the King (guan xi), NOT because of his pious faith and his fasting.

• Nehemiah said it was “because the gracious hand of the Lord was upon me, the King granted my requests.” (2:8)

Pray that God will grant us such spiritual insight to see His favours in our lives!

And God gave him this bonus (I felt), something that Nehemiah did not request – King sent army officers and cavalry with him (2:9).

• I don’t read this as for protection because Nehemiah as already requested letters for the governors of Trans-Euphrates to provide him safe-passage to Judah.

• The military escort was like a rubber stamp for his mission; it authenticates what he was about to do.

• It would signal to the locals that Nehemiah came with the mandate of the King.

The dissenters would know that this was with the King’s permission and there was a change to the royal policy.

• Which explains why, down the road, we did not see the oppositions writing complaint letters to the King anymore (like what they did previously).

• Nor did they come against the work with violence or force. They resorted only to mocking them, ridiculing and discouraging the workers.

We see God orchestrating everything from the start, granting Nehemiah access to the King, gaining his favour, providing him what he would need for the trip and the work.

• It does not mean therefore that everything would be smooth and easy. Doing God’s will doesn’t mean that. In fact, it might mean the opposite.

• What it means is that when we do God’s will, He is with us to help us and work through us to fulfil His plan and purpose.

Look at what Nehemiah has to contend with – Neh 2:11-20.

For a cupbearer-turned-foreman, Nehemiah would really need to do some homework. That’s his 1st challenge.

He did not reveal anything prematurely without giving it much thought.

• We can see this part of him even before he stepped into the King’s presence.

• He was able to answer the King because he had already thought through many issues, like how long he would need to be away (2:6), the letters he would need for a safe passage (2:7), the timber required for the work (2:8).

And on arrival, he kept a low profile until he has done his preparations. We have a record of what he did.

On his night survey, Nehemiah set out from the West side of the city, coming out of the Valley Gate and turning South to the Dung Gate.

He then went round to Fountain Gate and the King's Pool (the Pool of Siloam) on the Eastern side.

There he was forced to dismount and proceed on foot along the ridge (above Kidron Valley). He then likely, turned back and re-entered the city at the starting point.

It’s not about experience; it’s about diligence, the willingness to put in the effort.