Nehemiah was among the exiles of Judah, born in Babylon, serving in the royal court of Artaxerxes as the King’s cupbearer. The cupbearer sampled everything served to the King ensuring the King wasn’t being poisoned and as such was vital to the welfare of the King and was with the King frequently. A note about royal protocol is that no one is allowed to be depressed in the presence of the King—everyone was to be upbeat.
Nehemiah had not been part of the first two returns to Jerusalem but would have known of the Temple’s rebuilding completed 70 years earlier. Esther has lived and reigned and a dozen years ago, Ezra had returned to Jerusalem. Now, twenty years into the reign of Artaxerxes, one of Nehemiah’s relatives arrives and to Nehemiah’s dismay informs him that only so much has been done; yes, the altar is used, the Temple is rebuilt but the walls of the city are still in disarray just as they were left by Nebuchadnezzar more than 140 years ago. This reminder has a profound impact upon Nehemiah.
Is our first response to disturbing news to go to God in prayer, to identify with the situation in a meaningful way, to take responsibility for our lack of concern until now? Nehemiah ‘owns’ the condition of Jerusalem—the vulnerability that openness creates—as his responsibility. Looking all the way back to what God expressed to the Israelites under Moses a thousand years before, he takes responsibility for his lax attitude in faithfulness to the Lᴏʀᴅ for all God has revealed. For days he ‘wept and mourned… fasted and prayed’ pouring out his heart to God. Before he did anything else.
When the King recognizes Nehemiah’s sadness and inquires about it, Nehemiah is direct in answering the King. Succinct, direct, pointed, courteous, entrusted by the Lᴏʀᴅ. Focusing has prepared the response he gives the King who immediately grants permission for Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and resolve the deficiency and with all expenses voluntarily paid by the King.
Was it Nehemiah’s charisma or court status that won favor? Unlikely but rather that God had prepared the way, removing obstacles, turning the heart of the King to grant the enabling. How often in our lives do we react to obstacles first in our own abilities and eventually remember to include God almost as a courtesy or an afterthought? Nehemiah is an example of first things first and God is First.