Nehemiah learns that the walls of Jerusalem are broken down and its gates burned. He prays and fasts, asking God to help the exiled Jewish people. When Nehemiah has the chance, he requests the king's permission to travel to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls. Nehemiah rallies the Jewish remnant, telling them of God's favor and their duty to rebuild. Opponents ridicule their efforts, but Nehemiah insists that God will help them succeed in the task.
3. NEHEMIAH 1:1-4
The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year,
while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani,
one of my brothers, came from Judah
with some other men, & I questioned them
about the Jewish remnant that had survived
the exile, & also about Jerusalem.
4. NEHEMIAH 1:1-4
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile
& are back in the province are in great trouble
& disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, &
its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard
these things, I sat down & wept. For some days I
mourned & fasted & prayed before the God of
heaven…
5.
6. NEHEMIAH 2:1-5
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year
of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I
took the wine & gave it to the king. I had not been sad
in his presence before, so the king asked me, “Why
does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This
can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much
afraid, but I said
to the king, “May the king live forever!”
7. NEHEMIAH 2:1-5
Why should my face not look sad when the city where
my ancestors are buried lies in ruins,
& its gates have been destroyed by fire?” The king
said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the
God of heaven, & I answered the king, “If it pleases
the king & if your servant has found favor in his sight,
let him send me to the city in Judah where my
ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
8.
9. NEHEMIAH 2:17-20a
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in:
Jerusalem lies in ruins, & its gates have been burned
with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, &
we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them
about the gracious hand of my God on me & what the
king had
said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So
they began this good work.
10. NEHEMIAH 2:17-20a
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the
Ammonite official & Geshem the Arab heard about it,
they mocked & ridiculed us. “What is this you are
doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the
king?” I answered them
by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success.
We his servants will start rebuilding…”
17. SOUL TRAINING EXERCISE EXERCISE
SOUL TRAINING
Take a prayer walk…
- Walk by/around the theater
- Sit on the steps & pray
- Ask for God’s heart about our vision
& how the theater might play a part in
seeing it become to fruition…