I would desire for a few moments, beloved brethren, to direct your attention to Nehemiah 8, which shows us the result of being devoted. We find in this chapter the deepest blessing that could be imagined for any soul. Nothing in the history of God’s ancient people presents a greater picture of the grace of God. The blessing of the faithful ones is seen to be higher even than in the palmy days of king Solomon. I speak of it that together we may encourage our hearts in the Lord, and that we may inquire what similarity there is between our circumstances and those of the remnant in Nehemiah’s day. Those of whom this chapter speaks were a little company just emerged from captivity. They were setting themselves to please the Lord. Blessed object for any people, beloved!
Turn for a moment to 2 Chronicles 1:1,1And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly. (2 Chronicles 1:1) and you will there find at. point of great importance. It is said with regard to king Solomon that “God was with him,” and in Pentecostal days this fact was acknowledged with regard to the Church. God was known to be in the midst of His gathered ones. He showed also He was there in the judgment of evil which appeared amongst them. A holy fear controlled the hearts of men, and we read, “By the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and of the rest durst no man join himself to them; but the people magnified them, and believers were the more added to the Lord.” (Acts 5:1212And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. (Acts 5:12)) Also in verse 11 we read, “Great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things,” so that in the world it was known God was with His saints, and amongst the saints themselves there was a wholesome fear of that which would not please the One whom they knew to be with them.
But things had changed since the days of king Solomon. All had turned aside, and the children of Israel had been carried into captivity. In their exile God spake to them by His servants, and in this Nehemiah 8 we read of a few who had answered to the prophet’s call. We find in 2 Chronicles 36 that Cyrus king of Persia took up the prophet’s warning, and issued a proclamation to the captives in Babylon. These were his words: “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.” That which marked the king of Israel in the days of magnificence, and power, we find promised to the one who sets himself in the day of ruin, to please the Lord his God, and to obey His word. What wonderful encouragement! A company had gone up according to the decree of Cyrus, and in Nehemiah 1:11The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, (Nehemiah 1:1) we find them at work in the land of Judaea.
In Ezra we get the account of the building of the house. The setting up of the altar, and building of the house in the name of the Lord, may be regarded as a picture of that which God has done in these last days through a remnant of His people. The power of the name of Jesus has been asserted as God’s gathering point for His saints. We are gathered by the Spirit of God, now in this world, to the divine center—the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The name of Jesus is to us what the altar and the temple were to the returned captives of Judah. Look at Nehemiah 1. and you will see amongst these people a picture of deep devotedness to God. The house was built, and the altar was there; but the condition of the remnant who sought to do the work of the Lord was far from what it should have been. The devoted one saw this, and what did he do? He betook himself to prayer. “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.... These are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power.” (vss. 6-11,)
It is blessed, beloved, when by the Spirit the question is raised in our hearts, “Is there amongst us that which suits the heart of God?” and more especially when the result of such heart-searching is to send us to our knees in self-abhorrence before God. The state of the remnant exercised the heart of Nehemiah, and prayer to God was the resource his soul prized. There is a personal character about all this, and individual teaching for each of us, beloved brethren. If the condition of the remnant in Israel was to be raised, the work of individual self-judgment was the means to that end, and if we as a whole are to be revived, we must begin at home. In such a way Nehemiah acted. “He sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.” (Chapter 1:4) His sorrow was real and deep; his countenance was marked by the sorrow which burdened his spirit. The king remarked his look; for Nehemiah was sad in the presence of the king, who said to him, “Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.” Then Nehemiah told the king the cause of his sadness. “The city of my fathers lieth waste,” said he, “and the gates thereof are consumed with fire.” (Chapter 2:3) And the king encouraged him to make known his desires; but what does Nehemiah first do? Ah, this is beautiful! “So I prayed to the God of heaven.” When there is real desire to do God’s will, there will be much looking to God, to know what the desire of His heart for His servant is. Having prayed, Nehemiah makes his request to the king. He asked for twelve years’ leave of absence, that he might do the work of God, and rebuild the waste places of Jerusalem. He prayed to God before he made his request, and the desire of his heart was granted. The king also gave him letters to the governor, and an escort for the way.
Thus prospered, Nehemiah came to Jerusalem; but, alas! he found no one interested in the work he sought to do, and single-handed what could he do? Well, by night he surveyed the city. Thus he made himself acquainted with the state of affairs, and then he tried to interest the children of the captivity. “Come,” said he to them, “let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.” Then he told them of the goodness of God, and the king’s words to him; and what effect had this upon them? They said, “Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands; for this good work.” (Chapter 2:18) Such was the effect of devotedness in one man. The influences of one such on those round about is unspeakable. The Lord stir up, our hearts, each one, that there may be this real devotedness working amongst us.
But no sooner is this real devotedness manifested than opposition shows itself. What would now answer to the devotedness which we see in Nehemiah? Souls being in the place the Holy Spirit would gather them to, and, when there, the heart answering to the claims of Him to whose name they are gathered. Beloved, if you give yourself to this, you may expect to be opposed. Satan ever sets himself against that which is really for God. Nehemiah and his brethren soon found this out. They were loaded with scorn by Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian. How would you have liked that? See how Nehemiah met his opposers! He said, “The God of heaven will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build the wall: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.” (Chapter 2:20) Nehemiah knew who sent him to do the work, and he purposed to do it as God would have him. He took up very exclusive ground: What an example he is to us! I exhort you, and seek for myself to go in for this thorough carrying out of God’s will. We are to seek to please Him, and He will prosper us.
The third chapter of this book is very interesting. It shows the record God keeps, how He marks our doings. Each company of workers is spoken of, and what each one did. Notice what is said of the Tekoites. They were so devoted that when they had finished their own work they directed their efforts elsewhere, and repaired “another piece.” (Chapter 3:27) But another thing is said of—some amongst the Tekoites; for everything is marked by God— “Their nobles put not their necks to the work of the Lord.” (Chapter 3:5) I call this chapter a specimen page of the book of eternity. It shows what note God makes of the actions of His saints. It is the Old Testament parallel to what we get in Romans 16 of the New Testament. There again the deeds of saints are recorded, and divine comment made upon them. Phoebe is spoken of as a servant of the Church and the succorer of many. Such was the letter of commendation the apostle could send with her when she went into a new gathering of saints. Alas! it is not often we can write such letters regarding each other. But someone asks, “Are not all the letters of commendation the same?” The apostle’s were not all the same, if we may judge from Romans 16 He is careful to give each credit for the service which marked him; and in Nehemiah 3 the Spirit of God notices the particular work which each company, and even individuals, did in the service of the Lord in that day.
W. P. T. W.
(To be continued, D. V)