Nehemiah 1:9-11 But if you turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out to the uttermost part of the heaven… "If you turn unto Me, and keep My commandments." There is no promise of mercy but to those that turn. The Scripture is peremptory in denial of mercy to such as go on in their sins. Yet how many are there that bless themselves that it shall go well with them, though they cast off all God's yokes. "If ye turn." The holy man Nehemiah puts God in mind of His promise, and his argument is from the like, and indeed from the less to the greater. Because God would rather of both perform His promises than His threatenings, because mercy is His own proper work. "These are Thy servants." Though sinful servants, yet they are Thy servants. "These are Thy people." Thou hast no other people in the world but these, and "Thou art their God." He pleads from former favours. "Thou hast redeemed them by Thy great power and strong hand." It is a good argument to plead with God for former favours: because "there is no shadow of change in Him" (James 1:17); He is always like Himself; He is never drawn dry. And it is a great honour to go to Him for new favours upon former, because He hath an infinite supply. We may draw so much from men as they have not afterwards to make good, but we cannot honour God more than to go to Him with a large faith, to fetch largo favours from Him. The more He gives, the more He can give, and the more He is willing to give. We may much more take this argument in our mouths, and press the majesty of God. "Thou hast redeemed us," not out of Egypt or Babylon, the land of the north, but "with the blood of Thy Son," from hell and damnation; and therefore Thou canst redeem us from this petty misery, from these enemies. We may allege that grand favour to all other petty redemptions, whatsoever they are. "Let Thine ear be attentive to the prayer of Thy servants." It is a prayer; and Thou art "a God hearing prayer." "They be Thy servants, and Thou regardest Thy servants." Here are but a few petitions in this large request: "remember," "be attentive," and "give me favour." It is an excellent skill and art in prayer to have strong arguments. Then the suit comes off easily, as in Psalm 90. Therefore, it is an excellent thing to study the Scriptures, and to study all the arguments whereby holy men have prevailed with God in Scripture, and to see in what case those arguments were used. It is a pitiful thing now for Christians under the glorious light of the gospel to come to God only with bare, naked petitions and have not reasons to press God out of His own Word. They cannot bind God with His own promise, nor with arguments that He hath been bound with before. "They desire to fear Thy name." Empty relations have no comforts in them: to profess one's self a servant, and not to make it good that he is a servant. We must make good the relation we stand in to God, before we can claim interest in the favour of God by our relation. He goes to make it good that he was the servant of God, not from any outward thing, but from his inward disposition, "the fear of God," which I will not now stand to speak largely of. God requires the heart; and religion is most in managing and turning the affections, for they are the wind that carries the soul to every duty. The devil hath brain enough, he knows enough, more than any of us all. But then he hates God. He hath no love to God, nor no fear of God, but only a slavish fear. He hath not this reverential fear, childlike fear. There. fore let us make it good that we are the servants of God, especially by our affections, and chiefly by this of fear, which is put for all the worship of God. How doth he make it good that he feared the name of God? He makes it good from this, that he had had good desires. "We desire to fear Thy name." First of all, out of this, that this desire to fear the name of God is brought as an argument to prevail in prayer, we may observe that — 1. Those that will prevail with God in prayer must look to the bent of their souls for the time to come, and for the present. "Regard Thy servants that desire to fear Thy name." For to come to God without such a frame of soul as this, to desire to please God in all things for the present, and for the time to come, it is to come as God's enemy; and will God regard His enemies? 2. Religion especially is in holy desires. The greatest part of Christianity is to desire to be a sound Christian with all the heart. Why are desires such trials of the truth of grace? Because they are the immediate issues of the soul. Desires and thoughts, and such like, they are produced immediately from the soul, without any help of the body, or without any outward manifestation. They show the temper and frame of the soul, Thereupon God judgeth a man by his desires. But how is the truth of these desires known?I will name a few signs. 1. If they be constant desires and not flashes; for then they come from a new nature. Nature is strong and firm. Art is for a turn to serve a turn. When men personate a thing they do it not long. Creatures that are forced to do so and so they return to their own nature quickly; but when a man doth a thing naturally, he doth it constantly. So, constant desires argue a sanctified frame of soul and a new creature. They argue that the image of God is stamped upon the soul. 2. And likewise, if these desires be hearty, strong desires, and not only strong, but growing desires — desire upon desire, desire fed with desire still, never satisfied till they be satisfied. Strong and growing desires argue the truth of desires; as indeed a child of God hath never grace enough, never faith enough, never love enough, or comfort enough, till he come to heaven. They are growing desires more and more. 3. Again, true desires they are not only of the favour of God, but of graces for the altering of our nature; as Nehemiah here, he desires not the favour of God so much as he desires to fear God's name. Now when desire is of graces, it is a holy desire. You have not the worst men but would desire, with Balaam, "to die the death of the righteous," etc. (Numbers 23:10), that they might enjoy the portion of God's people. But to desire grace, that is opposite to corrupt nature as fire and water, this is an argument of a holy principle of grace in us, whence this desire springs, when we desire that that is a counter poison to corrupt nature that hath an antipathy to corruption. 4. True desire is carried to grace as well as glory, and the desire of heaven itself. A true spirit that is touched with grace, with the Spirit of God, it desireth not heaven itself so much for the glory, and peace, and abundance of all contentments, as it desires it that it is a place where it shall be freed from sin, and where the heart shall be enlarged to love God, to serve God, and to cleave to God for ever, and as it is a condition wherein he shall have the image and resemblance of Jesus Christ perfectly upon his soul. 5. True desires are likewise to the means of salvation, and to the means of salvation as they convey grace, as sincere milk; as you have it, 1 Peter 2:2, "As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word." Where a man hath holy desires of any grace, and hath them in truth, he will desire those means whereby those graces may most effectually be wrought in his heart. Use: The comfortable observation hence is this, that weak Christians that find a debility, and faintness, and feebleness in their performances, hence they may comfort themselves by their desire to fear God, and to worship God, and to serve Him, if their desires be true. The reason why God accepts them is partly because they spring from His own Spirit. These desires they are the breathings of the Spirit. And because they are pointed to heavenward, to show that a man is turned; for it is put here instead of turning, "Turn ye to Me, saith the Lord (ver. 9); and he answereth here instead of turning, My desire is to fear Thy name. And prosper, I pray Thee, Thy servant this day." Now he comes to his petition, "Prosper I pray Thee, Thy servant this day." He doth not capitulate with God for particular matters much — for he knew he had to deal with an all-wise God — but he commends his petition in general. He comes again with his relation of "servant," to teach us alway when we come to God to look in what relation we stand to Him, whether we be true servants or no. What work we do for Him, in what reference we do what we do; whether we do it to please Him as servants or no. In all our services we should look to God; for our aim in our works shows what they are, whether they come from servants or no. As the stamp upon a token makes it, if there be a good stamp on it; it is not the matter that makes it current. A stamp on silver makes it current as well as gold, though the metal of gold be better, So when things are done, because God commands them, to please God, as a service to Him, this makes it good that we are servants indeed, that the relation is good. When we go about the service of the Church or country, or place we live in, to think I do God service here, and do it as a service to God, who will be honoured and served in our service to others, herein I am a good servant. "Prosper Thy servant this day." What is included in this word "prosper"? It includes not only success, which is the main upshot of all, but all that tends to good success. In that he saith "Prosper Thy servant," it includes these things. First of all, that in ourselves there is neither direction, nor wisdom, nor ability enough for success. We have not power in ourselves to bring things to a comfortable issue. 2. And then again, to attribute to God all, both wisdom and strength, and goodness, and all. Here is a giving to God the glory of all, when he saith, "Prosper Thy servant this day." 3. Then in the third place, here is a dependence upon God, not only acknowledging these things to be in God, but it implies a dependence upon God for these: "Prosper me, Lord." I cannot prosper myself. 4. Again, in the fourth place, here is a recommendation of all by prayer; a recommendation of his inward dependence upon God for all. Now, Lord, "prosper Thy servant." So that when we come to God for any prosperity and good success, let us remember that we bring self-denial, and an acknowledgment of all excellency to be in God, to guide, and direct, and assist, and bless us. Who can see all circumstances that stand about a business? Who can see all circumstances of time, and place, and persons, that are hindrances or furtherances? It must be an infinite wisdom that must foresee them; man cannot see them. So that unless God in a particular business give success, who is infinitely wise and powerful to remove all hindrances, there will be no success. As it is in the frame of the body, it stands upon many joints; and if any be out of tune, the whole body is sick. And as it is in a clock, all the wheels must be kept clean and in order, so it is in the frame of a business. There must all the wheels be set a-going; if one be hindered, there is a stop in all. It is so with us in the affairs of this world. When we deal with kings and states, if all the wheels be not kept as they should, there will be no success or prosperity. Nehemiah knew this well enough, "Prosper Thou, therefore." He meant not to be idle when he said this, "Prosper Thou," for he after joined his own diligence and waited. Use: Its should teach us to make this use of it, when we deal in any matter, to go to God to prosper it, and give success and direction and assistance and a blessed issue. Let us learn by this a direction to piety and holy walking with God; in all things to pray to God for a blessing. And to that purpose we must be in such a condition of spirit as we may desire God to prosper us; that is, we must not be under the guilt of sin when we come to God to prosper us. And we must be humble. God will not prosper a business till we be humble. Do we think that God will give strength to an ill business? This is to make Him a factor for mischief, for the devil's work. Then come with a purpose to refer all to His service. Lord, if Thou wilt bless me in this business, the strength and encouragement I have by it, I will refer it to Thy further service. "Prosper now Thy servant." What is the reason that God blasts and brings to nothing many excellent endeavours and projects? Men set upon the business of God, and of their callings, in confidence of their wit and pride of their own parts. Men come as gods to a business as if they had no dependence upon Him for wisdom, or direction, or strength. They carry things in a carnal manner, in a human manner, with human spirits. Therefore they never find either success, or not good success. Now when we deal with things in a holy manner, we may, without tempting God, trust Him. "And grant him mercy in the sight of this man." He comes more particularly to this request, "Grant me mercy in the sight of this man." We see that, a king is a great organ or instrument to convey good things from God, the King of kings to men. Therefore he prays that God would give him favour in the sight of the king. For a king is the first wheel that moves all other wheels, and as it were the sun of the commonwealth, or the first mover that moves all inferior orbs. Therefore in heavenly wisdom he desires God to give him favour with him; for if he had that, the king could turn all the inferior orbs to his pleasure. And when God means to do good to a Church or state, He raiseth up "nursing fathers and nursing mothers" (Isaiah 49:23). A wise and holy prayer! He begins at the head; He goes to the spring of all good. Therefore the observation hence is this, that when we have anything to do with great men, with kings, etc., however, begin with the King of kings, and do all in heaven before we do it in earth; for heaven makes the laws that earth is governed by. Let earth conclude what it will, there will be conclusions in heaven that will overthrow all their conclusions. Therefore in our prayers we should begin with God. And when we have gotten what we would in heaven, it is easy to get in earth. You see what great good a good man may do in a state. "The innocent man delivers the land," as it is in Job 22:30. ( R. Sibbes..) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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