When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. When I heard these wordsNehemiah's reaction begins with hearing the report about the dire situation in Jerusalem. This reflects the importance of being attentive to the needs and conditions of God's people. The news he received was about the broken walls and burned gates of Jerusalem, symbolizing vulnerability and disgrace. This moment highlights the significance of being informed and responsive to the spiritual and physical state of the community. I sat down and wept
Nehemiah's response is immediate and emotional, showing his deep compassion and connection to his heritage and God's people. Sitting down to weep indicates a profound sense of grief and empathy. This mirrors the biblical tradition of lament, seen in figures like Jeremiah, who also wept over Jerusalem's destruction (Jeremiah 9:1). It underscores the importance of allowing oneself to feel and express sorrow over sin and its consequences. I mourned for days
The extended period of mourning signifies the depth of Nehemiah's sorrow and his commitment to seeking God's intervention. Mourning in the ancient Near Eastern context often involved wearing sackcloth and ashes, practices that demonstrated humility and repentance. This aligns with the biblical call to mourn over sin and seek God's mercy, as seen in Joel 2:12-13. fasting and praying
Fasting and prayer are spiritual disciplines that demonstrate dependence on God and a desire for His guidance and intervention. Fasting is often associated with repentance and seeking God's favor, as seen in the practices of Moses (Exodus 34:28) and Daniel (Daniel 9:3). Prayer is a central theme in Nehemiah, reflecting his reliance on God throughout his mission. This combination of fasting and prayer indicates a holistic approach to seeking divine help. before the God of heaven
This phrase acknowledges God's sovereignty and His position as the ruler over all creation. Referring to God as the "God of heaven" emphasizes His power and authority, a common theme in post-exilic literature (Ezra 1:2). It reflects a recognition of God's ability to intervene in earthly matters and aligns with the biblical understanding of God as the ultimate source of help and restoration. Persons / Places / Events 1. NehemiahA Jewish cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah is deeply moved by the news of Jerusalem's desolation. His role as a cupbearer indicates a position of trust and influence. 2. JerusalemThe holy city of the Jewish people, Jerusalem is in ruins, which prompts Nehemiah's deep emotional response. The city's condition symbolizes the spiritual and physical state of the Jewish people. 3. The God of HeavenThis title emphasizes God's sovereignty and authority over all creation, highlighting Nehemiah's faith in God's power to intervene in earthly matters. 4. Fasting and PrayingNehemiah's response to the news is to engage in spiritual disciplines, showing his dependence on God and his desire for divine intervention. 5. The ReportThe news that Nehemiah receives about Jerusalem's walls being broken down and its gates burned with fire, which triggers his mourning and prayer. Teaching Points The Power of Compassionate ResponseNehemiah's immediate emotional response to the news of Jerusalem's plight shows the importance of having a heart that is sensitive to the needs and sufferings of others. The Role of Fasting and PrayerNehemiah's decision to fast and pray underscores the significance of seeking God's guidance and strength in times of distress. It is a model for believers to prioritize spiritual disciplines when facing challenges. God's Sovereignty and Our DependenceBy addressing "the God of heaven," Nehemiah acknowledges God's ultimate authority and power, reminding us to trust in God's sovereignty over our circumstances. Leadership Begins with PrayerNehemiah's leadership is rooted in prayer, teaching us that effective leadership and decision-making start with seeking God's wisdom and direction. Mourning as a Path to ActionNehemiah's mourning is not passive but leads to action. It teaches us that genuine sorrow for the state of God's people or work should propel us to seek solutions and take steps toward restoration. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Nehemiah's response to the news about Jerusalem challenge us to respond to the needs and crises in our own communities? 2. In what ways can fasting and prayer be incorporated into our lives as a response to personal or communal challenges? 3. How does acknowledging God's sovereignty influence our approach to prayer and decision-making in difficult situations? 4. What can we learn from Nehemiah about the relationship between emotional responses and taking action in faith? 5. How do other biblical examples of leaders who fasted and prayed (such as Ezra and Daniel) reinforce the lessons we learn from Nehemiah's response? Connections to Other Scriptures Ezra 9:3-5Similar to Nehemiah, Ezra responds to the sin and distress of the people with mourning and prayer, showing a pattern of godly leaders turning to God in times of crisis. Daniel 9:3Daniel also turns to God with fasting and prayer when seeking understanding and intervention, illustrating a consistent biblical response to dire situations. Psalm 137:1-4The psalm reflects the deep sorrow of the Israelites in exile, paralleling Nehemiah's grief over Jerusalem's desolation. People Hachaliah, Hanani, Israelites, NehemiahPlaces Jerusalem, SusaTopics Continued, Fasted, Fasting, Hearing, Heaven, Heavens, Mourn, Mourned, Myself, Pass, Prayed, Prayer, Praying, Sat, Seated, Sorrow, Taking, Weep, Weeping, WeptDictionary of Bible Themes Nehemiah 1:4 5198 weeping
5567 suffering, emotional
5794 asceticism
5831 depression
5952 sorrow
5970 unhappiness
8430 fasting, nature of
8432 fasting, practice
8620 prayer, practicalities
8737 evil, responses to
9411 heaven Nehemiah 1:1-4 5354 invasions Nehemiah 1:2-4 8239 earnestness Nehemiah 1:3-4 5508 ruins
5773 abstinence, discipline
8300 love, and the world Nehemiah 1:4-6 8653 importunity, to God Nehemiah 1:4-7 8604 prayer, response to God Nehemiah 1:4-11 6655 forgiveness, application
8618 prayerfulness Library The Church and Social Evils
'It came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven.'--NEH. i. 4. Ninety years had passed since the returning exiles had arrived at Jerusalem. They had encountered many difficulties which had marred their progress and cooled their enthusiasm. The Temple, indeed, was rebuilt, but Jerusalem lay in ruins, and its walls remained as they had been left, by Nebuchadnezzar's siege, some century and a half before. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureA Reformer's Schooling
'The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2. That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Nehemiah, the Praying Builder
We care not for your splendid abilities as a minister, or your natural endowment as an orator before men. We are sure that the truth of the matter is this: No one will or can command success and become a real praying soul unless intense application is the price. I am even now convinced that the difference between the saints like Wesley, Fletcher, Edwards, Brainerd, Bramwell, Bounds, and ourselves is energy, perseverance, invincible determination to succeed or die in the attempt. God help us.--Rev. …
Edward M. Bounds—Prayer and Praying Men Discouragements and Courage
'Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 10. And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. 11. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 12. And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
The Median wars--The last native dynasties of Egypt--The Eastern world on the eve of the Macedonian conquest. [Drawn by Boudier, from one of the sarcophagi of Sidon, now in the Museum of St. Irene. The vignette, which is by Faucher-Gudin, represents the sitting cyno-cephalus of Nectanebo I., now in the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican.] Darius appears to have formed this project of conquest immediately after his first victories, when his initial attempts to institute satrapies had taught him not …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9 A Treatise of the Fear of God;
SHOWING WHAT IT IS, AND HOW DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT WHICH IS NOT SO. ALSO, WHENCE IT COMES; WHO HAS IT; WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS; AND WHAT THE PRIVILEGES OF THOSE THAT HAVE IT IN THEIR HEARTS. London: Printed for N. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, over against the Stocks market: 1679. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and "a fountain of life"--the foundation on which all wisdom rests, as well as the source from whence it emanates. Upon a principle …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories
[Sidenote: Influences in the exile that produced written ceremonial laws] The Babylonian exile gave a great opportunity and incentive to the further development of written law. While the temple stood, the ceremonial rites and customs received constant illustration, and were transmitted directly from father to son in the priestly families. Hence, there was little need of writing them down. But when most of the priests were carried captive to Babylonia, as in 597 B.C., and ten years later the temple …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Ezra-Nehemiah
Some of the most complicated problems in Hebrew history as well as in the literary criticism of the Old Testament gather about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Apart from these books, all that we know of the origin and early history of Judaism is inferential. They are our only historical sources for that period; and if in them we have, as we seem to have, authentic memoirs, fragmentary though they be, written by the two men who, more than any other, gave permanent shape and direction to Judaism, then …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Nehemiah 1:4 NIVNehemiah 1:4 NLTNehemiah 1:4 ESVNehemiah 1:4 NASBNehemiah 1:4 KJV
Nehemiah 1:4 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
