Somebody Loves You

Raul Ries: May God help me and you tonight that if there is any holes or any barriers that are down in the wall spiritually speaking of our lives, how we need to rebuild them spiritually so that Satan and his adversaries don't get to us. And we can protect ourselves as the temple of the living God to bring glory and honor to His name.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. It’s great to have you with us today as Raul leads us in a new series in the book of Nehemiah.

Today we'll examine the love and devotion in Nehemiah’s heart that prompted him to step out in faith to honor the God of his forefathers. Along the way we'll see how we can imitate his example in the challenges we face. Here is Raul Ries with our study, the heart of Nehemiah. Join us in Chapter 1.

Raul Ries: What a tremendous book this has been in my life over the years and I hope it is to you this evening as we continue our study through the Bible, especially right here as we start in the book of Nehemiah chapter 1. We had the introduction and as I share with you that Ezra and Nehemiah are one book in the Hebrew canon. At the same time when you think of the writer that wrote this book, it wasn't really Nehemiah. The writer to the book of Nehemiah they think was probably Ezra the Scribe, the one that wrote the story of what happened in the times of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah had never seen Jerusalem. He was born in captivity. Nehemiah here is not a prophet but Nehemiah actually becomes a representative of a great businessman with great strategy on how to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. But at the same time when you think of the story of Nehemiah that he was born in captivity, he never had been to Jerusalem and yet when he hears the report from his brother Hanani.

He says, "How is it going and how is Jerusalem?" And his brother told him he says, "Hey I hate to tell you this Nehemiah but it's a mess. The house of the Lord is a mess, the city walls are a mess, the people are being oppressed by Tobiah, Sanballat and the Arabians and they won't leave them alone." And as long as they don't have defense and as long as they don't have gates and walls, they’re not going to be able to really be protected.

And so when he heard the actual report, Nehemiah was touched by the report and then he turned around and took it to the Lord. And so when Nehemiah comes into the scene here now in chapter 1, let's begin verses 1-4. We see Nehemiah here a man of many sorrows. A man of many sorrows and the title of my message in chapter 1 is the heart of Nehemiah. He says the words of Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah, it came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the 20th year as I was in Shushan in the citadel or the capital.

Now it's amazing here that when he uses the words of Nehemiah, in the literal sense here it's the history or the memoirs of Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah, which was at one time the governor of Judea before they were taken into captivity. His father was the governor of Judea. And here his son was born in captivity, born in Persia, a thousand miles away from home and he has a tremendous job that God has given to him. He's a cupbearer to the King's court.

Not only like a bodyguard but also a protector where he would taste the wines, he would drink the wine and taste it and also the meals just in case they were poisoned. He would be the one to die, not the King, you see? And I feel that's the way God is with each one of us individually. We're not here by coincidence. You don't get saved by coincidence.

God has placed you by strategizing in your life as He has something for the future for you and He gives you the opportunity not only to be born again of the Holy Spirit, but to submit your will to His will so that He can align Himself with your will and His will and then He can work through you and in you and through your life to bring glory and honor to Himself through your life.

Nehemiah's name is a very beautiful name. It's actually the same name in the Greek for Paracletos, the Comforter. The Holy Spirit's the Comforter. The people of God were not in comfort, the people of God were oppressed, depressed, they were in great distress. And what does God do? God raises a man by the name of Nehemiah. I have raised this man to bring comfort to my people. Comfort to my people.

Why? Because God loves His people. And that's why here in the introduction that he's talking about here, he says and it came to pass in the month between November and December, the end of November, the beginning of December, the month of Chislev. In the 20th year now that's a very interesting date because that is December the 5th through January the 4th, 444 BC but this was 445 BC when we get to chapter 2.

Very important date because this is now where God is intervening through history to fulfill prophecy upon this world which already the prophet Daniel had not only had a visitation from the Lord and He said, "Hey Daniel I just came back from the throne of God and you're really well beloved up there and God has sent me to tell you that He's going to use you and the 70th week of Daniel." He says, "Remember those 490 years, well here is the prophecy and God's going to start it on March 14th, 445 BC."

When is that? Chapter 2 of Nehemiah. We'll get that next time. Incredible prophecy. How accurate God's word is historically and biblically when you look at it and you study history. And so you can see here in the personality of Nehemiah, Comforter, the Lord comforts. The Lord was getting ready to comfort His people and He was going to use one man by the name of Nehemiah. The Lord comforts.

Then in verse 2 notice what he says, "And then Hanani one of my brothers came with men from Judah and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and who had survived the captivity, concerning Jerusalem those 55,000 and those that remain in Jerusalem." How are they doing? What's happening there? One of the things about a man of God or someone that is called by God is a person that will be very concerned not with himself but he'll be concerned with other people. That's his priority.

He'll be concerned with other people. You can see that here by the way Nehemiah says here, "Brother how is it going with the Jews who escaped and survived that captivity and concerning Jerusalem?" And then in verse 3 notice the report. He says then he said to me, "The survivors who were left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach." You see that's not a good report. Nehemiah they're suffering, they are in bad shape.

And when you really care about people, you're going to do something about it. We need to be men and women of action. The problem, what will be now the solution so that we can help our brothers and sisters in Jerusalem? Because here is the report from his own brother, "The survivors who are left there in captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down and its gates are burned with fire. Burned with fire."

But yet when Nehemiah heard the report concerning the city of Jerusalem and at the same time when he was listening to this great distress and reproach of the people, then when he heard that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, then it really got to him. Why? Because the wall speaks of protection. How about your walls tonight spiritually speaking, are they up or are they down? We might have to rebuild the walls in our lives.

That's what he was going to do. God's going to show him that, "Hey listen we need to rebuild the city and the first thing we need to rebuild is the walls for protection to protect the city and to protect the people and to protect the temple of God." May God help me and you tonight that if there is any holes or any barriers that are down in the wall spiritually speaking of our lives, how we need to rebuild them spiritually so that Satan and his adversaries don't get to us.

That we can protect ourselves as the temple of the living God. As God speaks to our own hearts individually. As God uses our lives to bring glory and honor to His name and as we begin to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, God can begin not only to entrust me with things that He wants me to do as He begins to see me step out by faith and begin the work in my life through faith and saying, "Lord I do have a couple of things in my life that need to be rebuilt. The walls are weak." Nehemiah heard the report and it wasn't really good.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Somebody Loves You radio with Raul Ries. For direction and support in your daily walk with God, visit somebodylovesyou.com to browse our full range of resources. You can also email Raul your Bible questions and prayer needs at pastorraul@somebodylovesyou.com. Now let's continue with more from Raul Ries.

Raul Ries: Look at chapter 1 verse 4. Here is what he does. "And so it was when I heard these words that I sat down and I began to weep." To weep. What does that speak of? Brokenness in the life of a person. This is not phony. This is a person that has heard the report, a person like Jesus that has compassion, a person that cares, a person that's interested not in himself or herself but in who? In other people.

And when you hear of the reproach and you hear of the great distress, what are we going to do? And what's the first thing that I do? I come before the Lord before I ever get anybody involved. I deal between me and God. And the first thing he did before he went to the King or went to anybody, for four months this is what he does. He weeps. He says, "I sat down and I wept and I mourned for many days and I was fasting and praying before the God of Heaven."

Notice that. That's what he did for four months. Didn't tell anybody anything. Got the report, went to his house and began weeping. Look how he prays. And then he said, "I pray, Lord God of Heaven." He doesn't start out by saying, "Lord the people, they’re mourning, they’re being distressed, they’re being oppressed." No, he starts out by what? By the power and the awesomeness of God, who God is. He doesn't jump right into the request, but he begins here to speak of the greatness and awesomeness of God.

You see when you pray, you're stepping into the holiest of holies. Listen, you're not talking to your next door neighbor. You're talking to God in a reverent way, you see? So many times when we come to prayer and asking God we say, "Okay God I want, I need, Amen." That's not the way to pray, you see? We need to begin by exalting Him, by glorifying Him, by bringing praise and glory and honor to the Lord.

That's what Nehemiah did. "I pray, Lord God of Heaven, Oh great and awesome God, you who keep your covenant and mercy with those who love you and observe your commandments." Notice what he says in his prayer. He's reminding God that the only people that He will listen to are those who keep what? His covenant of mercy He's done to those who love God and observe His commandments, you see? That's the rule.

This is what God desires, this is what God expects. If you want God to really answer your prayers, do you really love Him? And are you keeping His commandments? Are you being obedient to the word of God? You see? I mean here he's telling us the faithfulness of God and in my part, obedience to the word of God and loving God. Jesus said to love the Lord your God with everything. Remember that's the first commandment and the second commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. That's what he said. It's really important.

Look what he says again in verses 6 and 7. Nehemiah begins with the confession of sin. He's still not asking, what is he doing now? He deals with sin. Sin. Look, acknowledging sin. Why? Because sin hinders our prayers. Sin hinders prayer. "Please let your ear be attentive and your eyes open that you may hear the prayer of your servant which I pray before you now day and night for the children of Israel your servants."

And notice, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we, notice he's not a Frenchman but he what? He puts himself with the sinners. He's not excluding himself as saying they. No, we. We. No self-righteousness here, you see? What is he doing? He's praying to God and asking God to forgive them for their wickedness and to forgive him for his wickedness. "Let's clear the books God." That's what he's praying.

Look what he says again. He says, "before you now day and night for the children of Israel your servants and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against you, both my father's house and I have sinned." Notice that. And I have sinned. Remember in 1 John 1:9? "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us for our sins." Sin separates us and that's why we need confession and repentance before we come to God.

We need to build it up just like he does here. This is a beautiful model of prayer, the way he's approaching God. And then in verse 7 he says, "We have acted very corruptly against you." Nehemiah wasn't corruptly against God but look at himself. He's sitting there and saying, "Lord I'm just like them." Nehemiah knows that he has sinned against God. "We have acted very corruptly against you and we have not kept the commandments or the statutes nor the ordinances which you commanded your servant Moses back in Deuteronomy, back in Leviticus."

You see? Every commandment God gave, every ordinance, every statute that God gave, we broke them all. We are guilty, God. He's not going around the problem, he's going right to the problem, you see? Don't try to go around your problems and try to snow God, you can't do that. He already knows the problem. He wants you to face it off with Him and say, "I am guilty, I was wrong God, I sinned against you. This is my sin."

And then notice in verse 8 and 9 Nehemiah recalls all the promises of God. "Remember I pray, the word that you commanded your servant Moses saying, if you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations." Notice, he's reminding them that God said in the book of Deuteronomy 28-30. He says in the first 14 verses you have all the blessings of God and then verse 15 of 28 all the way to chapter 30, it's all cursings. All cursings. You read it when you go home.

But you know what he's saying here? The reason we got scattered is because we disobeyed you, we broke your law, we didn't keep your commandment. In Leviticus 26:27-45, same thing. We broke your commandments, God. And what happened? We were scattered throughout all the nations because we sinned against you. Verse 9 notice the promise of renewal now. "But if," notice the word "if," conditional, "but if you return to me."

Now here's what God says, "I will work, I will help you, I will heal you if you return to me." What does that mean? If you repent. There has to be a change of heart, a change of attitude before God can work or else He won't work. There has to be that change. "If you return to me and keep and obey my commandments and do them." Underline that word "do," okay? It's not just hearing, it's doing. Doing what God says.

He says, "though some of you were cast out to the farthest parts of Heavens, yet I will bring, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for my name." Well not only was he speaking prophetically for his time but he's also speaking prophetically what God already has done, started when on May 14th, 1948 when God brought back the Jews back to Palestine after 2,000 years. Incredible.

Look what he says here, here is the promise that he says, "I will what? I will regather you, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for my name." What place? The place called Jerusalem, the City of God. "I will bring you back into fellowship with me if you truly repent. I will bring you back." And then in verse 10 notice Nehemiah's appeal to God in verse 10 and 11.

He says, "Now these are your servants and your people, God, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand." Isn't that neat? He speaks of what? Redemption. Reminds God, "Lord you redeemed them. You bought them for yourself." Jesus had not even yet died on the cross but in Egypt remember what happened when God said, "Okay I'm going to let you guys go after the ten plagues."

The last plague, the Angel of Death was going to come and Moses said to the people, "Take a lamb, kill it, take the blood and put it on top of the doorpost and on both sides and when the Angel of Death comes and begins to kill the firstborn, when he sees the blood, when he sees the cross of blood, he'll go away and he won't kill your firstborn." God redeemed His people even as God has redeemed you and me through Jesus Christ by Him coming and dying on the cross for each one of our sins, He has redeemed us completely.

And yet here he says, "I will redeem them." Notice again how beautiful this is. Verse 10, "And now these are your servants and your people whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand." And then he says, "Oh Lord," notice now relationship. Back again with God. Here it is, "Oh Lord, I pray, please let your ear be attentive to my prayer of your servant." Notice, "Lord please listen, please listen.

And to the prayer of your servants who desire to fear your name." What does he mean? All those God over there in Jerusalem that have it together and are praying. My prayer, their prayer, Lord God listen and do something about it. Why? Because they fear your name. The name of Jehovah God, Yahweh our God. "And let your servant prosper this day." Look at that. Faith. "I pray and grant him mercy in the sight of this man, for I was the King's cupbearer."

Lord speak loud and clear. Knock on the heart of the King and speak to him so that he can speak to me and he can give me permission to go. Nehemiah provides us with such a motivational example of faith put into action through the power of persistent prayer.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Somebody Loves You radio with Raul Ries. Today’s lesson is titled "The Heart of Nehemiah". If you'd like to get an unedited version, we'll be happy to send a copy to you for a donation of $5 or more. Just call us at 800-634-9165 to make your request. And as you think about how the Lord might work in and through you when you seek His face every day, we'd like to tell you more about Raul's 10-part series titled "From Opposition to Victory".

It's available on either CD or USB. It's a resource that will challenge you to stand firm in your resolve to serve the Lord, no matter what external resistance you might face. You'll also see how working in harmony with other believers can exponentially increase the combined efforts of your work. Visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165 to purchase "From Opposition to Victory". We'll send you Raul’s 10-message study on CD for $22 or on flash drive for $13. That’s 800-634-9165.

Or write to Somebody Loves You Radio, Post Office Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765. We're always thankful to the Lord for providing such a great community of support for these programs. Every contribution given is used wisely to reach more people with the good news of Jesus Christ. Join us next time for our continuing study of Nehemiah’s dedication and leadership. Together we'll learn more about the importance of prayer as we depend on God’s strength to withstand opposition and to obey His call on our lives. This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You radio in Diamond Bar, California.