Nehemiah

• 486-464 BCE Ahasuerus was King of Persia• Greek name was Xerxes, husband of Esther• Esther would be stepmother to Artaxerxes I• Perhaps influential in helping Nehemiah

become cupbearer to the King

• Nehemiah is named as a book, was a cupbearer, Governor, and leader

• What kind of man would he have been?

Nehemiah

Part 1, The Man

What Kind of Man was Nehemiah

1. He was a trustworthy worker

1 Timothy 3:8

8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much

wine, not greedy for dishonest gain

What makes a trustworthy worker?

1. Not double tongued

Psalms 15:1, 4

O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill?…4 in whose

eyes a vile person is despised, But who honors those who hear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not

change;

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that

from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are

serving the Lord Christ.

What makes a trustworthy worker?

1. Not double tongued

2. Does his work heartily

Philippians 2:14-15

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be

blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you

shine as lights in the world,

What makes a trustworthy worker?

1. Not double tongued

2. Does his work heartily

3. Works without grumbling

Nehemiah 2:1-2

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the

king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 And the king said to me,

“Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the

heart.” Then I was very much afraid.

What makes a trustworthy worker?

1. Not double tongued

2. Does his work heartily

3. Works without grumbling

4. Presents a good attitude

Matthew 7:12

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law

and the Prophets.

What makes a trustworthy worker?

1. Not double tongued

2. Does his work heartily

3. Works without grumbling

4. Presents a good attitude

5. Treats others well

What Kind of Man was Nehemiah

1. He was a trustworthy worker

2. He was prayerful

Nehemiah 1:4-11

 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I

continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. … I now pray before you

day and night for the people of Israel your servants, …. 11 O Lord, let your ear

be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who

delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant

him mercy in the sight of this man.”

1st response

Nehemiah 2:4

Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of

heaven.

Immediate response

Nehemiah 2:19-20

But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and

Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is

this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 Then I

replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will

arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.”

Response to mocking

Nehemiah 4:4-5

Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and

give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. 5 Do not cover

their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have

provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

Response to dispute

Nehemiah 4:8-9

And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause

confusion in it. 9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection

against them day and night.

In need of protection

Nehemiah 5:18-19

18 Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six

choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet

for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the

service was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all

that I have done for this people.

For mercy

Nehemiah 6:14

Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they

did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to

make me afraid.

Even for vengence

1 Thessalonians 5:17

pray without ceasing,

Pray

1 Peter 3:12

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their

prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

God Hears

Matthew 7:7-8

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives,

and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

God Answers

What Kind of Man was Nehemiah

1. He was a trustworthy worker

2. He was prayerful

3. He was loyal to his brethren

70 years after the captivity, Nehemiah had neither seen Judah nor Jerusalem, yet wept for them.

Nehemiah 2:4-5

 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it

pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send

me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.”

Left security for danger, a good job for trouble

Nehemiah 5:10

10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of

interest.

Assisted brethren without usery

Nehemiah 5:14-15, 18

 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the

twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor

my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were

before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration…for all this

I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on

this people.

Refused his own pay, to ease the burden

Nehemiah 5:16

 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my

servants were gathered there for the work.

Put himself and his servants into helping the work

1 Peter 4:9

9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Sharing with one another

Galatians 6:10

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those

who are of the household of faith.

Doing good, especially to the household of faith

1 Peter 1:22

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere

brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

We came to love, now carry it out

Traits of Great Leadership

1. He was a trustworthy worker

2. He was prayerful

3. He was loyal to his brethren

More to consider but where are YOU?