The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1918-08-10
The Problem of Leadership
Nehemiah, General Overseer
By APOSTLE WILLIS F. JORDAN

Steps Leading Up To His Appointment:
L. The then condition of the work reported to
Nehemiah = Nehemiah IA:
"The words of Nehemiah the son of Hach-
allah. And it came to pass in the month CHS
leu, in the twentieth year, as | was in Shushan
the palace,
That Hanani, one of my brethren, came he
and certain men of Judah; and | asked them
concerning the Jews that had escaped, which
were left of the captivity, and concerning Jeru-
salem.
"And they said unto me, The remnant that
are left of the captivity there in the province
are in great aff1iction and reproach the wall of
Jerusalem also is broken down. and the gates
thereof are burned with fire.
"And it came to pass, when | heard these
words, that sat down and wept, and mourned
certain days, and tasted, and prayed before the
God of heaven"
2. Nehemiah goes to prayer - Nehemiah |
Sill:
and said, beseech thee, 0 Lord God Of
heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth
covenant and mercy for them that love Him
and observe His commandments:
"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 ser
wants, and confess the sins of the children of
Israel, which we have sinned against Thee:
both and my fathers house have sinned.
eve have dealt very corruptly against Thee,
and have not kept the commandments nor the
statutes nor the judgments, which Thou COM
mandedst Thy servant Moses.
8 Remember, beseech Thee, the word that
Thou commandedst Thy servant Moses, saying,
If ye transgress l will scatter you abroad
among the nations:
'But if ye turn unto Me, and keep My COM
mandments and do them; though there were
of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the
heaven, yet will | gather them from thence,
and | will bring them unto the place that have
chosen to set My Name there.
"Now these are Thy servants and Thy peo
pie, whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy great
power, and by Thy strong hand
90 Lord, beseech Thee, let now Thine ear
be attentive to the prayer of Thy servant and
to the prayer of Thy servants, who desire to
fear Thy Name: and prosper, pray Thee, Thy
servant this day, and grant him mercy in the
sight of this man. For I was the kings cup
bearer"
This prayer is worthy of the closest possible
study
1t is one of the great prayers of the Bible
3. The Medo-Persian king inquiries why his
cupbearer, Nehemiah, is sad in his pres
ence. Nehemiah's answer - Chapter 2:
2, 3:
Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is
thy countenance sad, seeing thou are not sick?
this is nothing else but sorrow of heart Then
| was very sore afraid,
nd +1,a T
for ever: why should not my countenance be
Sepulchres, lieth waste and the gates thereof
are consumed with fire."
4. Nehemiah is appointed General Overseer
by the king of Medo-Persia = Nehemiah
2:48:
"Then the king said unto me, For what
dost thou make request? So prayed to the
God of heaven.
"And | said unto the king, If it please the
king, and if thy servant have found favour
in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto
Judah, unto the city of my fathers sepulchres
that may build it.
"And the king said unto me, (the queen also
stteth by him) For how long shall thy journey
be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased
the king to send me; and I set him time
Moreover, said unto the king, If it please
the king, let letters be given to the governors
beyond the river, that they may convey me over
till | come into Judah;
"And letter unto Asaph the keeper of the
kings forest that he may give me timber to
make beams for the gates of the palace which
appertained to the house, and for the wall of
the city, and for the house that I shall enter
into. And the king granted me, according to
the good hand of my God upon me-"
Nehemiahs Administration of the Resto- |
ration Work
l. His arrival at Jerusalem to begin the work,
strikes CONSERVATION into the enemy's
camp Chapter 2:10: