Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-24
Golden Text: "The effectual fer
vent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much."-Jas. SIG.


Nehemiah is usually represented
as a very young man, but enron
eously so. He was one of those who
went back to Jerusalem with Zerub-
babel, and was evidently a mature
man at that time from the place
which is name occupies in the list
(Ezra p. 1t was twenty-one years
later when Ezra led his company to
Jerusalem, and thirteen years later
still 'whenl the events of the present
story occurred. So that he was
thirty-four years older than at the
time of the first return and must
have been at least sixty years old at
this time.
The position he held in the court
Of Artaxerxes is confirmatory evil
dence Of this also, for the cupbearer
was nearer to the condolences of the
king than any other official and
would most likely not have been
given to a very young man.
Why he had retired from Jerusa
lem we can not say, but other i'll
stances had occurred, and SO it was
not unusual.
One day his brother, Hanani, re-
turned, and with him soroe other
Jews, and visited Nehemiah at the
palace. Nehemiah wanted to know
Of them right away about the Jews
who were left of the captivity and
about Jerusalem. His elevation to
the high office in the Persian court
had not dulled even his love for his
people and their land. Nehemiah
was essentially a patriot. He loved
his nation better than himself.
The news that Hanani gave him
was distressing. He told him of the
sad condition of the people, that
they were i'll great affliction and re-
proach, and that the wall of the city
were broken down and the gates
burned with fire. Not only were
they a prey to their enemies round
about them naccount of their de-
fenselessness, but their own people
were expressing them with usurious
burdens en- their land las Nehemiah
aScertained for himself).
The news depressed Nehemiah
greatly. He sat down and wept. His
distress was not quite so dramatic
aS that of Ezra when he learned
of\the mixed marriages, but It was
just as real. He did not tear his
nair out and throw dust and asnes
over his clothes, but he felt the
keonness of his peoples suffering
and of his city's distress.
What was it in the news that so
affected him? 1t could not have
been the devastation wrought bv
eighty-four years
before-that wasn't news. He had
heard of that all of his life, and
had seen it when he went back
with Zerubbabel thirty-four years
before. 1t must have been, there
fore, something recent, some attack
that their enemies had made upon
them during the thirteen years that
mad elapsed since the temple had
been completed and dedicated,
about which Nehemiah had not
heard until now.
Nehemiah's distress did not
evaporate with his tears, however.
II drove him to his knees. For four
December to April
ne mourned, and tasted and pray
ed. The very persistence of his
prayer showed how desperately in
earnest he was. He was not heard
for his much praying. You cannot
reckon prayer by arithmetic-that
is vain repetition-but to keep on
asking because YOU must have the
thing desired is an evidence that
you really want it. Otherwise Won
quit praying. The cry delay in the
answer OFTEN tests the reality of our
desire.
Nehemiah's Prayer
HIS prayer is a model. He began
by recognizing God as Jehovah. the
God of heaven, the great and ter.
rlole God, the covenant.keeping
God. Adoration-how often it is en-.
tlrely lacking in our prayers. Tn
appreciate God, and to express orr
appreciation of Him to Him, is one
OF the finest approaches to Him,
II IS more; it is necessary to ap.
proach. And yet it is so often lack.
ing entirely in our prayer; that S
one OF the reasons why thew never
rise higher than our noses.
linen Nehemiah begged an atten.
i've ear because he was Gods serv.
aLl, ana an open eye on his heart
thdt 600 might see there what his
aeal deslre was, and it's purpose
mere was an honesty about Niche.
mans prayer that could not do
otherwlse than grip God; for h,
came 10 Him as His servant. ready
20 near and willing to obey. Unless
one mas that attitude. there is nc
use coming to God in PRAYER. He
mas no ear for the unbeliever.
concession of Gin PolIourod. -.
only mat OF his people-that's very
eetSy 10 confess the sins of other
ioihs or or them and us in general
out or his own sin. Both I and
my my lather's house have sinner. y
l Lnen ne confessed specifically their
slns-dlsobedience to Gods com
l,i,'llulllcnts neglect Of His statutes
disregard Of His judgments. Sir
H naa corrupted them, by INSULTING
God; All sin is against God, hut
1t also corrupts the sinner.
~, An but Nehemiah had some hone
rms very God had warned thar,
mat II they did disobey Him Ne
would scatter them-and Nehnn,ia \
Sa" how truly and literally He had
Kept that word-but He had also
promised to gather them again II
they would turn to Him, and estah
lsh them in their land. Nehemia
just reminded God of His promises
mot that God had forgotten them
but to call His attention to the fact
that they had now turned and ex
pected Him to fulfill them as liter
ally as He had fulfilled the warn
ing. Nehemiah expressed confidence
in Gods ability to do II for. he 70