Nehemiah 2:8-9 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
Walls and gates of cities mean nothing today but in Bible times they meant almost everything. Torn down walls left the people open to attack and plundering by vicious neighbors. The walls of the city were its security, protection, pride and honor. They were synonymous to locks on our doors and radar in our country to detect an incoming attack.
With this understanding, Psalm 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house,the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain, takes on even greater meaning.
The walls of Jerusalem were not only significant to the the city itself, but since the city was the place the LORD had chosen for the temple and worship of Him there, since it was the city David captured for that purpose, and that it was the seat of governent for the nation under its kings, the walls knocked down put the city in disgrace and all these things with it.
This news moved Nehemiah to his depths. Whenever the Name of God, the holy things or the people of God are in disgrace we should react the same as Nehemiah did. It hurts deeply when I hear of moral failure among God's people. It hurts when the Word of God is mocked by unbelievers- deepy upsets my soul. When I read of His people in need I want to respond in whatever way I can, even if it seems insignificant.
Nehemiah heard the news. He prayed and waited upon God. Then when the opportunity came he acted fully. God gave him great success (not without opposition) because of Good Hand of His God upon him. There are two Hebrew words for hand. One means closed hand. The word used here is the one which means Open Hand. When the Hand of God is open and upon us we can expect to receive one blessing after another.
It is important to draw a disticntion and it is a huge distinction between personal blessings of God and the blessings of God which are to be given directly to others, in which we are channels, conduits, transmitters. In one way all blessings come under this umbrella. They all come from God and are His. Perhaps it can be better understood as those blessings He gives us the choice to use as we desire (all for His glory) and those blessings which in which we are His Hand extended to others. Those have a specific purpose and we are being entrusted to us to see that they are delivered to the ones God intends for them to go to.
The good Hand of God upon Nehemiah was not for personal gain or pleasure. It was not like winning Lotto or a prize or even a windfall. It was for him to accomplish the will of God in rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. The good Hand of his God was upon him to do a work for the glory of God. It was about the kingdom of God. The Good Hand of our God upon us to work through us and do wonders to help others in need.
When the Open Hand of our God is upon us we discover...
1. The Hand of God is a Gracious Hand. -v.8
Good, Gracious= beautiful, bountiful, glad, joyful, prosperity
To sense His Hand upon you is an awesome thing!
To experience the blessings that come from and see how they are blessing others is often beyond words.
His good Hand is:
-Beautiful. There is a holy beauty that comes from the Hand of God upon His servant. The wall that Nehemiah built was beautiful. There was even a gate called this, the one Jesus rode through. In a way Nehemiah was preparing the way for the LORD... literally through the gate which was built. That is part of what I was trying to say last week... through planting seeds, watering where others have planted, through our good deeds, we are preparing a heart to receive the LORD. His work on these walls prepared the nation and the world for the presentation of the Messiah.
-Bountiful
God is a God of abundance. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
He is able to do immeasurably more than we can ever ask or imagine.
He is God of miracles and wonders!
When His Hand is upon us He works wonders.
It is expressed here in Deuteronomy 15:11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
-Joyful
The results of Gods Hand being upon Nehemiah and Ezra brought great joy to Jerusalem. The temple and the walls around the city were rebuilt.
Psalm 126:1-3 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter,our tongues with songs of joy.Then it was said among the nations,“The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us,and we are filled with joy.
The accounts in Ezra and Nehemiah tell of the joy of the people as the work was completed and dedicated.
2. The Hand of God is Mighty.
The throne of God is more powerful than any throne or kingdom on earth (Ephesians 1.15-23)
Deuteronomy 4:34 Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?
Deuteronomy 11:2-3 Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the LORD your God: His majesty, His mighty hand, His outstretched arm; the signs He performed and the things He did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country;
You saw them! You have seen the Hand of God upon things, His mighty Hand! Let your faith rise up and push away doubt in your life today! Remember wonderful answers to prayer you have received! Keep those victories in mind, meditate upon His wonderful works (Psalm 77.12)
The name for God here is what we translate Almighty God.
Remember today the things He has done!
In His Word
In Your Life
In Answer to your prayers
We are in a season of Thanksgiving. Part of Thanksgiving is remembering.
We give thanks for the blessings of today.
We are also thankful for the goodness of God in the past.
-He has been with us.
-He has protected us.
-He has helped us.
There have been times in all of our lives when we wondered how we were going to make it, perhaps even if we were going to make it, but here we are!!!
3. The Hand of God is Provisional.
Philippians 4.19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Christ Jesus.
He provided for Nehemiah.
He even used King Artarxeres.
He is providing for us.
He will provide for you!
4. The Hand of God is Precise.
Deuteronomy 11:4 what he did to the Egyptian army, to its horses and chariots, how he overwhelmed them with the waters of the Red Sea as they were pursuing you, and how the Lord brought lasting ruin on them.
His Timing is perfect.
Just as the army of Pharaoh gto in the middle of the Red Sea God let it go. Perfect timing. We balk at times about why God is not intervening.... why Jesus does not come back today...
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
His Touch is Divine.
The good hand of My God upon me... this is one of the ways heaven connects with earth. With precison design He causes all things to work together for my good. He is working all things together for His glory.
Nehemiah experienced the good Hand of His God upon him and he was able to accomplish the impossible for the Glory of God.
II Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.
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