Many look down on people that have jobs they deem as lower class. That is often a huge mistake. When I use the word “cupbearer” many would think of a servant or slave that simply did what they were told and did it quickly. Last night, Deb and I were watching a “who dunnit” program, and the woman of the house called for her maid. “Bring me some sparkling water.” “We don’t have any in the house madam,” said the maid. “Stop standing there and go get some now,” in a harsh tone. That’s the attitude toward what would be called “blue collar” workers. Cupbearer strikes the mental picture like that. That would be wrong.
A cupbearer in ancient times was someone that was trusted; a person whose character and integrity was not questioned. Because of their qualities they were given a place of prominence and esteem in the king’s inner circle. Why? Because the “cupbearer” protected the king. How? He was the royal food taster. He watched everything the king would eat and drink because the king’s enemies were constantly seeking to assassinate him. Only a handful of people could be trusted to that extent. A man in the Bible was a “cupbearer.”
Nehemiah is one of the great heroes of the Old Testament. God had him at the right place at the right time with the right gifts and talents to perform a task God had for a nation. The background of Nehemiah’s story reaches back well over 100 years before Nehemiah was even born. 586 B.C. is a date Bible students should know. It was the third and final time that Babylon came and conquered Judah. Nebuchadnezzar was the most famous of the Babylonian kings and it was under him that this judgment on Judah had fallen. He died. His grandson, Belshazzar, ruled while his father, Nabonidus, was off in Egypt. In one night, the great city fell. Read about that in Daniel 5. The Persians defeat the Babylonians, becoming the second world empire of those listed in Daniel’s book. Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, had predicted 70 years of captivity. On the 70th year, Cyrus the Persian leader decreed the Jews could go home to Israel. Some left for the Promise Land and thousands didn’t. Those that did had planned to build the Temple back, but they got sidetracked. The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all happened during this period in Israel’s history. Today, we are focusing on the “cupbearer,” Nehemiah. What made him special? He had been born in captivity and never seen Jerusalem. God had put Jerusalem in his heart. The Lord puts things in our hearts; He gives us desires, guiding us into His will for us. So, how did this gifted man go down in history as a great leader? I heard one preacher say the book of Nehemiah is the first book on leading people. He’s probably correct. How did he accomplish this great feat in only 52 days? Others, for over 100 years, had talked about it but he did it in record time. What was his secret? It was prayer.
1. A Problem that needed Fixing: Nehemiah 1:1-3. A delegation from Jerusalem came back to Persia and told Nehemiah about the city, the broken-down walls and the burned gates. There was great affliction among the people. They were mocked by their enemies; they were scared of being killed. Nehemiah hears this and weeps over the news. How often do God’s people hear of a great need and think someone needs to do something. Someone needs to help that missionary, someone needs to give to that cause, someone needs to go and witness to that lost man. Each of these type things happen to us regularly if we are paying attention to what’s happening around us. It has long been a contention of mine that if the Lord burden’s your heart, then it’s up to you to act on that prompting and not wait for someone else to do it. When Nehemiah hears the bad news, he does something immediately.
2. A Prayer to the Almighty. 1:4-11. I am not sure who first came up with the acronym ACTS concerning prayer, but it is a wonderful way to pray. Nehemiah uses each of these types of praying as he beseeches the Almighty. ADORATION (v.5-6). “O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and keep his commandments.” As he is praying, he’s thinking about the greatness of God and all the attributes that God possesses. This is a marvelous way for us to open our prayer time. CONFESSION (v.6-7). He confesses the sins of Israel. It was their sins that caused the stroke of God to fall on them in the first place. But he doesn’t only confess Israel’s sins, he confesses his own. You’ll notice he includes himself in that group with the little word “we” in 1:7. Until we are willing to deal with the sin in our lives, we will never have the fullness of God’s blessings on us. “If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me” the psalmist tells us (Psalm 66:18). THANKS (v.8-10). He thanks God for keeping promises to his people. He is so thankful that Israel was a redeemed people. Giving of thanks ought to be a massive part of our prayer time. Are you a thankful man or woman? The goodness of God is constantly on display for those with eyes that are looking for that goodness. SUPPLICATION (1:11). To paraphrase, “Lord there’s something I need you to do. Would you listen to me?” Coming to the Lord in prayer shouldn’t be just about what we need. God isn’t like a big Santa Clause in the sky with a bag full of goodies. We come reverently with great piety. That’s how a burden should be handled. Prayer ought to be our first option, but sadly it is our last many times. Prayer made Abraham Lincoln the man he was, yet he also had that same problem. He said on one occasion, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of those about me seemed insufficient for the day.” The smart move is to follow Nehemiah and pray at the start.
3. A Praying Man Who was Persistent. 2:1. The second chapter opens up with a date, the month of Nissan. This is one of the months of the Jewish calendar and it corresponds to our calendar, months of March/April. When did all this begin? Look back at chapter 1, verse 1. The Jewish month is Chisleu. That corresponds to our months, November/December. This man is praying persistently for between four and five months. His burden is getting heavier and even the king, Artaxerxes, notices his countenance. God is working not only in Nehemiah, but also in the king. When God burdens you and you begin moving at the leading of the Lord, others and other things begin to fall in place.
Nehemiah is going to do such a great job that his success becomes a story that is legend. His organization, endurance, discernment, and competence are all seen throughout his book. But it all began with a man begging God to do something. God did do something and he used a simple “cupbearer.” He can use you and me also.