04/06/2022 - BEFORE THE GOD OF HEAVEN

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So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:4

The anxiety to hear the words brought by his brother about what was happening in Israel, after the best of the people went into captivity, gave room to an immense sadness in Nehemiah’s heart, because the promised land was now only suffering. Those who stayed in that devastated place didn’t know what to do nor did they seek the Lord. Jerusalem was an open city, ready to be invaded. On all sides, there was only desolation. What a tragedy!

Nehemiah didn’t hold back and sat down. You can’t remain standing when you receive bad news. They changed his countenance and there he learned what the Most High was calling him to do about the land that had cost so much of his ancestors’ blood and sweat and which was completely abandoned at that moment. Each account filled him with sorrow and tears. He looked for answers, but could not find them.

The servant of God did nothing but weep, trying to talk to the Lord about how He would rebuild the place, so that all the people could see and meditate on what the Almighty would speak to them. But what to do, if they were under the authority of the Persian king, who didn’t even have a plan to lift up that land again? Their tears were collected and placed in the divine bottle (Psalm 56:8).

The following days were days of lamentation, because it was not possible that God had forsaken them. After all, His Word said that this would never happen. However, because they did not keep His word, they were abandoned. The Lord had declared that He would be with David’s descendants forever, but if His children forsook Him, He would have no commitment to them. Try to walk with God and you will see that He is good, completely faithful and a true friend!

Besides mourning and feeling that he needed to act, Nehemiah also fasted and prayed, seeking from God the guidance to solve Israel’s problem. Now, when the battle enters this stage, we can see the blessing coming. The Lord only needs someone’s offering to give His own what belongs to them by decree. Start crying out to the Father by the Word and in prayer. Then, believe!

Through Hosea, the Most High showed why His people are destroyed: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children (Hosea 4:6). Something that all people should immediately seek is to have knowledge of their rights in Christ!

In the next lesson we will see something amazing. As soon as Nehemiah began to seek the Lord, he saw the gates of Heaven opened to him. Artaxerxes, the Persian king, was touched and authorized him to receive the conditions to lead the Israelites to Jerusalem, in order to rebuild the city walls, whose gates had been destroyed by fire. God is faithful!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares