We need to consider the pattern of Nehemiah; he was a true overcomer; he was a pattern of someone who has dispensational value to God, for he was properly aggressive for God and His people, he had a pure heart, he was not ambitious, and he was the perfect leader.
We should consider an example so that we may be a pattern of gaining God and flowing God to others to turn the age.
When considering who in the Old and New Testament had dispensational value to God, we may not consider Nehemiah to be on that list; we may consider people such as Noah, Moses, David, Daniel, Jesus, and the apostles to be on this list.
However, Nehemiah shows us how someone can be properly aggressive for God and for His people, for when he heard that the city lied in ruins and the wall was torn down and burned with fire, he prayed a lot and the Lord opened a way for him to go back.
He was just a man, but the Lord prepared him and set him as a pattern as one who is properly aggressive for His work of recovery.
God wanted to recover His people back to Himself, back to His original intention, so that He may have them built up as His house and city on earth, for Him to be expressed and represented through them.
Most of the people of Israel were in captivity, scattered in Babylon, due to the fact that they left God and God allowed the Babylonians to take them captive.
However, wave after wave, a remnant from among Israel returned to the good land, and eventually, under the leadership of Nehemiah, Zerubbabel, and Ezra, they rebuilt the wall of the city and were reconstituted with the word of God to become His people again.
However, the leaders of the Moabites and Ammonites were very displeased about Nehemiah’s coming to seek the good of the children of Israel; these descendants of the impure increase of Lot hated the children of Israel and despised them.
They tried to attack them many times, they spoke all kinds of things to discourage them from building the wall, and they even sent letters to the king to tell him to stop the building work.
The enemy is very much against the rebuilding of the church as the house of God and the city of God, and many things are done by Satan and his people to discourage those who do the building work.
However, we need to be pure like Nehemiah, suffering the persecution not in a cowardly way but being properly aggressive and bringing all things to the Lord in prayer.
One thing that Nehemiah did again and again in his book is to pray; anything that would happen, he would bring it to the Lord, he would pour out his heart to God, and then he would go on in the Lord to do what the Lord empowered him to do.
He truly was a pattern of a leader who had dispensational value to God, for after the building work was done, the nation of Israel started to flourish and be strengthened, and there was a base for the Lord Jesus to return in the good land.
Seeing the Pattern of Nehemiah as one who was Aggressive, Loved the Lord, was Pure, Feared God, and was the Perfect Leader, having Dispensational Value to God
On one hand, Nehemiah was aggressive for God and His people, for he was burning for the Lord and was absolute for the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem so that God would once again have a kingdom on earth.
However, Nehemiah did not live in his natural man but in resurrection; he was aggressive, but his aggressiveness was accompanied by other characteristics.
He truly was a pattern of one who loved the Lord, was pure, feared God, and was a perfect leader, having dispensational value to God.
One of the characteristics of Nehemiah was that he was a pleasant person; he was always full of joy, so when he heard the news from his brothers concerning the wall of the city of Jerusalem being torn down, he became sad with weeping, and the king noticed it.
The joy of the Lord was his strength, and he was a joyful person.
We also need to be those who enjoy the Lord and are full of joy; especially as we come to the meetings of the church, we need to rejoice!
If we think that the meetings of the church are boring, that is because we ourselves are boring; it’s not the meeting of the church that is boring but we are bored within, so everything is bored.
But when we enjoy the Lord, we are filled with joy when we come together to enjoy Him with the saints, for in the meetings of the church we receive not only information but revelation.
Nehemiah Loved God, Prayed to God, Trusted God, and was Willing to Sacrifice Himself
In his relationship with God, Nehemiah was one who loved God and also loved His interests on earth; he loved the Holy Land, the holy temple, and the holy city.
We need to be those who love God, love God’s interests, and in particular love Christ (the reality of the Holy Land), the church (the reality of the holy temple) and the kingdom of God (the reality of the holy city) – see 2 Tim. 3:1-5.
As one who loved God, Nehemiah prayed to God to contact Him in fellowship; he knew that it was God’s will in His word for the city to be rebuilt, and he stood on God’s word and prayed according to it (Neh. 1:1-11; 2:4; 4:4-5, 9).
Throughout the book we can see that he prayed to God to contact God and fellowship with Him; whether good or bad news came his way, he always contacted God.
When others tried to discourage him from rebuilding the wall, he stood on God’s word and continued building.
We need to stand on the word of God and pray His word back to Him, praying His will back to Him so that He can do it in us.
The entire Bible is God’s will for us; it would be an insult to God for us to just read the Bible and not pray it back to Him, asking Him to do it in our life.
He wants to do what His word says, but we need to pray it to Him! It makes God happy when we pray back His word to Him, for He is pleased to work it out in us.
Nehemiah trusted in God and even became one with God; as a result, he became the representative of God (Neh. 5:19; cf. 2 Cor. 5:20).
In his relationship with the people, Nehemiah was unselfish – he didn’t have any self-seeking or self-interest but rather, he was always willing to sacrifice what he had for the people and for the nation (Neh. 5:10, 14-19).
If we are those who pray the word of God back to Him, standing on His word to ask God to do what He wants to do, we will love God and His people, and we will serve God and His people without any self-seeking or self-interest.
May we be those who trust in God and are one with God, those who are God’s representative on earth.
May we be those who are willing to sacrifice ourselves and what we have for the people of God and for the seeking ones, for God’s desire is to gain man and work Himself into man to make man part of His corporate expression on earth.
Lord Jesus, we want to live not in our natural man but in resurrection, being properly aggressive for You and for the building up of the church as the house of God and the city of God. We love You, Lord, and we love Your interest on the earth. We love Christ, we love the church, and we love the kingdom of God. We come to You to contact You to fellowship with You, and we stand on Your word to pray Your word back to You. Amen, Lord, do in us according to Your word. It is Your desire to gain Your overcomers who express You and represent You; amen, Lord, do this in us! We trust in You, Lord, and we are willing to put our self-seeking and self-interest aside so that You may gain what You are after!
Having a Pure Heart for the Building up of the Church as the House and City of God
One of the outstanding characteristics that Nehemiah had is that he had a pure heart for the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem.
He was a governor, in the position of a king, yet he had a pure heart for the rebuilding of the wall, for he realized that this is what God needed in that age.
Nehemiah was a pattern of what a leader among God’s people should be (cf. 1 Tim. 3:2-7; 1 Pet. 5:1-3).
Unlike many of the kings in Israel and Judah, Nehemiah was not selfish, did not seek his interests, and was not indulgent in sexual lust.
Even David, who was a man according to God’s heart, indulged in sexual lust and failed; however, Nehemiah did not.
He did not take the full salary that a governor would take but rather, he had one hundred fifty men at his table every day, feeding the people and those who worked to rebuild the wall of the city.
We need to learn from the pattern of Nehemiah to have a pure heart for the rebuilding of the wall of the city of God to protect the interests of God, and we should not be selfish, we should not seek our own interest, and we should not indulge in sexual lust.
We need to invite others over for a meal, having no hidden agenda or interest besides ministering Christ to one another, and learning to listen to others to learn where they are and minister Christ to there.
Nehemiah was the commander-in-chief, and he was among those who were ready to fight against the enemy; therefore, he himself took part in the night watch – he didn’t leave these matters to others but he himself participated in them himself (see Neh. 4:8-23).
He was a pattern to the others by example; he didn’t only tell them what to do but he himself participated in the things that were done.
He and his brothers didn’t eat the food appointed for the governor for twelve years because of the fear of God (Neh. 5:4-5).
To fear God is to revere God, to honor God, and to respect God. We may be entitled to certain benefits among God’s people or in the secular things, but for the fear of God, we may not use these benefits.
Nehemiah applied himself to work on the city wall without any kind of payment; instead of being self-seeking, he actually fed others for the purpose of building up the wall (vv. 16-18). What a pattern he was! How good it is to see the pattern of Nehemiah!
He was not only properly aggressive for God and His interest, but he also had a pure heart in serving God with His people, and he led by example.
Lord Jesus, make us those who have a pure heart for the building up of the church as the house of God and the city of God. May we be purified in our heart from any self-seeking or self-interest, and may we serve You with the saints selflessly for the carrying out of God’s economy. Save us from being selfish or seeking our interest in doing the work of God. May we be those who even give up certain benefits for the sake of others and for the fear of God. Amen, Lord, we love You and we also revere You, we honor You, and we respect You; for the fear of God, we would not do certain things or enjoy certain benefits, so that You may gain the church as the house of God and the kingdom of God!
Nehemiah was the Perfect Leader, a Pattern of Gaining God and Flowing out God to Others in order to Turn the Age
Daniel prayed in Babylon for the return of the children of Israel, and he cooperated with God in prayer for the release of a remnant to return to Israel and rebuild God’s house and His city. He surely was a man who changed the age.
Similarly, Nehemiah cooperated with God and took the lead to return to the good land and rebuild the wall of the city so that God would gain His house and His city.
Although Nehemiah was the ruler, he was altogether not ambitious; many rulers and kings in Israel were ambitious and self-seeking, but Nehemiah was not like that.
He was the perfect leader, the best leader in human history; he was the best example of what an elder should be in the church life (Neh. 5:19; 13:14).
It is surely worthwhile for us – especially for the leading ones in the churches – to consider Nehemiah’s example so that we may be a pattern of gaining God and flowing out God to others in order to turn the age.
A very good indication of Nehemiah being an excellent leader is that he realized the need for Ezra to come in.
Nehemiah realized that the people of Israel had to be educated with the word of God and reconstituted with the speaking of God; however, he knew that he was not the right person for the job but Ezra was.
Ezra was a scribe, he knew the word of God, and he was brought in by Nehemiah to reconstitute the people of God with the word of God.
Many of today’s leaders would not seek help in such a way, but Nehemiah did not have a self-interest but rather, he wanted the people of Israel to become the house of God and the city of God.
Nehemiah was willing to go to Ezra for help, for he knew that without Ezra he could not reconstitute the people of God.
There were no complaints about Nehemiah from the people; even though he was aggressive for the Lord and the rebuilding of the wall, those in God’s people were not offended by him, neither did they have anything to reproach him. We all need to learn from his pattern.
Lord Jesus, save us from being ambitious in the work of the Lord; may we realize our needs for others’ help and portion, and may we labor together with the saints for the building up of the church. May we be those who bring others into their function in the church life. Thank You for making us members in the Body needing the Head and the fellowship from other members. Amen, Lord, we want to gain God and flow out God to others for the building up of the church as the house of God and the city of God. We give ourselves to You, dear Lord, so be those having dispensational value to God to end this age and bring in the age of the kingdom!
References and Hymns on this Topic
- Sources of inspiration: the Word of God, my enjoyment in the ministry, the message by Ed Marks for this week, and portions from, Life-study of Nehemiah, msgs. 3-5 (by Witness Lee), as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, The Christian Life, the Church Life, the Consummation of the Age, and the Coming of the Lord (2020 fall ITERO), week 8, Having Dispensational Value to God in the Last Days to Turn the Age.
- Hymns on this topic:
– Let Your ear, Lord, be attentive, / And Your eyes open to hear / The prayer of Your servant / Which echoes Your own will. / Even when the king approached me / I turned to You in prayer. / I answered in Your wisdom; / Now I will go and build. / Let us rise up and build / And strengthen our hands for the work. / The God of heaven Himself will make us prosper. / Lord, we have set our will, / We will enter in Your work. (Song on, Let Us Rise Up and Build)
– Within those whom You’d call / Put such a restless caring / For building to give all— / These times are for preparing; / The gates of hell cannot prevail / Against the builded Church! / The hours are few, the builders too— / Lord, build, O build in us! (Hymns #1248)
– Who then will forward go / Strong in His mighty power? / Who then will firmly trust the Lord / Until the vict’ry hour; / Till with the conqu’rors blest, / The triumph song’s begun? / That man will then rejoice to hear, / Behold, I quickly come! (Hymns #893)
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