NEHEMIAH’S DEEP DISTRESS

There are those who think that according to Neh. 1:11B, Nehemiah was a enuch. If that was so, then he as one of those enuchs of Isaiah 56:3 who should not say, “I am a dry tree.”

According to some, Nehemiah was of the priestly family, perhaps even royal blood.

It cannot be ascertained, because the information is scanty, nor is it our purpose to go deeper into that. Of two things we are sure: first, that in Adam he also was condemnable before God, and by nature a child of wrath as all other children of men. He also was conceived in sin and shapen in inquity and was without God in the world. By nature there was nothing in him either that could please the Lord. Whatever we may think or say about ourselves, in reality as to the basis of our life, we are all alike, and there is no difference.

But in the second place, God had also made a difference with Nehemiah, where there was no difference. God had thoughts of peace toward him, and not of evil. He was one of those blessed people whom God loved with an everlasting love.

He was comprehended in the eternal, electing love of God, and therefore, he was given from eternity, by the Father, to the Son. God the Holy Ghost had also called Nehemiah from death unto life. Even though we had nothing else beside our text, we would have sufficient proof of that. He was one of that royal priesthood, that holy nation, that peculiar people, that would show forth the praises of Him Who had called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.

How sovereign a Being God is, and what a wonderworking God! Nehemiah was an Israelite by birth, and yet he was in the palace of a heathen king. He was the king’s cupbearer. He was constantly in the presence of an earthly king, and because of his position, he had constant opportunity to speak to the king.

But we may also observe that he lived close to God, and that the King of the whole earth spoke to him, and that he was also favored to constantly speak to God.

O, for the Lord there are no obstacles. With us the way is filled with obstacles. but not with that great God. We would say, “Who would in such a place and even among the cupbearers, seek for a man who was converted by God?”

And yet, indeed, such was the case. Nehemiah was one of those that was foreknown; one who was a favorite of God. There is nothing too wonderful for the Lord. Nehemiah was a richly blessed man; a man who was enabled to call God, “My God”, Neh. 5:19. How sovereign God is in His ministration and dispensation! Nehemiah had not only a longing for God, but even with knowledge for himself, he had received God as his portion. O, what a wealth and what a felicity. The greatest covenant promise is, “I God, am thy God,” and then with boldness to witness of that!

Later on, we read in the New Testament that Paul sent greetings to those that are of Caesar’s household. They were also those that had been born of God, and in whom the life of God had become manifest; yea, to whom the apostle was bound with spiritual ties.

We read of Nehemiah that he had been visited by one of his brothers, when he was with the king in the palace at Shushan, which was the summer residence.

Hanani arrived there with some men from Judah. They knew very well where Nehemiah dwelt and resided, and besides that, there was a strong tie because they stood in need of meeting him.

In our days, it is a wonder if we know each other’s address. The address of many is unknown. O, what a time we live in. And then to make a journey to meet each other; that is something many would not think of. How everything is failed into decay, and sunken away. How uncharitable and cold we are. Yea, worse, we bite and devour each other. Sometimes we live in the same town, even in the same street, and never look at each other. If they are inquired about, then we dare to say, “I know nothing about them; we never speak to each other.” And both acknowledge that they possess the life of God. Of course, then the life, if there may be life, is not active, because else it would be different. When spiritual life is active, then man cannot live alone.

It is true the wise man discerns both time and judgment. But life seeks communion. “It is good for me to draw near to God.” And when we are favored to taste and to relish something of that communion, then the church is present, too. Then we cannot part from each other. In heaven there shall be an eternal communion with the triune God, with all the redeemed and purchased ones, and that is the desire of those people, because it is so blessed here already to be in communion with that all-sufficient Being and to associate with those people. Where love dwells, God commands His blessing.

In these dark days where God is upon earth with His judgments, the staves Beauty and Bands are broken. 0, beloved, the judgment starts at the house of God, and whereas the church is scattered like the bones at the grave’s mouth, how can we expect a blessing; and wherever there is strife and evil work, God cannot dwell with His Spirit. And there is something else that we must consider in passing.

When Nehemiah met his brother and those men from Judah, he enquired about the Jews which had escaped and who had been left from the cpativity, and also about the state of affairs in Jerusalem. How close those people were to his heart, and how concerned he was about the condition of the church. He loved those people and the church. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. It is a fatal sign when the tenor of our conversation is such that the world exclaims, “Are they the people who profess to possess spiritual life?” With Nehemiah it became clearly manifested what it was that filled his heart and mind. Whenever we live close to God, then the cause of God’s church lies close to our hearts. The one is inseparably joined to the other.

Because Nehemiah was at the court of the Persians, he knew of the report which had been made about the Jews that had returned to Jerusalem. That report was not so favorable. Ezra was also at Jerusalem at that time, and he made every attempt to improve the living conditions of those that had returned, and to put an end to the undesirable circumstances.

Nehemiah knew that the opposition was great, and that there were mountains of difficulties for the people that had returned. Hence, he was glad that he could meet one of his relatives and other friends, too, to obtain some information concerning the conditions of those people. Who can tell how long he had already looked forward for some news, not from the enemies, but from friends, because that was what he wanted. He desired so much to hear from his own people.

Nehemiah inquired about those that had escaped from the captivity; those that had escaped, those that had not perished in the captivity, but who were a part of Zion and who had been returned by Israel’s God to the “land of the fathers”. Yea, we may observe that Nehemiah was not outwardly, but inwardly concerned, and that because of true sympathy he inquired about the conditions.

Outwardly, he was far from his people and from Jerusalem, but inwardly, he was not loose from them. The living church is one in Christ, her blessed Head, but through the bond of the Spirit and of love, they are united to each other. 0, what a great privilege it is, when through the love of God, true unity is felt, and may be practiced in the fear of God, and that there may be a bearing of each other’s burdens. That which we profess must be manifested in the fruit through His Spirit. God draws His people out of the world and out of sin. The world falls away, but God and His people take the place. God Himself makes a tie which is unbreakable. The welfare of Zion is the joy of their hearts, but on the contrary, when the church becomes oppressed, and the people of God get into straits, then sorrow fills their heart. Then they are driven into their inner chambers at times to pour out their heart before God.

When after seventy years the faithful Jehovah gave the people liberty to return to the heritage of the fathers, there was a part which did not think of returning. They felt themselves so well at home in Babylon and were sunken so far away in the heathenish sinful life, that the service of God did not interest them.

If God does not preserve us, we bury ourselves alive. I do not only fear, but I know it is a fact, that in our days many feel themselves at home in the heathen surroundings to which they have immigrated, and they left their conscience behind in the country which they left. Several of our people are lost, too. We have had many sad experiences with respect to that about which I will not enlarge now.

A part of the covenant people had remained in Babylon because of despondency. How would they ever be able to make a living in a country which had been desolate for years, and then to enter into a city where everything was burned with fire. Poor man only calculates instead of following and believing that his life is in God’s hand.

But there was also a part to whom it was a deliverance to be released from prison, enabled to return to the heritage of the fathers. Amidst all the seductions and temptations, there were still people who would cling to the Divine promises and hope upon God’s goodness.

God had been so good to them that they could never find their life in Babylon. It was to their great joy that they were finally allowed to return. Full of courage, they went back, and with united efforts, they began to rebuild the city and the temple. They did not figure on opposition, but before long, opposition came, and instead of porceeding bravely, they became discouraged. For a number of years, everything had come to a standstill until the Lord, through the ministration of His faithful servants Haggai and Zachariah, encouraged the people to resume the work under the direction of Zerubbabel.

The temple was built again, but yet the enemies were not quiet. Also, a part of the city walls were rebuilt and various gates were completed as it was in the days of old. According to Ezra 4, during the reign of Darius I, the people of the land terrified the Jews to deter them from building. During the reign of Artaxerxes, Rehum, the chancellor, and his companions wrote a complaint against the Jews, influencing the king to forbid the building of the wall. Thus, Jerusalem remained an open city.

O, the enemies are constantly busy to vex the people of God. Yea, God’s church must contend with the enemies who never become weary of destroying it. They begrudge the people of God a place upon earth. God’s church is rightly called a militant church, because as long as it is here upon earth, they must fight constantly. Of course, on the side of the enemies, it is a hopeless struggle, for the battle is the Lord’s. Christ has conquered, and the outcome is decided. Still they are often anxious times to the heritage of the Lord, such as it was here for those that had returned from Babylon.

And now Nehemiah was given an opportunity to acquaint himself with the actual status of his people. How long had he looked forward to learn what the true situation was. That people and that place possessed the love of his heart. And whenever that is so, then our mind is constantly occupied with it. Then there is a constant wrestling about it at the throne of grace.

With Christ, the honor of His Father and the welfare of His people were in the foreground, but thus it is also with all who do not live far from God. They would rather be banished themselves, for the wellbeing of the church of God. The honor of God is most closely connected with it. The Lord’s people deny themselves, and the welfare of Zion is bound upon their heart.

How Nehemiah had hoped to hear the good of that people. But, alas, it was so different.

When he made inquiry, he learned that the people were in great affliction and reproach. They also told Nehemiah, “The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.” The remnant lived in great misery and suffered all sorts of reproach.

The misery and the reproach had been great when they groaned in the captivity. Their suffering had been severe, and how they had hoped that it was now at an end, but how they were disappointed in that. The poet of old had already sung about it in Psalm 34: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous,” and later on Christ Himself told His disciples so plainly that they would have tribulations in the world, but ah, how little heed do we usually give to that.

Yea, it constantly becomes manifest how little we actually live according to the Word of God. Since God Himself has put enmity between the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman, God’s church has nothing to expect than reproach, scorn, opposition, and enmity. We see that so often in the history of the church. And besides that, it becomes so obvious that our flesh will not submit to bonds and oppressions, and is full of fleshly deliberations.

The disciples of Christ constantly looked forward to an earthly kingdom, even after His resurrection. And how long it takes before we are rid of that. I think that after Pentecost they were cured of that. Then the light had arisen. There is here no rest for the people of God.

The more God’s people walk in the footsteps of Christ, and the more they are renewed after His image, the greater the enmity shall become against them. It is written so plainly of Lazarus that the Jews sought to kill him.

It is a blessing when our life may be thus. Most of the time it is so different. That is to the dishonor of God and the injury of our own soul.

Reproach and scorn were the portion of the remnant from the captivity. They were despised by the enemies. Jerusalem’s walls were full of breaches, and the rebuilt gates, partly made of wood, had gone up in flames. Hence, Jerusalem was an open city, and offered not the least protection to the inhabitants. It was a very sad condition from all sides.

They were hindered and opposed from all sides. How discouraging it is when through enmity, everything is broken down, but especially when under such conditions, we are also reviled and mocked. When the dear Lord causes us to be submissive, then we can accept it, but otherwise, it takes away the courage and the desire to live. Then they say within at times, “Why should I wait for the Lord any longer!” And then, when we are unable to put the wife of Job out of our house and home, what a difficult life that is. But then to stand also over against, such a superior force, against which we can do nothing. We have no power against that great multitude. And then besides that, God, keeps His hands so still, and apparently allows the enemy to destroy as much as he can.

There were so many promises for that returned people, but they just could not see the fulfillment and the confirmation of them. The Lord had promised that he would deliver them, and that He would fight for them, and that He would remove their reproach from among the heathens, and now they saw nothing but the opposite. 0, what anxious times they are to God’s church and to God’s children. The people were truly in great distress.

The answer which Nehemiah received, brought him into great distress. Some commentaries tell us it was crushing. We can imagine that Nehemiah must have known something of the condition, but had never expected that the misery of his people was so great.

Just like Ezra (see Ezra 9:3–5; 10:6) he gave utterance to his soul’s emotions by sitting in the dust, that is upon the ground, and by giving free course to his tears, also by bearing some outward token of mourning, and by denying himself food and drink, and that for days. Just like Ezra, Nehemiah’s emotions give its supreme expressions in an impressive prayer.

Overwhelmed by sorrow, he sat down and wept and mourned for some days.

There are many people with a great profession, but who have never known sorrow for sin, and who with all their talk, never had one tear in their eye for the affliction of Joseph.

They can always keep going or sit high on the mountains of Gilboa, where there is neither rain nor dew. It is peculiar, but we can never become jealous of such people. God brings His people in the dust. Just think of Abraham and of Job. But how great it is when we become concerned, also, about the condition of our land and our nation; of our church and our state. Of course, there are always people, too, who have the mouth filled about the darkness and the breaches, but who have nothing of that in their heart. O, how great satan’s cunning is to deceive us for eternity.

But it is to be considered a blessing, when in special times, the Lord binds the need upon us; when the weight becomes so heavy to us that we must enter into our inner chambers.

The closer we live to God, the more we shall know of the secrets. We have such a clear example of that in Abraham, the father of the faithful. The Lord, Himself, testified, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?” God’s intention with the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were made known to Abraham by God Himself. And we see in the life of Abraham that he came with that case before the Lord.

And thus it was here with the cupbearer of the got down on the ground. He wept and mourned for certain days. The misery of his people was his misery, and it pressed him down. It affected him to such an extent that he wept and mourned.

Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus, and the sons of Jacob mourned about their father after that the Lord had taken him away from them. According to the measure of love, there is sorrow, and according to the measure that the loss is felt, there is mourning. To love is to suffer sorrow. God teaches His people to weep with those that weep and to rejoice with those that do rejoice.

That it was no superficial mourning with Nehemiah is evident, since he mourned for certain days.

We read of the friends of Job that “they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him; for they saw that his grief was very great,” Job 2:13. How great must have been the grief which filled the heart of Nehemiah when he mourned for certain days.

And that it was no outward show before man was manifested by the fact that he fasted. He had no desire to eat all sorts of desirable food. The very sorrowful condition of his people filled his heart and mind to such and extent, that he had no desire to eat or to drink. Just think of our natural life, when we are in deep mourning or find ourselves in pressing circumstances, we have no time to prepare all sorts of dainties. How a man must then be forced to eat something. If others did not insist upon it, we would even do without the most necessary food. Sorrow of heart takes away all desire for this temporal life. We also read of Saul of Tarsus, after that God had cast him down, and when he was in the street called “Straight” that for three days he neither ate nor drank, Acts 9:9. He lay there in the sorrow of regeneration, under the deep realization of his guilt and sin against a holy and righteous God. It is also recorded as an indictment against Israel that at the time of great distress, the Lord calls to weeping and mourning, to boldness and girding with sackcloth, and that then there was with the poeple joy and gladness, killing of sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine (Isaiah 22:12,13). Nehemiah was deeply conscious of the wretched conditions in which the people of the Lord found themselves, and that was the reason for his fasting.

But Nehemiah did not only fast, but he was also praying before the God of heaven.

God teaches His people to pray. No, they will not say that they can pray. They are conscious of that. However, those people know the way. Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” Those people cannot find it in the world, but with Christ Jesus there is a door opened to them in heaven.

God’s face is turned in favor to that people on the ground of the perfect righteousness of Christ. They may go boldly to that throne. God Himself calls His people to do so. “Call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me!” “Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.”

Nehemiah prayed before the God of heaven. The God of Heaven, Who is above all the violence of hell, and above all the noise of the people. That God of heaven beholds all the mischief and spite to requite it with His hand.

That God of heaven, Who allows the enemy for a moment, and even for a time, sometimes for a long time, to distress and oppress them, but Who nevertheless looks in favor upon those that fear Him. It is true, it must be given to those people to take refuge with God. There is nothing more fearful and oppressive in our life than that the way to heaven has been barred. The blessed Surety, while in the state of His deep humiliation, and while under the wrath and anger of God, had to cry out, “O my God, I cry in the daytime, but Thou hearest not, and in the night season, and am not silent,” Psalm 22:2. Nehemiah could also pour out his soul before God, and with the concerns of the church, come to God. With a humble confession of guilt, he could appear before the Lord pleading and relying upon the covenant and upon the lovingkindness of the Lord Jehovah.

What a violence he was enabled to make by faith upon the mercy of God. I will enlarge upon this no further, but how should shame cover our faces. Where shall we seek the Nehemiah in our days? People with such a life? Really, beloved, when we turn to ourself, then we lose courage to write anymore. God’s church is in great distress and reproach. There are hardly any words to express it, how sad its condition is all around, and the worst is that there is hardly any eyes for it. Alas, there are many who think that it is not so bad yet. The world still regards us, and we have something to say, too, in various things. Ah, what a poor and silly reasoning. How small the number is of those who have a true insight into the present conditions of the church.

God’s church is left as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. The world has the upperhand in the church, and truth is fallen in the streets. O, what a shadow lies upon the church. It is breach upon breach, and rent upon rent. The pillars are removed; the light has been darkened, and life has been so fouled and is so declined. How quiet God keeps His hand, and how little do we hear that God adds to the church such as shall be saved.

It is an exception when God still works through with His people, and that as living witnesses they may be zealous for the honor of God and for the Name and cause of Christ. We could weep day and night, but ah, where are the wet eyes and mourning souls found? When we rightly consider how far everything has drifted away, then there is hardly any courage left to live. Churches are filled with indifferent Gallios, and professors, who hardly know the pure truth of God. There are whole families who no longer know the difference between their right and left hand, and who just live on without impression of death and eternity. And then there are those individuals of God’s children, which are amongst them, living more upon that which has taken place in former times, than living an active life out of Christ Who only is the life of His people.

God’s Spirit is not gone, but is far departed, and it is hardly noticed. And where it is still noticed, what an indifferent life, instead of sitting down in sorrow upon the earth with Nehemiah. When it still takes hold of and affects us, even then we cannot get to the right place with it. They are mostly transitory impressions which leave nothing behind and are ineffective. O, beloved, there are enough signs of God’s displeasure, but we lack the true humiliation under them, and the true concern which drives us out to heaven. It is all our own fault and our own sin as the fruit of our living far, far away from the Lord. It is fearful because it is not fearful. O, may we feel the true necessity. Then it would become all our own fault as we may notice in the prayer of Nehemiah. The cause of the misery and reproach would then be exposed. We would not accuse God of injustice, but justify Him in all His acts, but besides that, we would run to Him as a stream of water. He only can give deliverance, put the enemies to shame, gladden His people, and restore His church.

We are not worthy that the Lord should return, but He may do it for His Own sake, for the sake of His covenant, and for the worthiness of that precious Mediator of the Covenant. That is the only ground on which it is still possible. It is dark on all sides, and considering our needlessness, prayerlessness, and lovelessness, we may as well give up hope. But because God is unchangeable, in His Essence and in His attributes, also in His love, He shall arise in His time and not abandon His people. He will not abandon them forever in their sorrow. God also watches over the visible church to the end of time. It is hidden to us by what ways He will visit His church and restore it to glory again. We know from God’s Word that hard times are forthcoming. Yet God shall leave in the midst of them an afflicted and poor people who shall trust in the name of the Lord. Finally, whatever may happen, God shall build Zion through His strong hand. God shall fulfill His counsel and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper, not through our ability, but shall prosper in the hand of Christ.

If through regeneration and renewal through God the Holy Spirit we are living members of the true church of God, then one day we shall be delivered from all the misery. God shall remove all the reproach forever and glorify His people which have been called, justified, and sanctified through the blood of Christ. That church shall be delivered out of all tribulations, and also of her deformity, and ill affections, and shall ascribe to Him, Who is seated upon the throne and to the Lamb, all worship and thanksgiving forever.

Then there shall be no more complaints, but heart and mouth shall forever be filled with the praise of the Lord Jehovah. Then the enemy shall shoot no more arrows, and he shall not come near the gates because then his place shall be forever in that pit which burns with fire and brime-stone. Then there shall be peace and rest for those people. AMEN. Rev. W. C. Lamain

THE TEARS OF THE LORD JESUS

When our Lord wept over Jerusalem that was a great outlet of His glory. There was much that was human in it. The feet were human that stood upon Mount Olivet. The eyes were human eyes that looked down on the dazzling city. The tears were human tears that fell upon the ground. But, oh, there was the tenderness of God bearing that mantle. Behold your God! He that has seen Christ has seen the Father. This is God manifest in flesh. See here the heart of the Father and the Son laid bare!

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