Nehemiah 2:9-20
“Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.” (Nehemiah 2:9-10)
With full authority from Artaxerxes and the Persian Empire ordering he be given safe conduct, Nehemiah met with the governors west of the Jordan. He was accompanied by a sizeable military force to enforce those orders. The local governors and leaders and traditional enemies were upset about Nehemiah’s coming but there was little they could legally do about it.
“So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.” (Nehemiah 2:11-15)
Even a small, fast moving camel caravan took over a month to get from Babylon to Jerusalem, and larger groups on horseback took longer. After such a journey, Nehemiah spent three days recuperating and making contact with the local leaders. The third night after everybody was asleep, he slipped out to examine the condition of the ancient walls of the city with a few of his traveling companions.
Before he told anyone his plans, Nehemiah wanted to get enough information so they he could present the people a workable plan for building the wall. If he could present a plan the people understood and believed could be done, he would have far lwee trouble getting them to commit to it. In order to get complete details they went around the entire wall, making notes of everything that was needed.
“And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.” (Nehemiah 2:16-18)
When Nehemiah knew what was needed, and what would be required to do it he prepared a plan to present to the leaders. Since building the wall was something they were already concerned about, they gladly listened to his plan. Finding that he had done his homework, getting the king’s approval and knowing what was required, they gladly committed to the project because they believed it would work.
Had President Obama and his advisers demonstrated similar leadership in finding out what was actually needed for healthcare reform and presented a believable plan for accomplishing it, the entire debate over Obamacare and it’s attendant problems could have been avoided, because almost no one questioned the need for change. Would be leaders need to learn to apply these principles.
“But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 2:19-20)
Knowing they were within their legal rights, threats of legal intervention didn’t discourage Nehemiah or the people. They had already done their homework, and knew the surrounding groups had no legal or moral right to interfere. They would not have to wait for a court decision saying they had authority to implement their plan.
“Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.” (Nehemiah 2:9-10)
With full authority from Artaxerxes and the Persian Empire ordering he be given safe conduct, Nehemiah met with the governors west of the Jordan. He was accompanied by a sizeable military force to enforce those orders. The local governors and leaders and traditional enemies were upset about Nehemiah’s coming but there was little they could legally do about it.
“So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.” (Nehemiah 2:11-15)
Even a small, fast moving camel caravan took over a month to get from Babylon to Jerusalem, and larger groups on horseback took longer. After such a journey, Nehemiah spent three days recuperating and making contact with the local leaders. The third night after everybody was asleep, he slipped out to examine the condition of the ancient walls of the city with a few of his traveling companions.
Before he told anyone his plans, Nehemiah wanted to get enough information so they he could present the people a workable plan for building the wall. If he could present a plan the people understood and believed could be done, he would have far lwee trouble getting them to commit to it. In order to get complete details they went around the entire wall, making notes of everything that was needed.
“And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.” (Nehemiah 2:16-18)
When Nehemiah knew what was needed, and what would be required to do it he prepared a plan to present to the leaders. Since building the wall was something they were already concerned about, they gladly listened to his plan. Finding that he had done his homework, getting the king’s approval and knowing what was required, they gladly committed to the project because they believed it would work.
Had President Obama and his advisers demonstrated similar leadership in finding out what was actually needed for healthcare reform and presented a believable plan for accomplishing it, the entire debate over Obamacare and it’s attendant problems could have been avoided, because almost no one questioned the need for change. Would be leaders need to learn to apply these principles.
“But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 2:19-20)
Knowing they were within their legal rights, threats of legal intervention didn’t discourage Nehemiah or the people. They had already done their homework, and knew the surrounding groups had no legal or moral right to interfere. They would not have to wait for a court decision saying they had authority to implement their plan.
No comments:
Post a Comment