Nehemiah Learns to Rule   THE POINT: Nehemiah was a king’s servant who became governor of a city. His story is an example of growing into authority and leadership.   BACKGROUND 608 BC - The Babylonians (Iraq) destroyed Jerusalem and carried off the Jewish upper and middle-class to Babylon as slaves. 538 BC - The Persians (Iran) conquered the Babylonians and allowed the Israelites to move about freely. About 50,000 Jews return to Jerusalem at this time. 458 BC – Ezra leads a team of about 1,500 Jewish leaders back to Jerusalem. They begin to rebuild but are stopped by other local tribal officials who had gained power and didn’t want to see Jerusalem rebuilt.   RECAP Nehemiah learns that the city of Jerusalem is still in ruins because local warlords have prevented the rebuilding. He mourns, fasts and prays He carefully considers how to approach the king.   THE KING'S PRESENCE Nehemiah 2:1-3 (NIV) In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

THE KING'S PRESENCE Esther 4:11 (NIV) "All the king's officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king."   Nehemiah 6:1-4 (NIV) When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it--though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates-- Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.   As a king and preist who is created in the image of the Most High God, your time and attention is valuable. Consider what things you allow into your presence.  How many of them are trying to destroy you? Consider what you can do to take authority over your time and attention.