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Last week: Assess where you are now. Move ahead from here. ONWARD.

Nehemiah 1:11 – 2:10 PRAYERFULLY PLAN a PROCESS. Include PEOPLE.

“Lord, please pay careful attention to my prayer “Lord, please pay careful attention to my prayer. Listen to the prayers of all of us. We take delight in bringing honor to your name. Give me success today when I bring my request to King Artaxerxes.” I was the king’s wine taster. Wine was brought in for King Artaxerxes. It was the month of Nisan in the 20th year of his rule. (450 B.C.E.)

I got the wine and gave it to him I got the wine and gave it to him. I hadn’t been sad in front of him before. But now I was. So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You aren’t sick. You must be feeling very sad.” I was really afraid. But I said to the king, “May you live forever! Why shouldn’t I look sad? The city where my people of long ago are buried has been destroyed. And fire has burned up its gates.”

The king said to me, “What do you want?” I prayed to the God of heaven. Then I answered the king, “Are you pleased with me, King Artaxerxes? If it pleases you, send me to Judah. Let me go to the city of Jerusalem. That’s where my people are buried. I want to rebuild it.” The queen was sitting beside the king. He turned and asked me, “How long will your journey take? When will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me.

So I chose a certain time. I also said to him, “If it pleases you, may I take some letters with me? I want to give them to the governors of the land west of the Euphrates River. Then they’ll help me travel safely through their territory until I arrive in Judah.

May I also have a letter to Asaph. He takes care of the royal park May I also have a letter to Asaph? He takes care of the royal park. I want him to give me some logs so I can make beams out of them. I want to use them for the gates of the fort that is by the temple. Some of the logs will also be used in the city wall. And I’ll need some for the house I’m going to live in.”

God was kind to me and helped me. So the king gave me what I asked for God was kind to me and helped me. So the king gave me what I asked for. Then I went to the governors of the land west of the Euphrates River. I gave them the king’s letters. He had also sent army officers and horsemen along with me.

Observations: 1. Nehemiah was the king’s wine taster. (1:11) Very humble position. Royal guinea pig, not Cabinet Member. He leveraged it well! Use the power you DO have to work for good in the world.

2. “The queen was sitting beside the king 2. “The queen was sitting beside the king.” (2:6) WHY IS THIS EVEN MENTIONED??? She doesn’t speak, act, or participate in any way. What would it mean to the original writer/readers that the queen was in the room??

Who is the only queen we hear about during the Exilic period of Jewish history? Esther. “The Book of Esther … relates the story of a Hebrew girl in Persia, born as Hadassah but known as Esther, who becomes queen of Persia and thwarts a genocide of her people. (Scholars propose MANY possible dates for Esther, but) … Classical sources such as Josephus … as well as the Greek Septuagint translation of Esther, identify Ahasuerus as either Artaxerxes I (reigned 465 to 424 BCE) or Artaxerxes II (reigned 404 to 358 BCE). (Wikipedia)

Esther 4:13-14 “You live in the king’s palace Esther 4:13-14 “You live in the king’s palace. But don’t think that just because you are there you will be the only Jew who will escape. What if you don’t say anything at this time? Then help for the Jews will come from another place. But you and your family will die. Who knows? It’s possible that you became queen for a time just like this.” Risk your privilege. Use your power to work for good in the world.

PRAYERFULLY PLAN a PROCESS. Include PEOPLE. Risk PRIVILEGE PRAYERFULLY PLAN a PROCESS. Include PEOPLE. Risk PRIVILEGE. Use your POWER for good.