WEBVTT - Nehemiah 2

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. You're listening to the chapter a Day Audio Bible.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm John Stanghy, and today we're in Nehemiah chapter two,

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<v Speaker 1>and we'll be reading from the New English translation. Then,

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<v Speaker 1>in the month of Naissan, in the twentieth year of

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<v Speaker 1>King Arta Xerxes, when wine was brought to me, I

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<v Speaker 1>took the wine and gave it to the king. Previously

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<v Speaker 1>I had not been depressed in the king's presence. So

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<v Speaker 1>the king said to me, why do you appear to

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<v Speaker 1>be depressed when you aren't sick. What can this be

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<v Speaker 1>other than sadness of heart? This made me very fearful.

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<v Speaker 1>I replied to the king, O King live forever. Why

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<v Speaker 1>would I not appear dejected when the city with the

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<v Speaker 1>graves of my ancestors lies desolate and its gates destroyed

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<v Speaker 1>by fire? The King responded, what is it you are seeking? Then?

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<v Speaker 1>I quickly prayed to the God of heaven and said

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<v Speaker 1>to the King, if the King is so inclined, and

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<v Speaker 1>if your servant has found favor in your sight, dispatch

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<v Speaker 1>me to Judah, to the city with the graves of

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<v Speaker 1>my ancestors, so that I can rebuild it. Then the King,

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<v Speaker 1>with his consort sitting beside him, replied, how long would

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<v Speaker 1>your trip take and when would you return. Since the

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<v Speaker 1>King was amenable to dispatching me, I gave him a time.

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<v Speaker 1>I said to the King, if the King is so inclined,

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<v Speaker 1>let him give me letters for the governors of trans

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<v Speaker 1>Euphrates that will enable me to travel safely until I

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<v Speaker 1>reach Judah, and a letter for Asaf, the keeper of

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<v Speaker 1>the King's nature preserve, so that he will give me

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<v Speaker 1>timber for beams, for the gates of the fortress adjacent

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<v Speaker 1>to the temple, and for the city wall, and for

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<v Speaker 1>the house to which I go. So the King granted

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<v Speaker 1>me these requests, for the good hand of my God

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<v Speaker 1>was on me. Then I went to the governors of

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<v Speaker 1>trans Euphrates, and I presented to them the letters from

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<v Speaker 1>the King. The King had sent with me officers of

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<v Speaker 1>the army and horsemen. When Sanbalot the Horonite and Tobiah,

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<v Speaker 1>the Ammonite official, heard all this, they were very displeased

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<v Speaker 1>that someone had come to seek benefit for the Israelites.

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<v Speaker 1>So I came to Jerusalem when I had been there

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<v Speaker 1>for three days. I got up during the night along

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<v Speaker 1>with a few men who were with me, but I

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<v Speaker 1>did not tell anyone what my God was putting on

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<v Speaker 1>my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no animals

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<v Speaker 1>with me except for the one I was riding. I

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<v Speaker 1>proceeded through the valley gate by night in the direction

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<v Speaker 1>of the Well of the Dragons and the Dungate, inspecting

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<v Speaker 1>the Wall of Jerusalem that had been breached and its

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<v Speaker 1>gates that had been destroyed by fire. I passed on

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<v Speaker 1>to the gate of the well and the Kingspool, where

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<v Speaker 1>there was not enough room for my animal to pass

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<v Speaker 1>with me. I continued up the valley during the night,

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<v Speaker 1>inspecting the wall. Then I turned back and came to

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<v Speaker 1>the valley gate, and so returned. The officials did not

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<v Speaker 1>know where I had gone or what I had been doing.

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<v Speaker 1>For up to this point I had not told any

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<v Speaker 1>of the Jews, or the priests, or the nobles, or

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<v Speaker 1>the officials or the rest of the workers. Then I

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<v Speaker 1>said to them, you see the problem that we have.

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<v Speaker 1>Jerusalem is desolate and its gates are burned. Come on,

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<v Speaker 1>let's rebuild the Wall of Jerusalem so that this reproach

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<v Speaker 1>will not continue. Then I related to them how the

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<v Speaker 1>good hand of my God was on me and what

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<v Speaker 1>the king had said to me. Then they replied, let's

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<v Speaker 1>begin rebuilding right away. So they readied themselves for this

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<v Speaker 1>good project. But when sanbal At the Horonite, Tobiah the

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<v Speaker 1>Ammonite official, and Gesham the Arab heard all this, they

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<v Speaker 1>derided us and expressed contempt toward us. They said, what

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<v Speaker 1>is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king.

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<v Speaker 1>I responded to them by saying, the God of Heaven

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<v Speaker 1>will prosper us. We his servants will start the rebuilding.

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<v Speaker 1>But you have no just or ancient right in Jerusalem.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for the privilege of being able to

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<v Speaker 1>look at it today. And we thank you, Lord for

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<v Speaker 1>the things that we can see that you were inspiring

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<v Speaker 1>Nehemiah to do as he approached the king and was

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<v Speaker 1>willing to make this request before him, and you granted

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<v Speaker 1>him favor so that he was given permission to head

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<v Speaker 1>to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls around this place. Lor

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<v Speaker 1>we're grateful to be able to witness this act of faith,

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<v Speaker 1>and we're grateful to be able to see that your

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<v Speaker 1>hand of favor was on Neemiah and on the people

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<v Speaker 1>of Jerusalem. And Lord, when we look at the totality

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<v Speaker 1>of your word, we can see that one greater than

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<v Speaker 1>Neemiah has come, who is preparing a place for all

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<v Speaker 1>those who trust in him and follow him, your son,

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus Christ, who will ultimately rule and reign on this

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<v Speaker 1>earth from Jerusalem, and every knee will bow and every

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<v Speaker 1>tongue will confess that he is Lord. We're grateful for

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<v Speaker 1>this promise that we see in your word. And we're grateful,

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<v Speaker 1>Lord that we have the privilege to be part of

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<v Speaker 1>your kingdom, that we can be people who worship you,

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<v Speaker 1>and that you welcome us into your family, and that

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<v Speaker 1>you give us an inheritance in your kingdom. We don't

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<v Speaker 1>deserve these things, but we're grateful that these things are

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<v Speaker 1>ours through faith in your son Jesus Christ. And we're grateful,

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<v Speaker 1>Lord for your presence with us today. We commit this

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<v Speaker 1>day to your care, and we thank you for all

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<v Speaker 1>of these things in Jesus' name. Amen.