Notice the pictures above of a palace and a man building a wall. Let's learn about a man named Nehemiah who was willing to leave the palace where he was a cupbearer for King Artaxerxes and become a lowly persecuted labourer that built a wall for Jerusalem and the Jews. This reminds me of Moses who left the prospect of being Pharaoh in Egypt and suffered affliction with his people to lift up the name of Jesus.
Hebrews 11:24 says By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible.
Esther also was willing to die for the Lord Jesus to save her people Israel and go before the king at an improper time according to the law. Notice Esther's blessed words at Esther 4:16 that says Go, gather together all the Jews that are present to Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Esther also was willing to die for the Lord Jesus to save her people Israel and go before the king at an improper time according to the law. Notice Esther's blessed words at Esther 4:16 that says Go, gather together all the Jews that are present to Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Although Esther was safe in a palace, she was willing to sacrifice her life to save her Jewish people from Haman's law to kill all the Jews. All these stories remind me of Matthew 16:25 where Jesus said For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. If Jesus tells you to go help a poor widow, orphan, prisoner, or anyone in need, be willing to leave everything to help that poor person and you will lift up the name of Jesus like Nehemiah and Esther. Jesus said at Matthew 25:40 Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Let's be like Nehemiah and no matter how rich we are in life always remember the poor and take time to remember Jesus. Nehemiah, though he enjoyed much prosperity being in great favour and high honour being the cupbearer for King Artaxerxes, yet suffered with Jerusalem's sufferings, and was troubled with Jerusalem's troubles. Oh how holy was Nehemiah who willingly left a rich pleasant king's court for a ragged and tottered city and forsook the company of illustrious lords for twelve years to toil and moil like a day labourer.
Let's be like Nehemiah and no matter how rich we are in life always remember the poor and take time to remember Jesus. Nehemiah, though he enjoyed much prosperity being in great favour and high honour being the cupbearer for King Artaxerxes, yet suffered with Jerusalem's sufferings, and was troubled with Jerusalem's troubles. Oh how holy was Nehemiah who willingly left a rich pleasant king's court for a ragged and tottered city and forsook the company of illustrious lords for twelve years to toil and moil like a day labourer.
When Nehemiah delivered wine to King Artaxerxes, he thought of the water that the poor subjects at Jerusalem drank. And though his own particular condition called him to be merry, yet the sepulchres of his fathers caused him to mourn. While Nehemiah built the wall, he was persecuted by Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, but Nehemiah rejoiced in the persecution and finished building the wall.
The story of the two pictures above is at Nehemiah 2:1. And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, And said unto the king. Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
The story of the two pictures above is at Nehemiah 2:1. And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, And said unto the king. Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
Job also praised the Lord Jesus when he was both rich and poor. Job remembered Jesus and praised the Lord daily when he had family, wealth, and many material possessions. Job also praised Jesus when he lost everything and his wife told him to curse God and die. This is stated at Job 2:9 that says Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Notice the pictures above of a house and a man sitting in an empty wilderness with nothing around him. This reminds us of David and Ziklag. The house represents what David owned before it was burnt to nothing by the Amalekites. The man sitting in the empty wilderness reminds us of David returning to Ziklag and finding nothing left of his possessions. But David kept rejoicing and encouraged himself in the Lord after he lost his house and wives when the Amalekites burned all his possessions and took away his family. David also continued to praise the Lord Jesus after his own depressed soldiers spake of stoning him blaming David for the loss of all their possessions.
1 Samuel 30:6 says And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Let's all continue to praise the Lord Jesus at all times like David and encourage ourselves in the Lord no matter what goes on around us. Every day tell the devil I am crucified with Jesus Christ and praise the Lord Jesus for dying on the cross of Calvary for you and destroying all your problems past, present, and future (Hebrews 2:14 and Luke 9:23).
The book of Lamentations tells us to place our hope in the Lord Jesus instead of family, friends, money, or any material possessions. Lamentations 3:24 says The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. Lamentations 3:26 says It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Isaiah also told us to place our hope in the Lord Jesus at Isaiah 25:9. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.
Notice the blessed picture above about how an angel saved Hagar and Ishmael's lives and provided a well of water for them to survive. If you feel like no one is around to help you, the Lord Jesus will send angels to encourage you and provide for all your needs. Hebrews 13:6 says So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. When family, church members, and everyone leaves you, the Lord Jesus loves you and will send angels to bless and keep you alive in peace. Even though Hagar had no more water in her bottle, the Lord Jesus loved her and provided a well for Hagar and Ishmael.
The story about Hagar and Ishmael is at Genesis 21:15. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
Let's continue our discussion about praising the Lord Jesus at all times. Don't let prosperity cause you to forget about Jesus. Even when you are rich and own many material possessions please help the poor and remember Jesus. Solomon gave us all a warning about this at Proverbs 1:32 that says For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. Noah, who had seen the whole world drowned in water, is himself no sooner delivered and becomes drunken with wine. After Lot is delivered from Sodom, he commits incest with his own daughters. Solomon, the wisest king that ever the world had, was notorious for apostasy, worshipping his heathen thousand wives' idols and false gods.
Though thy mercies be like the sail and wind to further the vessel of my soul in its heavenly voyage, yet, except thy Spirit O Lord Jesus steer, I will be driven off course. Lord Jesus keep us all humble in our highest estate, knowing that thy mere mercy and not our merit is the reason for all of our comforts.
Let's be like Obadiah who even though he was a stately governor for Ahab, he feared God greatly and considered the poor when he hid the prophets that Jezebel wanted to kill in a cave and fed them with bread and water. 1 Kings 18:3 says And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly: For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water. Also let's remember how Stephen praised the Lord Jesus through all his troubles. Under a shower of stones about Stephen's ears, Stephen continued to praise Jesus when his eyes beheld one of the greatest sights ever seen by a mortal man. Stephen's testimony is at Acts 7:56. And (Stephen) said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man (Jesus) standing on the right hand of God.
Notice the picture above and praise the Lord Jesus. The picture above represents the monument and stone that Samuel built to glorify the Lord Jesus. Samuel called the stone Ebenezer (Hitherto hath the Lord helped us). So many monuments are built before buildings to remember people or great men. Brother Bob has posted this message about Ebenezer to remember the Lord Jesus and tell everyone reading this that the Lord Jesus hath helped us. Glory to the name of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 1:31 says That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord (Jesus).
The scripture that speaks about Samuel's stone called Ebenezer is at 1 Samuel 7:12 that says Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. Like Ezra, praise the Lord Jesus for His mercy of sparing us from destruction and granting us all eternal life and peace forevermore. Ezra 9:13 says And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this.
The scripture that speaks about Samuel's stone called Ebenezer is at 1 Samuel 7:12 that says Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. Like Ezra, praise the Lord Jesus for His mercy of sparing us from destruction and granting us all eternal life and peace forevermore. Ezra 9:13 says And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this.
Like Nehemiah, Esther, David, Job, and Obadiah
Get Saved, Repent, Decide To Stop Sinning,
Confess That Jesus Is God, And Believe The Gospel
That Jesus Died On The Cross For You, Was Buried, And Rose Again
I pray in Jesus name that this bible study blesses multitudes everywhere with great joy, peace, and strength. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 746-7071. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.
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