Nehemiah 2:1

While the opening words of Nehemiah chapter 2 may seem unimportant, they provide an important detail into the approach of Nehemiah to intercede on behalf of his people.

The book of Nehemiah opens in chapter 1 verse 1 telling us that Nehemiah heard the report about those in Jerusalem in the “month of Kislev in the twentieth year”. The action in chapter 2 verse 1 picks up in the “month of Nissan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes”. Thus, there is a four-month gap between the events of chapter one and the events of chapter two.

Why is this significant?

For me, it shows that Nehemiah was not a rash or impulsive person. Nehemiah was cut to the core by the report of the conditions in Jerusalem (see 1:4). He cried out to God to remember His covenant and His promises to the Israelite people. He asked God to give him favor before the king. Yet, we find that Nehemiah waits four full months to approach the king with any sort of request. As we will see, this delay allowed a plan to take shape in the heart and mind of Nehemiah, and this delay allowed Him to flesh out the details of this plan to be ready to approach the Persian king.

Questions to consider…

Have you ever acted impulsively with good intentions but later regretted doing so? What were the circumstances?
In what ways do you think God worked in Nehemiah’s heart and mind during these four months he “wept, fasted, and prayed”?