Practical Lessons from the Lives of Nehemiah and Ezra

In his autobiography Nehemiah relates decisions he made that led to success. First, he was a man looking for opportunities. His inquiry in 1: 2 was not just curiosity. He had a need to know. He had never been to the land of his ancestors. His demanding career had been his focus. But when he became aware of the plight of his fellow Jews in Judah, he "mourned certain days" and asked God how he could help instead of repressing the knowledge with "We can't do that." In our church we once put up no trespassing signs instead of first asking God, "How can I minister to and with this individual?
Nehemiah was a careful planner. The first hint of solution to the situation in Jerusalem is verse 11. "Prosper I pray Thee thy servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cup bearer." When the King Artaxerxes noticed Nehemiah's sad demeanor, he expected an explanation. When the king offered to help, his intimate servant sent up another quick prayer. The rising candidate for ruler of Judah was prepared. It was time to present his plan of action. In chapter 2 verses 5-8, he not only requested a leave of absence to go to Jerusalem; he also received letters from the king to guarantee safe passage to Judah and purchase orders for timber to rebuild the city gates.
Nehemiah held his cards close to his tunic. In Babylon he waited before he shared his concerns with the king. Months later when he arrived in Jerusalem, he spent days surveying the situation. (Chapter 2 Verses 11-16) He then began to recruit leaders for the enterprise. He knew that he must plan ahead if he was to keep the work ahead of the naysayers.
Ezra had a double major. Born in Babylon he could not fulfill the office of priest so far from the Temple. Instead, he anticipated that roll by becoming a learned scribe. Chapter 7 Verse 10 states that he "had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." In verse eleven Ezra has both titles: priest and scribe. As a scribe he knew the Law. As a priest he was to practice the Law. Today, we must obey the author of the Law in order to be valid and effective teachers. Practice must precede preaching.
Ezra depended on God. He was about to lead 5000 people on a five month trip across the desert. The throng of Jewish families apparently met at a staging area before traveling to Judah. At roll call Ezra discovered that they were woefully devoid of Levites. Their assignment was to revive worship of Jehovah in the temple in Jerusalem. Only Levites could exercise this function. Generations before Jereboam had tried it his own way with poor results. It was time for Plan B. Ezra sent a delegation to a Levite community to recruit men who could teach the Law as well as perform worship services. When 260 Levites reported, he proclaimed a fast "to seek of Him a right way for us, and for our little ones and for all our substance.”