Nehemiah 2
King confronts Nehemiahverses 1-2
And it came to pass in the month Nisan
in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king
that wine was before him
and I took up the wine – and gave it to the king
Now I had not been beforetime SAD in his presence
wherefore the king
said to me
Why is your countenance SAD – seeing you are not sick?
this is nothing else be sorrow of heart
Nehemiah explains his griefverse 3
Then I was very sore afraid
and said to the king
Let the king live for ever
Why should not my countenance be SAD
when the city – the place of my father’s sepulchers
lies waste – and the gates thereof
are consumed with fire?
King asks what he could doverse 4
Then the king
said to me
For what do you make request?
So I PRAYED to the God of heaven
Nehemiah gives his requestverse 5
And I
said to the king
IF it please the king – and IF your servant have found favor
in your sight – that you would send me to Judah
to the city of my father’s sepulchers
that I may build it
King asks how long he would be goneverse 6
And the king
said to me (the queen also sitting by him)
For how long shall thy journey be?
When will you return?
So it pleased the king to send me – and I set him a time
Nehemiah replies with requestsverses 7-8
Moreover I
said to the king
IF it please the king – let letters be given me to the governors
beyond the river – that they may convey me over till
I come into Judah
AND a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest
that he may give me timber to make beams
for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house
and for the wall of the city
and for the house that I shall enter into
And the king granted me
according to the GOOD HAND of my God upon me
Nehemiah arrives on west side of Euphratesverses 9-10
Then I came to the governors beyond the river
and gave them the king’s letters
Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me
when Sanballat the Horonite – Tobiah the servant – the Ammonite
heard of it – it grieved them exceedingly
that there was come a man
to seek the welfare of the children of Israel
Nehemiah inspects Jerusalemverses 11-15
So I came to Jerusalem – and was there THREE DAYS
and I arose in the night – I and some few men with me
neither told I any man what my God had put in my
heart to do at Jerusalem
neither was there any beast with me
save the beast that I rode upon
And I went out by night by the gate of the valley
even before the dragon well
and to the dung port
and viewed the walls of Jerusalem
which were broken down – and the gates thereof
were consumed with fire
Then I went on to the gate of the fountain – and to the king’s pool
BUT there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass
Then went I up in the night by the brook – and viewed the wall
and turned back – and entered by the gate of the valley
and so returned
Nehemiah confronts city officialsverses 16-17
And the rulers knew not whither I went – or what I did
neither had I as yet told it to the Jews
nor to the priests – nobles – rulers
rest that did the work
THEN
said I to them
You see the DISTRESS that we are in – how Jerusalem lies waste
and the gates thereof are burned with fire – come
and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem
that we be no more a reproach
All want to build wallsverse 18
THEN I told them of the HAND of my God
which was good upon me
as also the king’s words
that he had spoken to me
And they said
Let us rise up and build
So they STRENGTHENED their hands for this good work
Enemies accuse Nehemiah of rebellionverse 19
BUT when Sanballat the Horonite
Tobiah the servant – the Ammonite
Geshem the Arabian heard it
they LAUGHED us to scorn and despised us
and said
What is this thing that you do?
Will you rebel against the king?
Nehemiah answers enemiesverses 20
THEN answered I them
and said to them
The God of heaven – HE will prosper us
THEREFORE we HIS servants will arise and build
BUT you have no portion – nor right
nor memorial in Jerusalem
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 Wherefore the king said to me, Why is your countenance sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid. (6440 “countenance” [paniym] the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear, face, or at the face or front of.)
DEVOTION: Our facial expressions give away what is going on in our life. We try to hide what we are feeling but those who know us well can figure out what is going on in our life by just looking at us.
Here we have a man named Nehemiah who has been a servant the king for many years and his facial expressions are different. It is normal for the king to wonder what is going on because this man is keeping him from dying by poison each time he tests the drink he is about to drink.
So here is an opportunity for Nehemiah to tell him what is on his mind. Once he has prayed he explains to the king that he wants to go to Jerusalem to build the walls.
He didn’t have to bring up the subject as the king through the providence of God brought up the subject and Nehemiah used the opportunity to explain what he had been praying about to the LORD.
God gave him favor with the king to go and do what he wanted done in the city of Jerusalem. HE can do the same for us if we have been led by HIM to do something in our local community that would bring glory to the LORD.
We have to bring our burdens to the leaders of our church and tell them what the LORD has laid on our hearts to cause HIS name to be glorified in our local area of service to HIM.
CHALLENGE: What burden has the LORD given you after a time of prayer to bring more glory to HIS name in your community?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
:7 Moreover I said to the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah; (5674 “convey” [abar] means to pull along, to go on one’s way, travel across or pass over, pass from one side to the other, or to go on one’s way.)
DEVOTION: Nehemiah knew the politic conditions around Judah. He knew that he had to have a letter to get through the territory of the governors beyond the river because they were not in favor of anything good happening to the children of Israel.
The people around Judah didn’t think that the city or the Temple should be rebuilt because it was not something that would honor their false gods. They didn’t want the Jews to become a power again. They wanted them to only suffer. It was not a friendly atmosphere that Nehemiah was going to enter.
This is true today even in some areas of countries that are not friendly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many nations that don’t want Christians to be able to worship in their nation. It is noted to find that tribes have come into villages that are obeying the LORD and they come to kill them all.
Even in countries that have been friendly to Christians in the past are not as friendly today. Even here in America if a church stands on the truth of the Word of God regarding what God considers sin don’t want to hear the message of the Bible. They think it is old fashion or out of date.
Many think that the message of the Bible has to be rewritten to please what is going on in our society. This is not what the LORD wants. HE still considers sin to be sin. HE still thinks that people who want to worship HIM their own way instead of the Biblical way need to confess and practice what the Bible teaches regarding sin and the true life of a genuine believer.
So to preach or teach the Bible as the FINAL AUTHORITY today is not something that makes people happy. The people around the nation of Israel were not happy that the Temple was going to be rebuild and the city of Jerusalem was going to be rebuild. They wanted it to suffer and stay in its present state.
Nehemiah was going to change all that and this was going to cause some problems for those who wanted to have walls back around the city of Jerusalem.
CHALLENGE: There is always going to be problems for those who want to genuine worship the LORD in obedience to the Word of God.
:8 And a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me. (5414 “granted” [nathan] means to give, to hand down, to transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody, bestow, permit, ascribe, or entrust.)
DEVOTION: Do you see what Nehemiah had done before he went before the king? He had worked out every detail of his plan to build the walls of Jerusalem. He knew what he needed and asked the king to send letter with him to get all the material necessary for what he wanted to do. He knew who the people were that could give him the material. He knew how long it would take for him to get the project done and get the city organized before he would have to return to the king.
Details are very important. They have to be gathered before you present your project to others. If we don’t know the how we are going accomplish something before we present it to others usually it will not move forward very fast. Remember that a camel was horse put together by a committee. God wants us to know what we want to do with HIS help before we present it to other. When they ask for details we have to be prepared to give them all the details on the spot.
Nehemiah did this with the king and the job was going to get done in short order because of his attention to details.
Many of us seem to think that as long as we come up with ideas they will just take care of themselves but that is not how it works. A detail man or woman has to be involved to finish a project.
In many churches projects are started and never finished because the details were not worked out at the beginning of the project.
CHALLENGE: If God is involved HE wants us to finish what we start.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? Will ye rebel against the king? (959 “despised” [bazah] means hold in contempt, disdain, or contemptible.)
DEVOTION: There are at least two types of people in this world. There are people of detail and there are people of big ideas. Usually they don’t happen in the same person. Here we find an example of a detail person. Nehemiah found out that Jerusalem was in ruins.
He wanted to do something about it. He knew what was needed to build the walls of Jerusalem. He knew the individuals who could help with the project. He had it all planned before he was confronted by the king.
The king confronted Nehemiah because he was sad in his presence. This could have been a death penalty if the king didn’t like him. But he did! He asked Nehemiah what was wrong. Nehemiah explained the condition of the graves of his fathers. The king then asked what he wanted.
Nehemiah asked the king to allow him to go to Jerusalem to build the walls of the city of Jerusalem. He asked the king for letters to those who would supply all that was needed to build the walls.
On his way to Jerusalem he met with the enemies of Israel. The enemies were grieved that someone ca#c00000 about Jerusalem. When the people were told what Nehemiah had done for them, they wanted to build the walls of the city.
It was a time of good news that the king had given material to help them build the walls. They strengthened their hands to do the work for the LORD.
However, the enemies questioned their intentions. They accused them of rebelling against the king. They laughed at them. They wanted to discourage them. It didn’t work this time.
Nehemiah confronted them and told them that they had no part in this business. He told them that the LORD was going to prosper them.
The enemies of the work of the LORD will laugh and make fun of anything that Christians will do or teach. They will show contempt for any work of God. They will show contempt for anyone who wants to serve the LORD in our world. Many are doing it today.
Good Christian leaders will stand up to them and tell them that they are wrong. Each individual Christian has to stand up and continue to work for the LORD, no matter what the enemies of the cross say. The LORD has won the war. The enemies just don’t know it. PTL!!!
CHALLENGE: If you are a detail person – help the church move forward for the LORD. If you are a big idea person – encourage others to catch your vision. Both are needed in every church.
: 20 Then answered I them, and said unto them. The God of heaven, HE will prosper us, but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. (6743 “prosper” [tsalach] means to cause to succeed, advance, to finish well, win a case, or be profitable.)
DEVOTION: Confidence was given to Nehemiah because the LORD had prepared the way for him to ask the king for all the right things that were needed to be successful in his building of Jerusalem. He had all the material that was necessary. All he needed was for the people to use the material to build the wall around Jerusalem.
He had to face those who opposed him. They were laughing at him and what he wanted to do. If someone laughs at you what is your first reaction?
Well Nehemiah confronted them and informed them that they had no portion in the city of Jerusalem. He was in charge now and he had the authority to do what he wanted by the king.
Once we know that the LORD is going to work with us on a project and we have all the material necessary to do the work it is great to see what the LORD can do with willing workers.
They people of Jerusalem were willing workers. They were glad that their enemies were confronted and told that they couldn’t stop the work anymore. We ought to confront those who oppose the work of the LORD at times.
We need to realize that the LORD wants us to do HIS work in HIS timing and HE will provide the material to complete the work that HE wants done in our community.
Remember the first thing that Nehemiah did before speaking to the king: Pray. We need to do the same and then watch what the LORD can do with someone who is totally dependent on HIM.
CHALLENGE: Look to the LORD for prosperity rather than ourselves or the world. HIS plans are always successful!!!
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Nehemiah prayedverse 4
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Priestsverse 16
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign)verses 4, 8, 12, 18, 20
God of heavenverses 4, 20
Good hand of my Godverses 8, 18
Source of prosperity verse 20
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Artaxerxes – king of Persiaverses 1-9, 18, 19
Wanted to grant Nehemiah’s request
King granted his request
Sent army with Nehemiah
Sanballat the Horoniteverses 10, 19
Grieved that Jerusalem would be rebuilt
Laughed them to scorn
Despised Jews
Tobiah the Ammoniteverses 10, 19
Grieved that Jerusalem would be rebuilt
Laughed them to scorn
Despised Jews
Geshem the Arabianverse 19
Laughed them to scorn
Despised Jews
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Afraidverse 2
Scorn the servants of the LORDverse 19
Despised servants of the LORDverse 19
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Sorrow of heartverse 2
Prayerverse 4
Good hand of Godverse 8
Distressverse 17
Strengthenedverse 18
Good workverse 18
Prosperverse 20
Servantsverse 20
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Nehemiahverse 1
Month Nisan 20 year of Artaxerxes
Sad countenance
Sorrow of heart
Wanted favor of king
Prayed to the God of Heaven
Wanted to be sent to Judah to rebuild it
Wanted letters to be sent to governors beyond the river
Letter sent to Asaph to provide timber for rebuilding Jerusalem
Three days in Jerusalem when he rode through the city to see what needed to be done
Spoke to Jews, Nobles and Rulers
Didn’t want city to be a reproach
Told them what God was doing
Leaders and people strengthen their hands
Enemies say they were trying to rebel against the king
Jewsverse 16
Noblesverse 16
Rulers in Jerusalemverse 16
Leaders and people strengthen their handsverse 18
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
2:20 For the sake of the workers, Nehemiah’s response to this first oppositional strategy was important. His answer had three parts: (1) He did not speak of his authority or the king’s but of his trust in “the God of heaven.” (2) Nehemiah advised his people to ignore the ridicule and threats and simply work. (3) He refused to compromise. He denied his opponents a share in the work, the land, or the worship of the Jewish community (cf. Ezra 4:3).
In former years Sanballat and Tobiah may have had some jurisdiction over the affairs of Judah, but now Nehemiah was in charge, commissioned by the king. The “historic right” Nehemiah mentioned is the term zikaron, which can mean “a reminder.” The word can refer to historic rights (property, participation in the community, etc.) but probably was used in the sense of a right to participate in the temple worship. The Passover Feast was such a reminder (Exod 12:14), as was the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exod 13:9).
This chapter is packed with action. It depicts Nehemiah as a model leader—humble, trusting God, willing to act, carefully planning his project, and wisely sharing both his vision and faith with the leaders and the community of God’s people. (Breneman, M. (1993). Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed., Vol. 10, p. 184). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
Planning for Success
First, Nehemiah was a great planner—a prayer and a planner. He knew, as we should know also, that the two are not opposed to each other but rather support one another. Before he spoke to the king about wanting to go to Jerusalem, Nehemiah formulated a plan for how he could accomplish his goal. Here, in the second chapter we find him doing exactly the same thing, only now he is on the site, and the plan needs to be more specific.
What are the steps in producing a good plan?
1. Information. One of the best-known incidents in the book of Nehemiah is the one in which Nehemiah rides out by night to inspect the wall of the sleeping city. There are many things we might expect Nehemiah to do when he first arrives in Jerusalem—perhaps make a great show of arriving and assuming power, perhaps hold private interviews with the chief men of the city, maybe even try to set up alliances with the leaders of the cities roundabout. We are therefore somewhat surprised that he does none of these things. In fact, for the first three days he does nothing. Then, on the third day, at night he takes a few trusted men and sets out on an examination of the walls. He is so detailed in his account that even today this (along with chap. 3) is the best historical record of the extent of the city in the postexilic period.
Nehemiah rode around the outside of the overthrown walls beginning with the Valley Gate, which was to the west of the city.
At this time, Jerusalem was located on two hills that ran parallel to each other from north to south and that were steepest on the west, south, and east. When Nehemiah exited by the Valley Gate, he was starting on the west at a point where the hills were quite steep. Once outside the gate, he turned south and proceeded past the Jackal Well to the Dung Gate, which was on the very south. As the name implies, the Dung Gate was the gate through which the refuse of the city was carried out of the populated area to the Valley of Hinnom. The Fountain Gate was a little farther along, at the southeastern corner of the city where the Hinnom and Kidron valleys met. The King’s Pool is known to us as the Pool of Siloam. It is where Jesus told the blind man to wash (John 9:7). It was called the King’s Pool as well as the Pool of Siloam because Hezekiah had built a tunnel from inside the wall to the pool, which was outside, to assure a supply of water in case of siege. On the west of the city were steep terraces so that when the wall was knocked down the stones fell into an impassable jumble. This is where Nehemiah dismounted, since his mount was unable to get through.
Those who were accompanying Nehemiah were seeing nothing new, but he was. He was gathering the information necessary to plan the walls’ reconstruction. (Boice, J. M. (2005). Nehemiah: an expositional commentary (pp. 33–34). Grand Rapids, MI: BakerBooks.)
Investigating (Neh. 2:11–16). After his long difficult journey, Nehemiah took time to rest; for leaders must take care of themselves if they are going to be able to serve the Lord (Mark 6:31). He also took time to get “the lay of the land” without arousing the concern of the enemy. A good leader doesn’t rush into his work but patiently gathers the facts firsthand and then plans his strategy (Prov. 18:13). We must be “wise as serpents” because the enemy is always watching and waiting to attack.
Leaders are often awake when others are asleep, and working when others are resting. Nehemiah didn’t want the enemy to know what he was doing, so he investigated the ruins by night. By keeping his counsel to himself, Nehemiah prevented Tobiah’s friends from getting information they could pass along to Sanballat. A wise leader knows when to plan, when to speak, and when to work.
As he surveyed the situation, he moved from west to south to east, concentrating on the southern section of the city. It was just as his brother had reported: The walls were broken down and the gates were burned (Neh. 2:13; 1:3). Leaders must not live in a dream world. They must face facts honestly and accept the bad news as well as the good news. Nehemiah saw more at night than the residents saw in the daylight, for he saw the potential as well as the problems. That’s what makes a leader! (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Determined (pp. 31–32). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
2:11–16 Nehemiah spent 3 days discerning what course to follow before informing anyone of his plan; then, he wisely viewed the terrain in secret and surveyed the southern end of the city, noting the broken and burnt conditions of the walls and gates. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ne 2:11–16). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 16. And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did, &c.] The rulers of the city of Jerusalem, who seem to be officers of the king of Persia, since they are distinguished from Jewish rulers in the next clause: neither had I as yet told it to the Jews; what he came about and designed to do: nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers; the principal men among the Jews, both ecclesiastical and civil: nor to the rest that did the work; of building and repairing; neither those that were employed in it, nor those that overlooked it. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 131). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
11–18. Probably the three days before Nehemiah entered upon the great object of his journey, were spent in prayer. His night visit to the walls of Jerusalem serves to convince us, that the cause he had before him would meet with much opposition. His convening the people, and informing them what was in his mind, seems to intimate his great wisdom and good conduct. But let the Reader look through the historical part, to discover the great object intended from the whole as it concerned the church of God. The Lord had prophesied that Jerusalem should again be built; that old men should dwell in the streets; and boys and girls yet play there. Zech. 8:4, 5. And more than this, the temple should be built, and the glory of it should exceed the former splendid temple of Solomon. And so it did when the Son of God came into it. Compare Haggai 2:7, with Luke 2:26–32. Hence, therefore, the good hand of the Lord was upon Nehemiah, and the Spirit of the Lord was directing him to the work with an eye to Jesus. Oh! how blessed it is to observe all things, and all providences, in the Old Testament scripture, ushering in the mercies of the New; and all directed to this one, and this only purpose, to introduce Jesus the Son of God, that we might believe in him, and that in believing we might have life through his name. John 20:31. (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: 1 Kings–Esther (Vol. 3, p. 637). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
A few decades ago, issues were usually plain and uninvolved. It was right or wrong, saved or lost, heaven or hell. Today all boundaries and lines of demarcation have disappeared from popular thinking. Believers are yoked with unbelievers, righteousness has fellowship with unrighteousness, light is in communion with darkness, the temple of God seeks agreement with idols, and men would establish concord between Christ and Belial. The professing church is Laodicean, neither cold nor hot but lukewarm. Everything is mixed into one mulligan stew – in unholy homogeneity. …. Today the world has so infiltrated the church that we are more beset by traitors within than by foes without. Satan is not fighting churches, he is joining them. (p. 86, Three Score & Ten by Vance Havner)
Tragic Lot
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” (Psalm 1:1)
One of the most tragic figures in all of Scripture is that of compromising Lot, Abraham’s nephew, who renounced the land of promise for the sinful society of Sodom, ultimately to lose everything of importance.
His slide into apostasy, as traced in Genesis 12–19, seems to parallel the progression described in today’s text of not becoming a godly believer.
Lot is first mentioned as traveling with Abram and Sarai from their homeland to Canaan in obedience to God’s command (Genesis 12:4-5; 13:5). A petty problem arises that surely could have been resolved (13:6-10), but Lot chose (v. 11) to walk in the counsel of the ungodly. “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly” (v. 13).
Lot soon found a home in the city itself, not content to merely herd his flocks in the fertile valley. By standing in the way of sinners, when Sodom was attacked by enemies he was captured (14:12) and later rescued by Abram (vv. 14-16).
Lot’s identification with wicked Sodom did not end there, as it should have, for when the city’s wickedness was beyond God’s forbearance, Lot was found sitting in the seat of the scornful, a leader of the city, sitting in the gates with the town fathers (19:1). Lot was a “just” [or “righteous”] man, “vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked” (2 Peter 2:7), but his actions (Genesis 19:8) and his lack of spiritual influence even within his own family (vv. 14-16, 31-38) testify to the horror of such a compromising lifestyle.
May God grant us all the persevering faith of Abraham and not the compromising faith of Lot. (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
Quiet Walk
Jesus begins His own ministry after John baptizes Him.
INSIGHT
The unique contribution of each of the four Gospels is very important to our understanding of the life of Christ. In the gospel of Matthew, the genealogy takes Jesus’ ancestry back to Abraham. That is because Matthew’s gospel is written by a Jew to Jews and emphasizes distinctly Jewish matters. However, Luke is a Gentile, writing to Gentiles, who emphasizes matters that are of concern to a broader audience. From Matthew we learn that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham, and we see the fulfillment of the promises to Abraham. From Luke, we learn that Jesus is the Son of God, and we see the fulfillment of God’s promises to those of us who are not descendants of Abraham.
THE CHARACTER OF THE CHRISTIAN
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. John 17:16
We must consider what our Lord has to say about the Christian. Here is the character of the Christian. The first thing I notice is a negative .He says in John 17:6, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gave me out of the world.” Now that is the first thing He says about the Christian. He is not of this world. In verses 6-19 Jesus repeats that four times. In addition to verse 6, He says in verse 9, I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; again in verse 14, “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world”; and then in verse 16, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” Our Lord goes on repeating that phrase because He wants to impress it upon us.
The first thing that is true about the Christian is that he does not belong to this world. In the light of this, it is vital that we should ask ourselves the question, am I of the world or am I not? That is the fundamental distinction that runs through the Bible from beginning to end. There are only two groups of people in the world today; those who are of the world and those who belong to Christ. In the last analysis there is no other division or distinction that has the slightest importance or relevance. That is why most of us are defeated by life in this world; we recognize other distinctions that are quite unimportant. But when we all come to die, does it make the slightest difference which political party we belong to? Does it matter whether we are rich or poor, learned or otherwise? There is only one fundamental distinction, and that is whether we belong to the world or to Christ.
A Thought to Ponder: The Christian does not belong to this world. (From Safe in the World, pp. 22-24. By Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
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