The King's Cupbearer

 

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 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 fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me. (Nehemiah 2:1–8 ESV).

 

Remember from our reading yesterday that Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king (cf. Nehemiah 1:11). This meant he was a high-ranking, trusted royal official in ancient courts, responsible for serving the king's drinks, tasting them first to guard against poison, and often becoming a confidant and influential advisor due to their constant proximity to the monarch. This role, exemplified by figures like Nehemiah in the Bible, demanded absolute loyalty, as it involved risking one's life and privy to state secrets, making it a position of significant power, not just menial service. 

 

As the king’s cupbearer, Nehemiah had a relationship with Artaxerxes that was built on trust. Nehemiah sensed that the Lord had called him to help his people. So he asked the king for permission to rebuild the ruins of Jerusalem. Then, with help from the king and building resources provided, he set out to do this God-honoring work.

 

Now, when we have determined, through discernment and prayer, to do the will of God, we can expect opposition. That soon happened to Nehemiah. Sanballat and Tobiah wanted to stop the rebuilding project. “They were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.” Notice that God doesn’t “wave a magic wand” to relieve the struggle. He just keeps working through kings, people, and circumstances. And Nehemiah trusts God to bring success. Despite the opposition, he knows the Lord is with him.

 

The Lord Jesus has called you and I to rebuild the broken places of our world. We can expect that our work will face trials and setbacks from people opposed to God’s plans. But be assured that the Holy Spirit is working on our behalf. “He who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). God is working through us. Let us rebuild the broken walls of society and bring glory to Jesus’ name.