In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared how he told the king, “if your servant have found favor in your sight, that you would send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchers, that I may build it. And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall your journey be? and when will you return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. Moreover I said unto 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 in chapter two and verse eight of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest”, where we read,
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 house that I shall enter into.
And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
The verse reads, “And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, ...”. Nehemiah began with the words, “and a letter unto Asaph” or “and a missive or epistle to Asaph whose name means gatherer” “the keeper of the king's forest”which means “the Persian officer, guard and overseer pertaining to the royal ruler's enclosed garden, park, preserve or orchard”. Nehemiah shared how he also desired to have an authoritative missive to be given to “Asaph” who was the overseer of the royal rulers' orchard or garden.
The verse continues, “... that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace” Nehemiah added the words, “that he may give me timber” or “so he, Asaph, might provide, grant and bestow upon me, Nehemiah, wood, stock, trees or planks” “to make beams” which means “to fashion and produce posts or building materials” “for the gates” or “on behalf of the entry doors and portals” “of the palace” which means “belonging to the castle or temple”. Nehemiah desired to have trees or wood to produce the entry doors to the temple or castle.
The verse goes on to say, “which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the house that I shall enter into.” The verse continues with the words, “which appertained to the house” or “that are to be used for the habitation, abode and dwelling place”, “and for the wall” which means “and on behalf of the barrier wall” “of the house” or “belonging to the habitation, abode and dwelling place” “that I shall enter into” which means “that I, Nehemiah, will enter and live inside”. Nehemiah shared how the wood from the king's forest would be used for the dwelling place, the city barrier walls and the home that he would live within.
Finally the verse says, “And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.” Nehemiah concluded this verse with the words, “and the king granted me” or “and the royal ruler and leader bestowed and gave to me, Nehemiah”, “according to the good hand of my God upon me” which means “in keeping with the pleasant, agreeable and favorable hand of authority and power belonging to my, Nehemiah's, Supreme Deity on me, Nehemiah”. Nehemiah ended this verse by sharing how the royal ruler gave him what he asked for in keeping with the good authority belonging to the Supreme Deity on him.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how Nehemiah knew what he needed from king Artaxerxes. In addition to the “letters” written to the captains of the regions on the other side of the Euphrates River, He needed a wood supplies from the “king's forest” to rebuild the temple, the city walls, the gates of the city and the house he would live in when he arrived in Jerusalem. “Asaph” was the authority over the “forest”, and an epistle giving Nehemiah permission would provide everything he needed. King Artaxerxes granted Nehemiah with everything he requested, and now his mission would be underway. God will also use us in His kingdom when we yield our lives to His Son Jesus who was crucified on the cross for the sins of all mankind and resurrected from the grave three days later. God will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and equip us with whatever we need to accomplish His will as we surrender to His purpose and plan.
Next time Nehemiah says, “then I came to the governors beyond the river” so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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