Should Not My Countenance Be Sad? - Nehemiah 2:3

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “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 unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto 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, ...”, and in chapter two and verse three of Nehemiah, Nehemiah asked the king, “should not my countenance be sad?”, where we read,

And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchers, lies waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

The verse reads, “And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, ...”. Nehemiah began with the words, “and said unto the king” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed to the royal ruler and leader”, “let the king live for ever” which means “allow and permit the royal ruler and leader to remain alive, prosperous and sustained continually”: “why should not my countenance be sad” or “wherefore and on what account should not my front and face show bad, disagreeableness, malignancy and unpleasantness”. Nehemiah questioned the royal ruler as to what reason existed that his face should not be displeased and showing unpleasantness. 

The verse goes on to say, “when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchers, lies waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?” Nehemiah added the words, “when the city” or “at the time and moment the place of waking, town and encampment”. “the place of my father's sepulchers” which means “the location belonging, to my, Nehemiah's male progenitors, forefathers and ancestors', graves, tombs or burying place”, “lies waste” or “exists as desolate and in ruins”, “and the gates thereof” which means “and the ports, entryways and doors belonging to the city” “are consumed with fire” or “exist as devoured, burned up and destroyed by the use of fiery fire”? Nehemiah shared how the dwelling place of his male progenitors' tombs and graves was desolate and in ruins and the entryway doors of the “city” were devoured by fiery fire. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we discover how Nehemiah began his response to the royal ruler by stating that the life of the “king” should remain continually, and he questioned as to what reason would exist that his face should not show unpleasantness. Nehemiah's home dwelling place, Jerusalem, where his forefathers were buried lie in ruins and the entry doors were consumed by fiery fire. Nehemiah's home was in a ruinous state, and the people living there were in affliction as well. These circumstances were caused by the sinful behavior of the people of Israel and because sin leads to destruction, many lives have been destroyed. (See John 10:10). God's Son Jesus was sent into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield to Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and through the power of His resurrection rebuild and reestablish our lives even if they have suffered destruction and ruin because of our past. 

Next time Nehemiah shares how the king asks him, “for what do you make request?” 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".