World Digital Library - Great for US History Classes

In a never ending search for online helps, we have discovered a website that can assist you in any history class.  Below is some information about the World Digital Library's (WDL) website.

WDL creates an environment where you can discover, study, and enjoy cultural treasures from around the world on one site.  These cultural treasures include manuscripts, maps, rare books, musical scores, recordings, films, prints, photographs, and many other items.

Items on the WDL may easily be browsed by place, time, topic, type of item, and contributing institution, or can be located by an open-ended search, in several languages. Special features include interactive geographic clusters, a timeline, advanced image-viewing and interpretive capabilities.

Click the link below to visit their site:

World Digital Library

Searching for favor to overcome obstacles (Part II)

(If you missed the previous post click here)

   Last post we left Nehemiah in a state of sadness and shock.  The question is:  how will Nehemiah react to this devastating news?  The people of Israel's future could depend on his approach to the situation he is facing.

Nehemiah went to the Lord alone.

⁴ When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I said:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, ⁶ let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. ⁷ We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

⁸ “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, ⁹ but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

¹⁰ “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. ¹¹ Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

I was cupbearer to the king.

   Nehemiah begins to weep, mourn, fast and pray.  In this recorded prayer we see a broken person cry out.  Here are just a few things we can glean from his prayer:

·         He recognizes God and how great and powerful He is.

·         He prays for the Lord’s attention during this outpouring of sorrow.

·         He confesses sin (individual, family and corporately).

·         He recounts the Lord’s promises.

·         Finally, he pleads for favor with the king.

   Nehemiah realizes his only hope is in the Lord.  There are no other options for the people of Israel.  Nehemiah must go before the king.  This is a dangerous task and one that had been denied to Ezra before.  In a letter to an official king Artaxerxes wrote:

Greetings.

¹⁸ The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. ¹⁹ I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. ²⁰ Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. ²¹ Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. ²² Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?

²³ As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop. (Ezra 4:18-23)

   On this earth we have those that we report to and many times it isn't just under the umbrella of Christianity.  It can be a board, supervisor, manager, professor, government agency or official that makes the decisions concerning portions of our life.  Ultimately though, we have a God we can mourn, fast and pray before.  He can grant us favor in the presence of any obstacle we face.  

Searching for favor to overcome obstacles

   

   We have all been at a point in our lives where we have received terrible news.  Something that shatters our world and time seems to stop.  Thoughts flood our minds and we stand numb.  This numbness can be from disbelief or a feeling of helplessness.  How could things have gone from driving forward to disaster?

   This position is where we find a person named Nehemiah.  Nehemiah was going about daily business and serving the King of Persia.  While in captivity Nehemiah had found favor with the king and secured a spot as a cup bearer.  This position was considered high ranking at the time and one that could have great influence, though it did come with some expectations.

   Showing any negative emotion in front of a king could be disastrous.  A king could have someone imprisoned or executed for such things.  Nehemiah had to constantly be on guard with his expression of anger and sorrow.  What a major task this would be for a person in captivity in a foreign land.

   You can only imagine Nehemiah’s plight after this conversation with his brother Hanani:

“In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, ² Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. ³ They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”(Nehemiah 1:1-3)

   What a rush of emotions Nehemiah must have felt.  His hometown and people were in despair with no hope for a better day.  The walls were broken, gates destroyed and we know with further study that they were experiencing a famine.  In chapter five the people report:

 ³ Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”⁴ Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. (Nehemiah 5:3-4)

   All of this information begins to weigh on Nehemiah.  How can he hide it?  The king was a person with whom he had spent a lot of time and they were very close. Holding all of this emotion in had to be a difficult task.

   Trials are something we all experience and struggle with.  Nehemiah and the people of Israel were not immune to difficult times, so it is certain that we will experience them as well.  How we respond to these situations will speak volumes of our faith.  Next post we will see Nehemiah’s response to the news from his brother.