Introduction

The children of Israel spent seventy years of captivity in the country of Babylon and returned to Jerusalem during the reign of king Cyrus (2 Chro.36: 22; Ezra 1:1-11). When they returned they found that the city of Jerusalem and its gates were burnt and the walls were broken down. This news concerning the condition of Jerusalem was brought to Nehemiah by certain Jews (Neh.1: 2-3). When he heard about the condition of Jerusalem and the people of God, he started to pray with tears and fasting. He began to remind God of His promise made o the children of Israel (Lev.26: 40-45). To begin with he confessed his own sins, the sins of his father’s house and the sins of the people of God.

The condition of many believers these days is very similar, to that of the children of Israel in the days of Nehemiah. There is a sad barrenness among them because they have not given the proper place to God, His Word, and His house in their lives (1 Cor.3: 1-6). Only when we humble ourselves and turn to God, with true repentance, and honor Him wholeheartedly can we obtain His rich blessing. When we tremble before God and confess our sins, God hears our prayers and forgives us of our sins and blesses us. Believing in God’s promise the 2Chro.7: 14, Nehemiah started to pray with mourning and fasting for certain days. The same principle applies to believe also. Only when they humble themselves, confess their sins and pray to God, can they recover their first love for Him. Then God also starts working in them by pouring out upon them the spirit of prayer and intercession (Neh.1: 5-8). Thus we see that only by humbling ourselves and confessing our faults and fully fruitful. Once more we obtain God’s blessings, which we had enjoyed initially.