When God Moves, Part II, by Karen A Roth

When God Moves, Part II, by Karen A Roth

Two angels set an old book in my hands, saying, “Read this book—your ‘reward’ is in this book. It is a very good book”—like we’ve been given something priceless. The title is not found on the cover. Inside, on the title page is printed: “Nē-(h)ə-ˈmī-ə.” (JAN 1990)

We all are familiar with the book of Nehemiah. But the dream seems to suggest interpreting the book phonetically by means of ‘sounds like’ or ‘looks like.’ This type of interpretation may be advantageous for us today to better understand WHEN GOD MOVES.

The book begins with Nehemiah’s personal AWAKENING. Once awakened, he became a Key Player of Faith in search of how to participate WHEN GOD MOVES.

KINGDOM LANGUAGE

Then I went to the governors in the region…and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me…when (the governor’s) heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel. NE 2:9-10

In our mind there is the rustling of pages as our thoughts rush back to another time in history. Nehemiah ‘sounds like’ he has a ‘Joseph Anointing.’(GN 50:20) Joseph often communicated with God via prayer and dreams. He sought the welfare of Israel while being a slave, prisoner, and governor of Egypt.  Likewise, Nehemiah was a slave working for the king of Persia, made governor, and came “to seek the well-being of the children of Israel.”

Nehemiah is acquainted with the spiritual language of the kingdom. He is of the tribe of Judah—Judah means ‘hands raised in praise.’ His account communicates a prayerful aim ‘to intercede and/or make supplication to God’—especially during times of distress. It ‘sounds like’ or is similar to Hannah praying for a son, Elisha for a dead son, Hezekiah for protection and health, Jonah from the belly of a fish…Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah for Israel’s sin.

In writing his testimony, Nehemiah chose to include another type of prayer he used for intercession/supplication that implies a spiritual hymn or song. This kind of language is defined in the Hebrew as similar to the pleas David cried to God—trusting God would notice his weeping and do something about the turmoil he was experiencing. “I cry aloud to the Lord…I pour out my complaint before Him; before Him I tell my trouble.”

APPEAL TO HEAVEN

O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your Name; And let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the King’s cupbearer. ~NE 1:11

Jesus prayed on the mountain because He wanted to perceive the plan of God and what He should do next. He had God in Him, but one scripture indicates Jesus “waxed and grew in wisdom and stature.” Therefore, when, and how He prayed is meaningful to us—sometimes He prayed all night to know the will of God.

Elijah went up the mountain to pray—but it wasn’t to ‘make it happen.’ He already heard “the sound of the abundance of rain” by a Word of Knowledge. He appealed heaven to know how soon it would happen and/or what he should do next.

We likewise know that WHEN GOD MOVES, those who ‘appeal to heaven’ are Key Players participating with Him. That makes the language of God’s communication to us (gifting, promptings, etc.) extremely crucial to understand. We make our ‘appeal to heaven’ and wait to hear God reveal His timing, or see what He is doing, so we can participate. Nehemiah is not a Levite, but a layman with a deep devotion to God. He had a nonstop practice of praying before, during, and after everything he experienced. What a beautiful example of Paul’s instruction to us: “pray without ceasing.”  

DIVINE INTERVENTION

In the first chapter, Nehemiah received the testimony of his brother Hanani about Jerusalem as the voice of God ‘communicating’ to him. He joined the Remnant who “desire to fear God’s Name” and became a Valiant Prayer Warrior.

WHEN GOD MOVES, Key Players know it’s their time to participate and fulfill their assignments. Nehemiah waited four months in the confident hope that God would provide an opportunity for him to make his appeal to the king. It’s important to remember that as the king’s top-ranking butler (cupbearer), he always maintained professionalism. Which is why, when the king asked him a ‘personal’ question: “Why is your face sad?”—the king’s unsolicited question made him “dreadfully afraid.” In Hebrew the words imply Nehemiah recognized it as ‘an act of God’—primarily because he “had never been sad in his presence.”

The same Hebrew word for ‘dreadfully afraid” was used in the Genesis account when Isaac learned he had mistakenly blessed Jacob instead of his favorite son, Esau. Isaac was “dreadfully afraid” because he recognized it as ‘an act of God.’ That’s why he spoke to Esau saying, “and I have blessed (Jacob)—and indeed he shall be blessed.” Isaac knew God had intervened and he could not reverse or cancel the will of God!

RECOGNIZED A HOLY MOMENT

…and I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my father’s tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?” ~NE 2:3

Convinced God intervened, Nehemiah perceived that King Artaxerxes asking him a personal question was a coded message from God that his time had come—otherwise it would not have happened. Kings never concern themselves about what their servants/slaves think or feel. He felt confident and ready to take advantage of the opportunity God arranged for him.

Portraying his nation’s situation in an imagery the king understood, Nehemiah spoke of honor. His answer included the horrible condition of the ‘tombs of his fathers’—something King Artaxerxes could relate to. The ancient kings wanted their tombs to be their memorial. Persian culture honored the tombs of ancestors and would naturally be sympathetic to Nehemiah’s desire to restore the city where his fathers were buried.

Even though Nehemiah had already sought the Lord for a definite strategy, he took a moment for a brief prayer of awe to honor God before answering the king’s timely question. There is an element of spirit that cannot be captured in words—like the Shekinah Glory cannot be released by opening our Bible. But by choosing to record the moment as, “So I prayed to the God of heaven,” gives us a peek into a heart that wants to always remember the first moment he felt the empowering spiritual connection of the Holy Spirit anointing upon him to ‘participate’ ‘WHEN GOD MOVES.’

“SEND ME”

So I prayed to the God of heaven and said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah to the city of my father’s tombs, that I may rebuild it.” NE 2:5

After Nehemiah prayed, his response ‘sounds like’ the prophet Isaiah standing in the throne room of the King and LORD of Hosts (Mighty Warrior God of Innumerable Armies) saying ‘Send me.’ Nehemiah echoes the same words in the throne room before the king of Persia.

WHEN GOD MOVES, Key Players recognize the shifting in world events. Just prior to Hanani’s visit, there had been serious trouble in the province near Judah—a governor had rebelled against King Artaxerxes. News of the horrific situation for the Jews may have been included in Hanani’s initial testimony in chapter one, causing Nehemiah’s deep prayer and fasting for Israel’s safety.

Nehemiah addressed the need for restored walls and gates. Egypt, Athenians, Samaria, Jordan, Arabia all challenged Persia. If Israel’s wall and gates lie in waste, they could be easily conquered by any of the surrounding governors and pose an even greater threat against Persia. The king most likely welcomed his request to be sent as an opportunity to place a trusted man in the governorship of Judah to rebuild Jerusalem and bring stability to the whole region. A strong Israel would benefit the Persian Empire.

VALIENT PRAYER WARRIORS

So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. Furthermore I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates…and the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me.” ~NE 2:6-8

The advantages of being appreciated by the king of Persia was extraordinary. Nehemiah asked the king for letters sanctioning his authority in Israel that he could present to the surrounding governors in the territory. He also asked for letters acknowledging the timber resources the king had given to them from his forest “according to the good hand of my God upon me.”

Nehemiah arrived in Judah with an armed escort. His formidable presence in the territory commanded immediate attention. He visited each of the governors to introduce himself and to give them the king’s letter. Bringing the king’s army with him was quite a persuasive means of illustrating that he came by the will of the king of Persia and not to be challenged.

God’s Valiant Prayer Warriors in the book of Nehemiah represent the Watchmen in the ‘FOURTH WATCH’ of the night. That’s why he ‘viewed’ the walls and gates at night. In the Hebrew ‘viewed’ is pictured as a doctor examining a wound he expects to repair/heal. Nehemiah ‘sees’ the walls and gates he’s prayerfully groaned over about to be finished. 

WHEN GOD MOVES

WHEN GOD MOVES, the ‘Mighty Warrior God of Innumerable Armies’ arrives with His Valiant Prayer Warriors—who stand by night as Watchmen in the House of the Lord. They see God’s Light in the darkness that covers the Earth. Their prayers stand watch against the oppression coming against the nations—desiring to restore the wall and gates to the City of God … and to stop the corruption of evil from penetrating the land. Their eyes are acclimated to see/experience the goodness of God in the Christ Anointing.

God’s voice/language has gone out to the whole Earth—but only the Awakened Remnant, the Valiant Prayer Warriors set as Watchmen hear Him. They expect God to intervene…WHEN GOD MOVES, He makes a DECREE. But it only exists NOW in this present realm of opportunity. It is our moment to participate. Only those who make the decision to take the necessary action steps to MOVE ‘will get out of the boat!’  BE ALERT!! GET READY!!!   

Our Decree: We are ready to participate WHEN GOD MOVES!

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Karen Roth is the wife of Dr. Roger Roth Sr., and a ministry son of Dr. Mark Hanby. They are the set ministry of a local church in Northeastern Wisconsin, and oversee the Bloodline Network Newsletter. They consider it an honor to work with Dr. Hanby for many years, helping to oversee the ministry of Papa Mark’s extended family—”The Father’s Heart.”

Any questions or comments please contact them at rogerandkaren@live.com

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