The title of this article is Nehemiah’s job description. Nehemiah was a prisoner of war who lived in Susa. Susa was an ancient city in the lower Zagros Mountains about 250 km (160 mi) east of the Tigris, between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers in Iran. One of the most important cities of the Ancient Near East, Susa served as the capital of Elam and the winter capital of the Achaemenid Empire, and remained a strategic centre during the Parthian and Sasanian periods. Susa is mentioned in the Ketuvim of the Hebrew Bible by the name Shushan, mainly in the Book of Esther, but also once each in the books of Ezra (Ezra 4:9), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:1) and Daniel (Daniel 8:2). According to these texts, Nehemiah lived in Susa during the Babylonian captivity of the 6th century BC (Daniel mentions it in a prophetic vision). At the same time, Esther became queen there, married King Ahasuerus, and saved the Jews from genocide. A tomb presumed to be that of Daniel is located in the area, known as Shush-Daniel.
Certain community members told Nehemiah about the state of Jerusalem and the hopelessness of God’s people after the siege. Nehemiah remembered God’s covenant with God’s people, Moses’ leadership, his people’s sinfulness, and Jerusalem’s destruction. However, after a barrage of emotional thoughts, Nehemiah realized his status in the king’s court and finished the lament by saying, “Now I was cupbearer to the king” (Nehemiah 1:11). The cupbearer was a person of trust and confidence. The king was confident that the wine would be of the highest quality and would not harm the king. Despite being a prisoner of war, Nehemiah became trusted in the king’s court because of his loyalty. Nehemiah used his privilege and influence to help rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. He did not wallow in his sorrow or rejoice in his status in the king’s court; instead, he rose to the occasion and used his influence for his people’s benefit and the rebuilding of the temple and Jerusalem.
The shortest verse in the English translation of the Gospels is “Jesus wept”, and it is mentioned when Martha and Mary, Lazarus’ sisters, sent Jesus the news of his death. Jesus came to visit them, and he wept at Lazarus’ tomb. Regardless of the emotions and sadness, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in the presence of many bystanders and Lazarus’ family members. The point to notice is the bystanders’ protest and condemnation of Jesus’ order to remove the stone from the tomb. They were not expecting Lazarus to walk out from the grave; they were concerned about the decomposed body and unbearable stench. One cannot blame their disbelief as the dead didn’t usually walk out of their tomb. But, Jesus the Son of God changed their doubts and denial into thanksgiving for the God of miracles’ mighty acts.
These examples of crying over the state of the holy city and weeping at Lazarus’ tomb assure us that miracles happen when humans rely on God’s love and mercy through concrete actions to change circumstances. They also highlight the importance of perseverance, faith, patience, and proactive engagement. We must thank and acknowledge the faith of those who believed Nehemiah and those who rolled the tomb’s stone away.
The current state of the Anglican Church of Canada in general, and the Diocese of Rupert’s Land, can metaphorically be presented as the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Although we still have some faithful members in the pews, the future looks bleak because of the average age of the congregants and the dwindling finances. One can also present that the Diocese needs to be raised from the dead (rejuvenated, reimagined, and recreated) but the bystanders, lay and cleric leadership, have given up hope. The leadership has decided to address the situation reactively. Outreach and social ministry are the first items to be cut from the budget, and clerical positions are made half-time or less to accommodate the scarce financial resources. In short, the church struggles to be relevant, and the members have perhaps given up hope and accepted doom and gloom as a normal and new reality.
Nehemiah and Lazarus’s raising from the dead elicits hope and grants us a way to address the situation. While we lament, let us also use our influence and talents to reach out to the exiles and rebuild the church. These passages inform and encourage us to proactively and prayerfully discern our role and responsibilities in rebuilding our churches. We must not wait for the day of reckoning and the closure of our diocese and its churches, but with steadfast faith seek strength from the Son of God to bless our efforts to perform miracles in our midst.
Lent calls us to reflect, pray, meditate, and prepare ourselves for Jesus’ glorious resurrection from the dead. Why don’t we take this time to reflect, pray, and meditate on our role and contribution to rebuilding the Body of Christ? This introspection will assist us in engaging proactively with our faith communities to transform ourselves so that spiritually, we can be the cupbearers to the King.
