How Did Nehemiah Pray Before the King?

Direct Answer

The supplied Les Feldick teaching clips do not contain a direct account of Nehemiah's prayer before the king.

Clip 0 mentions Nehemiah 2:1, placing Nehemiah before Artaxerxes when wine was set before the king, and says the passage will be revisited later. None of the eight clips quote or explain Nehemiah's actual prayer in that moment. Therefore an evidence-based answer about how he prayed cannot be constructed from this exact set of transcripts.

Key Scriptures

Nehemiah 2:1 — This is the only Nehemiah passage Les introduces in the evidence, setting the scene before Artaxerxes, though it does not describe the prayer itself.

What Does the Bible Say?

In the provided transcript evidence, no Bible passage about Nehemiah's prayer is quoted. Les references Nehemiah 2:1 as the setting — the month Nisan, the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, wine before the king — and says he will return to Nehemiah chapter 2 in a future study. The transcripts do not include the prayer Nehemiah offered before answering the king, nor do they quote the verse that records it. Consequently, the Bible section here is limited to the context Les actually mentions.

What Does Les Feldick Teach About Nehemiah's Prayer?

Les Feldick does not teach directly on Nehemiah's prayer in these clips. He introduces the historical moment in Clip 0: Nehemiah is in the presence of King Artaxerxes, wine is set before the king, and Les says he will come back to Nehemiah chapter 2 later in connection with Daniel chapter 9. Instead, the surrounding clips deal with prayer in royal settings through Daniel. Les highlights Daniel kneeling three times a day with thanksgiving, Daniel's prayer practices being targeted by a royal decree, and Daniel pouring out his heart to God. He also teaches that God hears each person individually and searches the heart, and that prayer is about communication even though God already knows what we need.

What Does Les Teach About Praying in a Royal Setting?

Using Daniel, Les shows how God's people prayed while facing kings. Daniel knelt on his knees three times a day and prayed with thanksgiving even when a decree forbade prayer to anyone but the king. In the night-vision account, Daniel goes before the king after God reveals the secret to him, showing the sovereign God at work. These examples demonstrate prayer in a royal context, but Les does not apply them to Nehemiah in the provided clips.

Why Does God Hear a Prayer That Is Not Spoken Aloud?

Les teaches in these clips that God searches the heart and hears every individual believer as if he or she is the only one praying. He also says God already knows our requests, but He wants us to communicate from the heart. These principles would apply to an inward prayer, but Les does not explicitly connect them to Nehemiah's situation in this evidence.

Why Did Les Only Introduce Nehemiah Without Discussing the Prayer?

In Clip 0 Les says he will come back to Nehemiah chapter 2 when he reaches Daniel chapter 9. He uses the passage for historical background, showing another group returning to Jerusalem under Artaxerxes, almost a hundred years after Ezra. The actual moment of Nehemiah's prayer is not part of this particular teaching clip.

From the Teaching

Nehemiah Before Artaxerxes (Introduction Only)

Les places Nehemiah in the king's presence at Nehemiah 2:1, mentioning the wine before Artaxerxes, but he does not describe or teach about Nehemiah's prayer in this clip.

Daniel's Model of Prayer

Les shows Daniel kneeling and giving thanks three times a day, demonstrating a prayer pattern from the same Old Testament era, though not about Nehemiah.

Daniel's Prayer vs. Royal Decree

Les explains how Daniel's prayer habits led to a royal decree against prayer, illustrating the danger of praying before kings in that period.

God Searches the Heart

Les teaches that God hears each individual's prayer and searches the heart, a principle relevant to any inward prayer.

God Works Through Royal Courts

Les recounts Daniel being brought before the king after God revealed the secret in a night vision, showing God's sovereign work in royal settings.

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream That Predicted Every World Empire — Daniel 2

Now remember, he's just a young fellow yet, he hasn't got any gray hairs or any reason to be respected for his age, he's just a young fellow. But he speaks up, and he answered with counsel and wisdom to Ariok, the captain of the king's guard, who has gone forth to slay the wise of Babylon.

Prayer as Communication

Les says God already knows our requests but wants us to communicate from the heart, which relates to why Nehemiah might pray silently.

Pouring Out the Heart to God

Les describes Daniel's prayer as a heartfelt cry rather than mere ritual words, showing the kind of inner urgency that could accompany an unspoken prayer.

Bible Verses

Romans 8:27: And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Les quotes this text when teaching that God searches the heart and knows the mind of the Spirit, a foundational principle for understanding unspoken prayer.

Daniel 6:10: Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Les references this verse while teaching about Daniel's prayer habits before kings, though he does not connect it to Nehemiah.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Les Feldick teach about Nehemiah praying before King Artaxerxes in these clips?

No. Clip 0 only sets the scene from Nehemiah 2:1 and says he will revisit Nehemiah chapter 2 later. The actual prayer is not discussed in the provided transcripts.

What kind of prayer does Les emphasize in the royal-court examples?

In the Daniel examples, he emphasizes kneeling, thanksgiving, and heartfelt prayer even when a king's decree made it dangerous. He also teaches that God searches the heart and hears each person individually.

Can a person pray silently according to Les's teaching in these clips?

The clips establish that God searches the heart and already knows our requests, but Les does not explicitly discuss a silent Nehemiah prayer in this evidence. The application is implied rather than stated.

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