Nehemiah is an amazing man. Just read the first 5 chapters and I’m still flabbergasted by his courage and wisdom. Using the filter of current events I see him as an example for the truth of God’s word and obedience to it to become central to re-establishing the body of Christ. With each stone (Word of God) the wall is being fixed to protect the people. The blatantly false doctrines are coming down and the burned gates are being built with hard wood and strong hinges and locks.
This account starts with Nehemiah finding out about the destruction in his homeland. He is a cup bearer for the king and the king notices he is sad and asks what is troubling him. He sends up a prayer to God and tells the king of the ruins of his land. The king asks how he can help.
At this moment Nehemiah has great favor with the king. He asks the king to go and rebuild the city. The king ask how long he will be gone. This struck me, was he going to miss Nehemiah? The king gave Nehemiah letters to the governors so they knew why he was there and sent protection too. That was a good thing because he came upon opposition in the form of Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite.
Nehemiah had not told anyone what was on his heart to do besides the king. When he arrived in Jerusalem he took stock of the damage to the walls and gates. He then met with the city officials and told them his plans to restore the walls and gates of the city. He told them how gracious the king had been to him.
Nehemiah 2:17-20 (KJV) Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. 18: Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. 19: But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? 20: Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
It was amazing, they all got to work rebuilding the wall. There was a unity amongst the priest and the people I have never personally experienced. In the New Living Translation it says, “who zealously repaired”. All had taken to this immense project as if it was their idea. They were fully engaged in all the particulars of the part of the wall they were responsible for.
Their work was ridiculed: Nehemiah 4: 1- 3 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2: And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 3: Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
I love Nehemiah’s response: 4: Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5: And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
Here’s the unity: 6: So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
So the bad guys come after them: 11: And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 12: And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. 13: Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14: And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
The people in Jerusalem became resolute in their work of restoration, what courage and tenacity:
15: And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. 16: And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. 17: They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. 18: For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. 19:And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. 20: In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
21:So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 22: Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. 23: So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.
In chapter 5 more of the oppression of the people came to light. They were mortgaging their land, selling their children just so they could survive. They were paying taxes and interest to the local rulers.
6: And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 7:Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. 8:And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer. 9:Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? 10: I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. 11: Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive yards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. 12: Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. 13: Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.
Nehemiah’s heart was to help the people in any way he could: 14: Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. 15: But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. 16: Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work. 17: Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us. 18: Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. 19: Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
grandma designer 