Read Nehemiah 8:1-8

In our churches we prioritise the expository teaching of God’s Word. We do not take themes and find a random Bible verse which sounds like it might apply to the theme (is that “Bible washing?”). We work our way through passages, explaining the text and then applying it to our lives. We believe that this is the approach the Apostles taught and demonstrated, and that Scripture itself teaches.

Passages like Nehemiah 8:1-8 demonstrate this principle of expository teaching. Ezra the Scribe, who led an earlier return of Jews from exile, is called upon by the people to read God’s Law to them. Ezra and his Levite assistants then explain the Scriptures that have been read, so that they can understand them and apply them to their personal lives. Not to live their best lives now, but to praise God and enjoy their best eternal life.

Just days prior, the great construction project of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls was completed. Now the real mission of Nehemiah and Ezra started to become clear; to lead a reformation and renewal of the spiritual life of God’s People.

So with a special pulpit constructed, “the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate” (v.1). It was time for God’s People to become reacquainted with the Law. After decades of neglect, Nehemiah and Ezra were going to ensure that the people understood their role in God’s salvation plan.

The people certainly had a desire placed on their hearts to hear God’s Word. “And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month” (vv.1-2). Perhaps the only ones missing were the very elderly and the mothers with nursing babies. Everyone else was there, and expected to listen, and to learn.

And listen they did, for an extended session that would leave us squirming in our seats as “he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law” (v.3).

Ezra read from a special platform constructed for this purpose, shadowed by key leaders (v.4). As he read, the people showed their reverence for the Scriptures by standing for its reading (v.5). While this is not a command we must follow, it does show us the importance we should place on the reading of the Scriptures.

This was not a poetry recital. “Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground” (v.6). The reading of God’s Word was accompanied by worship of God. Worship which all of God’s People enthusiastically participated in, bringing praise and worship to God.

Nor was the Word left unexplained, as if it was secret knowledge only the specially trained could handle. “The Levites helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading” (vv.7-8).

The Word was proclaimed, it was also explained. Ezra and the Levites helped God’s People to understand what was being said as Ezra read various parts of God’s Word. By explaining it, they could place it into practice in their own lives.

This shows us that the purpose of reading and explaining the Scripture is not for entertainment, but to glorify God. Worshipping God was at the centre of this six hour marathon session.

We may not ever participate in the same sort of length of session where a hunger for God’s Word holds us captive for hours, but it shows the importance of attentiveness that can come when we hear the preaching of the Word. This was a genuine work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, to renew and reform them.

This is not an excuse for lazy, rambling preaching, but it does remind us that the days of itchy feet because the sermon goes longer than twenty minutes says more about us than about the preacher. The Word must be read and the sense explained for us to understand it properly.

Do you hunger for a desire to hear God’s Word like those people did? We should pray that God gives us a desire for his Word proclaimed and explained, and give us the patience and listening ears to enjoy it.

As we spend more time having the Scriptures explained to us through preaching, the Holy Spirit will work in our lives to transform us to be more like Jesus, to reflect God’s heart to each other and the world, and to glorify God in praise and worship.

Read Nehemiah 7:4-73

Some people just love a good list. Names, numbers, populations, places, positions. The excitement is almost scary. While I like a good bit of organisation and order, I have to confess to finding these passages of Scripture hard going. It seems even my interest in a list has only so far it can reasonably stretch.

Yet the existence of a list means something important for God’s plans. As tempting as it is to skip over these mere details and get to the next exciting bit of story, we do need to understand the reason why God placed these verses in Scripture, other than to build our patience. Seen in broader context, this list is part of Nehemiah reordering society so that God’s People are prepared to receive their Messiah, by ensuring the central place of their worship of God was inhabited by God’s People. While Town Planners might rejoice at Nehemiah’s actions, they should be joined by us in praising a God of order.

With the walls rebuilt and the gates rehung, Jerusalem was physically secure. The Temple had a barrier of protection around it. But the walls themselves still needed defending, and that meant people. Jerusalem had precious few of those.

The population had temporarily increased while the walls were rebuilt, but many of the builders belonged to surrounding towns and villages. Once the work was done, they returned. 

The reality of the population gap was pretty clear. “The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt” (v.4). There were not many people, and there was no rebuilding of houses. The city felt empty. The appeal of the city did not extend beyond the immediate task.

Nehemiah knew this had to change. Jerusalem needed to be inhabited by God’s People. It was the lead city, the one where God chose for his temple to dwell. “Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy” (v.5). Nehemiah recognised God’s leading in making this happen. The first step would be a bit of town planning. He needed a list of God’s People.

“I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it…” (v.5) names! Lots of names! Nehemiah uncovered Ezra’s list of returnees, recorded in the book of Ezra.

The list is very similar, though there are some differences. We do not exactly know why. It could be that the list recorded in Ezra was later amended to include Jews who returned from exile in Babylon at a later date.

In this list, the various returnees are listed by family group the place they came from (vv.6-73). They are listed in general, then with the help of the Holy Spirit those that were Levites or temple assistants, who were important in the proper functioning of the Temple and its grounds. Finally, it included a list of those who claimed Jewish descent, but their passports could not be found (vv.61-65).

For the task to hand, having a list of the returnees from exile was a helpful reminder. They were God’s covenant people, and so the promises of God extended through them from their ancestors to their children. They were not simply residents of the towns and villages where they had settled, but part of a line of God’s saving work. 

No wonder they would be called upon to repopulate Jerusalem. It was not just time for the town planners to rejoice, but for all God’s People. Because God was still at work among them, preserving them and their witness to the nations until the Messiah could be born from among them. They were called not just to survive but to rejoice in God.

We too are called to praise God. We do not have a physical city with physical walls, but we inhabit the eternal City of God by the Holy Spirit. Like the list that Nehemiah found, our names are also written into a list, the Lamb’s Book of Life. We should praise God because he knows us by name.

Secondly, we should praise God because he has numbered us as part of his people. We are part of the same line of covenant people that God is dealing with throughout history. God’s promises extend through us, from believers who have gone before us, to our children and to those who are far off (Acts 2:39). 

God is still at work through us, his people, preserving us and witnessing to the nations until the Messiah, Jesus, returns from heaven to eternally dwell among us.

Since we are God’s special people, the same call to holiness which the Jews felt in Nehemiah’s day applies to us too. We should leave aside our pursuit of worldly satisfaction for the sake of pleasing God. We should listen for the call God places on our hearts for how we can serve him.

Not just town planners, but all God’s People, are called to rejoice.

Read Nehemiah 6:15-7:4

What good is a nice looking outside if the inside is run down? A nice looking facade on a building cannot hide for long that the interior is overdue for some TLC, and it does not have much to offer beyond cheap food and dollar stores.

Jerusalem was similar. Nehemiah’s spectacular wall rebuild was complete, and the surrounding peoples were in awe of God’s power and work. But the work was not done. Too many of Jerusalem’s high society still consorted with the devil. The proper worship of God was still placed to one side by too many. Nehemiah’s continued reforms remind us that it is the reformation of our hearts, not just our outward conduct, that demonstrates true devotion to God.

After months of difficult, although quick, labour, Jerusalem’s walls were rebuilt. “So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days (v.15). Undoubtedly, the work was rushed and not something for Grand Designs, but the effort was impressive.

For those attempting to stop the wall completion, this was a resounding defeat. “And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God” (v.16).

The completion, despite all the hostility and opposition, clearly demonstrated how only God was in control. The Jews had laboured, but God had laboured through their hands to build the wall.

But despite outsiders recognising the hand of God, all was not well inside. Attempts to intimidate Nehemiah continued. “Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them” (v.17). Tobiah was one of the key opponents of Nehemiah, and he and Judah’s nobles were exchanging frequent letters. The implication being a continued campaign against Nehemiah.

This exchange of information about conditions inside Jerusalem was enabled by the fact that “many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife” (v.18). Worse still, since they were related by ties of marriage, there were business ties. Money talks.

Since Tobiah was such an upstanding businessman unlike Ea Nasir “they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid” (v.19). Sadly, while Nehemiah had succeeded in his campaign to rebuild the walls, it came at great personal cost to him.

The circumstances demonstrated to Nehemiah that what was needed was renovations on the inside of Jerusalem, which would hopefully lead to renovations inside the hearts of those swayed by Tobiah’s business dealings.

With the walls rebuilt and doors in place, Nehemiah appointed gatekeepers to guard the gates and even, it seems, appointed some from the Levites and temple singers (7:1). This would have drawn a clear link to the spiritual importance of the Temple and the wall which protected it.

Nehemiah shared the responsibility around, appointing “my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many” (v.2). Faithful fulfilling of guard duties was based on their spiritual condition. They, like Nehemiah, were examples to the people.

To secure Jerusalem against external opposition, Nehemiah instructed that the gates should not be opened until the day was warm, rather than at dawn (v.3). Appointing gatekeepers from near their homes also gave extra security, since it gave them something to fight for.

This was very important to try and secure Jerusalem against internal and external opposition. “The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt” (v.4). This meant it was easier for naughty types to try and make mischief. If Nehemiah wanted to rebuild the people, not just the walls, he needed to keep things safe.

Nehemiah’s appointment of Hanani and Hananiah reminds us of the importance of character in leaders. We like to appoint based on capability, but character, especially fearing God, is particularly important. Especially so in the Church. No wonder that many of the qualifications for eldership or the diaconate reflect on character, not career.

The right character was important because what was most needed was not walls (though they were needed and important) but right hearts which sought God. Nehemiah understood that God’s People played a unique role in proclaiming God to the world. They needed to stand out, not through military might but through holiness.

The same is true today. We are witnesses to Christ and the way this is revealed is through our character and holiness, not through power or real estate. It is the reformation of our hearts and lives, rebuilding outside and in, that demonstrates to the world God’s goodness and glory, and frustrates the devil and those that seek to lead us astray from devotion to God.

Read Nehemiah 6:1-14

Nehemiah’s opposition sought to defeat him by stopping the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. They tried pressure tactics. The walls went up. They tried threatening violence. The walls went up. They piled on economic pressure. Still, the walls went up. So they tried another trick in their arsenal, an attack against Nehemiah’s character.

The conspiracy against Nehemiah’s character was designed to demonise him in the face of the authorities. Sadly, Satan and enemies of God’s Church try the same playbook today. Just as Christ’s character was wrongly assassinated, so too is that of his Church. But our response should mirror that of Christ’s, and of Nehemiah’s. Trusting in God’s power, and committing ourselves to God’s glory regardless.

After many days of hard toil, the walls of Jerusalem were repaired. All that kept the city from being protected by the actions of brigands was the rehanging of the doors at the gates (v.1). For Nehemiah’s enemies, the window for action was closing.

The first act that his enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem took, was to suggest a political summit (v.2). At first look, the selection of a neutral venue some distance from Jerusalem and their own towns looked like an attempt at an accord, but “they intended to do me harm” (v.2). He probably never would have made the meeting.

So Nehemiah declined their invitation. “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” (v.3). Nehemiah was not stupid. He also was more concerned with God’s glory than whatever small possibility of political reconciliation was there.

The conspirators tried four more times to get Nehemiah out of Jerusalem (v.4). Perhaps they intended to make Nehemiah look uncompromising and intolerant. Perhaps, simply, it was Satan trying the same technique repeatedly like a repeated temptation to sin.

The fifth time, a letter came with false accusations that the Jews intended to rebel and install Nehemiah as their king (vv.5-7). They strongly hint this is what they will tell the Persian king, and that perhaps Nehemiah would like to meet to discuss the situation (v.7).

Again, Nehemiah resisted the accusation and threat. He dismissed their charges as made up, recognising that it was intended to once again stop the work before it was too late for the conspirators (vv.8-9). Instead, Nehemiah leaned on God to strengthen their hands (v.9).

As if this was not enough, the next trouble which Nehemiah had to deal with was the prophet Shemaiah informing him of a plot to kill him, and a suggested flight to the Temple building for sanctuary (v.10). Since the Temple was not a place of sanctuary, and Nehemiah was not allowed to enter the building, this would have discredited Nehemiah amongst the people.

Nehemiah refused to run away. Nehemiah refused to go into the Temple when he was not permitted by God’s Law (v.11). Nehemiah instead trusted in God’s wisdom and protection in the place where he was.

He also recognised that since God would never suggest that a prophet encourage someone to break God’s Law, that Shemaiah’s message was false and Shemaiah was a hireling of Tobiah and Sanballat (v.12). It was another attempt to give Nehemiah a bad name, this time amongst his own people rather than in the hearing of the King (v.13).

It seems that the stench of corruption within the religious leadership of the Jews extended beyond Shemaiah, because Nehemiah also asked God to remember the evil deeds of others who tried to sow fear in Nehemiah (v.14).

Nehemiah faced an external conspiracy against his character. Internal groups who should have supported him were instead paid off and acting against God’s interests.

Sadly this is a reality of today just as much as in Nehemiah’s day. External forces seek to discredit the Church. They may do so openly with accusations and threats to inform the authorities of false information or through actions intended to make the Church look intolerant and inflexible. Unfortunately Satan’s playbook does not vary much. But then, if it works, why change?

Internal threats are also a reality for believers. Sometimes, supposed people we think we should be able to rely on within the Church are actually in league with the Church’s external enemies.

Our answer to these threats is not to cower in fear, but to trust in God. Everything which happens does so under God’s reign. Everything which seeks to threaten us, whether human or satanic in origin, is under God’s rule and reign and his power. Nehemiah shows us how to live facing these unjust threats – to trust in God, and rely on his power. To put our attention back on God and his glory, and let God handle the consequences.

In doing so, we are like our Lord Jesus who was falsely accused throughout his ministry, but especially in his trial before his crucifixion. Jesus’ character was vindicated by God at his resurrection. The Church’s character, and ours as well, will be too.

Read Nehemiah 5:14-19

The wall rebuilding project brought existing money problems for most of the Jews living in Jerusalem and the surrounding area to a head. Nehemiah’s swift action to address the issue and relieve the ordinary folk of the misery they found themselves in found favour with the people. But sadly, the reality of poverty and oppression is a permanent feature of society this side of Jesus’ return, and the problems rose again.

Twelve years later, many of those under Nehemiah’s governance still faced the same hard scrabble to live. While Nehemiah could have enjoyed the benefits and privileges that he was entitled to as the Persian King’s representative in Judea, he did not do so. Instead, he demonstrated generous sacrifice by laying aside his privileges, and sharing of his own wealth. Not only does Nehemiah serve as an example to us of a life gripped by God’s grace, but he demonstrates God’s generous heart to us in Christ.

After the account of the near-revolt over living conditions found in the beginning of chapter 5, the book of Nehemiah switches to what appears to be an insertion from Nehemiah’s journal written twelve years later.

Nehemiah stated that “from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor” (v.14). As the official representative of the King in Jerusalem, Nehemiah was entitled to a house and a food allowance. He was also allowed to collect taxes for himself, to fund his lifestyle along with local infrastructure and public functions, as well as that required by the Persian King.

Previous governors had taken full advantage of this privilege and had accumulated for themselves, to the value of forty shekels of silver per day (which was presumably a substantial amount, v.15). Nehemiah was perfectly entitled to this, but he chose not to impose it.

Instead, Nehemiah laid aside his privileges for the benefit of the people and especially because “of the fear of God” (v.15). Nehemiah was not motivated by earthly desires but by the grip of grace which God had placed on his heart. He sought to glorify God, not to feather his own nest.

This extended to the servants which Nehemiah employed. While other governors used them for their own benefit, Nehemiah “persevered in the work on this wall” and set his own labourers to task in the project (v.16). He did not use the wall project as an excuse to build his own property empire (v.16).

Nehemiah also sacrificed his own wealth for God’s People. Ordinarily as a governor he would be expected to wine and dine officials, and this would come from public funds (generously provided by Joseph Taxpayer). Nehemiah wore the cost of this entertainment himself (vv.17-18), to the tune of “each day … one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance” (v.18).

Nehemiah could have made the people pay this. It was part of the job description for a governor to eat, and entertain, well. But Nehemiah did not, “because the service was too heavy on this people” (v.18). Nehemiah was a shepherd as well as a manager (governor) and leader; and he understood that taking what he was entitled would hurt those in his care. Instead he chose to sacrifice from his own pocket to keep the system happy, and care for those under him.

Nehemiah’s account of his generosity ends with a prayer. “Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people” (v.19). Nehemiah was not asking for God to treat him as righteous because of these deeds, or boasting of his generosity. 

Instead, Nehemiah is boldly asking God to be pleased with his labours, like a father is pleased with his son’s efforts. Not because it makes him righteous, but because God has already made Nehemiah righteous. Nehemiah’s acts are the fruits of that salvation. He asks God to accept these deeds, flawed as they would have been, for God’s glory.

Nehemiah’s example is one for us all to look at. Our world is big on rights and taking what is ours, but Nehemiah’s life was an example of service and sacrifice for the sake of God and others. Nehemiah’s sacrifice and generosity shows the same attitude that we should hold, especially to our fellow believers.

Nehemiah’s attitude was the result of God’s work in his life, to make his heart reflect the heart of God. That same heart was most fully expressed in Jesus Christ, whose very heart is the heart of God for us, walking among us. Jesus laid aside his divine privileges to serve us, even sacrificing his life for our sake.

When we generously sacrifice, we reflect that same heart to others which we have experienced.

Lord, help us to show the same generosity! And Lord, accept our own sinful efforts of generosity for your glory!

Read Nehemiah 5:1-13

We live in an unjust world. Some practically swim in money and resources, while others struggle to pay the rent or feed their children. Even in the last few years, more of us have struggled as costs keep rising and pay does not rise to meet it. And we live in a relatively wealthy country! Whether it is true or not, it feels like those in power do not see the same concern with solving this issue; or perhaps they do not like the cost.

For the Jewish population of Nehemiah’s day, money misery was very real. Most lived close to starvation, one bad event away from disaster. Many of their fellow Jews took advantage of this situation. The external stresses that came with rebuilding the wall brought many to the brink of despair, and the devil used this opportunity to attack God’s Plan from within. Thankfully, God granted Nehemiah a heart of mercy for the oppressed.

The wall-building continued at pace, and Nehemiah had marshalled the citizens to labour with both sword and trowel, rebuilding the wall and remaining ready to fight on God’s side against those who might try to attack and defeat their work.

But all was not well. With the immediate external threat countered, an internal threat to the rebuild burst open. “There arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers” (v.1).

The outcry was due to money misery. With their hands holding swords or moving stones, the men could not earn to feed their families, who were now starving (v.2). To make things worse, those who owned land to grow their own crops were mortgaging their fields due to a famine (v.3). The existence of famine suggests God’s judgement upon the Jews for their behaviour to their fellows.

A third group were worried about the effect of taxes. They had borrowed to pay the Persian King’s taxes (v.4), which would make a committed “tax is love” enthusiast blush, borrowing at loan shark rates of 40 to 50%. To service this debt they were being forced to sell their children into slavery (not the indentured labour required under the Law), breaking up families and exposing them to risk of abuse and violation (v.5).

This crisis could blow the whole rebuild right apart.

Yet Nehemiah was not angry over the thwarting of his scheme. He was certainly angry (v.6). But his anger was directed at the injustice, not those crying out.

However, Nehemiah knew that responding in anger is unwise. He took counsel with himself, before bringing charges against the nobles and officials, charging them with the crime of exacting interest from their brothers (v.7), a clear violation of God’s Law (Deut. 23:19). Nehemiah did this publicly in a “great assembly” to shame them (v.8).

Nehemiah had known that the slavery issue was present and had already made an effort using the public purse to fix it, by redeeming Jews sold as slaves (v.8) to keep them away from foreigners. Some had taken the opportunity to make more money at the government’s expense by selling their brothers into slavery (v.8).

This was completely wrong. Their public behaviour should match their religious testimony (v.9). Instead, their practice should look like Nehemiah’s, who had lent money and grain to those in need, probably without interest (v.10). God’s Law prohibited charging interest to fellow Israelites, and taking advantage of poverty or need.

Nehemiah went further, suggesting an economic reset. The wealthy should return the property taken and interest charged (v.11). He made them swear an oath publicly so they would not privately back away later (v.12). 

To make the consequences clear, Nehemiah publicly shook out his garment, dramatising the way in which God could shake away the properties of those men just as easily as Nehemiah straightened his cloak (v.13). The resolution found favour with God’s People, who did as they promised (v.13).

Nehemiah did not try to service the poverty to keep his project going, he tackled the injustice head-on. The problem was one of unbiblical behaviour. It had to be fixed, and quickly. Nehemiah realised that their culture did not reflect the merciful heart of God for the poor. He fixed it.

Many of us today are perhaps three bad events away from money misery at most. For many, misery is not their fault but that of conditions imposed on them by childhood or the actions of others. We are no more to blame for our poor condition than the poor Jews were.

The solution is the same. To treat each other with dignity and value. Not to take advantage, but to care for others even at our own cost. To put aside what we could have, to help those who need it. Just as Christ laid aside his privilege to show God’s love and mercy in healing and forgiveness, and save us from our sins.

May our heart reflect the heart of Christ who reaches out with mercy to those who are oppressed.

Read Nehemiah 4:15-23

With ANZAC Day recently past, it reminds us that sometimes in war citizens lay down their tools and take up a rifle to fight for a cause. We can hope and pray that none of us (or our children) need to do that. In the Christian life though, the battle is constant and we battle against the devil and our sins as we labour. We have to carry both a sword and a trowel.

Nehemiah’s citizens were faced with attack by the devil, and were forced to defend themselves from what was a spiritual attack (with physical consequences). But the work continued. So they laboured on, with sword strapped to waist and a trowel in their hand. They battled on against the enemy, even as they laboured for God. We too, as we await Jesus’ return, battle on with a spiritual sword strapped to our waist as we labour for Christ’s Kingdom.

With opposition to the wall rebuild turning to threats of violence, Nehemiah ensured that a defence of the people and their work was in place. Nehemiah also encouraged God’s People to trust in God to deliver them, and remember that God is great and awesome.

Word reached Sanballat and the opposition that Nehemiah and the Jews were aware of their threats to attack them when they did not suspect it (v.15). As Nehemiah writes, God had “frustrated their plan” to stop the work. But the threat did not end there.

They all returned to the task of rebuilding the walls (v.15). But due to the threat of violence, half of the labourers worked on constructing the walls while half stood guard, holding “the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail” (v.16). While the immediate threat was gone, Nehemiah wisely prepared for future threats.

Since an attack could come from any direction, and nobody can be strong everywhere, Nehemiah also created an early warning system. “The leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, who were building on the wall” (vv.16-17) to direct and sound the warning if an enemy approached. 

Those who were carrying burdens did so to be able to work with one hand and hold a weapon with the other (v.17). Those who were working on the wall “had his sword strapped at his side while he built” (v.18).

Nehemiah remained centrally located, overseeing the work, with a trumpeter permanently stationed beside him (v.18). Nehemiah advised the nobles and officials that since they were so widely spread with the amount of work required, “in the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there” (vv.18-19).

Yet they were not to fear they were fighting alone. “Our God will fight for us” (v.20). Nehemiah understood that they were obeying God’s will by rebuilding the walls, securing the centre of worship of God in the world. Securing the place, whether they understood it entirely or not, where the single act of redemption for sins would in a few short centuries take place. Just as God had intervened in the past, so too he would intervene for them.

The dedication of God’s people despite the risks and fears that come with it were shown in their approach to the work. They laboured from dawn until the stars came out; far later than sundown when work would usually cease so you could get home to see and eat (v.21).

At the same time, the protective cloak of the half complete wall and the organised guards was extended to those living outside Jerusalem’s walls (v.22). Everyone worked and slept in the same clothes, so they were ready to rise and fight at a moment’s notice (v.23). Even Nehemiah did the same, sharing the trial with those under his leadership.

This picture of a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other is a picture for our own life today. Our greatest foes are not generally physical ones, but spiritual enemies. Sometimes, we do not know where the spiritual attack will come from, only that it will come. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves by putting on spiritual armour to defend ourselves against the Devil’s attacks (Ephesians 6).

At the same time, we are called to serve the Lord. We cannot be tools used to build God’s Kingdom if we are only armed for spiritual warfare. With one hand on the sword of God’s word, we must also use a hand to serve God in the different ways he has called us, through acts of service to build the church and care for those we have opportunity to interact with.

This is a task that we are all called to. Every leader, just like Nehemiah, must share the same trials as the rest of us.

As we do so, we can take courage that Christ is in charge, watching over us all, and directing affairs. Jesus will lead us to victory over our enemies, for he has already decisively defeated sin and death. Our God will fight for us, just as God fought for Nehemiah.

Read Nehemiah 4:1-14

When it comes to church life, it feels like we are heading into trouble, in the middle of it, or heading out of it. The reason is that any faithful church which is trying to glorify God and grow in sanctification is a target for the devil. Spiritual warfare is a reality for us all, not just a weird plot line for some movie.

Nehemiah’s building project certainly caught the devil’s attention. Here God’s People were rebuilding the walls to protect God’s temple, and Satan couldn’t have that! So he marshalled his minions to threaten and intimidate Nehemiah and the Jews as they laboured on the walls. This episode teaches us the reality of spiritual attack but also the response; trust in God to deliver.

The construction programme was a mass event, with Jews of all backgrounds and professions participating. From the lowest to the greatest, all were united in the restoration of the broken walls.

God’s enemies were not happy at this turn of events. “Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews” (v.1). Sanballat was introduced in 2:10 and may have been the governor of Samaria.

Sanballat’s attacks were insults and threats, designed to suggest the fear of an attack. Whether this would have actually happened is unclear, since Sanballat would have known that the Persian King sent Nehemiah with troops.

Sanballat’s words were spoken to his fellow countrymen, but the intended audience were the workers of Jerusalem. “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” (v.2).

These insults suggest that the Jews are weak and attempting something beyond their ability. They seem to think that a few timely prayers will raise the walls, in an unrealistic timeframe.

Fellow haters also joined in the fun, suggesting it would fall down at the first breeze (v.3).

Nehemiah’s first response was not to write a stern letter or complain to the Persian King, but to pray. “Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders” (vv.4-5).

Nehemiah asked God to prevent their intentions, and side with the Jews. In other words, God would see Sanballat’s insults as insults against God. He also asks for justice. While the words sound vengeful to us, Nehemiah was asking for Sanballat and his followers to be held accountable for their sins.

The second response was resolve. “So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work” (v.6). If the intention was to stop the rebuild, it backfired! God’s People responded to the taunts with continued resolve to keep building.

This resolve did not go down well with Sanballat and his followers, who plotted to attack the workers (vv.7-8). But Nehemiah and God’s People prayed, and continued (vv.8-9).

The fear of violence kept growing, and concerns rose from both within Jerusalem’s unfinished walls and the unwalled towns surrounding that perhaps the building project should stop (vv.10-12). 

But Nehemiah’s resolve held firm. He armed the townsfolk and posted them in the gaps, and told them “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight…” (vv.13-14).

Nehemiah understood that God was in control and would watch over the Jews. But also, that they had a role to play in that happening. They needed to labour, and they needed to resist the opposition, both while trusting in God to deliver.

The same is true today when the Devil fires his darts. It should not surprise us that spiritual progress for Christ finds resistance from those that oppose him. All too often, the Devil is sitting behind ensuring the darts are aimed and fired.

Like Nehemiah and God’s People in his day, our response to opposition should not be discouragement and defeat. Instead, we should first turn to God in prayer, asking him to see attacks on us as attacks against him, and to deal with them accordingly. That may be through judgement now and the last day, or it may be through judgement on Christ at the cross and a miraculous conversion!

The second thing we should do is resolve to continue. Continue labouring on in good deeds. Continue proclaiming Christ. Continue building God’s Kingdom in our little patch. Arm ourselves, not with physical weapons but with the spiritual armour of God (Ephesians 6) to resist the devil’s attacks. 

Remember God, who is great and awesome, and sent his son Jesus for our salvation to conquer. Pray, and continue to serve with resolve.

Read Nehemiah 3

Churches the world over are familiar with the classic working bee. Someone needs help moving or cleaning, or church property needs maintenance. All hands on deck. Everyone has a task, big or small. Ideally, the difficult building work is left to tradesmen and those skilled, while the rest of us help with cleaning and tidying or shifting things (dirt, timber, possessions). But the job gets done.

Suddenly in Nehemiah 3, we encounter an Old Testament working bee. God’s people, guided and directed by Nehemiah, began the massive task of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. While there were some that refused to get involved, overall what occurred was an amazing demonstration of the unity of God’s People, led by God’s appointed leader, doing God’s will.

Nehemiah’s arrival in Jerusalem was followed by careful, and quiet, planning. It was only when Nehemiah had his plan ready that he explained the reason he had been sent, and called on God’s People in Judah to join him in the work. The sign-up sheet was passed around, but who would write their name down?

The first to step up, and show servant leadership along the way, was the high priest Eliashib and his family to repair the Sheep Gate (v.1). These were the men set apart for service in the temple. Surely they were exempt from the working bee? Perhaps in the world, but among God’s People, leadership is sacrifice and service. Eliashib set the example to God’s People.

He was not alone. Ordinary people, whether from Jerusalem, Jericho, or Tekoa came and did their part in rebuilding the wall (vv.2-5). We do not know their backgrounds, except that they answered Nehemiah’s call and came.

Sadly not all answered. The nobles of Tekoa were too important to concern themselves with such lowly labour (v.5). Their self-importance is now permanently displayed in Scripture.

But ordinary people from ordinary backgrounds lent a hand. Among them, perfumers and goldsmiths set aside skilled crafts for hard labour (vv.6-8).

The great joined the task too. Rulers of parts of Jerusalem joined the work (vv.9-12). Even their daughters came and laboured. In our day, that does not surprise, but in Nehemiah’s day it was highly unusual for women to work in back-breaking labour like moving stones. Yet in God’s service, there is room for us all to contribute in ways that are sometimes outside the norm.

And contribute, they did. Rulers from other areas of Judah, together with members of their families or villages came to help (eg, vv.13-16). Surely the state of Jerusalem’s walls were none of their business! Yet they came anyway to help the cause.

The Levites and priests pitched in and repaired the walls on either side of the high priest’s house (vv.17-22). The work of wall repair was just as holy a calling as the sacrifices in the temple were.

The work continued around the wall. Nehemiah, although the command is not written here, clearly arranged for labourers to focus on the area of wall closest to where they lived (vv.23-32). Besides sharing the load around, this would provide some extra personal motivation to see the work completed.

Here was unity in action. Nobles. Merchants. Priests. Levites. City officials. Women. Men. Craftsmen. These were not the ordinary bricklayers of their day. Despite that they contributed to the work. They united as a people, under Nehemiah’s leadership, and rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem.

Their work ensured that the temple, where God would come to dwell with his people, was protected. That Jerusalem, the special place in all the world that God had appointed for his house, was protected from attack by those who rebelled against the rule and reign of God.

Even if they were not locals, but lived in surrounding towns, villages, and areas, Jerusalem meant something to them. It was the focal point of their worship. So they pitched in to help.

There are lessons here for us all. Firstly, the importance of unity towards a common goal. The unity of God’s People to doing God’s will led to great progress. It is no less different today. The church combined, with everyone doing their part, can achieve great things which bring glory to God and proclaim Christ to the nations. We should never despise working together, or the individual part we can play however small.

Secondly, when it comes to doing the Lord’s work, we are all involved. It does not matter if we have a title or not. We are all enabled to do our part in the work. We are not too important or not important enough for the task. Our Lord Jesus has assigned us all separate parts of our “wall” to tend and rebuild.

As we labour, we must remember that we do not do it for ourselves but for Jesus. Nehemiah is barely mentioned in this passage, sitting in the background. But he organised and led. Likewise, although we labour it is Jesus who is the one building his church, and directing through his Holy Spirit. 

His leading directs us in fulfilling God’s will.

Read Nehemiah 2:9-20

Sometimes the heart in mouth moments help build your trust. The first (or bumpy) aeroplane flight. Practice driving in a busy city. Standing in front of the class to deliver a speech. The crazy set of circumstances where God answers your prayer, in a way you did not see coming. Nehemiah knew all about that last one, and it helped him trust God more.

Nehemiah’s actions show how his experience of God’s good hand caused him to trust God more. Even so, Nehemiah knew the world he lived in, and was sensible in his approach and bold in his leadership. Jesus, on a divine mission to repair the relationship between God and man, was the same. Nehemiah’s example encourages us to trust God more, but to operate in the world God has placed us in, as we learn to trust him more.

The events that led Nehemiah to travel to Jerusalem must have felt like a whirlwind. All of a sudden, he went from a saddened, praying man privileged to bear the king’s drinks, to a man appointed by the king to repair Jerusalem’s walls. It was the sort of situation where he could only but acknowledge that the good hand of God was upon him (v.8).

His journey, probably several months long, is barely mentioned in passing. He arrived and provided his letters of appointment to “the governors of the province Beyond the River”, accompanied by “officers of the army and horsemen” (v.9). 

Ezra had declined such a guard, but Nehemiah took it. Different situation, different answer. Ezra was proving a point to the Persian king, his officials, and his fellow Israelites. Nehemiah knew he would face opposition, and took every opportunity to enjoy the king’s support.

His wisdom was well placed. Even from the outset, Sanballat and Tobiah were displeased that favour was falling on the Israelites in Judah (v.10).

Three days after arriving in Jerusalem, Nehemiah quietly surveyed the state of Jerusalem’s walls (vv.11-15). Nobody knew why he was there, other than that the king had sent him. By going at night, with only a small group, he was able to observe and plan without spies of his opposition getting wind to conduct a pre-emptive strike.

All of this was done secretly. Nehemiah did not know who he could trust. Who would support him, and who would oppose? Nehemiah did not know the local leadership, and did not tell them his purpose straight away (v.16).

But he knew that God’s good hand was upon him, and while God may not have given him detailed drawings and building instructions, he knew that he was doing God’s will. So with the planning complete and everyone guessing, it was time to inspire the troops.

Nehemiah identified himself with the Israelites there, and pointed how “you see the trouble we are in” with the gates and walls in ruins (v.17). To glorify God by demonstrating to the world that they were his chosen covenant people, they needed to rebuild the walls (v.17). They knew God was at work, because Nehemiah told them of how he came to be with them (v.18).

Nevertheless, Nehemiah and Israel faced opposition. The devil is always on the prowl when it comes to ways to frustrate God’s plan and harm God’s people. Sanballat and Tobiah, together with a man named Geshem, jeered and mocked Nehemiah and accused him of treason against the king (v.19). They were worried the rising stocks of the Israelites would affect their own position. 

Nehemiah responded that they had “no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem” (v.20) to consider it part of their fiefdom. Instead, “the God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build” (v.20). The devil was attempting to hinder God’s plan, but Nehemiah trusted God more.

Sometimes trusting God requires bold outspoken acts, like Peter and the Apostles before the Jewish Council in Jerusalem. Sometimes, trusting God requires careful planning and secrecy that the forces of the devil or the unbelieving world are kept guessing as to intentions. Sometimes, trusting God requires pressing forward without the state’s help. Sometimes, trusting God means accepting its assistance.

Nehemiah understood the times and problems he faced. Jesus too, understood the world he walked in. Jesus avoided openly talking of himself as the Messiah to avoid misunderstood notions of earthly rule. Jesus spoke in parables. Jesus withdrew from crowds and opportunities because it was not yet his time. There is nothing wrong with discretion applied to our circumstances. It did not stop Nehemiah or Jesus being bold in their leadership. We can be so too.

Nehemiah was able to act wisely, and lead boldly, because he knew that God was using him. Jesus also knew the same, from his youngest days, as he fulfilled God’s mission which Nehemiah had continued to save us from our sins. Because we can see God’s good hand in our lives, saving us, we can wisely act in the world we inhabit, all the while learning to trust God more.