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.

Read Nehemiah 2:1-8

God is, by his very nature, good. God cares for his Creation, and cares for us. God especially delights to care for his covenant people. He does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. The longer we go through life, and see the evidence of God’s goodness in our lives, the more we start to understand this truth spread throughout Scripture.

For Nehemiah, writing his memoirs, he learned of God’s good hand in very dramatic circumstances. Saddened by the state of Jerusalem’s walls, Nehemiah’s prayers seemed to go unanswered. Until, in the Persian King’s presence, they were answered in a terrifying and amazing way. Nehemiah’s story shows us God’s good hand at play in his life. His recognition teaches us to see God’s goodness to us as well, as give praise and honour to him.

In Chapter 1 we were introduced to Nehemiah as a man of prayer. Confronted by the defenceless state of Jerusalem, Nehemiah turned to the Lord in prayer. He acknowledged both the sinfulness of God’s people (and their just judgement), but also God’s goodness and promises to them. Nehemiah prayed that God would answer his prayer for the restoration of Jerusalem’s walls.

I bet Nehemiah had no idea he was about to be the answer to his own prayers. Yet that is what happened, according to God’s goodness. Four months of prayer later, Nehemiah as cupbearer to the King “took up the wine and gave it to the king” (v.1).

Previously he had managed to wear his face in front of the king, but on this day the mask slipped. “And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid” (v.2). Pro tip – do not appear sad in front of a despot when your job requires you to look happy.

Since Nehemiah was not involved in palace intrigue, he spoke plainly to the king. “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” (v.3)

The king, moved by God, was surprisingly receptive to Nehemiah. Instead of ordering him thrown in jail or worse, he asked “What are you requesting?” (v.4)

Nehemiah, with the sort of short prayer asking for help and the right words which we fire away in God’s direction right before we commit ourselves (v.4), then responded to the king. “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” (v.5)

Now that was a bold request! Yet backed by his short prayer to God, he hoped that he might be the answer to his own prayer. Have you ever found yourself in that situation? Watch out when you pray, because you might just find that the case!

Perhaps Nehemiah had given thought to the possibility he might be the answer, because when the king asked how long he would be away to do this, Nehemiah’s answer found favour (v.6).

What followed then were logistics. Nehemiah would need letters from the king authorising his journey and authority as governor (v.7), and letters to Asaph who kept the king’s forests to give him the timber he would need as part of the reconstruction efforts (v.8).

All this, the king provided to Nehemiah. Why? “For the good hand of my God was upon me” (v.8).

It was only with the benefit of hindsight that Nehemiah would have been able to write that. As the king saw his gloomy face and commented in a way which could have spelled doom, Nehemiah’s heart would have been in his mouth. 

Yet the whole situation was God’s answer to Nehemiah’s prayer. Perhaps in a way that he did not think would happen (although he must have considered the possibilities at some point). But most definitely the good hand of God upon Nehemiah, and for God’s good purposes.

While you might not have to face a despotic king, this scenario might be something you have experienced. Recent events in my own life have felt like a whirlwind answer to prayer in a way I did not quite expect. So too, God might answer prayers in your own life in a way which you did not quite anticipate.

Nehemiah’s instinct to pray in that situation is one which is solid advice for us too. What can we do in these situations but throw a quick prayer to the Lord for the right words to say at that time, and trust in him?

We can trust in him, because God’s good hand has been shown through the Son entering the world as our Saviour, dying for our sins. Because Christ reconciled us to God, we experience God’s good hand in our lives in expected and unexpected ways, as he guides us through life.