Nehemiah, a man of God and cupbearer to the king, is grieving the broken-down walls of Jerusalem. The significance of the wall is that it is a city’s symbol of protection. Not having a wall meant not just vulnerability to enemies, but disgrace.
King Artaxerxes noticed that his servant was troubled. Nehemiah let him know that his city and its gates are but ruins. He requested permission to go to Judah to rebuild the wall.
Like a good boss, King Artaxerxes simply asked him when he would be back. Nehemiah gave him a timeline, which the king approved.
Nehemiah inspects the wall at night with a few men, a clandestine mission unbeknownst to the officials nor to those who were going to do the rebuilding.
He later on spoke to them about their goal to rebuild it.
Nehemiah 2Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls (ESV)
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, thow Jerusalem lies in ruins
with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no
longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them vof the hand of my God that had been uponme forgood, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said,
“Let us rise up and build.” wSo they strengthened their hands for the good work.Nehemiah relayed the vision, and the men caught onto it.
Rebuilding the wall would soon trigger opposition from different sources, due to its impact on trade, taxation, political control, and religion. Specifically, they named Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab, as the main opponents.
Nehemiah 2Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls (ESV)
Knowing that you are doing the will of God will make you bold against the opposition.
He boldly responded to the opposition.
Nehemiah 2 Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls (ESV)
It’s interesting to note that unlike many Bible characters/stories, there is no specific instance where God, or an angel of the Lord, or even a prophet, spoke directly to Nehemiah. In Gideon, an angel talks to the Lord. God talks to Noah, Abraham, Mary, etc. through His messengers. Nehemiah’s reaction and later action was triggered by news, the tragic news that the remnant of his people who had survived the exile lived in trouble and shame because their walls had been broken down.
So he did the massive work (or project) if you will, of calling on the people, officials, nobles, to rebuild the wall; and facing opposition and heckling from influential figures.
Sometimes, the action God wants us to do for His kingdom will not be relayed in such a miraculous manner. The work itself can be un-glamorous, boring, messy, maybe even scary.
God calls us to different kinds of work to fulfill His purpose on earth. But when the challenging work you are doing is in line with God’s design for you, it will always be meaningful.
In the end, the wall was restored and so was the people’s faith. The physical wall removed the reproach and restored their safety. It was a cause for celebration!
In what areas of your life do you need restoration today? What do you need to rebuild? It may be your health, your finances, your career, your relationships. Whatever it may be, trusting God can restore you like no other.
Remember that our God created the world from nothing.There is nothing that He cannot recover, restore, or even create from scratch. Put your trust in Him today!
If you want to put your trust in God, pray this prayer with me:
"Lord Jesus, thank you for being my restoring God. I repent of my sins and surrender my life. Wash me clean. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That he died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day for my victory, I believe that in my heart and make confession with my mouth, that Jesus is my Savior and Lord. I receive eternal life, in Jesus name, Amen."
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