Nehemiah shows how God uses powerful rulers for His purposes; Nehemiah was an upstanding citizen who recognized this fact while upholding respect for an earthly monarch while acknowledging God as Sovereign.
His leadership abilities enabled him to overcome opposition both from outside sources and internal turmoil. His success stemmed from a consistent dedication towards reaching his goals.
Rebuilding the Walls of Jerusalem
Nehemiah fasted and prayed to God when he realized the walls of Jerusalem were crumbling, hoping He would intervene on their behalf. God answered by softening King Artaxerxes’ heart so he granted Nehemiah permission to return and oversee the rebuilding process for Jerusalem’s walls.
Nehemiah’s dedication and perseverance were evident as he led his people in rebuilding the wall. Their enemies tried to stop them, but Nehemiah turned to prayer instead of stopping building and persevered despite them all.
Nehemiah showed great care and empathy towards his fellow citizens by buying back Jewish slaves from their wealthy brethren, showing his concern. Furthermore, he disciplined those taking advantage of others – another mark of an effective leader who doesn’t ignore or permit sin committed by those they lead.
Restoring the Temple
As soon as Jerusalem’s walls fell into ruin, so too did its connection with God. Without its temple for spiritual protection or military strength and without walls to keep justice out, civilization would have collapsed completely; Nehemiah sought to rebuild both aspects.
Nehemiah was inspired to take action after learning of Jerusalem’s lack of walls, so from his position as cupbearer for King Cyrus in Susa he obtained permission and traveled to Jerusalem to rebuild them despite opposition from Judah’s enemies and completed this monumental feat within 52 days.
Nehemiah also rebuilt the community, reinstating priests, singers, and gatekeepers into their roles. He reinstated economic justice by warning wealthy individuals against exploiting poor brothers. Finally, he read God’s Law aloud and reinstated prayer and worship according to it. Nehemiah reminds us that God wants us all to use our secular offices as tools for serving Him more fully – rather than use these positions for personal gain alone.
Restoring the Law
Nehemiah distinguished himself through his service to King Artaxerxes and devotion to prayer, making him an effective leader upon returning to Jerusalem. After touring its walls, he initiated plans for reconstruction; though met with strong resistance both from legitimate enemies as well as from his followers, Nehemiah persevered nonetheless.
Ezra read the law aloud before those old enough to understand it and the people listened and obeyed (Neh. 8:2). This clearly demonstrated the third impact that reading and expounding Scripture had on these individuals: they learned that taking time away from daily tasks to hear God’s Word read aloud should not be seen as a burden but as an act of worship!
Nehemiah wasn’t only concerned with rebuilding the walls; he also addressed other pressing matters in his community, such as wealthy Jews charging excessive interest on loans. Nehemiah demanded they stop this practice immediately and that those owing money be reimbursed promptly.
Restoring the Community
Nehemiah had great compassion for his fellow Jews of Israel. Together with Ezra (also featured in this book), he led them back home and helped rebuild their homeland – including religious and political reforms; hard work was part of his daily routine.
Nehemias’ work was not without opposition. His enemies tried to thwart his efforts, yet he and the workers continued with their mission despite any threats against them. This text describes his response.
He paired workers so one could work while the other stood guard, and prayed when he heard people fighting among themselves (5:1-13). His fervent intercession for his people foreshadows our great Intercessor, Jesus Christ. His passionate prayers for them remind us that God can use any position – even those in secular offices- for His glory, and his zeal for them inspires our own work ethics – focusing on what really matters while praying passionately for all our brothers and sisters around the globe.
