Day 269—We are in the NINTH month of Bible reading with more of Israel’s history and the book of NEHEMIAH.

    Day 269 – Nehemiah 1 – 5 (Nehemiah to Jerusalem, rebuilding the wall, opposition)

NOTE: Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one book, with Ezra as the author. Ezra draws from Nehemiah’s personal diaries.

Nehemiah 1. Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes in the capital of Susa. (This king was Esther’s stepson.) As cupbearer, Nehemiah was with the king at meals and tested the drinks for poison. He was a trusted servant.

Nehemiah’s brother, who had been in Judah, arrives and reports that the returned exiles are in trouble. It’s been 13 years since Ezra led the second wave of returnees. The temple is completed but not secure since the city walls are still rubble with the gates charred. 

This distresses Nehemiah, and he weeps. Then, he prays, confessing his and their sin, praises God’s faithfulness to His promises, and asks for mercy. (Nehemiah prayed for four months before finally approaching the King with a request.)

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Nehemiah 2. One day, when serving the king’s wine, Artaxerxes noticed his downcast face. At first, the king thought… EEEK, has the man tested my wine and been poisoned???  “Are you sick??”  And Nehemiah told him about his “heart” sickness concerning Jerusalem, where his ancestors were buried. It was sitting in ruins.  

“What are you requesting?” asked the king.

Before answering, Nehemiah quickly prayed to God in heaven, then said, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, send me to Judah, to Jerusalem, that I may rebuild it.”

The king glances at the queen sitting beside him, then asks, “How long will you be gone?” Nehemiah tells him.

The king agrees to let him go, and also to Nehemiah’s request for letters of passage proving he is on the King’s errand and acquisition papers for supplies to rebuild and repair the Temple courtyard and the city walls.  The king grants it all and includes an armed escort for protection because “the good hand of my God was upon me.”

Four months and three days later, Nehemiah gathered a few men and went out at night to survey the broken-down walls. Then he told the Jews, “Come, let’s build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.”  He told him how King Artaxerxes had approved and that the hand of God was upon him for good. 

“Let us rise up and build!” they said. 

But, opposition arose from 3 men, local district leaders in Samaria, Ammon, and an area south of Jerusalem.  “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”  (Fortifying a city in a Persian-controlled land could be seen as doing just that.) 

“The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we, His servants, will arise and build,” Nehemiah answered.

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Nehemiah 3. This chapter chronicles the people assigned to each of the areas of the wall and the gates of Jerusalem. They were responsible for building that portion and connecting it to their neighbors.  (If possible, get a map of Jerusalem at the time of Nehemiah that shows all the gates and towers.  It’s fascinating.) 

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Nehemiah 4.  Sanballat, Gov. of Samaria, was enraged and jeered at the Jews, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish and burned ones at that?”    

And Tobiah, the Ammonite, jeered, “Yes, what they are building–if a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”

And Nehemiah prayed, “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.”  AND THEY CONTINUED TO BUILD THE WALL up to half its height – for the people had a mind to work.

But, now the Arabs and Ashdodites joined Sanballat and Tobiah, and were very angry. They plotted to come and fight against Jerusalem and cause confusion in it.

And Nehemiah prayed to God and set a guard as protection against them day and night.  As the people began to fear, Nehemiah stationed people with swords, spears, and bows.  “Do not be afraid,” he said. “Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome. Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!“

From then on, half the people worked on construction, and half held spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail.  Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other.  And each builder had his sword strapped at his side while he built.

And so they labored from the break of dawn until the stars came out.  And then they stayed inside the walls at night, guarding the work. None of them removed his clothes, and each slept with his weapon at his right hand.

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Nehemiah 5.  As if the threat of battle was not enough, a problem arose from within.  It seems that some wealthier people were hoarding and not helping the poor, especially as there was also a small famine going on.  What???  This was one of the things that the prophet Jeremiah had accused the people of before Jerusalem was destroyed – neglecting the poor by the greedy wealthy.   Would the people always return to former sins? 

This totally angered Nehemiah, and he blasted the nobles and officials.  “How can you exact interest from your “brothers?”  We have brought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations, and now YOU are selling them again!!!  Ought you not to walk in the fear of the LORD? Let us abandon this exacting of interest.  Return to them their fields, vineyards, olive orchards, houses, and percentage of money, grain, wine, etc., you have been extracting from them!!

And…. they said, “We will restore these.  We will require nothing from them.  We will do as you say.” And the people did as they promised. WHOA!

Nehemiah led by example, feeding people with his own money (not the King’s allowance) each day. 

“Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.”