Nehemiah Nehemiah was a powerful leader of God’s people living in Judea following the Exile. Nehemiah improved the morale and strength of God’s people in the midst of difficulty. Before Nehemiah returned to Judea, he was cup-bearer to Persian king Artaxerxes I (465–424 BC). The cup-bearer brought the king his wine (tasting it first to make sure it wasn’t poisoned) and was his trusted confidant and adviser. Nehemiah heard reports about Jerusalem’s sad state and, moved with compassion, he asked the king’s permission to return to Judea to help his people. The king responded favorably and made him governor of the province of Judea for twelve years to aid his fellow Jews and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Neh 1:1–2:8). Nehemiah had the support of the Persian king, but he faced opposition from the inhabitants of the land. These people of mixed heritage were the ancestors of the New Testament Samaritans. Nehemiah showed great courage and skill as he successfully helped the people of Judea rebuild the walls that protected Jerusalem. Nehemiah had a strong personal faith, as seen by his prayers (Neh 1:4-11; 2:4) and his confidence in divine guidance and help (2:8, 18, 20). He al...

God Works through Prayer Although God is sovereign over all creation, he desires for his people to bring their concerns to him in prayer. Throughout the Bible, we see examples of God acting in response to the prayers of his people. Prayer is essential for anyone who desires to live a godly life and carry out an effective ministry, as it is the means by which God’s people align their will with his. The brief account relayed in the book of Nehemiah exhibits a man whose life was steeped in prayer. In response to Jerusalem’s disgraceful condition, Nehemiah spent four months in intensive intercessory prayer (cp. Neh 1:1; 2:1). His prayers included praising God for his power and covenant love, confessing the nation’s sins, and calling on God to act (1:4-11; cp. Ezra 9:6-15; Dan 9:4-19). Nehemiah based his prayer for Jerusalem on God’s “covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands” (1:5). The Israelites had not obeyed the instructions God gave to Moses (1:7), resulting in the exile of the nation as God had warned. However, Nehemiah was firmly convinced that God would keep his promise to restore the nation if the people repented (1:8-9; see Deut 4:25-31; 3...

Rebuilding of Jerusalem The wall of Jerusalem had great political, social, and religious significance for the people of Judah (see Neh 2:10, 19; 4:1-15; 6:1-14). In the ancient world and up to the modern era, a city without walls would not remain a city for long. Walls protected a city both from invading nations and from common criminals. By Nehemiah’s time, the walls of Jerusalem had lain in ruins for over a hundred years, since the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The destroyed wall was a shameful reminder that God had brought punishment on the city, fulfilling the covenant curses because of the people’s sin (1:2-7; 2:17). Consequently, the rebuilt wall would be a sign of God’s blessing and proof that God was bringing the promised restoration to his covenant people. Israel’s enemies knew that if the wall was rebuilt, the Jews would gain political power, security, and self-determination; so they fiercely opposed the rebuilding. Under Nehemiah’s leadership, the inhabitants of Judea rebuilt the entire wall in only fifty-two days during the fall of 445 BC. The speed and success of the reconstruction is a witness to all believers that with God’s help, his people can accomplis...