Nehemiah

Nehemiah is the last historical book of the Old Testament. It tells of Nehemiah's return to Jerusalem to build the walls of the city, and his attempts to restore the people to the God-fearing people they were before.

Rebuilding the Walls (Nehemiah 1-7)

The story starts 13 years after Ezra's trip to Jerusalem. Nehemiah is a Jew who was born away from his homeland. He has an important job, as the king's cupbearer in the city of Susa. He receives a report from a friend was tells him that although the temple has been rebuilt in Jerusalem, the walls still lie in ruin. Nehemiah is upset at the news, and prays that he may be able to help.

The king sees Nehemiah's sad face and asks him what is wrong. He explains his desire to go to Jerusalem and help rebuild the walls, The king agrees and sends him with a letter of authority. When he gets to Jerusalem, some of the surrounding people, led by Sanballat and Tobiah, aren't happy that the walls are to be rebuilt. Nehemiah surveys the walls at night, and then encourages the people to get to work. They start building but Sanballat, Tobiah and another man called Geshen appear and mock their efforts. Nehemiah tells them that God will give them success.

The people get on with the task. Each one is assigned an area of the wall which is close to their house, and all sorts of people join in the work.

Sanballat and friends are angry at the progress, and mock the builders again. They shout that if a fox walked on the wall it would fall down. Nehemih is worried about an attack, so prays, sets a guard on the wall and makes sure all the workers are armed. A trumpeter goes about with him to sound the alarm if trouble arrives.

As the work progressed, some of the poorer Jews complained to Nehemiah that they were being taken advantage of by the richer ones, even resorting to selling their children to pay off debt. Nehemiah demanded that any siezed land is returned to its original owners, and they weren't to treat each other this way. They agreed. From this point on and for the next 12 years, Nehemiah didn't burden the people with the taxes due to him as governor. He worked hard on the wall, and fed others at his table.

Sanballat and friends are not at all happy. They try to lure Nehemiah out of the city to a meeting 4 times, but Nehemiah sensibly stays where he is. Then then start a rumour that Nehemiah wants to be king. Nehemiah prays to God for strength, and carries on working. The wall is completed in a total of 52 days, with the Israelites' foes still trying to intimidate them.

Nehemiah posts guards around the newly restored wall to keep the city secure.

Reforming the People (Nehemiah 8-13)

All the people were invited to Jerusalem, and Ezra read out the books of the law of God. The people weep but Nehemiah tells them this is a sacred day, and they should be rejoicing and feasting instead. The next day the heads of the families listen to the law being read and pass it on to their families. They hear about the feast of booths and realise they should be celebrating it, so they set up tents throughout the city, and live in them for the rest of the week.

On the 24th of the month, the people got together to confess their sins before God. The Levites praised God, and the people put an agreement together to follow the law. They then signed it.

The agreement was a promise from the people. They promised to obey God and His law, and to give to Him and to the work in the temple.

All the leaders and around a tenth of the rest of the peopl settled in Jerusalem. The rest went out to live in the surrounding towns of Judah.

They then had a special dedication ceremony for the new walls. The group went to the top of the wall and split in two. Each half marched in opposite directions around the wall, meeting at the far side of the city, praising God and then making their way to the temple.

Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem after a while away, and he finds that Tobiah has been given a room in the temple building. He throws him out. He tells the people off for buying on the Sabbath, and rebukes them fo marrying their children off to non-Jews. He encourages them to return to following the Lord's law.

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