Background and setting
The book of Nehemiah is set in the time of the exile. The Israelites had been taken to Babylon, which was later conquered by the Persian Empire. The book is named after its central figure, Nehemiah, an Israelite who served as an official in the Persian administration.
One day he was visited by his brother, who lived in Judah. His brother told him about the situation in Jerusalem. The city had been devastated by Nebuchadnezzar, and its walls still lay in ruins. When Nehemiah heard this news, he was deeply troubled. For some time he fasted and prayed, asking God for wisdom about what he should do in response.
Four months later, the king noticed that Nehemiah looked sad and asked what was wrong. Nehemiah told him about the miserable condition of the city of his ancestors and asked permission to travel there and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The king granted his request and even provided him with an armed escort and additional resources. With this support, Nehemiah set out for Israel.
Rebuilding of Jerusalem
The non-Jewish inhabitants of the region were not pleased about Nehemiah’s arrival, although at first no one knew the reason for his visit to Jerusalem. After a few days, Nehemiah went out at night with a small group of men to inspect the city walls. As he had heard, they were in a terrible condition.
He then gathered the people of Jerusalem and shared his plan with them. The rebuilding of the walls began, and the work was divided into sections, with different groups taking responsibility for specific parts. Remarkably, the entire wall was rebuilt in just fifty-two days.
Meanwhile, the surrounding peoples tried to discourage the workers. They threatened, attacked, slandered, and accused Nehemiah and those rebuilding the wall. Yet the people did not give up. They trusted in God, saying, “Our God will fight for us” (Nehemiah 4:20). They continued their work with one hand while holding a weapon in the other. In the end, the work was successfully completed.
Social and religious reforms
Besides describing the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, the book of Nehemiah also includes lists of the Jews who returned to the city, those who participated in the building work, and those who served in the temple. It further records the social and religious reforms that took place under Nehemiah’s leadership.
Ezra, a priest and scribe, instructed the people again about who God is and what He requires of His people. In response, the Israelites repented and renewed their commitment to the Lord. This renewed dedication was expressed in what the Bible calls “a firm covenant in writing” (Nehemiah 9:38).
Lessons for us
The main themes of Nehemiah and lessons that we learn from this book are:
- God’s work will always meet with opposition. Rather than discouraging us, this should motivate us to persevere in the task God has given us and not give up.
- The destruction of Jerusalem and Israel was the result of the people’s sin. If we want to live for God, sin must be confronted, confessed, and turned away from. We are called to set it aside and live according to God’s will and His instructions, so that we may receive His blessing.