Ezra was in Jerusalem working hard to help his people rebuild the temple and learn God's ways. During this time, God had allowed a Jewish man named Nehemiah to become the king of Media Persia's cupbearer.
Nehemiah 1:1-4- The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
Nehemiah confessed the sins of his people to the Lord, and asked that the Lord would help the people who were in Jerusalem. Little did Nehemiah know that the Lord was working things out so that he himself could help his people.
Nehemiah 2:1-2- And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
Nehemiah was afraid because you were not suppose to be sad in front of the king. The king saw that he was sad and asked him about it. Nehemiah told the king it was because of the Jews in Jerusalem.
The king had already sent Ezra 13 years earlier. Now, this king wanted to know what Nehemiah would want him to do.
Nehemiah 2:4-5- Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
Nehemiah said a quick prayer and then asked that the king would allow him to go visit Jerusalem.
The king allowed him to go, and also sent him with some letters that would allow him to acquire whatever materials he would need while there.
Nehemiah 2:11-13- So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
Nehemiah went out after three days and surveyed the damage to the city walls. He assessed what would be needed to repair them.
Nehemiah 2:17-18- Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
Nehemiah gathered the rulers together and told them what the king provided. He encouraged them to get to building again. They were very happy and started the renovations once more.
But, again, there were some there who wanted to stop the progress.
Nehemiah 4:1-2- But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
The Samaritans were no friends of the Jews. They had made alliances with the Arabians and the Ammonites and others who had settled in the land of Judah while they the Jews were in captivity in Babylon. They were trying to make it hard for the Jews to accomplish their task.
Nehemiah 4:7-8- But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
Nehemiah knew that they were going to have to be wise to finish what they had started. He needed builders and protectors.
Nehemiah 4:13-14, 16-17 -Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
There was also other things going on inside the city that made Nehemiah's job difficult. The people had those who were ruling to make themselves rich, and they were making life hard on the poor in the city. There were also alliances within the city that were working with the Samaritans outside the city.
Nehemiah and the others worked hard, and they finally finished fixing the walls around Jerusalem. Only putting the gate on was left.
Nehemiah 6:1-3- Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
The outsiders tried to lure Nehemiah out of the city four times! But, all four times Nehemiah told them he could come out, that he had work to do.
Nehemiah 6:14-15- So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
Nehemiah spent much of his time in prayer asking the Lord to help them finish what he came to Jerusalem to do. And, God answered his request!
Nehemiah knew that he had to return to Shushan, the palace, so he chose a man to take charge after him.
Nehemiah 7:1-2- Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed, That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
Nehemiah was glad to see all that had been accomplished. And so was Ezra!He had become known as the 'Tirshatha'. Ezra had been there a long time waiting to see the completion of Jerusalem!
Nehemiah 8:1-2- And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
Ezra brought out the law of Moses and read it to the people.
Nehemiah 8:14, 16-17 - And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.
Ezra, Nehemiah, and all that were in Jerusalem kept the Feast of Tabernacles like the law of Moses said that they should. They read from the book of the law every day that they stayed in their booths.
Nehemiah wanted to be remembered by God for doing what was right in His sight. He certainly made some enemies along the way, but God helped him to accomplish what was the will of the Lord God Almighty.
No, this new temple was nothing like the one Solomon built. And, Jerusalem was not as grand as she once was when the kings of Judah sat on the throne. But, God had a plan for this temple and this city.
Haggai 2:1-7- In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying, Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts: According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
This temple and this city would have the desire of nations walk in it. Do you know who the desire of nations refers to? The Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus would walk through this city. Jesus would teach in this temple. And, it is outside this city that Jesus would pay the debt for everyone's sin!
