Nehemiah Overview
Nehemiah was in the king’s palace at Susa in the month of Chislev (which is roughly November or December on our calendar) when Hanani came with men from Judah, and Nehemiah asked him about Jerusalem and the remnant of people who had returned there. Hanani told him that the walls were “broken down and its gates are burned with fire.” This was both a dangerous and embarrassing situation. They were in this predicament because of their unfaithfulness to God so they were failing to be a light to the Gentiles and instead bringing reproach on the name of God. In regard to the historical background, the study notes in the Believer’s Study Bible say, “Just as the Israelites were taken into exile in three successive stages (605, 597, 586 B.C.), they returned in three stages. The first stage occurred under the leadership of Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel (538 B.C.). After a long delay, this return resulted in the rebuilding of the temple (520-516 B.C.), encouraged by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Ezra led the second return in the seventh year of Artaxerxes I (458 B.C.; cf. Ezra 7:1, 8). Nehemiah led the final return in the twentieth year of Artxerxes I.”
Nehemiah was the cupbearer of King Artaxerxes I. He was an ordinary person in the sense that he was not royalty or a religious leader. However, he must have been a man of great character who proved himself trustworthy to be placed in a position such as this, although I am sure it was providential as well. The cupbearer tasted the king’s wine to make sure it was not poisoned and assassinations were common in the Persian Empire. Therefore, he was risking his life, but apart from that, he would have enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle in the king’s palace. The cupbearers often became confidants and advisors to the kings because they were so trusted. God obviously used this when he gave Nehemiah the burden to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem, which was a 140 year old problem.
Nehemiah’s brother, Hanani, reported to him that the people of God in Jerusalem were “in great distress and reproach.” Nehemiah was burdened by this and he began to weep, pray, fast, and confess sin. He acted on this God-given burden and prayerfully asked King Artaxerxes for permission and help to go back and rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. He had obviously thought through the circumstances and had an excellent strategy. He clearly cast vision, and the king approved his request and provided him help. However, 2:10 says, “When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel.” This foreshadows the recurring problem of opposition that Nehemiah experienced from these men and others. However, he was undeterred and persevered all the way to the end in completing his God-given mission.
Nehemiah went to Jerusalem with the king’s permission and help, and he began his work by scouting the situation. In 2:17, he cast vision and challenged them by saying, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” The people accepted the challenge, and “they set their hands to this good work.” In chapter 3, Nehemiah organized the work into about 40 sections of the wall with different people responsible for each section. They continued to experience opposition, but they continued to work faithfully on the wall. They took a break (recorded in chapter 5) to deal with some internal problems that were threatening the mission. However, through the grace of God, Nehemiah’s excellent leadership, and their hard work; they were able to complete the wall. They solved a 140 year old problem in 52 days. 6:16 sums this up by saying, “And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.”
The focus of the book then changes from the rebuilding of the wall to the repopulating and reorganization of the city, reforming God’s people, and the spiritual renewal of God’s people. Nehemiah began this process by appointing leaders, reviewing the genealogies, and eventually drafting people to move there. However, his primary focus was the spiritual renewal of the people. He brought Ezra, who was a priest and scribe, in to teach the Bible to the people. Out of this, they confessed their sin, worshipped the Lord, reinstituted the biblical feasts, and renewed their covenant with the Lord as they saw His faithful mercy through the Word of God. Chapter 12 records a great worship celebration as they dedicated the wall by two choirs walking on the wall that Tobiah said a fox would break down if it went on the wall. However, chapter 13 records another problem as Nehemiah returned to the king’s palace, and in his absence, the people were led to break the covenant they had made with the Lord in chapter 10. Nehemiah returned and corrected the problem and ends with him making sure that the people would be worshipping God in His city, Jerusalem, as a witness to the nations around them. Even beyond the necessary rebuilding of the wall, this was the ultimate fulfillment of the mission. Of course, the book ultimately points to Jesus, our great and true High Priest, Sacrifice, and Temple, whose finished work brings us into the very presence of God to enable us to worship and give glory to God.
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