Scripture of The Day
May 28, 2021
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.” (Nehemiah 2:17)
By Ed Henderson ( 2016 )
There are so many similarities that I see in the Book of Nehemiah compared to our present situation in the United States of America. The Book of Nehemiah is about restoring a people and a city. The people had been in exile and their city (Jerusalem) had been torn down. They had no leadership, no vision, and had almost lost hope. It is very interesting to note how the rebuilding of Jerusalem went (which started with the wall). It is also interesting to see the challenges that happened along the way. The following is just a very brief summary of some critical similarities that I see as they pertain to our own country’s situation.
1. The vision and burden to rebuild Jerusalem was placed on Nehemiah’s heart. Nehemiah lived in the King’s palace and had great favor with the King. He was the last person you would expect God to choose for this task. Nehemiah had it made and did not need this challenge in his life except that he loved his country and their people.
2. From the word go Nehemiah had to face tough opposition from Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem. They lied about Nehemiah, ridiculed him, impugned his motives, and even hired false prophets to prophesy against him. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? (Nehemiah 2:19)
3. Nehemiah went around all the elites and went straight to the people and told them his vision. 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 2:17-18)
4. The people rose up and sided with Nehemiah and started building a wall (for they had a mind to work) to secure their city. So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. (Nehemiah 4:6)
5. They restored worship and respect for God.
6. They finished the wall and it was a witness to all their enemies that this was a work of God. 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 6:15-16)
We are in this same process today of rebuilding the United States of America. There is much work that needs to be done and the opposition will continue throughout the process. We have to have a mind to work. We have to stay alert. We have to say no to the false prophets and we have to never quit. The word in the Hebrew for wall is “chowmah” which means to join together. Nehemiah did not build that wall by himself. He relied on families to join together, to work together, to protect each other, to pray together, and to worship together. This is not just about a physical wall for security purposes. It is about restoring vision, character, hope, and liberty. It is about restoring a love for God and the things of God. It is about restoring a dream. That takes leadership and that takes God!
