History and Context behind Nehemiah’s life
´That had been a time of deed darkness for the people of God .
´With Jerusalem in ruins, the temple destroyed, and most of the people of God in exile in Babylon, there seemed to be no hope for such a situation. God, however, did the impossible. Babylon fell and the new superpower of Medo-Persia allowed God’s people to return home – the Promised Land – in a second exodus. The Lord “ the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus” (Ez 1: 1), the Persian king. And when God moves a heart, who can keep from responding?
Nehemiah in Action
´The return home of God’s people begins, but their priorities in relation to God’s house have changed now.
´The prophet Haggai speaks out against this attitude. In chapter 1 he tells of the Lord’s discontent because of people’s indifference to His house!
´The people return to Jerusalem, rebuild the temple, but many years later the situation is chaotic. Then Nehemiah comes into the picture.
´He receives news of a destroyed city with no walls, no doors and he’s instantly brokenhearted – read Nehemiah 1
Nehemiah’s Reactions
´Upon receiving the bad news about Jerusalem, Nehemiah presents to the Lord his anguish in one of the greatest prayers of the Bible (Ne 1: 1-11). He confesses his sins and those of his people, but also calls for divine promises of renewal and transformation (verses 8, 9). As he prays, he recognizes that he is not part of the problem but must be part of God’s solution.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: ARE WE THE PROBLEM OR PART OF THE SOLUTION?
God’s Miracle
´Still in prayer, with a fearful heart and trembling knees, Nehemiah addresses his boss, who is an absolute monarch whose simple act or word is enough to wipe out one’s life in an instant. God works another miracle and Nehemiah leaves Persia, occupying an official government office, with power granted by the Persian king. With this royal support, he had what he needed to make things happen.
´WHEN WE ARE BROKEN ENOUGH TO TRUST GOD, HE MAKES THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPEN!
Revival in Jerusalem
´Jerusalem is unprotected, its walls destroyed and abandoned, its hostile neighbors mocking it. Nehemiah inspects the ruins in a secret night operation (Ne 2: 11-16) and then begins work. However, he realizes that this great work requires a community, and upon describing to the Persian court the blessing received shortly before, Nehemiah invites many leaders to join in the great work of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Ne 2: 17-20).
Determination & Understanding
´You know what Nehemiah’s determination was like. Nothing and no one could stop him; and, to the glory of God, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt in record time (see Ne 3: 4, 6, 7). But revival and reformation are not just action. It is necessary to return to the basics. As we continue reading the story of Nehemiah, we witnessed a large public assembly in Jerusalem during the seventh month. Ezra the priest reappears in the story and reads the Torah, the law, most likely the Pentateuch (Ne 8: 1-3), taking turns with other Levites. Everyone listens for hours – the ability to concentrate should’ve been greater in those times.
´One of the key words of this revival meeting is understanding, which appears six times (8: 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 12) throughout the chapter. Men and women, young and old understood that their lives were not in harmony with God’s Word. They wept and lamented so much (Neh 8: 9) that Ezra and Nehemiah had to remind them of the power of God’s grace. Nehemiah emphasized that the joy of the Lord was his strength (Ne 8:10), just as it is ours as well!
What can we learn from this?
´Something important happened that day in Jerusalem: in that revival people realized that God and sin do not go together; and this also resulted in transformed relationships among members of the post-exilic community. These are some lessons we can learn from Nehemiah’s revival:
´1. Revival is not a one-time event, but a constant and conscious decision. We read about other revivals in the post-Exilic community (e.g. Ed. 3 and 10), and before that we have many examples of revival in earlier times. Revival must be a daily commitment.
´2. Revival should be based on the Scripture, not on emotions and proper background music or group dynamics. When God’s people come face to face with divine revelation, look in the mirror of God’s Word, and recognize who they really are (yes, we are sinners), revival happens.
´3. Revival among God’s people involves a community: men and women, young and old, rich and poor – all united to hear the Word responded as a community. While it is true that personal revival is a daily commitment, there are key moments in the life of a church where the driving force of personal revival is what leads to group revival.
´4. Revival is not about the leader. Yes, Nehemiah and Ezra were strong leaders and cared a lot about Jerusalem and its problems. But revival could only take place when others understood and assumed the same purpose. Although Nehemiah and Ezra led the revival, they did not generate it.
´5. Revival has a broad vision and avoids external distractions. I’m sure the enemies of Jerusalem wanted the city to focus on its problems. Instead, the community of faith turned its attention to God’s Word and His message for that moment.
Restore me, O God!
´Do you feel the need for this personal revival in your spiritual life? Is the time you dedicate to Scripture and prayer limited by many commitments (good as they may be) and a busy schedule? Nehemiah’s story, however personal, is far reaching. He must have often read in the Psalms about this restorative God: “Restore us, O God! Make Your face shine on us, that we may be saved ”(Ps 80: 3). And God really has made His face shine upon His people – and He is ready to do it again.