The BOOK – Repairing Morals

Nehemiah was the cupbearer at the court of King Artaxerxes. This was a position of high honour. But in this position of familiarity with the King, he had not forgotten his people. The news brought to him about Jerusalem made him very sad. This sadness could not be wholly hidden and the King detected it. The Jews had been back home for almost a 100 years, but had made no attempt to build Jerusalem beyond the restoration of the Temple, because their enemies made it almost impossible. 

He was loyal enough to his people to leave the luxury of a king’s court and go back to rebuild Jerusalem, the capital of his homeland. The King gave consent. We find even today Jews everywhere long to see Jerusalem flourish, and they turn their faces there as their homeland. 

When Nehemiah reached Jerusalem in 445 BC, Ezra had been there for 13 years. Ezra was a priest and had been teaching the people the word f God. But Nehemiah was a civil governor. He had come with the authority of the King of Persia to build the walls of Jerusalem. After he had been there only 3 days, he went up and viewed the walls at night. When he saw their dilapidated condition, he encouraged the people to begin building immediately. The work was accomplished in 52 days by assigning a portion of the wall to each family. Their attitude was expressed in the verse – “The people worked with all their heart” (Nehemiah 4:6)

First the Samaritans, the enemies of the Jews, derided them. They hindered their work so that the Jews had to keep watch night and day. Their derision turned to anger and Nehemiah divided the men into 2 groups, one keeping watch while others worked. Then opposition rose within the ranks. Some of the Jews became tired and complained that there was so much rubbish that the walls could not be built. All this rubble had to be removed in a thick canvas pad on the carrier’s back; there were, of course, neither wheelbarrows nor cars to convey the material. Then the complaint arose that the rich were demanding usury that the poor were unable to pay. Again the enemies tried by craft to bring Nehemiah away from his building, but Nehemiah only prayed and again he foiled his enemy. 

He stood upon a pulpit of wood and read and explained the Law to the people (Nehemiah 8:1-13). This public reading brought true repentance to the people and a great revival broke out. 500 years ago, when Martin Luther read the Bible, the Protestant reformation began. 

I pray that you also read the Bible daily so that you will know the will of Lord in your life and live accordingly, Amen.