GOD’S PEOPLE IN TROUBLE AND SHAME
Nehemiah was a Jewish exile in Susa, the capital of Persia, when he heard news (v2,3 ) from Jerusalem that all was not well, the gates and walls were still broken down. The people there were in great trouble and shame and he wept, mourned and prayed before the “God of heaven”. Nehemiah knew that they were reaping the consequence of their sin (v6, 7, 8) but he also knew the character of God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love and obey him (v5). He recalled the words of Moses that even if they were scattered among the peoples (v8) there was still hope of going back, if the people confessed their sin and returned to him.

NEHEMIAH ALWAYS PRAYED FIRST
Nehemiah prayed for success and mercy in the sight of the king (v11). He had an important position as cupbearer to the king who noticed that something was troubling him for he had never been sad in his presence before (v2). When the king asked why he was sad of heart, and what he requested, his first instinct was to pray again for wisdom (2v4).

THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS UPON HIM
When Nehemiah asked the king if he could be sent to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, the king was very supportive.  He agreed to arrange safe passage for the journey and also provide timber for the re-building (v7, 8). Like Ezra, Nehemiah realised that “the gracious hand” of his God was upon him (v8).

ENEMIES ALWAYS TRY TO DISRUPT GOD’S WORK
There were enemies again, like Sanballat, governor of Samaria, and Tobiah his official who benefited by keeping the people of Israel suppressed (v10).

KNOWING FAVOUR, NEHEMIAH DID NOT DELAY
Nehemiah was a man of enormous organising ability and he was soon secretly inspecting the state of the walls (v11-16).  He then started motivating the Jews there (v17) for  his hearts’ desire was that God’s people should no longer suffer disgrace. His confidence came from the knowledge that God’s hand was upon him (v18); he had been given the favour of the king but he knew God himself was the one who would give them success (v20).

THE PEOPLE HAD A MIND TO WORK
The priests were the first to set to work (3v1) and they rebuilt the “Sheep” gate; then other groups of people were appointed to construct different gates and sections of wall. The reaction of their enemies in chapter 4 was predictable, and we see Sanballat greatly enraged and mocking the workers in front of his associates and army. The builders’ response was to pray to God and leave their enemies to His judgement; meanwhile they got on with the job and before long the wall was half its final height (v6).  We are told that the people had a “mind to work.”

PRAYER AND GODLY ORGANISATION FRUSTRATE THE ENEMY
The enemies, as they heard of the walls progress, were now beginning to get “very angry” (v7) and they plotted to come and fight against Jerusalem and cause confusion in it (v8). Nehemiah’s response was typical: prayer, setting a guard and getting on with the job.  The strength and spirit of the people, however, was beginning to wane as the rubbish piled up and their enemies threatened.  Nehemiah stationed people according to their families and told them to fight for their homes and families;  not to fear because they had a “great and awesome” Lord (v14). This organisation was inspired for even the enemies recognised it was the Lord who had frustrated their plot (v15). Every person was committed to the dual task of work and protection and, at the sign of trouble anywhere, they would rally to the trumpet call. Notice how Nehemiah encouraged them with the words “our God will fight for us (v20).” Working hard from dawn until “the stars came out” they slept within the city and were so focused that many didn’t even stop to change their clothes (v21-23).

SOMETIMES GOD’S PEOPLE CREATE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS
Sometimes there are problems arise within a group of God’s people and here, those with wealth (chapter 5) took advantage of their poor countryman in a time of famine. Nehemiah’s heart  was not, as governor, to demand change but by persuasion he managed to stop this oppression and injustice.

ATTEMPT TO TAKE OUT THE LEADER
Their enemies heard that the wall had become continuous (6v1) and put in a request for a meeting. Their intention was treachery, of course, and they planned to to take out the great leader. Nehemiah was not to be fooled and sent messengers to them saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down” (v3). They even hired a scoundrel to lead Nehemiah the wrong way and give him a bad name (v13) but, despite all resistance, the wall-building work finished after only 52 days. The enemies and nations around about were afraid for they had to admit that it was God who had helped them (v16).

TRUSTED LEADERS
The wall was built (7v1) and the gates were in place; as were the gatekeepers, singers and Levites. Nehemiah then took great care to appoint trusted leaders-Hanani, his brother, and Hananiah who we are told (v2) “was a faithful man and feared God more than many.” There were still relatively few people living in the city, itself, because no houses had yet been built so Nehemiah introduced careful security procedures (v3, 4) to make best use of those who were available. He then assembled the leaders to enrol them according to the genealogy records of the returned exiles, as God had put it into his mind (v5). They selected people carefully and some were excluded from the priesthood because they had never been registered (v64).

EZRA AND A GREAT TIME OF BIBLE STUDY
By the time of the special 7th month, the people of Israel had been settled in their own towns and were, on this occasion, gathered together in the square before the Water Gate (ch 8v1). Ezra was asked to stand up on a wooden platform (v4) and read from the book of the law of Moses. As Ezra blessed the Lord (v6), the people responded and worshipped while a small team of people explained and interpreted his words in ways that everybody could understand. This was a great and holy time and although people wept on hearing the law they were encouraged to rejoice for the “joy of the Lord” was their strength (v10). They then re-instituted the feast of booths (v14), a festival when temporary leafy wooden shelters were lived in for a week, and all this time the book of the law was read there was great rejoicing.

WORSHIP AND EZRA’S GREAT SERMON
Chapter 9 explains what happened on the 24th of the month. This was a special day of repentance, as the people stood up and confessed their sins and those of their ancestors. They read the law for three hours (v3) and spent another three confessing and worshipping. One group cried out with a loud voice to the Lord while another said “Stand up and bless the Lord your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.” Then Ezra declared (v6) in one of the great prayers of the Bible “You are the Lord, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is in it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them you give life….” He then continued to give an excellent summary of Bible history from the time when God chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans (v7); how God found his heart faithful (v8) and then made covenant promises to him. The history was all about God and the things he had done for his people, like the time he heard their distress in Egypt (v9). Despite the people’s disobedience they had a forgiving, merciful God who provided for them, multiplied them into a nation and gave them their own land which was full of the goodness of the Lord (v25). The people continued to rebel, they killed the prophets and, finally in slavery and exile, they found their just deserts. God had always acted justly and faithfully but the people had acted wickedly (v33). It was only in God’s “great mercies” that he did not make an end of them and forsake them (v31). It is important to understand that even though the Jews were in their own land they were still slaves (v36) with kings who lorded it over them and drained their resources. Ezra pleaded with God on the basis of his covenant and steadfast love (v32) not to forget their suffering.

CONTINUING GODLY ORGANISATION
The gathering ended with a firm agreement in writing; a sealed document with the leaders names inscribed (v38). They made a commitment to obey the law (10v28), not to intermarry (v30), to keep the Sabbath and put away the exaction of every debt (v31). They were to give money to the house of their God, work in the house, bring in the firstfruits and firstborn and give tithes to the Levites who in turn tithed to the house of God (v38). In chapter 11 the people in the country cast lots to send 10% to populate the city of Jerusalem and they were really happy when people gave themselves willingly (v2). This chapter lists the different groups of people living inJerusalem.

DEDICATION OF THE WALL
When the wall was dedicated (ch12) they brought in all the Levites to celebrate with thanksgivings, singing and musical instruments (v27). One group of leaders, priests with trumpets, singers and musicians were led by Ezra and proceeded one way round the wall while another company followed by Nehemiah went the other way. They met at the house of God and God had made them “rejoice with great joy” (v43).

EVEN MORE PROBLEMS TO RESOLVE
Chapter 13, in one sense, is a sad one because you can see how even after such an amazing time there was still a tendency for people to disobey God. On one occasion Nehemiah returned to king Artaxerxes and, while away, the priest installed Tobiah (v5) in one of the rooms in the courts of the house of God. Nehemiah was very angry (v8), personally threw out his household furniture and had the chambers cleansed. He was a determined and disciplined leader, an inspired leader and organiser and he re-organised support for the Levites (v10). Some were abusing the Sabbath (v15), some marrying foreign women (v23) but with determination he sorted out those problems as well. The book of Nehemiah proves the value of a godly person with organisation skills for there is always work for them to do!