“Let Us Rise Up And Build”
by Micky Galloway
Nehemiah 2:18, “And I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me, as also of 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 the good (work).”
The book of Nehemiah recounts the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and the establishment of civil authority under the governorship of Nehemiah. God had promised about 200 years before the captivity, that a faithful remnant would be restored (Isaiah. 10:20-23) and that Cyrus “shall perform all my pleasure, even saying of Jerusalem, She shall be built; and of the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid” (Isaiah 44:28-45:1). God’s people had returned to their homeland with good intentions of rebuilding the temple. However, after laying only the foundation, the work came to a halt. Due to threats and hostility from the Samaritans and other enemies some sixteen years passed and the temple was not finished. Sanballat and his followers, Tobiah and Geshem, were grieved exceedingly that Nehemiah had come, “to seek the welfare of the children of Israel” (Nehemiah 2:10) and rebuild the walls around the city. Haggai, Zechariah, and Zerubbabel led the people to finally complete the building of the temple during the reign of Darius, (according to Cyrus’ original decree in 536 BC). It was completed in only four years; 520-516 BC. Haggai’s central focus was to build the temple. He asked, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your ceiled houses, while this house lieth waste?” (Haggai 1:4). Haggai’s message was heard. “And Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work on the house of Jehovah of hosts, their God” (Haggai 1:14). Under the leadership of Nehemiah (who was a contemporary of Ezra and Haggai), the work of rebuilding the walls of the city of Jerusalem was finished in 444 BC in only fifty-two days (Nehemiah 6:15). Nehemiah’s words were also heeded. “So, we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto half (the height) thereof: for the people had a mind to work” (Nehemiah 4:6). Ezra assumed the task, as scribe, of teaching the law of Judah and restoring the temple service and worship.
These men lived during a time of moral and spiritual decline; a time of discouragement, despondency, carnality, and social upheaval, not unlike our own. Lessons to be learned:
1. Stay focused! When the people were released from captivity by Cyrus, they returned to the land with great enthusiasm. After the foundation of the temple was laid, “they sang one to another in praising and giving thanks unto Jehovah, (saying), For he is good, for his lovingkindness (endureth) for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Jehovah, because the foundation of the house of Jehovah was laid” (Ezra 3:11). Then they met the opposition of the Samaritans and, “the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building” (Ezra 4:4). Additionally, a new decree was made by Artaxerxes the king to stop the building the temple. Then the enemies of God’s people, “went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia” (Ezra 4:23-24). During these sixteen years, the Jews lost sight of their purpose for returning. Haggai called upon them to, “Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith Jehovah” (Haggai 1:7-8). They had time and interest to build their own ceiled houses while the house of God lay in ruins (Haggai 1:4). Brethren, “Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth” (Colossians 3:2; cf. Matthew 6:19ff).
2. Work! The people responded to Haggai and “they came and did work on the house of Jehovah of hosts, their God” (Haggai 1:14). They responded to Nehemiah and said, “Let us rise up and build. So, they strengthened their hands for the good (work)” (Nehemiah 2:18). Brethren, Jesus said, “We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4).
3. Work passionately! When Nehemiah heard of the distress of Jerusalem, he, “… sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4 NKJV). After he organized the work among the people, “They all builded the wall and they that bare burdens laded themselves; every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon” (Nehemiah 4:17). The walls went up because the people “had a mind to work” (Nehemiah 4:6). Can you begin to imagine the work we can do when “all” the people work heartily with such passion?
4. Work together! It was not opposition of their enemies that caused the work to cease, but the distraction of internal strife. In Nehemiah chapter 5 they had borrowed money from their neighbors for taxes and were offering their lands and their children for collateral. When they could not pay, others owned their lands and children. “And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words … Also I said, The thing that ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?” (Nehemiah 5:6, 9). Clearly listed among the things “which Jehovah hateth” are, “A heart that deviseth wicked purposes, Feet that are swift in running to mischief, A false witness that uttereth lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19). The apostle Paul expressed it this way, “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another” (Galatians 5:15; cf. James 3:13-18). All happy, successful work in the church of Christ will be work done by spiritual men, actuated by spiritual motives, and depending on spiritual strength. When we are distracted by complaining and murmuring, the work ceases!
5. Do not compromise! “Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and unto the rest of our enemies, that I had builded the wall … that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in (one of) the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:1-3). Nehemiah’s response to a direct threat against his life should enlighten us. When he was told of an assassination attempt and offered refuge in the temple, he said, “Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in” (Nehemiah 6:11). Today, the Lord desires men who will disregard personal concerns and do His work!
6. Trust the Lord! It is “God that giveth the increase” (I Corinthians 3:7). Nehemiah’s confidence is first seen in his prayers (Read Nehemiah 1:6-11; 2:4). If the walls were to be built, it would be God who blessed their labors. In the midst of their enemies, he told them, “Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses … our God will fight for us.” (Nehemiah 4:14, 20). It was Paul who said, “I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
At an earlier time in Israel’s history Ezekiel lamented the indifference of the people with regard to their standing before God (Read Ezekiel 22:23-30). The old prophet, “sought for a man among them, that should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30).
There is much work to do! A recognition of the current troubles that face the people of God ought to rouse each of us to a zeal for Him and His word. Let us rise up and “build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land.”