Name means: “The Lord Is Consolation.”
Not to be confused with: Two other men named Nehemiah who returned from the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 2:2; Neh. 3:16).
Home: Lived at one of two royal palaces at Shushan (Susa) but probably accompanied the king wherever he went; later, Jerusalem.
Family: Son of Hacaliah; probably born in captivity.
Occupation: Cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes I (Neh. 1:11); overseer of the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s wall (2:11—4:23); twice governor of Jerusalem (5:14; 13:6, 7).
Noted for: Leadership skills, profound devotion, prayer, integrity, compassion.
Best known for: Returning from Persia to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls, a project completed in 52 days (6:15) despite heavy opposition; also instituted social and political reforms to repopulate Jerusalem, ban marriage to non-Jews, and eliminate usury.
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Leadership Principles from Nehemiah
Scripture includes few leadership models as thoroughly developed as its portrait of the man Nehemiah. He returned to Jerusalem with the full authority of King Artaxerxes I to rebuild the demolished city, starting with its wall. Many principles for effective leadership stand out in his account, which are discussed in the following articles:
“Leaders Have a Sense of Mission” | |
“Leaders Leverage Their Power” | |
“Leaders Conduct Research” | |
“Leaders Build Community” | |
“Leaders Adapt to Adversity” | |
“Leaders Resist Underhanded Politics” | |
“Leaders Serve People” | |
“Leaders Celebrate Often” |
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Struck by the desperate situation of his homeland, Nehemiah wept. His words offer several essential lessons in the discipline of prayer:
• Nehemiah prayed first. He did not turn to God after exhausting other options. He did not use prayer as a last-ditch effort, as if he had nothing to lose. His immediate, instinctive response was to fast and pray.
• Nehemiah affirmed God’s sovereignty. He realized that the Lord is the awesome King of all nations and people, including Israelites or Persians. He acknowledged that he and his people were dependent on the Lord’s grace.
• Nehemiah identified with his people. He used the word we in his prayer and accepted corporate responsibility for his people’s sin. Rather than blame others, he humbled himself in his honest confession.
• Nehemiah recognized all of God’s promises and commandments. He not only knew what he wanted from God but also grappled with what God expected from His people. He counted on the Lord’s covenant with Israel, welcoming both its privileges and responsibilities.
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Leadership Principles from Nehemiah: Leaders Have a Sense of Mission
Leaders by definition possess a goal. Their mission toward this goal is what guides their decisions and determines their strategy.
Nehemiah’s mission grew out of his knowledge of the Law and his awareness that his people’s sins had brought about Jerusalem’s destruction (Neh. 1:5–8). He also knew that God was willing to forgive their failings and restore them to the Promised Land (1:9). Nehemiah decided that he would rebuild Jerusalem in accordance with the Lord’s promises, and he began to devise a strategy to accomplish that goal (1:10, 11).
Nehemiah did not invent a mission based on his own self-interest. He responded to the word of Jerusalem’s plight with tears, prayer, fasting, humility, and an intense search for God’s will (1:4). As he prepared to go before Artaxerxes, he probably did not know exactly what to say or do—only that he needed to go to Jerusalem. He could not have known everything he would encounter in the ruined city. But convinced that God wanted His holy city revived, Nehemiah stepped forward, and his leadership proved strategic.
Leaders must exert themselves to identify the overarching mission that deserves their commitment, measuring its worth by the extent to which it fits God’s purposes in our world.
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God places His people in strategic positions to accomplish His purposes. God used Nehemiah, a man intimately trusted by Artaxerxes of Persia, to bring about the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s wall.
As cupbearer, Nehemiah had life-and-death responsibility for the king. Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian courts were notorious for political intrigue and assassination. Nehemiah tasted the king’s food and drink to ensure against poisoning attempts.
Cupbearers were often foreigners who became trusted confidants of the rulers they served and enjoyed political privilege and prestige. It was in rulers’ best interests to keep tasters happy, so their requests were frequently granted.
Nehemiah made the most of his position. Unburdening himself to the king about Jerusalem’s plight, he asked for a leave of absence and letters of authority to go and rebuild the city (Neh. 2:3–8). When adversaries at Jerusalem later threatened to falsely accuse him of rebellion (6:5–9), Nehemiah must have been reassured by his close association with Artaxerxes and the trust he had earned through years of loyal service.
God puts us in specific places to accomplish His vision, giving us positions we can use to bring about good works. Like Nehemiah, we should prayerfully consider what God is doing in the world and discern ways to leverage our influence to bring about His will.
More: Centuries earlier, a cupbearer—translated as “butler”—helped win Joseph’s release from prison. His action ended up saving Egypt and Abraham’s descendants from starvation (Gen. 40–41). To find out more about the role of a cupbearer, see the entry for “Butler” in the Jobs and Occupations index.
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Leadership Principles from Nehemiah: Leaders Leverage Their Power
Management has been defined as the ability to get things done through other people. Yet leaders must use their influence to provide the people with what they need in order to accomplish a task.
Nehemiah followed this principle in his plan to rebuild Jerusalem. As cupbearer to Artaxerxes (see “Nehemiah the Cupbearer” at Neh. 1:11), he had the king’s ear, and he leveraged this advantage to his people’s advantage. He asked for and was granted a leave of absence (2:5, 6), letters of reference (2:7), and a government grant for building materials (2:8).
The ability to leverage power remains an indispensable requirement of leadership, especially for groundbreakers in community development and urban ministry. There are plenty of resources to help the poor, but it takes wise and disciplined leaders to align themselves with the powerful on behalf of the powerless. Successful grant writing, resource development, and asset distribution often require a careful cultivation of relationships with people in networks of authority.
As leaders we must know how to befriend others so that we can enlist them in our efforts for good. If we resist or resent those in power, we distance ourselves and our people from the resources we need to accomplish our goals.
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Public Works Projects in the Bible
The wall at Jerusalem was rebuilt at public expense for the benefit of the citizens of the city. Scripture mentions many public works projects.
Project | Purpose |
The city of Enoch | Built by Cain as a place of protection (see the city’s profile at Gen. 4:17). |
The Tower of Babel | Built as a defiant attempt to avoid God’s mandate to populate the earth (Gen. 11:1–9). |
Egypt’s stores of food | Established through Joseph’s wise management to ensure adequate food during seven lean years (Gen. 41:47–49). |
The tabernacle | Built with the gifts of God’s people to provide a worship center (Ex. 35:22–29). |
Solomon’s temple | Planned by David, built by Solomon, and paid for through taxes and gifts to provide a permanent place for worshiping the Lord (1 Kin. 5:3–5; 1 Chr. 29:1–9). |
The Millo | Fortified by Solomon and later by Hezekiah, likely to strengthen Jerusalem’s defenses (see the site’s profile at 1 Kin. 9:15). |
The port and fleet at Ezion Geber | Built by Solomon to provide access to the Gulf of Aqaba for shipping and trade (see the city’s profile at 1 Kin. 9:26). |
The city of Samaria | Founded by Omri as the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel (see the city’s profile at 1 Kin. 16:24). |
Jehoash’s repairs to the temple | Paid for by the people’s gifts as a symbol of spiritual renewal and rededication to the covenant (2 Kin. 12:4–16). |
Hezekiah’s water tunnel | Built to bring water inside Jerusalem’s walls from the Gihon Spring (see “Hezekiah’s Waterworks” at 2 Chr. 32:30). |
The second temple | Commissioned by King Cyrus of Persia (Ezra 1:2, 3) and partially paid for by public funds (1:4; 6:8–10). |
Herod’s temple | Begun in 19 B.C. and worked on until A.D. 64 to gain political favor among the Jews (Matt. 24:1). |
More: DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician, naturalist, and Christian who was responsible for one of the nation’s largest public works programs: the Erie Canal. See here for an article on the life of DeWitt Clinton.
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Jerusalem at the Time of Nehemiah
Much of the city that Nehemiah explored still lay in disrepair seventy years after its fall to the Babylonians. Nehemiah carried out extensive reconstruction, as had Zerubbabel and Ezra. But the city remained considerably smaller than it had been in its earlier days of glory.
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Leadership Principles from Nehemiah: Leaders Conduct Research
Leaders wreak havoc when they lack accurate and complete knowledge. It pays for people in leadership to gather all the information they need to make wise decisions about what paths to pursue.
Before launching his plan to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls, Nehemiah carefully researched the job. He discreetly walked the city by night, surveying the extent of the problems and forming tentative strategies (Neh. 2:11–15). Nehemiah’s low profile was especially appropriate because he was a new member of the community. As a representative of the king, he could have arrived with fanfare and grandly declared his expectations. Instead, he kept his thoughts to himself and avoided attention until he had formulated a plan.
As leaders we cannot be afraid to admit that we need more information. We must do the research it takes to make wise decisions if we want to bring about our goals.
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Leadership Principles from Nehemiah: Leaders Build Community
Most of humanity’s greatest achievements have been accomplished not by individuals but by groups of people working together toward common ends.
Nehemiah understood the power of community as he undertook the task of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. After surveying the situation, he gathered the people and delivered a speech to mobilize the community around the project. He first raised their awareness that something should be done, then instilled confidence that something could be done.
Even though he had just arrived from the palace, Nehemiah saw himself as a participant in the city’s dire circumstances. He bridged the class division between himself and his people by sharing details of royal conversations, showing his listeners that they had a friend in the emperor’s court.
As leaders we are called to break down walls that divide people who need to work together. We build community when we address others as close companions, involve them in local missions, and take a personal interest in their lives.
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Jerusalem was in disrepair. Ezra had restored its temple, but little else functioned effectively. The wall was broken down, the gates burned, the roads cluttered, and most homes and buildings vacant. It was a depressing site; there was still so much left to do. After a private inspection conducted at night (Neh. 2:11–15), Nehemiah evaluated the tasks at hand and chose to start by rebuilding the wall. While the text does not detail his reasoning, several points seem clear:
• The project was achievable. Restoring the city’s commercial and community systems required complex, long-term effort. But the wall could be rebuilt in a mere fifty-two days (6:15). Nehemiah chose to begin by giving an opportunity for success to a people who for decades had experienced nothing but defeat.
• Everyone could participate. Rebuilding the wall did not require many specialized skills. A few carpenters and masons were needed, but most work required nothing more complicated than lifting stones and clearing a path. With everyone involved, the task brought the community together.
• Rebuilding the walls restored security. Jerusalem was wide open to the domination of strongmen such as Sanballat, Tobiah, and their cronies (4:1, 7; 6:1). By enclosing the city within its walls again, Nehemiah bolstered the citizens’ physical and psychological safety. He also served notice that the Israelites were putting thugs out of business.
Nehemiah’s astute planning serves as a model for how we can revitalize a city, neighborhood, street, or home with simple tasks that are doable yet achieve significant results.
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Christ Cares About Communities
The account of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem may seem like a historical footnote, but it highlights a fact with implications for every Christian: Christ cares about communities.
Paul’s New Testament letter to the Colossians provides a key passage for understanding this point. We learn that Christ is the Lord of all of life, both public and private. He transforms us personally but also puts us to work transforming societies and systems (see “The Cosmic Christ” at Col. 1:15–18). Christ wants His followers to participate in public institutions for the benefit of all.
As Christians, we can use public systems—education, health care, transportation, housing, community development—as instruments for good. By engaging these resources we help create healthy communities that promote healthy neighborhoods that encourage healthy families and lead to healthy individuals—and vice versa.
Nehemiah cared about far more than a wall. He wanted his people restored. He envisioned his nation returning to the covenant outlined in the Law. Rebuilding Jerusalem was a step in that direction.
Christ invites us to be as committed to community as He is. He asks us to use our resources—jobs, money, relationships, influence—to accomplish tangible benefits for others.
More: Scripture has much to say about how and why God’s people should be actively involved in revitalizing communities. See the articles under “Urban Life” and “Government” in the Themes to Study index.
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Reconstructing Jerusalem’s wall was a group effort, a fact readily seen in the frequent use of the words “next to” in Nehemiah 3. Without cooperation, it is impossible for people to come together to accomplish meaningful tasks. What one person does affects everyone else, making each person accountable to the team for his or her performance. Finding ourselves “next to” others should prompt us to evaluate our impact on their lives. Scripture offers guidelines for achieving positive impact in Matthew 5:16, Galatians 6:10, and Hebrews 10:24.
More: The apostle Paul urged Christians to see themselves as members of a wonderfully diverse body of Christ working together to accomplish God’s purposes (1 Cor. 12).
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Name means: “Sin Has Given Life” (Sin being the name of a pagan god).
Home: Probably Beth Horon, 12 miles northwest of Jerusalem (see Upper and Lower Beth Horon’s profile at 2 Chr. 8:5), since he was called “the Horonite” (Neh. 2:10).
Family: Likely descended from Israelites left behind when Assyria captured the northern kingdom or from the racially mixed Samaritans that resulted from Assyria’s resettlement of the area; father of two sons, Delaiah and Shelemaiah, according to extrabiblical sources; father of a daughter who married a Jewish priest, causing his removal.
Occupation: Probably governor of Samaria during or shortly after Nehemiah’s work on the wall, according to extrabiblical sources; may have expected to become Judah’s governor had Nehemiah not been given the position (5:14; 13:6, 7).
Best known for: His opposition, in the form of ridicule, rumors, and lies, to reconstructing Jerusalem’s wall.
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As progress on the wall of Jerusalem moved forward, Nehemiah faced increasing opposition. Major opponents emerged:
• Sanballat the Horonite (Neh. 2:10; 4:1, 7; 6:1), probably of Beth Horon. He may have descended from Israelites left behind when the Assyrians captured the northern kingdom (722 B.C.) or from the racially mixed Samaritans (2 Kin. 17:24). Extrabiblical sources hint that Sanballat became the governor of Samaria during or shortly after Nehemiah’s time.
• Tobiah the Ammonite (Neh. 4:3, 7; 6:1) is called an “official” (literally “servant”; 2:10), implying that he was a Persian appointee or Sanballat’s deputy. With a name that means “The Lord Is Good” and a son named Jehohanan (“The Lord Is Gracious”; 6:18), Tobiah may have been at least partly Jewish. His designation as an “Ammonite” may indicate his jurisdiction rather than his background, but other Ammonites apparently joined him in opposing the reconstruction.
• Geshem the Arab (6:1) appears in extrabiblical records that suggest he was king of Kedar, a nation of nomads in northern Arabia. His people (4:7) served the Persians by controlling caravan routes between Palestine and Egypt, so his accusations against Nehemiah (6:6) would have attracted a hearing.
• The Ashdodites (4:7) were inhabitants of Ashdod, one of five principal Philistine cities (see the site’s profile at 1 Sam. 5:1). The Ashdodites mentioned by Nehemiah may not have been full-blooded Philistines, given that the Assyrians had destroyed the city in 711 B.C. It was later controlled by the Babylonians and eventually the Persians, who repopulated it.
These individuals and groups all remained in Palestine during Judah’s exile, struggling for decades in a political, cultural, and spiritual wasteland. The Babylonians had killed or deported many of the best and brightest of the Jews during the capture of Jerusalem, leaving behind the poorest and least capable (2 Kin. 24:14–16; 25:11, 12).
The region inevitably became dominated by thugs such as Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem. The Persians maintained order through these bureaucrats, who did little to redevelop the territory. Jerusalem and its surrounding districts resembled blighted cities and towns where slumlords and petty politicians conspire to keep residents powerless and poor.
Then Nehemiah entered the scene. Unexpected and uninvited, he represented change imposed from the outside. His bold plan to rebuild the wall offered long-term benefits to the community and threatened the immediate interests of local bosses. It is no surprise that these bullies became angry (Neh. 4:1, 7). Nehemiah’s reforms infuriated oppressors who had devised ways to exploit their neighbors (5:1–5).
People who live in neglected communities often resent those who have left them behind, those who oppress them, and those who fail to protect them. When an outsider shows up with plans and promises for a new way of life, resentment may boil over into hostility and violence. But Nehemiah shows us how to work with people—adversaries as well as advocates—to effect lasting and beneficial change.
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Leadership Principles from Nehemiah: Leaders Adapt to Adversity
As soon as our efforts to effect change begin to deliver results, competing interests invariably rise up. But rather than let opponents set the agenda, leaders meet the challenge and press on.
Nehemiah’s adversaries had selfish interests in keeping Jerusalem unprotected (Neh. 4:7). For seventy years they had browbeaten residents left behind by Judah’s exile. Nehemiah’s plan to rebuild the walls and revitalize the city threatened their control.
Nehemiah responded to this new opposition with measured resistance. Rather than escalate a sensitive situation, he defended against further attacks and kept working, adapting to adversity rather than fleeing or overreacting. God rewarded his perseverance, and the wall successfully rose (6:15).
As leaders we must bend and not break, responding to opposition with renewed faith that God will see us through. We must pray and take practical steps to ensure that our work moves forward even as others try to stop it.
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Leadership Principles from Nehemiah: Leaders Resist Underhanded Politics
When intimidation failed to halt progress on Jerusalem’s wall, Sanballat and his allies campaigned to smear Nehemiah’s reputation.
Nehemiah dismissed their accusations, apparently not even bothering to prevent their letters from reaching the king. With a clear conscience, Nehemiah must have counted on the full trust of King Artaxerxes, who knew his years of faithful service. Nehemiah also refused to resort to counter-accusations. Rather than waste time on a verbal exchange that would distract him from the wall, he prayed and ignored the underhanded politics of his adversaries.
As leaders we must maintain our integrity so that our enemies have no grounds for accusations made against us. And we must resist the temptation to engage in their political games, choosing instead to continue the work we have set out to do.
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Building with Belief
DeWitt Clinton (1769–1828) was an American patriot and politician who created opportunities in his public life to put the convictions of his personal faith into action. He believed that biblical Christianity is deeply important not only “to our destiny in the world to come” but for “its influence on this world.” To him, serving the practical needs of the people around us was not merely an earthly endeavor but a spiritual fulfillment of Christian responsibility.
Clinton grew up in New York and studied law at what later became Columbia University. He then worked under his uncle, who was the current governor of New York. Later, he was elected to the state assembly and senate, then to the United States Senate (1802–1803). As a ten-term mayor of New York City (1803–1815), he promoted causes including public education, city planning, public sanitation, and care for the poor. He narrowly lost an election for president to James Madison in 1812. He served twice as New York’s governor (1817–1823; 1825–1828) before he died suddenly while in office.
Clinton’s most ambitious public project—carving a waterway through the American landscape from Lake Erie to the Hudson River—was mocked mercilessly by many of his contemporaries, who called it “Clinton’s Folly” and “DeWitt’s Ditch.” But just as Nehemiah pressed ahead in his work despite raging opposition, Clinton persevered until the great Erie Canal was completed.
President Thomas Jefferson had loudly rejected the idea of building the Erie Canal, calling it “a little short of madness” and declaring that it was a project better suited for the next century. The monumental undertaking involved cutting a channel forty feet wide and four feet deep across 363 miles of forests, swamps, and mountains. More than one thousand workers died of malaria during a single season of the eight-year project. The canal’s route necessitated thirty-six locks to accommodate a rise in elevation of some six hundred feet, and engineers for the project required cutting-edge training in England and Holland. It was difficult to find adequate labor for the project, but many immigrants stepped in to fill the need.
The canal’s expense was almost beyond imagination, but DeWitt sponsored a petition that gained more than one hundred thousand signatures in favor of the project and convinced the New York legislature that the project was vital for the state’s advancement. Seven million dollars was appropriated for the project, the equivalent of perhaps $150 billion today.
The canal turned a profit in its first year of operation. It led to a population surge westward and sealed New York City’s leadership in finance and shipping. It became the nation’s most significant and successful manmade waterway.
Clinton drew strength from the knowledge that his civic engagement was rooted not in mere human ambition but in biblical principles for work in the everyday world. “The ethics, doctrines, and examples furnished by Christianity exhibit the best models for the law,” Clinton declared. For him, one’s faith was not meant to be kept behind closed doors or stained-glass windows. It belonged out in the world, guiding our public words and actions and making a tangible difference in the lives of our fellow citizens.
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Leadership Principles from Nehemiah: Leaders Serve People
Leadership means more than getting things done. Scripture’s greatest leaders not only accomplished things but served people in the process.
Nehemiah never saw rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall as an end in itself or for his own glory. He sought to revitalize Israel’s people and return them to their covenant with God. With that in mind, Nehemiah turned city management over to local leaders soon after the wall was completed in order to avoid creating too much dependence on his skills. He did not exploit the project to gain wealth or fame (Neh. 5:18). And Nehemiah helped residents trace their roots, reviewing Ezra’s census, which had been conducted twenty-five years earlier (7:5; see also “A New Census” at Ezra 2:64). His work set the stage for repopulating the city (Neh. 11:1, 2).
Leadership is about more than getting things done. When we have a heart to serve all who work with us, over us, or for us, people are the clear beneficiaries.
More: Nehemiah’s style of leadership was much like that of Jesus. See “Servant-Leaders” at Matt. 20:25–28 and “Leading to Serve” at John 13:1–20.
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Nehemiah’s list of returnees from the captivity duplicates Ezra’s roll of the families who came back to Judah. These records were highly significant. They named the principal families that returned and likely helped determine land ownership.
These lists also give insight into who chose to rebuild Judah and how society functioned after the Exile. We discover, for example, a group called the Nethinim (Neh. 7:60) who descended from foreigners who served as temple servants beginning in the time of Solomon (see “The Nethinim” at 1 Chr. 9:2). Their presence here in Nehemiah testifies that God reached out to other nations through the Israelites and faithfully preserved them through the ordeal of the Exile.
For more on the role of lists like these in the Bible, see “The Purpose of Genealogies” at Genesis 5:1.
More: The Nethinim were also included among the people recruited to relocate to Jerusalem’s ruins for the purpose of rebuilding the local community. See “The Ten Percent Solution” at Neh. 11:1, 2.
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Leadership Principles from Nehemiah: Leaders Celebrate Often
Effective leaders appreciate the value of celebrating momentous things that God has done. When a task is completed, results achieved, or people served, they make time to rejoice.
When the people finished the wall, Nehemiah launched a celebration (Neh. 8:1, 10). Ezra led off by reading from the Law—the motivation behind Nehemiah’s mission. The words kindled both godly sorrow (9:1–3) and genuine joy (8:10–12). Then with heartfelt praise, choice food, and even an “Amen” chorus (8:6), the community applauded the work they had accomplished with God’s help (6:16). Nehemiah also sent portions of the food “to those for whom nothing is prepared” (8:10). He brought the party to the poor, sharing the wealth, because no one should be deprived of joy.
As leaders we must create ways to celebrate milestones. Rejoicing opens the door to worship the Lord, the source of all good gifts. Let us praise Him for giving us a task and the means to accomplish it.
More: James urged Christians to sing songs of praise when they are happy. See “Celebrate” at James 5:13.
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The Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, and other peoples were dispossessed of the land of Canaan in accordance with God’s promise to Abraham (Gen. 15:18–21). God chose to remove these tribes due to their immorality and idolatry. Find out more about these groups in “The Canaanites” at Joshua 3:10; “Amorites and Canaanites” at Joshua 5:1; and “The Peoples of the Old Testament” at Joshua 24:11.
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The Levites called out to “the great, the mighty, and awesome God, who keeps covenant and mercy.” This was more than a statement about the Lord’s character. It recognized that the Israelites enjoyed a special relationship with God based on a detailed formal agreement. Both parties were expected to fulfill specific obligations, and God could be counted on to keep His end of the bargain. To find out why, see “The God of Mercy” at Deuteronomy 7:9.
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Nehemiah devised an unusual solution for renovating Jerusalem’s abandoned homes and buildings, calling outlying areas to move one-tenth of their people into the city’s ruins. In addition to taking volunteers, the districts surrounding Jerusalem cast lots (see “Casting Lots” at Josh. 18:8–10) for who would move to Jerusalem for the specific purpose of rebuilding community. Those selected were “blessed” (Hebrew: barak; Neh. 11:2) for the task by fellow citizens, suggesting a formal commissioning of families to redevelop the holy city.
Imagine what might happen if Christians took up this “10 percent solution” by moving to towns and cities in need of revitalization—putting children in neighborhood schools, rebuilding or restoring neglected houses, shopping at nearby stores and restaurants, working at local businesses, participating in local politics and civic affairs, and reviving local churches.
People who reinhabit a struggling area must come with a sense of long-term commitment rather than condescension or quick-fix triumphalism (see “Combatting Resistance” at Neh. 4:7). Urban decline can happen quickly, but renewal can take years to accomplish. Nehemiah began with 10 percent of God’s people living nearby. We can begin by bringing this issue before our family, friends, and church, committing ourselves to regaining lost neighborhoods and historical landmarks as the treasures of our earthly inheritance.
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Zerubbabel: Nehemiah’s Coleader
Nehemiah depended heavily on Zerubbabel, as did Ezra before him. Zerubbabel was the crown prince of the Jews and the appointed governor of Judah. To learn about his significant influence on the returnees to Judah, see his profile at Haggai 1:12.
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The repercussions of an incident that happened centuries earlier at the time of the Exodus were still being felt after the Jews returned from captivity. As the Israelites had prepared to enter Canaan, the Moabite king Balak had hired the seer Balaam to curse the Hebrews. God intervened and forced the prophet to bless His people instead. But Balaam later led the Israelites into idolatry, causing them to bring judgment upon themselves.
The Law prohibited Moabites from joining the people of Israel (Deut. 23:3). Yet there were exceptions to this law. The most notable was Ruth, a widow of Moab who married Boaz and became the great-grandmother of David and an ancestor of Jesus. See “Good Out of Bad” at Ruth 1:4.
More: To understand the events that led to the law of restriction against the Moabites, see “The Unscrupulous Prophet” at Num. 22:6, 7 and “Playing with Fire” at Num. 31:15, 16.
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