Two popular stories from the Old Testament recount the building of the tabernacle
(Ex 25) and the building of Solomon’s temple (1Kgs 5). They are oft
repeated because they represent every church leader’s fantasy building project.
God gave His direct command to build. The people responded voluntarily, and in spectacular
fashion by giving so much in the way of funds and materials that they had to be
told to stop giving! The work was done by men uniquely called and gifted by God
for the task. At the dedication ceremony God came and personally blessed and dwelt
in the resulting structure. Everyone lived happily ever after (sort of). By contrast,
Nehemiah relates an interesting story of another building project. One that is probably
nearer our experience. He tells of discouragement, doubt and struggle, resistance
and hostility from within and without. Recall that as the book opens the Israelites
had begun to trickle back into Palestine as a result of the proclamation of Cyrus,
king of Persia. (Ezra 1) Ezra the priest had returned to Jerusalem to restore
temple worship but things there had not gone particularly well. It is against this
backdrop that Nehemiah’s story begins. Nehemiah was probably born and raised outside
Palestine and had an important job as cup-bearer to Artaxerxes king of Persia.
Nehemiah had perhaps never seen Jerusalem, yet was moved to ask the king for permission
to return to rebuild the protective wall surrounding that city. At no time does
Nehemiah claim a direct command from God to do this. Rather, he knows that the condition
of Jerusalem was a reproach to the name of God and that preparations needed to be
made for the Israelites as they returned to the land. He prayed for favor (1:11)
and strength (6:9) and did what he knew was right. Nehemiah risked much to
pursue his goal. At minimum, there was potential for outright refusal and humiliation
when he made his request to leave the king’s service, return to Jerusalem and build
at the king’s expense. Though his position allowed him direct access to the king,
he risked being forcibly relieved of the position, if not his life, by allowing
his sad countenance to be seen in the king’s presence. Yet, against these risks
were many hopeful signs. Nehemiah knew God’s Word and thus His covenant with Israel.
(1:8-9) Nehemiah recognized that God’s favor had placed him in a position
to accomplish things others could not. (1:11) Further, his practical experience
allowed him to know what to do when the opportunity arose. It is tempting to cite
ease of accomplishment as a sign of God’s approval. But rarely is real growth and
achievement attained without struggle. Such was the case with Nehemiah. Upon return
to Jerusalem he immediately met resistance from Sanballat and Tobiah, two local
functionaries who did not want to see any revival of the Israelite kingdom. These
men tried threats, intimidation and ridicule to bring the work to a stop. Failing
that, they plotted an armed attack to kill the builders. They even hired a “friend”
to give Nehemiah bad counsel and thus discredit him. An often overlooked aspect
of the story is that God was purifying the Israelite leaders at the same time.
The Jewish nobles and officials had been sinning by engaging in usury, a practice
explicitly forbidden in Scripture. When confronted by Nehemiah they repented and
took an oath not to do so again. Thus, God works both ends of the equation. Neither
sheep nor shepherd is exempt from the refining fire of His Word. Nehemiah’s God-honoring
life began to produce a God-honoring result. His passion created a spirit of unity
among the people and a willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. The example
was set by the fact that the first people to get to work were Eliashib the high
priest and his fellow priests (3:1). Eventually, Nehemiah succeeded in his
mission. Note the immediate result: 1. Reading, explanation and application of Scripture
(8:8) 2. Joy (8:10, 13) 3. Repentance (9:1ff) 4. Rededication
(9:38ff)5. Liberality (10:35-37) 6. Witness to surrounding people
(6:16). Calvary Bible Church has begun a long-overdue program of building
and renovation. Our plan offers many immediate benefits: it replaces our worn-out
children’s building with a bright, new facility. It increases our usable space by
25% to 38,000 square feet. It adds over 30 badly-needed parking spaces. It enhances
our presence in our neighborhood. Please continue to give sacrificially and pray
for the Building Ministry.