When you look down through the corridors of history, few nations have survived such oppression, years of captivity; and, still stand. Yet, Israel stands as a nation with one of the highest life expectancy (1), highest standards of living within the middle east (2), and highest educated with one of the largest numbers of men and women receiving tertiary degrees (3). Because he heard God’s command, Nehemiah was a layman who played a large role in re-establishing social, political and financial order to the nation after a long period of exile. We can certainly learn much from the book of Nehemiah, if we wish to survive as a nation. Throughout, this in-depth study of Nehemiah, there appeared so many parallels to many of the issues faced by our nation today.
Furthermore, there lays within the history leading up to Nehemiah’s time even more parallels of what lead to their near destruction and captivity.
Although King Solomon began as a mighty king, bringing his nation into the forefront with wealth and power. They were admired throughout the surrounding lands. “So, king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart” (I Kings 10:23-24). Many nations desired to join in alliance with Israel and King Solomon married many foreign women; yet, he made a grave error. He did not vet these women’s ideologies. So, they brought with them other ideologies as well as their pagan worship. Instead of his teaching them of God, they pulled him into their pagan worship; forsaking that which had made him great to begin with.
“For it came to pass…that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God” (I Kings 11:4).
FORGETTING WHAT MADE THEM GREAT
As a result of Solomon’s grave error, the nation split into two; after his death. This occurred in 931 B.C. “The 10 Northern tribes were initially ruled by Jeroboam, and the Southern tribes (Judah and Benjamin) were ruled by Rehoboam.”(4) No longer was there the national pride that glued them as a nation. Nor was there the faith that bound them together as a nation. All their original foundations, that which made them great; were cast aside. Battles and fighting from within, made them an easy target. Furthermore, all the diversity of ideas brought in and taught by Solomon’s wives to the children; caused them to forsake the truths interwoven into the fabric of their strength. Forsaking the history which made them great, they now were destined to repeat all the errors of their forefathers.
“Both kingdoms, however, continued to be characterized by idolatry and immorality. And as God had forewarned, His hand of judgment fell on all of Israel because of their sin. The Northern Kingdome fell first and the people were taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. The Babylonians brought about the fall of the Southern Kingdom in 586 B.C.”(5)
Yet, just as God had prophesied through Isaiah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk and Zephaniah; He would remain faithful to His covenant, despite the people. Because of this, there remained a remnant of faithful Jews whom God brought back to Judea to rebuild the nation. Daniel was one of the faithful, whose prayers came to fruition.(6) Furthermore, his faith and courage transformed the heart of the pagan King who had taken him captive: King Nebuchadnezzar, allowing for the survival of the children of Israel. Esther stood in the gap protecting her people, risking her own life as Queen; during those years of captivity.
ZERUBBABEL, EZRA, AND NEHEMIAH
When Cyrus of Persia overtook the Babylonian empire, he was amazed that God had spoken of him in the book of Jeremiah, long before he was born.
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up (2 Chronicles 36:22-23).
The first group of exiles returning to their land was led by Zerubbabel in 538 B.C. “Over a period of years and tremendous opposition from the Samaritans, the returnees eventually succeeded in rebuilding the temple in 515 B.C. In 458 B. C. a second group, led by Ezra the priest returned. Ezra began to re-establish their faith; however, “they found the Jews in Israel in a state of spiritual and moral degradation.”7
Then, God sent an unlikely person; Nehemiah, who brought about order, beginning with building the wall. Therefore, now, do you realize the importance of studying Nehemiah? Well, until next time; I have to run, work is calling me. But we have a lot more to look at.
CONCLUDING TWEETS
[tweetthis]The book of Nehemiah provides truths that as a nation we should heed[/tweetthis]
[tweetthis]A nation divided will fall, history tells us this in the Old Testament[/tweetthis]
[tweetthis]Nehemiah, a layman, restored social, financial and political order[/tweetthis]
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2017
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FOOTNOTES
1 Human Development Index and its components(Report). United Nations Development Programme. Accessed 12/20/17
2 Ibid.
3 Education at a Glance: Israel (Report). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 15 September 2016
4 Gene A. Getz, “Nehemiah”, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty-Old Testament, eds. John F. Woolvard and Roy B. Zuck, (Colorado Springs, CO: Victor, 2004), 673
5 Ibid.
6 For more information regarding Daniel, I did a full series in 2016 beginning with How to Find Purpose and Joy in This World
7 Getz, “Nehemiah”,673