Wow Nehemiah is rich. I think one could spend weeks and weeks in it and never plumb it’s depths. He was such an extraordinary leader that it is hard to remember that this story is about God and his desire for His people, and less about Nehemiah’s great leadership.
Having said that though, I do think he is one of the great’s of the faith. We need to talk about him more.
What we learn from Nehemiah
A) It just takes a yes. It had been almost 100 years that the Israelites hadn’t build the wall. It was too massive for them. They were waiting for masses of people to return from Babylon, but only 1 (and his entourage) came back that made the difference. It was just someone who said, “let’s do this.” And they did.
B) What is impossible with our eyes is impossible with God. They considered the rebuilding of the wall the impossible task. So they didn’t do it. But once they did, it only took 52 days. What they couldn’t do because it was too massive only took 52 days! Our eyes deceive us.
C) The impossible is accomplished when people work side by side. Neh 3 seems like a boring chapter, but it’s actually the secret sauce. The impossible was accomplished because normal people took part.
D) Ignoring the Voices of the Enemy – When God does a great work, the enemy sets up camp next door. And this is exactly what happened. Their enemies were mocking them, intimidating them, threatening them and spreading false accusations. Nehemiah knew the truth and walked firmly in that.
E) Worshiping God is the place of Joy – I’ve been surprised by how much emphasis is placed on music, singing and being joyful in the Lord. We need to cultivate more joy in our own lives and in our church lives
F) We need to deal with our stuff – Everything wasn’t rainbows and roses. The Israelites were walking in the ways of the world. Nehemiah confronted them and they repented. We can’t let sin slide.
G) Steadfastness is a necessity – Oftentimes after a great work there is great attack and people give in. This is exactly what happened in Nehemiah. When the wall was built and Nehemiah was away, the enemies of God literally moved into the temple, the people stopped giving, the Sabbath was being violated and more. Discipleship is not an event with a beginning and an end, but a life long journey.
H) Godly leadership matters. Leaders influence people. For good or for bad, they influence. It’s important to have Godly leaders. And it’s important for Godly and righteous leaders to lead well, encouraging the people and standing up against attack.
There’s so much richness in the book of Nehemiah. It’s a book that it’s nice to camp on. If you haven’t read it lately, I highly encourage it. Nehemiah was a righteous man and a great leader. And because he said yes to God even though he was very much afraid, the Lord did amazing things through him.