A prophetic sign
Every day we’re asking four questions about part of the Bible. Today Liz Nixon answers:
What did I like about today’s passage?
I like Nehemiah! He is a brave man, one prepared to show his heart to the King. Most servants were expected to be invisible, or, deliriously happy to be in the presence of the King. Displaying sadness was a risk, confirmed by Nehemiah’s fear when he explains why. He is bold in asking for letters to guarantee his safety, and wood from the king’s forest. I imagine he is emboldened by previous kings doing similar with Zerubbabel and Ezra. If you don’t ask, you don’t get!
Nehemiah is a prayerful man, praying bold prayers of petition, confession, and praise. We see his instinct is to pray before he addresses the king with his request. I would love to be more like this! Something I pray over both my children is that prayer would be as easy and natural as breathing, and we see that this is true for Nehemiah.
He is an organised man with a plan, surveying the building work before assigning a variety of men to complete different sections of the wall. Nehemiah wasn’t a priest – he simply served in secular government but used his position to bring back order and stability to Jewish life, as well as a renewed focus on God.
What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
God is at work in the heart of Nehemiah, which Nehemiah acknowledges in chapter 2 and God graciously makes things go well for him with the king, as his requests are granted.
It’s interesting that God wants the walls of Jerusalem to be rebuilt – it doesn’t seem that important given that the altar and temple have already been completed. But a lack of walls around a city meant one of two things – either a poor place without the blessing of God or a defeated place without the protection of God. Rebuilding the walls is an outward sign: God is reminding His people that He wants to bless them and keep them safe within His place. The rebuilt walls remove the shame and disgrace of exile that has been upon them.
The rebuilding of the walls is no less important than the rebuilding of the temple. Both together represent God’s presence with and His protection surrounding His people, which is important for Israel, given they have been exiled away from Him by an enemy superpower. It’s a powerful reminder to them that God has brought them back from exile and He will once more be their Defender and Protector.
What am I going to do differently as a result?
I don’t often feel the need to pray for protection – we are so blessed to live in the city and country that we do where violence is rare. But I want to experience all of whom God is, so I want to also know Him as my Defender and Protector.
Who am I going to share this with?
My friends Michelle and Christian.