Rebuild the Wall, Establish the Gates

Nehemiah 4:6

So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

As people of God, we have a responsibility to be true laborers. There is much work to be done in the kingdom and so we cannot sit idly by as time continues to race forward towards the coming of Christ.

In the time of Nehemiah the wall of Jerusalem was still mostly rubble as a result of the city having been destroyed when they were taken as exiles. Up to this point the temple had been rebuilt, however the walls of Jerusalem, a symbol that meant protection and re-establishment as a city; remained in shambles. This greatly distressed a man of God named Nehemiah and after requesting permission from King Artaxerxes he set out on one of the biggest projects for the remnant of Jerusalem to undertake.

Rebuilding the wall was not an easy task, but what I love about this story is that all those who chipped in to help did as much as they could and what was even more admirable is that they “worked with all their heart”.

Side by side the men worked to rebuild the wall, and this seemingly impossible task that otherwise could have taken YEARS to accomplish, was finished in 52 days! (Nehemiah 6:15)

The building back of the wall, did not come without its challenges. Not only were the neighboring nations feeling threatened by them, resulting in them sending many threats to attack them, but even the people within Judah, their own people, doubted their work and capability.

Nehemiah 4:7, 10-12

“But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.

Meanwhile, the people in Judah said “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” Also our enemies said, before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put and end to the work.” Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

Despite all these challenges Nehemiah and those working on the wall pressed on and continued to work. Nehemiah had responded to these obstacles not by stopping the work or cowering in fear but rather by praying and equipping the workers with weapons. He also put a system in place that if at any point anyone was in distress at a part of the wall, someone could blow a trumpet and all the workers would come running to their aid.

Nehemiah 4:17

“Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other…”

The message I am trying to get across is the very point that here and now we are laborers for Christ and his kingdom. We have walls to build and walls to tear down. We have gates to establish, gates to close and gates to reopen. The current climate that we as Christians are facing in this generation is not an easy one. And yes, much like the people of Judah even our own people ask themselves what is the point? Why continue preaching? Why continue ministering? Why continue sowing the seeds when sometimes it seems as if the fruit will never bear? But God is saying rebuild the wall and establish the gates! If you feel as if you are growing tired and weary, be like Nehemiah and pray “now strengthen my hands” (Nehemiah 6:9). Don’t be like the noble men of Tekoa who would not put their shoulders to work! (Nehemiah 3:5).

Nehemiah had given a speech that is still very relevant to this day. He said, do not be afraid. Remember that God is great and awesome, and fight for your families, fight for your sons and daughters, fight for your wives and your homes (Nehemiah 4:14). Church, we ought to continue to fight for our people! Fight for those who are still lost and bound in sin, fight for those both saved and unsaved. No matter the threats that are set up against us as a people, we must continue to preach the good news, continue to do good and not grow weary. We must continue in the good work of Christ, working with one hand, and having the sword- that is the word of God- in the other. Working together, strengthening each other, protecting and loving on each other for the common purpose of exalting God’s name above all.

Ephesians 6:12

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places”

I close this devotional with a refrain from a hymn written by E. E. Hewitt, that I believe reflects the hope of all of us as believers and also reflects what we all are fighting for.

“When we all get to heaven

What a day of rejoicing that will be!

When we all see Jesus,

We’ll sing and shout the victory!”