Wallbuilders

(A Closer Look at Nehemiah)

Wallbuilders are amazing people. These are they who see what needs to be done and give of themselves; time, energy, finances, influence, and support toward completing what's necessary. They rarely have to be asked, they volunteer - from their own heart, their own burden, just because it needs to be done. The man, Nehemiah, was not only a wallbuilder himself, he inspired others to join and give willingly of themselves as well.

We first Nehemiah him in Shushan, when his brother, Hanani, came reporting the conditions in the city of Jerusalem and of the remnant that was living there. Under a heavy burden, Nehemiah began fasting, praying, and repenting for his people. He asked God to grant him mercy from King Artaxerxes, whom he served as cupbearer. One day, while waiting on the king, Nehemiah's face so displayed his inner turmoil, that the king noticed the change. After explaining himself, the result was royal permission to journey to Jerusalem and letters to aid him in rebuilding its walls.

After revealing the favor God had given him with the king, the Jerusalem Jews responded, " 'Let us rise up and build.' So they strengthened their hands for this good work." Despite the scorn of Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, the work began.

Chapter three describes forty-two sections, which made a complete circuit - beginning at the sheep gate and continuing all the way around until it reached the sheep gate again. Each segment was assigned to a specific family or group, (even some daughters were involved!) with periodic comments about the quality of work performed. They worked under tremendous pressure, because Sanballat and his crew were "very wroth" - determined to fight and cause trouble. But Nehemiah put half of his own servants to work on the walls and the other half to stand guard with weapons ready. In addition, those who were working on the wall segments, carried tools in one hand and weapons in the other. Work continued from sunrise until the stars came out - and the workers stayed in Jerusalem to be close at hand. They even slept in their clothes, only taking them off to wash. You see, "the people had a mind to work!"

Not only did Nehemiah use his own servants in the tasks of building and defending, he also fed, at his own table, 150 Jews and rulers, over and above those who'd come from among the heathen to help. Seeing that the bondage was heavy upon the people, he asked for no outside help with the costs of feeding the crowd.

All the while, Sanballat and his cronies were trying every means and suggestion possible to discourage and hinder the work, even to the point where he threatened Nehemiah's life. The walls were up but that gates not yet installed, when a false prophet suggested that Nehemiah take refuge in the temple, he refused, saying, "Should such a man as I flee? And who is there, that being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in." (Nehemiah 6:11) [Note: Those taken into captivity and pressed into the service of royalty, were usually made eunuchs. Though through no fault of their own, this mutilization prohibited them from entering into the temple grounds and destroyed their covenant identity. See also 6:13; II Kings 20:18; Isaiah 56:3-5.]

In 52 short days, the wall was finished, the gates installed, and Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem were put to shame because the whole project had God's favor and blessing. In the resulting celebration, thousands of people rejoiced and stood to hear the priest, Ezra, "read in the book of the law, and gave the sense, causing them to understand the reading. ...for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:5-12)

The rest of the story deals with the courage and zeal with which Ezra and Nehemiah cleansed the temple, reinstituted the priesthood, and exhorted and taught the people; praising the faithful, and rebuking, reproving, correcting those who broke faith.

It seems to me that wallbuilders have the Gift of help. They're a unique breed, with the ability to see beyond what's required to get by, and envision what could be. Would that the Body of Christ would be infused with wallbuilders in our time!