THE MAIN IDEA
Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem because of his submission to God’s plan in solidarity with God’s people and remained steadfast in God’s promises.

BACKGROUND OF TEXT
fter decades of captivity under the Babylonians, Medes, and the Persians, King Cyrus issued a decree allowing the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. After hearing reports from those who traveled back, Nehemiah’s heart sank when the report included the ruins and destruction of Jerusalem’s walls. He prayed and felt burdened to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the city.

SUBMISSION TO GOD’S PLAN
Nehemiah was a cupbearer, responsible for pouring drinks and wine for King Artaxerxes. He couldn’t just get up and leave for Jerusalem; he needed permission from the King. Making such a request was bold, but the King noticed Nehemiah’s disfigured face, saddened by the report concerning Jerusalem’s walls. The King asked Nehemiah what was wrong. After hesitating Nehemiah prayed then replied that he was saddened by the fact that the city of his ancestors still lay in ruin and disgrace. Normally, such a request might be slightly insulting to the King, especially to the sovereign of an empire that succeeded the Babylonians who had destroyed Jerusalem. Yet the King granted Nehemiah's request and even assigned him an entourage and military escort. How did this happen? Nehemiah points out that God’s gracious hand has been upon him. We do not need to be concerned about the results, for when we are truly submissive to God’s plan, it will all work out in His timing. We need to focus on simply serving God and giving Him all the glory. God will take care of the rest in His sovereignty.

SOLIDARITY WITH GOD’S PEOPLE
Once Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem, the expedition team rests for three days. During the break, Nehemiah himself goes out to Jerusalem at night to inspect the destruction and to have a firsthand experience of the site. Being a civil engineer, he needs all the information before rebuilding the walls. He returns to the camp and informs the rest of the Jews about the purpose of the trip, which had remained a secret. Nehemiah knew that he could not rebuild these walls by himself; he needed the help of all those who joined him. Nehemiah also provides testimony to the men, stating that God’s gracious hand was already upon him when he presented the request to King Artaxerxes I. Likewise, if we want to show solidarity with our brothers and sisters, we must be involved first. Second, we must encourage our fellow brethren by praising God and giving testimony to all that God has done for us in the past.

STEADFAST IN GOD’S PROMISES
As they prepared to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah faced criticism from three individuals (Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem) who would later cause more trouble for him in Nehemiah 6. They questioned if Nehemiah was rebelling against the King, to which Nehemiah replied that the God of heaven would provide success. We can push past every opposition and adversity, remaining steadfast in our faith, because we know that our God will always bring victory. God will not allow us to go through a temptation or trial that is impossible for us to overcome. We can rely on Christ, for He understands us. He knows the temptations we face every day. He faced temptation when He was on Earth and overcame it without sinning. Therefore, we can boldly come to His throne for help in overcoming all trials and temptations because He is the only one who can overcome them.

APPLICATION

• We must fully commit and submit to God’s perfect plan and timing.

• We must stand in solidarity with God’s people to accomplish His plan.

• We must rely on God’s promises to help us remain steadfast in the faith.

DISCUSSION QUESTION
How can we encourage our fellow brothers and sisters to be submissive to God’s plan and remain steadfast in their faith?