November 3-7, Nehemiah 1-11

And all the people gathered as one man at the square
which was in front of the Water Gate, and the asked Ezra the scribe
to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel.

And he read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. (Nehemiah 8: 1 & 3)

Ever ridden on a donkey? I've been on a horse and a camel, but never a donkey. This week we begin our journey with a midnight donkey ride around the walls of Jerusalem. Our guide is none other than Nehemiah.

Nehemiah's name was not just a tag, it was a description of His life; "The Comfort of Jehovah." The word "comfort" contains two meanings. As we read Nehemiah's account, we quickly see that both definitions can be seen in the events. The Hebrew word itself means to "breathe deeply," as when one would sigh, which results in a change of heart and mind.

When I was a child (and through my teen years), I will never forget the times my dad was displeased with my actions. Once he had expressed his thought (in one fashion or another) there was often a long silence. Finally my dad would take a deep breath and once he did, I knew it was over; my punishment or reprimand was complete. This is the kind of breath that is described in Nehemiah's name. God had spoken in the days of Jeremiah that he would be seventy years before His punishment of Israel's sins would be complete. In the day of Nehemiah, God truly took a deep breath, His anger had been expressed and He was ready to move on to a new chapter with His people.

The second meaning of the name speaks of "comfort." It expresses compassion for the difficulty one has faced and the desire to bring comfort. Nehemiah's life was also an expression of this facet of God's Fatherly heart. Often when a parent has punished a child, there is a heart of compassion that wells up. Although they were the one to have inflicted the pain, they are also the one who will give the hug that says, "I still love you." God did not just feel sorry for His children whom He had disciplined; He comforted them!

What was the heart of Nehemiah's great sadness? Unlike the time of Ezra when the emphasis was on the rebuilding of the Temple, Nehemiah was concerned about the fallen walls and broken down gates of the city. Although the Temple had been restored, the protection of the city was still non-existent; it still lay vulnerable to enemy attacks.

I trust that we as believers are seeing the correlation. There are so many believers today that have submitted themselves to God's reign in their heart, and yet the walls that keep us from the attacks of the enemy, and the watchtowers that give the wisdom to know when we need to shut the gates are completely torn down. As a result, believers are overcome by the very things they know they shouldn't do. There is no barrier to keep them from the attacks of the enemy.

Did you notice where this part of the restoration of Jerusalem's walls began? It began with Nehemiah confessing the sins of the sons of Israel. He embraced the their sin as his own, confessing his sins and the sins of his father's house. Nehemiah could have been content to be the closest servant to the king, the one who tasted his wine and assured his safety, but his desire for the safety of God's dwelling place took first place in his heart.

There is so much we can learn from this righteous man. When the king asked him "What would you request?" Nehemiah didn't hand him his wish list. It says, "So I prayed to the God of heaven." Nehemiah knew he needed God's wisdom and direction to effect change to the magnitude of the problem he faced. Man's authority, not even the king's would make the difference if God was not in it.

Once Nehemiah arrived on the scene, he took a quiet survey of all that needed to be done, no matter how discouraging it was!!! Some of the places he visited on that informative night were impossible to cross. But Nehemiah was determined that God's ability to bring success was greater than the ruin that stood in his way.

In spite of opposition, separation, and exhaustion, the walls began to be built. A sword in one hand and a hammer in the other, and with man doing his part, the walls began to be put into place. Whether they were building or fighting, there was a constant awareness that they needed each other! Walls were connected to gates, gates were overseen by watchtowers. Gates were named for what they let in or let out. There are so many facets of truths we could look at if we decided to take our time to fully investigate the wall and gates!!!

One of my favorite portions in Nehemiah comes on Thursday as we stand in the city square by the Water Gate. The Water Gate was named after its location near the Gihon Spring. This was the spring where Hezekiah dug the tunnel so that the people would continue to have water when the city was under siege. It was also the gate that the water was brought into the Temple during the Feast of Booths (Succoth), also known as the Feast of the Drawing of Water. It was at this time of year that the wall was completed, and so the choice of the Water Gate for the reading of the Law held even more significance. The washing of water with the Word marked God's restoration of His people as they stood for hours with a hunger to hear what God required of them. Is it any wonder that Jesus said, "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." The children of Israel had been without water for 70 years. They were finally thirty enough to desire long drinks of God's water. A sip just wouldn't do!!!

We end our week with the leaders, priests and people signing an agreement to keep God's Word and His ways. It was an open display of commitment and accountability. May we, also, stand in the square, drink the water, and sign on the dotted line!