VF: 11 The Representative of Visionary Faith

Chapter 11

The Representative of Visionary Faith

Nehemiah

Table of Topics

A) Nehemiah’s Responsibility

B) Nehemiah’s Resolve

C) Nehemiah’s Risks

D) The Requirements of Visionary Faith in Nehemiah’s Life

D.1) Hard work

D.2) Humility

D.3) Holiness

E) God’s Resources in Nehemiah’s Life

E.1) God’s protection

E.2) God’s provision

E.3) God’s power

E.4) God’s opportunities

E.5) God’s people

E.6) God’s promises

Extras & Endnotes

We believe Nehemiah is a unique biblical example of visionary faith. Unlike other biblical characters, he was not given direct divine revelation to pursue the mission that he did. ^[1] He had Scriptures that told him of God’s general desires for Jerusalem (cf. Ps 122:6-9), but God did not tell him to do it. In fact, it is possible that if Nehemiah had not decided to pursue the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, that it might not ever have been done.

Accordingly, we believe his desires were an example of visionary faith, and a unique one at that. Accordingly, he illustrates many of the things we have discussed in the previous chapters regarding visionary faith.

A) Nehemiah’s Responsibility

First, we discussed our responsibility in visionary faith to be faithful with the gifts and resources God gives us, and to use them to serve God in specific ways. Nehemiah was in a unique position to help God’s people. As “cupbearer” to King Artaxerxes (Neh 1:11) he was one of the most esteemed men by the most powerful person in the world at that time. ^[2]

B) Nehemiah’s Resolve

Secondly, we discussed the resolve involved is such endeavors. Such desires usually spring from a burden we gain by recognizing a great need. This was certainly true of Nehemiah.

He first hears of Jerusalem’s condition through his brother who reported, “The people who survived the exile and have returned to Judea are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire” (Neh 1:3). Our resolve and the burden that accompanies it will have an emotional element. When Nehemiah hears the state of Jerusalem we read: “When I heard these things, I sat down and cried. Then for several days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven” (1:4). That is a man experiencing a burden and forming a resolve.

We have mentioned that in forming our resolve to do something for God, research into the need is valuable. Nehemiah asked questions: “Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I asked questions about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem” (1:2).

He also personally visited Jerusalem to investigate the need:

I went to Jerusalem. After staying there three days, I went out during the night with a few men. . . . examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. (2:11, 13)

It was during this personal research that Nehemiah told the people: “Do you recognize the trouble we are in? Jerusalem is in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace” (2:17; cf. Ezra 1:5).

The resolve of Nehemiah and the people were tested many times. Nehemiah records:

Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the workers is running 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 an 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.”

Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.

After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” (4:10-14)

Nehemiah demonstrated his resolve as well when he responded to his enemies who “mocked and ridiculed us” and he “answered them by saying, ‘The God of Heaven will give us success’” (Neh 2:19-20; cf. 4:1-9). Likewise, in response to threats of physical harm and death, Nehemiah told the people, “Our God will fight for us!” (4:20).

The persecution included slander when an enemy sent this message:

“It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Also, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed Prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together.” (6:6-7)

Nehemiah resolutely defended himself, just as we may need to at times as well: “I sent him this reply: ‘Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head’” (6:8). Nehemiah understood that his enemies, “were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed’” (6:9).

Opposition against Nehemiah included his enemies trying to distract him from focusing on the mission. Five times his enemies sent a message asking him to meet with them (cf. 6:1-5). He replied every time: “I am working on a great project and cannot stop. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” (6:3).

As is typical, however, some of Nehemiah’s opposition came from those posing as God’s people. He speaks of “the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me” (6:14).

C) Nehemiah’s Risks

The risks involved in Nehemiah’s visionary faith were considerable. Even when his king asks him the reason for his sadness, giving Nehemiah a great opportunity to ask for his help, Nehemiah says, “I was very much afraid” (2:2). Evidently one did not usually make requests of a Persian king.

Later, of course, the enemies of the Jews even threatened to kill the workers rebuilding the wall. Nehemiah reports: “Our enemies said, ‘Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work’” (4:11). And so:

From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. . . . Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. (4:16-18; cf. v. 23)

D) The Requirements of Visionary Faith in Nehemiah’s Life

D.1) Hard work

Obviously it required a great deal of very hard work to rebuild the rubble of Jerusalem’s rock wall, and construct and install gates. Nehemiah comments personally: ^“I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land” (5:16). Likewise, he reported of the people: “the people worked with all their heart” (4:6). He describes the work of one group as follows:

The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. They also repaired five hundred yards of the wall as far as the Dung Gate. (3:13)

D.2) Nehemiah’s Humility

Nehemiah’s humility is demonstrated in at least two ways. First, he prayed a lot. We count ten specific mentions of his praying (cf. 1:4-11; 2:4; 4:9; 5:19; 6:9, 14; 13:14, 22, 29, 31). He understood that God was His provider, master, and judge.

Secondly, Nehemiah showed a great deal of respect for the pagan king he served under, asking his permission to embark on his mission, and continuing to serve this king throughout his life. He writes: “In the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Sometime later I asked his permission and came back to Jerusalem.” (13:6-7)

 

D.3) Nehemiah’s Holiness

Holiness is especially evident in Nehemiah’s life. When he discovered that the Jewish “nobles and officials” were financially oppressing their countrymen (cf. 5:1-7), he “called together a large meeting to deal with them” (5:7). He told them:

“What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But stop charging interest!” (5:9-10)

Nehemiah likewise reports regarding his integrity:

Also, for the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah- from the twentieth year to the thirty- second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. The former governors had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way. (5:14-15)

Once when Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem after an absence he writes:

I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I returned the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.

I also learned that the portions of food assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and singers responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. So I rebuked the officials and asked them, ‘Why is the temple of God neglected?’ Then I called them together and assigned them to their responsibilities. (13:7-11)

 

Likewise, he describes a great deal about how the Jews were breaking the Sabbath. Notice how committed, diligent, and outspoken he was regarding obedience to God’s word:

When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day.

Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. But I warned them and said, ‘Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you.’ From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. (13:19-22)

E) God’s Resources in Nehemiah’s Life

E.1) God’s protection

As noted above, there was a great amount of opposition from dedicated, angry, and powerful enemies against Nehemiah’s mission. Even their lives were threatened. And while Nehemiah took practical precautions in arming the workers, it is obvious that God divinely protected the mission as well. For example, surely because God was working, Nehemiah reports regarding his initial visit to Jerusalem “The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me” (2:9).

E.2) God’s provision

God’s provision of all that Nehemiah needed is especially evident. Building the walls of an entire city required a substantial amount of materials. Because God granted Nehemiah “favor in” the king’s “sight” (2:5), Nehemiah writes:

I also said to him, ‘If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe travel until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?’ And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. (2:7-8)

Later, the Jewish people themselves contributed generously to the work:

Some of the family leaders gave gifts for the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold coins, 50 gold basins, and 530 robes for the priests. The other leaders gave to the treasury a total of 20,000 gold coins and some 2,750 pounds of silver for the work. The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the priests. (7:70-72)

E.3) God’s power

When Nehemiah’s enemies “were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed’” Nehemiah “prayed, ‘God please strengthen my hands’” (6:9).

God’s provision of strength is evident in that “the wall was completed in fifty-two days” (6:15). Accordingly, “When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God” (v. 16).

Later, Nehemiah refers to an aspect of God’s strength, which may be the most famous statement in the book. He tells the people, after the completion of the wall and a time of repentance: “the joy of the LORD is your strength” (8:10).

E.4) God’s opportunities

We need to remember that while Nehemiah had a favored position as cup-bearer to the Persian king, the Jews were still under political and military captivity to the Persian nation. Nehemiah could have done nothing for the welfare of the Jews without permission from his pagan master. Accordingly, Nehemiah asked: “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it” (2:5). And Nehemiah understood that, “because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests” (2:8).

E.5) God’s people

Obviously, Nehemiah took on a task that was far too big to accomplish on his own and God needed to provide him with skilled people to help him. Upon Nehemiah saying to the people, “let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem” the people “replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work” (2:18).

God also provided special, qualified, trustworthy, and committed workers for Nehemiah:

I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do. . . .

I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because these men were considered trustworthy. (7:1-2; 13:13)

E.6) God’s promises

Nehemiah was well versed with the biblical promises given the Jews. In the process of forming his resolve to rebuild Jerusalem, he recited this promise in prayer to God:

Remember the instruction You gave Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to Me and obey My commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’” (1:8-9)

And Nehemiah claimed this promise for himself and the people, giving him some confidence that God would bless his efforts.

Extras & Endnotes

A Devotion to Dad

Father, raise up more Nehemiah’s in this generation that see the great trouble Your Church is in and commit themselves to rebuilding it. And may You be glorified in their lives as You were in Nehemiah’s. Let us not cower before our critics and enemies but exhibit the dedication and courage of Nehemiah.

Gauging Your Grasp

1. What aspects of Nehemiah’s life and experience are you most impressed with and want to emulate?

Recommended Reading

• Visioneering, Andy Stanley (Multnomah, 1999). Very practical study of the topic of leadership vision with Nehemiah as the base text.

Publications & Particulars

1. Regarding how and why Nehemiah pursued rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and the probable OT prophecies that prompted him, see section 14.18.B.2. ↑

2. Regarding ancient cupbearers we read:

   An officer of high rank at ancient oriental courts, whose duty it was to serve the wine at the king’s table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues, a person must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold this position. He must guard against poison in the kings’ cup and was sometimes required to swallow some of the wine before serving it. His confidential relations with a king often endeared him to his sovereign and also gave him a position of great influence.

   Nehemiah (cf. 1:11) was cupbearer to Artaxerxes Longimanus and was held in high esteem by him as the record shows. His financial ability (Neh 5:8, 10, 14, 17) would indicate that the office was a lucrative one. . . . Assyrian palace reliefs show how important the office of cupbearer was in relation to that of other court functionaries.

   Regarding the Persian Kingdom:

   It expanded to eventually rule over significant portions of the ancient world which at around 500 BC stretched from the Indus Valley in the east to Greece, making it the biggest empire the world had yet seen. (Ref. unavailable) ↑