“I’m in love with Nehemiah!”
A fellow Farmerville High School graduate who sits beside me at Bible Study Fellowship fairly shouted the words. Maybe it’s because she used to be a cheerleader.
But more likely, it was just because she feels so strongly about what we had been studying for the past few weeks – the book of Nehemiah. I had reported earlier to our class in more softened tones: “Nehemiah is my hero.”
This Old Testament book is one of only eight that we’ve studied this year during “People of the Promise: Exile & Return,” but it has had the most impact on me. I’ve confessed this before here, so my longtime readers won’t be surprised: I had never read the book of Nehemiah until this year.
And because it’s not a book of prophecy, I wasn’t even familiar with select verses from there, as we sometimes are from other prophetic books. The most widely known verse from this gem of a book is probably Nehemiah 8:10: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”
So what caused me and my high school cohort to have such strong feelings about Nehemiah? You could say it’s the theme of the book – restoration. It presents the tale of the Israelite captives as they rebuild Jerusalem’s wall and begin to rebuild their lives.
The book of Nehemiah tells how Nehemiah, serving in Persia, learns that Jerusalem is still in ruins and feels compelled to act. With royal support, he returns to lead the rebuilding of the city’s decimated walls, organizing families and overcoming steady opposition, completing the work in just 52 amazing days.
Along the way, he also confronts internal problems – injustice, discouragement and spiritual drift. The story ultimately becomes as much about renewing the people’s hearts, seen in their return to God’s Law and covenant, as it is about restoring the city itself.
As we studied, we noticed several things:
– Nehemiah prayed, planned and then acted – Before ever approaching the king, Nehemiah wept, fasted and prayed (Nehemiah 1:4), then carefully planned his request and inspection of the walls (2:4–8, 2:11–15).
– The work belonged to everyone – Families, priests and merchants all took part, building side by side despite ridicule and threats from surrounding enemies – and despite the fact that some people refused to participate (3:1-32; 4:1-3).
– They built with vigilance – With opposition mounting, the workers labored with a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other, ready at any moment (4:16-18).
– Spiritual renewal mattered as much as physical rebuilding – After the wall was completed, the people gathered to hear the Law, respond with conviction and renew their covenant with God (8:1-12; 9:38).
– Restoration didn’t “stick” automatically – When Nehemiah had to return to Persia and later came back, he found the people slipping into old habits, which required bold reforms to restore proper worship and justice (13:4-11, 13:15-30).
And that may be one of the most striking lessons of all.
Rebuilding the wall took 52 days. Rebuilding the people took much longer.
In fact, it was an ongoing process. When Nehemiah returned and found the temple misused and the people drifting, he didn’t shrug and say, “Well, we tried.” He acted – decisively, even forcefully – to set things right.
It’s a scene that, for me, brings to mind another moment centuries later, when Jesus entered the temple and drove out what didn’t belong there.
Maybe that’s part of why the book resonates so deeply and why my friend and I have come to love Nehemiah so much.
It reminds us that restoration is not a one-time event. It’s something we return to over and over – rebuilding, renewing and, when necessary, making room again for what truly belongs.
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Sallie Rose Hollis lives in Ruston and retired from Louisiana Tech as an associate professor of journalism and the assistant director of the News Bureau. She can be contacted at sallierose@mail.com.
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