The biblical book of Nehemiah is best known for its account of the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem by the Israelites on returning from exile. But there is much more to the book than this; that’s only half the story.

Equally important was the need to rebuild the people as God’s community living inside the wall. How could they be reformed to live according to God’s will? For this they needed to rediscover what God had said in his Word, namely the Book of the Law of Moses.

In Nehemiah 6:15 we read that the wall was rebuilt in an amazingly short period of time, just fifty-two days. Here was an extraordinary feat, defying normal expectations, and achieved in the face of considerable odds. This could only have happened with the help of their God (6:16). Hallelujah! Job done! Mission accomplished!

From stones to people

However, this is not the end of the book. In fact, timewise we are still at the beginning of the whole story which occupies a total of twelve years (approx. 445 to 433 BC). But we have reached a pivotal point.

Now fully built, the wall was there for the sake of the people. It would serve them.

In the second half of Nehemiah the emphasis shifts from the new city to the new society, from stones to people. Previously the primary focus was the wall. The people were there for the sake of the wall. They served it. Now fully built, the wall was there for the sake of the people. It would serve them.

This was the real purpose all along. Rebuilding the wall was a means to an end, not an end in itself. After all, people are more important than stones. In particular, the people of God are to be living stones, built together to bring glory to God.

A dwelling place for His presence

God does not want his people to be a collection of isolated stones sitting round like broken down rubble. He desires them to become a dwelling place for His presence, a holy temple, joined together, built on strong foundations, and rising to his glory. This can, in fact usually does, take longer. Walls may be built in a relatively short period of time, if there are enough builders, but building up people takes longer, and can be just as fraught with difficulty and dangers.

After the wall was complete, it was time to focus on the society within the wall, to rebuild and reform the people. This change in emphasis is apparent as we go through the second half of Nehemiah. Overall, Nehemiah is a book of two halves: the wall and the Word, hence the title of my new book which takes us through the entire text in a roughly chapter-by-chapter approach (in Part One) but which also seeks to draw lessons from it for today.¹

Essential themes

While expounding the text, certain topics seemed to deserve more exploration, not only to enhance our understanding of these particular passages in Nehemiah but also to extend these themes beyond their initial context and into the lives of individual Christians and church communities. So in Part Two three topics are considered in detail.

• Enemies and Opposition
• The Book of the Law
• The Feast of Tabernacles

The first of these is very common in Nehemiah, who faced so much opposition in many different ways. This is also becoming increasingly the cases for Christians today. How can we relate our experience to that of Nehemiah and the Israelites, and what can we learn from this?

The second topic is one which Christians often find confusing. What exactly was the Book of the Law then, and is it relevant for us now? Opinions vary on the role of the Law within Christianity, but once we understand its essential purpose then clarity can emerge and confidence in its application can be gained.

Opinions vary on the role of the Law within Christianity, but once we understand its essential purpose then clarity can emerge and confidence in its application can be gained.

The third section features a Jewish feast that is relatively unknown to Christians but one which reveals great depths and insights once its place within God’s calendar is recognised.

Where does it fit?

Where does Nehemiah fits into the overall span of the Old Testament? As a book it occurs roughly in the middle, but chronologically it belongs at the very end. In the Jewish scriptures it is actually joined to Ezra, forming a single book, Ezra-Nehemiah, which together with Chronicles brings the Old Testament history to a close.

What comes next after Nehemiah? Nothing! Or at least nothing for 400 years until the voice of John the Baptist is heard crying in the wilderness.

(The concluding part to continue next week)

1. The Wall and The Word (2023: 241pp) is published by Malcolm Down Publishing and is available from the publisher for £10.99 (+ p&p).

Paul Luckraft is a longstanding member of the PT Editorial Board, and longserving PT book reviewer.