The Book of Nehemiah, alongside Ezra, chronicles the efforts of God's people to rebuild and restore Jerusalem after their return from Babylonian captivity. Nehemiah 1 reveals the state of Jerusalem about a century after the initial return under Zerubbabel and Joshua, depicting it as an unimpressive and unimportant center with broken walls, despite some Jewish presence amid many Gentiles. The city had not experienced significant rejuvenation or rebuilding. Nehemiah, arriving in Jerusalem about 13 years after Ezra, worked as a contemporary to fulfill a commission under the decree of Artaxerxes, focusing on the establishment of God's Law. This decree was comprehensive, empowering Ezra to set up a civil government in Judah with magistrates and judges, to institute an educational system centered on God's Law, and to enforce obedience with severe penalties if necessary. In Nehemiah 10:28, the importance of separation is emphasized, as God desired the remnant to distinguish themselves morally, religiously, and ethically from the surrounding Gentile peoples by obeying His Law. This separation included avoiding intermarriage with pagans, as noted in Nehemiah 13:23, and refraining from adopting their religious culture. Economically, Nehemiah 10:31 and Nehemiah 5 highlight the need to separate from pagan business practices by not trading on the Sabbath or holy days and by avoiding exploitative practices like enslaving fellow Israelites through debt. Nehemiah's efforts to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, detailed extensively in his book, symbolized a deeper purpose beyond physical protection. The wall represented a separation between Israel and the Gentiles, an emblem of spiritual and cultural distinction, as seen in Nehemiah 2:20 and further actions in Nehemiah 13:15, where he closed the gates on the Sabbath to prevent business with outsiders. Despite initial zeal and a covenant to follow God's Law as recorded in Nehemiah 10, the people's commitment wavered. Nehemiah 13 shows that after a period of absence, Nehemiah returned to find the same issues of intermarriage and Sabbath-breaking persisting, indicating a lack of consistent obedience and a failure to fully separate from Babylonian influences.

The Book of Nehemiah, within the context of Judah's historical and spiritual restoration, highlights the significant role of Nehemiah as a civil leader who arrived in Jerusalem in 444 BC. He was a deeply spiritual man, wise, tactful, and of impeccable character, burning with zealous energy to do what was right. Nehemiah exemplified sacrificial leadership, vision, and courage. His primary tasks were to build the wall around Jerusalem and to complete the Second Temple, relieving Ezra of civil responsibilities so that Ezra could focus on spiritual matters. In biblical imagery, walls are a dominant and impressive feature of cities, symbolizing pride, beauty, civilization, and settlement. They are costly to build, requiring great expenditure of resources and energy, often involving taxation and labor from the city's inhabitants. The wall around Jerusalem, under Nehemiah's administration, served a dual purpose of defense and separation, protecting the Temple and the city—both symbols of the church—and its inhabitants, who represent the members of the body of Jesus Christ. The construction of the wall was not merely physical but carried profound spiritual significance. The people of Judah, under Nehemiah's guidance, had to work hard amidst threatening pressures from surrounding adversaries, racing against time to erect the wall for protection and separation. Nehemiah strategically positioned the builders in front of their own families to provide extra incentive, ensuring readiness to defend if needed. This mirrors a spiritual call to build a literal spiritual wall of character to resist the surrounding world, emphasizing the importance of holiness as a protective and separating barrier. Nehemiah's role as a type of Christ in an administrative capacity underscores his direction to the people, preparing them for God's kingdom. The building of the wall, therefore, reflects both a cooperative effort between God and the people, where yielding in obedience is essential, and a personal responsibility to contribute to the spiritual fortification against external influences.

The book of Nehemiah recounts a critical period when a remnant of the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity around 445 BC, finding their land desolate and vulnerable. Nehemiah, serving as the Persian emperor's trusted cupbearer, is deeply troubled to learn that Jerusalem's walls are in ruins, leaving the people exposed to worldly influences and dangers. He observes that intermarriage with pagans, neglect of the Sabbath, and alliances with enemies are rampant among the Jews, mirroring the sins that led to their exile. Determined to address this, Nehemiah secures permission from the emperor to return to Judah and rebuild the city's walls. Upon arrival, Nehemiah secretly surveys the wall's dilapidated state by night, anticipating resistance from those who see no need for protection. The rebuilding process, detailed in chapters 3 and 4, proves challenging, marked by discouragement and a halt in progress with the wall only half-finished. Threats of attack further demoralize the people, but Nehemiah ingeniously motivates them by assigning each family a section of the wall to build, likely near their homes, thus personalizing the urgency of the task. Through persistent effort and prayer, the wall's restoration becomes a collective endeavor, culminating in great rejoicing as Nehemiah seeks God's blessing for the people, the gates, and the wall itself.

The Book of Nehemiah provides a powerful pattern of spiritual instruction, reflecting the importance of building a wall for protection and separation. After the Jews were released from captivity and returned to Jerusalem, they rebuilt the Temple and, under Nehemiah's leadership, reconstructed the city wall. This physical wall symbolized both defense and distinction from the surrounding world, a concept that parallels the spiritual wall we are called to build. Just as the people of Jerusalem submitted to Nehemiah's guidance to complete the wall, we must submit to God's will to erect a spiritual barrier that separates us from worldly influences. In Nehemiah's time, the builders faced opposition and persecution from those outside the wall, yet they persevered, remaining ready to defend their work and families at a moment's notice. Similarly, we must stand firm, actively working to build our spiritual wall through obedience to God's truth, while being prepared to resist the pressures and enmity of the world. Nehemiah positioned the people to build near their homes, emphasizing personal responsibility, and kept a trumpeter by his side to signal any attack, ensuring collective defense. This illustrates how we, too, must be vigilant, standing in the gap to protect not only ourselves but also the community of believers, mirroring the dedication and readiness of those under Nehemiah's command.

The Book of Nehemiah provides a profound example of national spiritual renewal among the Jews under the leadership of Nehemiah, the governor, and Ezra, the priest. This renewal transformed their nation and culture, with some changes lasting over four hundred years. The process unfolded in three key stages. First, there was the reading, teaching, and hearing of God's Word, led by Ezra on the first day of the month of Tishri, accompanied by Levites who explained the law to the people, awakening them to their sins and the wonders of God's law. Second, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, a solemn assembly was held for national confession of sins, marked by a formal prayer led by the Levites, recounting God's mercy and the people's rebellion. Third, the people made a formal commitment through a binding covenant, signed by leaders, Levites, and priests, pledging faithfulness to God's law as given through Moses. The covenant, detailed in Nehemiah 10, was a response to the authority of God's law and included specific commitments. The people promised not to intermarry with neighboring Gentiles, to observe the Sabbath by abstaining from commerce, and to uphold the seventh-year land rest and debt cancellation. They committed to paying a third of a shekel annually for the service of the house of God, bringing firstfruits of crops and trees, dedicating the firstborn of their sons and livestock, and providing tithes to the Levites to support Temple services. Their focus on the Temple underscored its role as the religious and social center binding the community to God and each other. The covenant emphasized personal and corporate responsibility, with the people collectively pledging to uphold God's entire law. Despite their initial dedication, the people's commitment waned during Nehemiah's absence after his first twelve-year governorship. Upon his return, issues of intermarriage, Sabbath-breaking, and neglect of tithes and Temple services resurfaced, as also highlighted by the prophet Malachi. Nehemiah's leadership was crucial in addressing these backslidings, demonstrating submission to God, focus on righteous goals, wisdom in handling complex situations, and courage to act decisively. The renewal under Nehemiah and Ezra serves as a historical pattern of repentance, covenant faithfulness, and the challenges of maintaining spiritual commitment over time.

The Book of Nehemiah provides significant insight into the historical and religious developments during the intertestamental period, around 445 BC. In Nehemiah 8, under Ezra's supervision, a group of leaders began to interpret Scripture for the people, taking over the role of the Levites with sincere intent to teach God's way of life. This initiative was initially innocent and commendable, aimed at helping the people understand and follow divine instructions. In Nehemiah 10:28-39, the returning exiles made a covenant, pledging to meticulously adhere to the law, including tithing and other detailed observances. They separated themselves from the surrounding peoples to dedicate themselves to God's law, becoming known as the Hasidim, or pious ones. This separation marked the beginning of a significant divide between Jew and Gentile, as they viewed themselves as distinct and devoted to God. However, this focus on separation, inherent in the term Pharisee, originally a mark of devotion, evolved over time. By emphasizing the law, they began to equate it with God, and over the 450 years following this covenant, their perspective shifted negatively. The Pharisees, emerging from these early leaders, developed traits that became critical points of contention by the time of Jesus Christ, transforming from a group dedicated to piety into one marked by elitism and separatism.

The Book of Nehemiah recounts the story of a people returning to their land after 70 years of captivity. In chapter 8, a deeply moving account unfolds as the people turn back to God's way. On the Feast of Trumpets, Ezra brings the book of the law before the assembly, reading it from morning until noon. When Ezra opens the book, all the people stand, showing their solemn regard for God's word, aware of His serious standards of conduct and worship. The priests read and help the assembly understand the law, and though the people are grieved by how far their lives have strayed from God's intent, the leaders encourage rejoicing rather than mourning. The people respond by rejoicing and ensuring everyone shares in God's abundance. On the second day, the heads of the fathers' houses, priests, and Levites gather with Ezra to further understand the law. They discover the command to dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, and they proclaim this throughout their cities and Jerusalem. The people build booths on rooftops, in courtyards, and in public squares, observing the feast as prescribed. This observance, marked by great gladness, is notable, as the children of Israel had not kept it in such a manner since the days of Joshua. Day by day, Ezra reads from the book of the law, and they keep the feast for seven days, concluding with a sacred assembly on the eighth day. This focused devotion during the feast under Nehemiah stands out as special, contrasting with past observances that had deteriorated over time.

The Book of Nehemiah, though placed before Jeremiah in the order of biblical books, is chronologically later. It addresses events within about 100 years after the Jews returned from captivity under Ezra and Nehemiah. During this time, the people were again engaging in the same practices that led to their captivity, particularly conducting business on the Sabbath day. Nehemiah highlights that such actions, including Sabbath-breaking and idolatry, were primary reasons for their earlier exile, as also noted by Ezekiel, who lived contemporaneously with Jeremiah. In response, under Ezra and Nehemiah, a program of education and strict governance was initiated to enforce God's law and prevent sin, aiming to avoid another captivity. However, later generations extended these efforts far beyond the original intent, leading to the Pharisees' development of numerous regulations, including 39 classifications of work on the Sabbath, subdivided into about 1500 specific rules. These rules, such as considering the carrying of a sewing needle or wearing a false tooth as bearing a burden on the Sabbath, demonstrate an extreme interpretation that, while well-intentioned, resulted in unintended consequences.

In the book of Nehemiah, we find a profound example of repentance among the people of Israel. They fully admitted their sins, recognizing the need to separate themselves from the world and to repent of the causes, mindsets, and actions that led to their dire condition. There could be no response from God until they returned to Him with a whole heart. The Jews, during Nehemiah's time, were returning to God's laws as given through Moses, understanding their identity as a called people of God. They acknowledged the blessings that came from obedience, yet found themselves enslaved, realizing that true freedom, their own land, and their own leaders required total repentance before God—a painful but necessary lesson. In Nehemiah 9, the history of Israel was rehearsed before them, recounting their slavery in Egypt, God's deliverance to the Promised Land, and their repeated rebellions. Despite uprisings like Korah's and multiple captivities, God consistently showed mercy and love. Yet, Israel struggled to maintain their commitment. This pattern serves as a reminder that God will respond similarly to us if we cry out in repentance, considering our own lost and helpless state. In Nehemiah 10, Israel sought God's help and miracles through repentance and ordering their lives, making their hearts right before Him. All the wishing, prayers, offerings, and physical acts were insufficient without deep repentance. They appreciated being selected as God's people and valued His laws. Likewise, our first step must be to humble ourselves, repent of hatred, wrong attitudes, pride, laxness in keeping God's laws, laziness in prayer and study, disrespect, and competitive spirits, so we may beseech God to gather us again as His people.