Wed.’s Devo - Rebuilding the Walls

Read: Nehemiah 1:1-3:14; 1 Corinthians 7:1-24; Psalm 31:19-24; Proverbs 21:4 Nehemiah starts his journal about 13 years after Ezra’s last writing. Some think that Ezra co-wrote Nehemiah with him. Ezra is also credited with writing Ezra, 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles. Nehemiah was a cup-bearer to King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah had just learned from men who had come from Jerusalem that things were not well there. The people were under much reproach and distress and the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates burned. This news upset Nehemiah greatly, who grieved and prayed for God to remember his covenant with his people. He wore his grief on his face when he came to bring wine to the king. Obviously, the king greatly loved and respected Nehemiah to have placed him in such a high honor so he asked why Nehemiah was sad. Nehemiah said a quick prayer then told the king of the news of his country and how bad things were there. The king asked what he could do and Nehemiah had a ready answer. He asked to be able to return and help rebuild the wall and for supplies to do it and enough to build himself a house while he would be staying there. He also asked for letters for safe passage. The king granted him everything he requested and sent captains of his army and horsemen with him. Satan’s men were waiting for him. Sanballat, which means “hatred in secret” and Tobiah, which means “the goodness of Jehovah” were Ammonite officials who were enemies of the Jews. They were most upset that anyone was coming to help the Jews. When Nehemiah reached Jerusalem he rode around the city for three days and observed it situation by night. He didn’t want anyone to know he was there and why. Then he met with the leaders of Jerusalem and rallied them to rebuild the wall. They agreed to rebuild When Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem heard what they were doing they laughed at them and tried to discourage them. They accused them of rebelling against the king. Despite their ridicule, different groups rebuilt their section of the wall and its gates. People from all walks of life worked on the wall: from the priests to perfumers. They all had a mind to work. In Corinthians, Paul had to teach them what a husband and wife were suppose to do for each other. They lived in such a sexually promiscuous society that didn’t know God’s laws of marriage. He encouraged them to stay with their spouse and work things out if possible. He encouraged widows to stay single unless they needed a husband, then remarry. If they were married to unbelievers, he encouraged them to stay and be an example of Godly love and holiness. If the spouse who is not a believer divorced his believing wife, then she was free to go. God has called us to live in peace. Paul explained that you don’t change your situation yourself just because you get saved. When God calls you to a situation, you stay there until He changes it. For example, if you get saved and are in a second marriage, you don’t try to change that. You stay and work from there. That is your beginning of your new life. You can’t change your past. But he does say that if God gives you the chance to be free if you are a slave, you should take it. Selah! God wants us to be a free as we can to serve Him. Lord, help us to endure till the end. Thank you for the grace you give us to live each day. Thank you for our eternal covenant of peace we have with you.