The Wall and the Word: Lessons Form the Book of Nehemiah

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. Equally important was the need to rebuild the people as God’s community. How could they be reformed to live according to his will? For this they needed to rediscover what God had said in the Book of the Law. The full story of Nehemiah features both the wall and the Word. Here we examine each chapter to draw out the main lessons. We also focus on three key topics. Nehemiah faced a lot of opposition from many enemies. Why was this, and what can we learn from his experiences? What exactly was this ‘Book of the Law’ and is this relevant to us now? Why was rediscovering the Feast of Tabernacles so important for them, and what can this mean for us? Nehemiah is a largely forgotten book, but an essential part of our ‘God-breathed’ scripture. It’s time to let it breathe again as we seek to rebuild ourselves as a community of believers and strengthen our own lives in his service.