What do you think of the church? How do you think we are doing when you think of Christians, whether that’s the church all around the world. What about the local church, our own church here. How do you think you are doing as a Christian?
I’ve tended to hear Nehemiah preached as being about building projects and leadership with Nehemiah as a good example for us of things like prayer, planning and preparation. Of course it is helpful for those kinds of things. However, that’s not really the main point. Rather, it’s a love story, the story of how Nehemiah loves his home city, Jerusalem and seeks her restoration.
We’ve begun to see how there were types, or foreshadows of Jesus in the story of what happens after the exile. The Temple points to Jesus as the place where God meets his people and is reconciled to them. The walls point to Jesus as our protector. Then we saw in chapter 1 that Nehemiah himself points to Jesus. Christ is the true and better Nehemiah.
So, where then are we meant to fit in the story? Revelation 21-22 talks of a new Jerusalem coming out of heaven, it is The Church, the bride of Christ, the Lamb. We are meant to identify with Jerusalem in the story, the city that is ruined and shamed. Just as Jerusalem needed someone to save, heal and restore her, so too do we. So, there’s an invitation to see and meet Jesus here in the story of Nehemiah.
- Meet Jesus -the one who intercedes for us (v1-8)
Nehemiah goes to see the king, he’s sad/downcast, this is not how he would normally appear in front of the king. This is the first time he has let the king see him like this. He has been fasting and mourning but has been keeping up appearances. It’s been four months since he first received a report about the state of the city and it’s now around about April time. He possibly allows his emotions to show because this is a special banquet where custom means that the king will grant favours (v1-3).
On a side note, there is something in slowing down, no rushing to speak or act but taking time to hear God. The crucial thing here is that he starts to speak and act at just the right time.
The king questions him and he explains that he is grieved by the state of his home city. He describes it as the city of his ancestors’ graves (v4-5). He may be being a little coy, not wishing to explicitly identify it as Jerusalem until he knows how things will be seen politically. There has been opposition to work in Jerusalem, especially on the temple (c.f. Ezra 4).
He may refer to “ancestors’ graves” because the Persians respected the dead. However, it is striking that he thinks of home in those terms. It is a place of death. It should be a place of life. Are there places that have become just that, places of death to you.
The Queen is introduced as sitting next to the king. This is a strange little detail. Why is our attention drawn to her? There’s a tantalising possibility that this is Esther, in which case she would be favourable to Nehemiah. Perhaps there was someone else speaking up for God’s people. However, the crucial point is that the Queen would not usually attend kkkkkkkkkkkkstate banquets and so it is likely that we now move to a more private setting and Nehemiah can go into more detail.
Jesus like Nehemiah is the one who sees our state but loves us. He is described as interceding to the father for us. He’s the one who can go into the Father, into the holiest place and speak for us.
- Meet Jesus -the one who searches and knows us (v9-18)
When Nehemiah arrives, he doesn’t rush to work or even to tell people his plans. Instead, he takes time to explore the city and to see firsthand the situation that he has heard reported. Despite the efforts to rebuild the temple and some returnee houses, the city remains devastated and desolate. The city is in a sorry and shocking state but Nehemiah does not give up.
Scripture points to God as the one who searches and knows our hearts. This is important. God doesn’t give up non us when he sees our ruined state. Jesus came to seek and to save. There is now no condemnation because God condemned sin in Christ Jesus (Romans 8).
- Meet Jesus -the one who opposes our enemies (v19-20)
Three men are watching all of this and are not happy. One, Sambalat would have been a Samaritan, one of the people moved in by the Assyrians to repopulate the northern kingdom. Tobiah is an Ammonite. This tribe had been one of Israel’s deadliest rivals, opposing and seeking to block entry into the land during the Exodus, a thorn in the side through the time of the Judges, enemies of Saul and David. It was not in their interest to see the Jews succeed.
They mock, abuse and accuse Nehemiah claiming he has no authority to do what he is doing and is acting unlawfully against the Emperor’s wishes. He stands his ground. He is in the right, justified and will be vindicated. The enemies will have no part in the rebuilding of the city.
Jesus is the one who was mocked, abused and falsely accused. Yet this did not stop him from going to the Cross for us. Jesus is the one who defeats our threefold enemy of sin, death and Satan. They no longer are to have a part in our lives and so we are to put to death sinful desires.
Conclusion
I’m reminded of the words of an older hymn “The church’s one foundation” which describes the Church as experiencing tumult and war, division and distress. We might feel like that about The Church” it may feel like this describes yourself at times.
However, the hymn offers us an alternative.
The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her
to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her,
and for her life he died.
If we want to know our true identity we need to first see Jesus, then we can see ourselves as he sees us. He steps in to interrupt our stories and to change their direction.
Faithroots 