Day 177 · Part 10: The Return
The Wall Finished
In the Story
In context
In a famine, poorer families have mortgaged their fields and houses to buy grain and pay the king’s tax, and some are having to give their sons and daughters into servitude to their fellow Jews (Nehemiah 5:1–5). Nehemiah, “very angry,” calls a great assembly, and the nobles promise to give back the land and the interest (5:6–13); the law had forbidden charging interest to the poor (Exodus 22:25).
In twelve years as governor Nehemiah never takes the governor’s food allowance, though a hundred and fifty men eat at his table (Nehemiah 5:14–18). His enemies try to draw him down to the plain of Ono, and he answers, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down” (6:2–3). When a hired prophet urges him to hide in the temple, he says, “Should a man like me flee?” (6:10–13).
“So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days,” and the nations around “perceived that this work was done by our God” (6:15–16). Nehemiah finds the record of the first families to come back, nearly the same list as Ezra 2 (7:5–73).
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58 · Nehemiah would not leave “a great work”; Paul writes that labor in the Lord’s work “is not in vain in the Lord.”
In the Bible
World English Bible, as published by eBible.org (public domain).
Nehemiah 5
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Nehemiah 6
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Nehemiah 7
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A hymn for today
Standing on the Promises · words by R. Kelso Carter
- Standing on the promises of Christ my King,Through eternal ages let His praises ring;Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,Standing on the promises of God.RefrainStanding, standing,Standing on the promises of God my Savior;Standing, standing,I'm standing on the promises of God.
- Standing on the promises that cannot fail,When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,By the living Word of God I shall prevail,Standing on the promises of God.RefrainStanding, standing,Standing on the promises of God my Savior;Standing, standing,I'm standing on the promises of God.
- Standing on the promises I now can seePerfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,Standing on the promises of God.RefrainStanding, standing,Standing on the promises of God my Savior;Standing, standing,I'm standing on the promises of God.
- Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,Bound to Him eternally by love's strong cord,Overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword,Standing on the promises of God.RefrainStanding, standing,Standing on the promises of God my Savior;Standing, standing,I'm standing on the promises of God.
- Standing on the promises I cannot fall,List'ning every moment to the Spirit's call,Resting in my Savior as my all in all,Standing on the promises of God.RefrainStanding, standing,Standing on the promises of God my Savior;Standing, standing,I'm standing on the promises of God.