Revival and awakening sound wonderful, but the reality is that spiritual restoration always comes with work and warfare. Continuing our journey through the Old Testament, we dive into the Book of Nehemiah to explore what it means to be a holy people, called to a holy city, serving at a holy temple—and the spiritual opposition that inevitably follows.
Hands raised, euphoric emotion, physical expression — this is how we often picture revival and awakening.
Ezra and Nehemiah together — originally one scroll — normalize that restoration and revival is work and warfare. It's a history of God's people: an account of revival, worship, and warfare. A narrative of restoration as God brings his people back from exile, rebuilding the temple, the walls of Jerusalem, and reconsecrating the people before him.
Behind earthly kings, God is the King of kings — steering history in his good providence.
Nehemiah was a courtier — one of the most trusted men in the court of King Artaxerxes I of Persia. His name means "the Lord comforts," a fascinating detail given that his story is one of restoration. He served as cupbearer to the king, literally tasting the king's wine to guard against poison — entrusting his very life to Nehemiah's hands.
He later served as governor of Judea. The book divides into two parts: chapters 1–7, focused on rebuilding Jerusalem's walls and the warfare surrounding that mission, and chapters 8–13, focused on the people's renewal, revival, and awakening — and the warfare surrounding that as well. Like Ezra, Nehemiah ends unresolved — the warfare still ongoing.
Nehemiah is set in verifiable, real-world history. Archaeological evidence corroborates the biblical record at every turn.
A carved relief confirms Artaxerxes I as a real historical figure. A discovered drinking bowl bears the inscription: "Artaxerxes the great king, king of kings… in whose house this drinking cup was made."
Remnants of Nehemiah's wall are visible in Jerusalem today, alongside Hezekiah's earlier wall — physical proof of the rebuilding mission described in the text.
175 documents preserved in Egypt's dry climate. Among them: the names Sanballat the Horonite and Geshem, king of Kedar — Nehemiah's chief opponents, confirmed outside the Bible.
The Persian royal line connects the entire narrative of God's people in exile. Artaxerxes would have known Esther personally, heard stories of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and trusted Nehemiah — who himself likely had close association with Esther, the queen mother.
Daniel served under him. Isaiah named him by prophecy centuries earlier. He proclaimed religious freedom benefiting the Jews.
Continued Persian rule during the early return of God's people to Jerusalem.
Esther's husband. Fought the Greeks at Thermopylae. Assassinated in his own bedroom.
Son of Xerxes. Trusted Nehemiah as cupbearer. Granted Nehemiah's request to rebuild Jerusalem's walls.
How did Nehemiah rise to such trust? Perhaps through Esther's influence, or Mordecai's position of power. God organizes history for his glory — placing his people in the right places at the right time.
Nehemiah was a courageous leader and brilliant manager. He inspected the walls at night before mobilizing the people. When enemies plotted to cause confusion, he prayed and set a guard — not one without the other. He led spiritually and worked practically.
Nehemiah mobilized and governed. Ezra taught and preached. Prophets ministered to the people. A plurality of leaders sharing the burden of mission.
Priests, nobles, goldsmiths, and perfumers all built sections of the wall. Not called to mission because of vocation — called because of identity as the people of God.
Each family, each worker focused on their portion of the wall — not the whole mission alone. Together, the mission of God gets accomplished.
The warfare in Nehemiah is multifaceted — coming from every direction at once.
Fear and insecurity in approaching the king. The personal, internal battle of obedience and courage.
Sanballat sent an open letter of accusations — publicly, without integrity. Like open letters on social media today, designed to intimidate and shame rather than resolve biblically.
Eliashab the priest cleared holy things from the temple to make room for Tobiah — an enemy — while Nehemiah was away. His own people intermarrying with enemies. Confusion and division among the people of God.
The Bible assumes a cosmology where demonic powers empower Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshom, and Noadiah the prophetess — a full-fledged spiritual war behind the human conflict.
"Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God… and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid." — Nehemiah 6:14
With all of Nehemiah's practical wisdom, the main point of the book is dependence on God, who fights for his people. Nehemiah reads as one long, running prayer.
"God, grant me favor in the sight of this man." In the seconds between the king's question and his answer, Nehemiah prayed.
"Remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight… Our God will fight for us." — Nehemiah 4:14,19
"God frustrated their plan." God conspired against the conspirators. — Nehemiah 4:15
The final verse of Nehemiah: "Remember me, O my God, for good." — 13:31. I commend myself to you.
Nehemiah ends unresolved — a holy people in a holy city at a holy temple, but still in disarray. The warfare ongoing. But the story doesn't end there.
Holy people. Holy city. Holy temple. But conflict, division, and strife remain. The warfare continues.
"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." — John 1:14. Jesus declares, "I am the temple" (John 2:19). He is the holy dwelling place, the true place of intercession.
By his work, we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9) — built up as a spiritual house, a holy priesthood.
"I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty." One day — no more warfare. A holy people, a holy city, the holy temple: Jesus himself.
"There's going to be warfare until that day. So use wisdom like Nehemiah — and remember, like Nehemiah, it's not your war to win."
It comes from within your heart, from without through lies and accusations, from within the people of God through division, and from spiritual forces behind the scenes.
Pray and work. Share the burden of leadership. Focus on your section of the wall. Work at it with all your might — not because of your vocation, but because of your identity as the people of God.
Trust him. Pray. Seek him daily. Endure. Keep fighting until our dwelling, our city, our temple is with the Lord Jesus Christ himself — for all of eternity.
"Remember me, O my God, for good." — Nehemiah 13:31
Nehemiah: The Book of Warfare