Bible Commentaries
Nehemiah 6

Verses 3-4

Nehemiah 6:3-4

Nehemiah's work was not the building of the altar, not the completing of the Temple; his work was the building up of the walls of Jerusalem, building up the wall round about and setting up the gates again.

I. Notice the solitude of Nehemiah. It was in the absence of sympathy that he was first stirred. He had the burden of solitude, not only when he was away in Shushan, but also when he came to Jerusalem. If you would take part in the reformation, the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, bring it home to yourselves this solitude of Nehemiah.

II. The sadness of Nehemiah shows that he had the true fire within him of the love of the Church of God. It was enough to take from him all the pleasure of the music and the court; it was nothing to him that he was cup-bearer in the royal presence, that he was highly spoken of. All this was nothing to him, because the walls of Jerusalem, the city of his God, were fallen down.

III. When he did set about the work of God, he made known what was in his heart to others. He worked with others. Though he bore the burden of solitude, he did not carry out his work in any selfish spirit, but he worked with others.

IV. It is mentioned especially of one man that he repaired over against his own house. Just where a man saw the wall wanted repairing nearest to him, there he set to work to build. And so by faithful perseverance the wall was built. And when it was finished the heathen and those that had opposed the building were very downcast in their souls, for they perceived that the wall was wrought of God. They saw that their opposition had been baffled, and that the work was done for the glory of God.

Bishop King, Two Sermons at Oxford, 1872.

References: Nehemiah 6:6 . G. T. Coster, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxi., p. 341.Nehemiah 6:9 . G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 233.Nehemiah 6:11 . Ibid., p. 284; S. Cox, Expositions, 1st series, p. 68. Nehemiah 6:15 . A. J. Griffith, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xvi., p. 158. 6 Parker, Fountain, Oct. 11th, 1877. Nehemiah 7:2 . G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 420. Nehemiah 8:4 , Nehemiah 8:8 . W. G. Horder, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xix., p. 21.Nehemiah 8:6 . Sermons for Boys and Girls, 2nd series, p. 218. Nehemiah 8:8 . R. Glover, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xx., p. 9.

Verse 15

Nehemiah 2:17 ; Nehemiah 6:15 ; Nehemiah 12:43

I. Consider the fact of declension, decadence, degeneration, from a Divine type. Of this we have two instances: in Israel and in the Church. (1) Under the old dispensation, Israel in the Divine intention signified those in whom a great idea was realised. Proofs that this ideal unity was never lost sight of may be seen ( a ) in the life of Elijah; ( b ) in the life of St. Paul. (2) A parallel instance of declension from a Divine type we have in the Church. Decadence partial and temporary decadence, at all events seems to be a condition of the Church's existence here below. Earth is strewn with the shattered wrecks of heaven's ideals. It is well. The disappointments of history teach us to look forward and upward.

II. In the restoration wrought by Nehemiah we have (1) a type of all God's true repairers; (2) lessons for all such repairs. Notice (a) the builders worked under arms; ( b ) they worked under the harmonious co-operation of priesthood and laity, we might almost say, in modern language, of Church and State.

III. Notice, lastly, the triumph. There had been discouragement from without and within. When the Church's builders are up and doing, Sanballat will not be silent. Tobiah's bitter epigram will not be wanting. But after all discouragement, the day of triumph dawns upon these waiting hearts. The strength of the Lord had been their joy; the joy of the Lord became their strength. Is it not even so with the Church? God's people have a mind to work. The Church shall be repaired. One day God's summer light shall strike upon the topmost row. Christ, the Divine Healer, will own the work of restoration by miracles of love at the sheep-gate and the pool of Siloam. The theology of the Incarnation will prove itself by enabling men to understand what is otherwise a tangled mass of contradictions the character and life of Jesus.

Bishop Alexander, Christian World Pulpit, vol. iv., p. 241.

References: Nehemiah 2:17 . S. Baring-Gould, Village Preaching for a Year, vol. ii., Appendix, No. 11:2:18. Preacher's Monthly, vol. iv., p. 173; A. Rowland, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxviii., p. 54; A. J. Griffith, Ibid., vol. xvi., p. 137. 2 Parker, Fountain, June 28th, 1877. Nehemiah 3:8 . Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 235.Nehemiah 3:12 . Homiletic Magazine, vol. xv., p. 346. Nehemiah 3:15 . M. G. Pearse, Sermons to Children, p. 24; Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xiv., No. 790; Ibid., Evening by Evening, p. 103.