20140919 Friday, September 19 2014
Nehemiah 06: The Fifty Two Days of The Wall

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days"

When the nation of Judah (i.e. the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi; see Israel In History and Prophecy: Kingdom Of Judah) returned to Jerusalem, by means of people of the nation of Judah (i.e. the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi) who had never been there before (i.e. it was their ancestors who had been taken away into exile seventy years before; see Why Did Judah Fall To Babylon?), they faced many difficulties, external (see Bricks and Swords) and internal (see The Carpetbaggers of Judah), apart from the massive physical task of restoring the rubble into a city.

The Jews ("Jew" is merely an abbreviation of the name "Judah"; see The Origin Of Israelites And Jews) faced constant opposition from the people of other nations who had wandered into the land of Judah while the people Judah were away - but who had done nothing (or who were prevented from doing anything; see Why Was It Desolate For Seventy Years?) to rebuild the cities or infrastructure. It was the typical "dog in the manger" situation ("a dog in the manger" refers to someone who claims something that they do not really want, or can use, in order to prevent the rightful person from having it i.e. a meat-eating dog preventing a horse from eating the hay and grain that was given to the horse).

"6:1 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) 6:2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono.

But they thought to do me mischief. 6:3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? 6:4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

6:5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; 6:6 Wherein was written,

It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words. 6:7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

6:8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.

6:9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done.

Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

6:10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.

6:11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. 6:12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 6:13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

6:14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear." (Nehemiah 6:1-14 KJV)

The wall of Jerusalem was nevertheless completed in fifty two days of work, after which those who opposed them "perceived that this work was wrought of our God" (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God).

"6:15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. 6:16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.

6:17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them. 6:18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 6:19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear." (Nehemiah 6:15-19 KJV)

Fact Finder: Did Abraham know Jerusalem - long before the people of Israel and Judah even existed?
See A History Of Jerusalem: Melchizedek's Salem