“What’s the question?”
Nehemiah hesitated, aware of how brazen the idea of becoming king might seem to this man of God. “Ever since the prophets first spoke of it, the people have been chanting for me to be Judah’s king.”
“Yes, I’ve heard Noadiah saying, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And I’ve heard the people echoing her. You enjoy great popularity, especially with the poor.”
Nehemiah sat back again, grateful that Ezra hadn’t seemed outraged by the idea. “But I need to know if it’s just the people who think I should be king or if the Almighty One is truly calling me.” He admitted only to himself how badly he wanted it to be true.
Ezra folded his hands on the scroll lying open in front of him. “Tell me—how did you know the Almighty One was calling you to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall?”
Nehemiah thought back to that time. “God laid the city on my heart like a heavy weight. From the moment my brother Hanani described the broken-down walls and how disgraced Jerusalem was in the eyes of our enemies, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I fasted and prayed and asked Him to show me what I could do.”
“Why did you want to rebuild God’s city?”
“To bring glory to Him so His name wouldn’t suffer the reproach and mockery of our enemies. With the city in ruins it made the God of Abraham seem powerless to help His people, but I wanted to show His power and might to the nations. I wanted the glory to go to God—”
He halted. His motivation had been to glorify God, not himself. Yet Noadiah’s prophecies had done the opposite, glorifying Nehemiah in the eyes of the people—and in his own eyes, as well. He’d enjoyed hearing them praise his good deeds as they’d followed after him. Deep down, he’d wanted to reign as Judah’s next king for the fame and honor it promised.
“O God, forgive me,” Nehemiah said, clutching his head with both hands. “The prophets have spoken falsely! A true prophet of God would glorify Him as king, not me. Not a mere man.” For years he had guarded the emperor against usurpers who would try to claim his authority and power—and now Nehemiah had foolishly tried to usurp the one true King’s power and authority, claiming the glory for himself.
“I think you know what you need to do,” Ezra said quietly.
“Yes.” Nehemiah left the rebbe’s study and went out to the temple courtyard to pray, standing to face His holy sanctuary and the great altar of sacrifice. He bowed his head, asking the Almighty One for forgiveness. For humility. Ever since his father had opened the door to someone he’d trusted and was murdered, Nehemiah had worried about who to trust. Now he realized that he could trust himself least of all.
“‘Hear O Israel:’” he recited to himself. “‘The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.’” Nehemiah was merely God’s servant, not a king. Not the promised Messiah. The people should be following God, thanking and praising the Almighty One—not him. The new wall he had labored so hard to build couldn’t save the people. Only God could.
The next day as all of Judah gathered for the dedication of the wall, Nehemiah was certain that the sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away. The priests and Levites had purified themselves, and now they would purify the people, the gates, and the wall. He assigned two great choirs to lead the people in praise, giving thanks to the Almighty One, accompanied by two groups of priests with trumpets, harps, cymbals, and lyres. He asked the leaders of Judah to go up on top of the wall, as well. The two great processions started near the Valley Gate in the center of the western wall. The one led by Rebbe Ezra moved on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate, while Nehemiah followed the second choir, moving in the opposite direction. From the top of the wall he saw the distant valleys and hillsides turning green from the recent rains.
“You turned my wailing into dancing;” they sang, “you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.” The glorious music took Nehemiah’s breath away. “I wish I could sing God’s praises like these musicians,” he told Hanani, walking beside him.
“Then who would lead the people?” Hanani replied with a smile.
They marched on toward the temple mount, past the Tower of the Ovens, over the Yeshana Gate and the Fish Gate as far as the Sheep Gate on the north side of the city, while Ezra’s procession circled in the opposite direction. When the two processions met again, everyone took their places inside the temple area. The priests offered great sacrifices, exalting and praising God because He had given them great joy.
“Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the Lord comes deliverance.” Nehemiah remembered all of his enemies’ threats and plots, how they had tried to destroy him and stop God’s work, and he praised the Almighty One for His salvation and deliverance.
At last a hush fell over the gathered people as Nehemiah mounted the platform to speak. “Would any of you have believed that in spite of all the opposition we’ve faced, we could rebuild this wall in fifty-two days?” A deafening cheer followed his words. He heard some of the people chanting, “A king in Judah! A king in Judah!” He waited for the shouting to die away again and said, “Something miraculous has been at work here. God has been at work. But these walls won’t protect us if we’re unfaithful to Him. As the psalmist wrote, ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.’ Just as we built this wall on a firm foundation, we need to build our lives and our nation on a firm foundation of faith and trust in the Almighty One. Faith in what we can’t always see. Trust that God is at work in every circumstance we face.”
He squinted in the light as the sun emerged from behind the gray rain clouds for a moment. “Everything I’ve done since I arrived here a few months ago has been with the Almighty One’s help. I would have been powerless to accomplish anything without Him. Now my job is finished.” He paused to gaze down at the people who looked up to him so expectantly. “Sons and daughters of Abraham, I am not your king. You don’t need a king. Our forefathers had kings, and they led us astray. We trusted in men instead of trusting the Almighty One, our true King. God will send the Messiah when the time is right. But in the meantime, perhaps there are lessons for us to learn by being in submission to the Persians. That’s why, when my term as governor here is finished, I will return to Susa as I promised King Artaxerxes I would do.”
Murmurs of surprise rustled through the crowd. Nehemiah raised his voice and said, “People of God, continue working together as you did while building this wall. Continue helping one another. Continue trusting the Almighty One. He alone is trustworthy. May He prosper and bless you all.”
Nehemiah turned away from the cheering crowd and walked down the hill to his home, alone. Remember me with favor, O my God, he silently prayed.
“See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
MALACHI 3:1
Glossary
Abba—Father, Daddy.
Apadna—A huge, open-air terrace used by Persian kings for formal ceremonies.
Beth Hakkerem—House of the vineyard.
Gan Eden—The Garden of Eden.
Hinnon Valley—The valley southwest of Jerusalem where child sacrifice took place.
Keffiah—A flowing head covering that reached to the shoulders.
Ketubah—The marriage contract that made a betrothal official.
Kidron Valley—The valley outside Jerusalem between the city and the Mount of Olives to the east.
Kippah—A small head covering worn by Jewish men.
Levite—A descendant of the tribe of Levi, one of Jacob’s twelve sons, who later became temple assistants.
Purim—The plural of Pur, meaning to cast lots. The festival that celebrated the Jewish deliverance un
der Queen Esther.
Rebbe—Rabbi, teacher.
Rhyton—A cone-shaped drinking vessel used by Persian kings.
Shabbat—The Sabbath, a Jewish day of rest. It begins at sundown on Friday and lasts until sundown on Saturday.
Shema—Hebrew for “hear.” The shema is the Jewish confession of faith found in Deuteronomy 6:4. It begins “Hear, O Israel . . .”
Torah—The first five books of the Bible, which contain God’s Law.
A Note to the Reader
Careful study of Scripture and commentaries support the fictionalization of this story. To create authentic speech, the author has paraphrased the words of biblical figures such as Ezra. However, the New International Version has been directly quoted when characters are reading, singing, or reciting Scripture passages.
Interested readers are encouraged to research the full accounts of these events in the Bible as they enjoy THE RESTORATION CHRONICLES.
Scripture references for On This Foundation:
Esther 2:21–23; 6:1–3; 9:1–17
Nehemiah 1–13 (*Note especially 3:12—“Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.”)
Exodus 20:8–11; 21:1–11; 21:20; 22:25; 31:12–17
Deuteronomy 5:12–15; 15:7–18; 23:19–20; 31:11–13
Leviticus 25:39–46
Numbers 27:1–12
Joshua 1:1–9
Ezekiel 22:24–25, 29–31
Genesis 29:14–20
Bestselling author Lynn Austin has sold more than one million copies of her books worldwide. She is an eight-time Christy Award winner for her historical novels, as well as a popular speaker at retreats and conventions. Lynn and her husband have raised three children and live in Michigan. Learn more at www.lynnaustin.org.
Books by Lynn Austin
All She Ever Wanted
All Things New
Eve’s Daughters
Hidden Places
Pilgrimage
A Proper Pursuit
Though Waters Roar
Until We Reach Home
While We’re Far Apart
Wings of Refuge
A Woman’s Place
Wonderland Creek
REFINER’S FIRE
Candle in the Darkness
Fire by Night
A Light to My Path
CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS
Gods & Kings
Song of Redemption
The Strength of His Hand
Faith of My Fathers
Among the Gods
THE RESTORATION CHRONICLES
Return to Me
Keepers of the Covenant
On This Foundation
Resources: bethanyhouse.com/AnOpenBook
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Lynn Austin, On This Foundation
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