p. 7 | Character and Work of Nehemiah by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 8, 1908

Character and Work of Nehemiah

By Editor

[Those who have been interested in the study of the book of Nehemiah in the Sabbath-school during the past quarter will find the last chapter of the book, “Ezra and Nehemiah, Their Lives and Times,” by George Rawlinson, intensely interesting and profitable reading. A few excerpts from the chapter referred to follow.—Ed.]

THE character of Nehemiah has provoked the admiration of all those who have made it their study. “Every act of his during his government bespeaks one who had no selfishness in his nature. All he did was noble, generous, high-minded, courageous, and to the highest degree upright. To stern integrity he united great humility and kindness, and a princely hospitality. . . . But in nothing was he more remarkable than for his piety, and the singleness of eye with which he walked before God. He seems to have undertaken everything in dependence upon God, with prayer for his blessing and guidance, and to have sought his reward only from God.”—Harvey.

In our opinion the most striking feature in Nehemiah’s character is this last-mentioned one, his piety, and especially his prayerfulness, at all times and under all circumstances.

A second main feature in Nehemiah’s character is his patriotism. . . . Because his people were downtrodden; because they were “in great affliction and reproach” (chap. 1:3), with the wall of their city “broken down,” and the gates “burned with fire” (ibid.); because they were “feeble” (chap. 4:2), and despised (chap. 1:9), and poor, and ground down, and oppressed (chap. 5:1-8), therefore his heart clave to them, and he was drawn by the cords of love to cast in his lot with theirs,—to exchange a position of ease, wealth, and dignity for one of ceaseless toil, of no small danger, and of exposure to scorn and reproach. Few patriots have ever succeeded in doing so much in so short a time. And, as his course began, so it continued.

Very conspicuous, too, and very admirable, are his activity and energy. Never was light-footed Greek or energetic Roman more constantly employed, more active, earnest, vigorous. He travels from Susa to Jerusalem (chap. 2:9-11), and from Jerusalem to Susa, and back (chap. 13:6), as if the arduous journey of five hundred miles or more were nothing but a pleasure-trip. Within three days of reaching Jerusalem, he makes a careful survey of the ruins (chap. 2:11-16). Then he assembles the head men, opens his design to them, plans and arranges the work. Within fifty-two days it is completed (chap. 6:15). By constant and almost incredible exertions; by taking his full share in the labors that he exacted from others (chap. 4:15, 21); by watchfulness both day and night (verse 9); by fresh expedients devised to meet every new danger; by an unwearied persistence, which reached to the extremity of neither himself nor his special followers ever taking off their clothes (verse 23), he brings his enterprise to a successful issue in little more than seven weeks from the time of its inception. Does he then take a prolonged rest?—No. Almost immediately he addresses himself to a new and far more arduous task than the one which he has just completed,—a task which elsewhere has scarcely ever been accomplished except by a social revolution. He takes up the cause of the poorer classes, interferes between the oppressors and the oppressed, shames the rich into the relinquishment of their evil practises, extorts from them the spoil on which they have laid their greedy hands (chap. 5:11-13), and rescues the poor from the gulf of destruction, on the brink of which they were standing. Meanwhile his emissaries are searching out enslaved Jews, and ransoming them (verse 8), and restoring them to their place in the city; and he himself is daily entertaining at his table more than a hundred fifty guests (verse 17), while at the same time he is contending with his foes, both within and without the city (chap. 6:2-9), frustrating their schemes, rejecting their specious overtures, not suffering himself to be turned away from whatever work he has in hand by open foes or pretended friends, by idle threats, or spurious prophecies, or artful cajoleries (verses 10-19). . . . With unwearied energy he next proceeds to take a census of the inhabitants of Jerusalem (chap. 7:5); and, a little later, he adds to the number by drawing into the city one out of every ten of the inhabitants of the villages and country districts (chap. 11:1, 2). Next he engages in what is perhaps the most difficult task of all those to which he puts his hand, the reformation of religion,—the uprousing and quickening into life and vigor of the moral and spiritual natures of the people. Checked in this work by a sudden recall to court, and the necessity of traveling, in going and returning, more than a thousand miles, he hastens back as soon as he may (chap. 13:6), and, like a giant refreshed, plunges once more into the fierce struggle whereby alone it is possible to bring about a real and permanent improvement. Opposition meets him everywhere, but he combats it with all the vigor and all the tenacity of purpose which he displayed twelve years previously. Priest, and Levite, and people, and the high priest himself, have to succumb to his energetic initiative. The temple chambers are cleared (chap. 13:8, 9); the Levites are fetched back from their fields (verse 10); the tithes are collected and brought in (verse 12); the strict observance of the Sabbath is enforced (verses 15-22); the heathen wives are repudiated and cast out (verses 3, 23-27); the one stubborn recalcitrant is sent into banishment (verse 28). Nehemiah, up to the moment when he disappears from our sight, is still the same unweariedly active, zealous, stirring, striving individual, that he was when first introduced to us.

Yet with all his vigor and his energy, he is prudent. He does not launch out into a world of bitter adversaries without taking every precaution. He accepts a guard from the king (chap. 2:9) to protect him on his way to Jerusalem. He takes care to have abundant firmans accrediting him to persons of influence (verses 7, 8). He knows when to hold his tongue, and keeps his designs secret until he has obtained a tolerably complete knowledge of the state of affairs (verses 12-16), and sees his way clearly to the accomplishment of his purpose. . . .

A minor trait in Nehemiah’s character is his courage, both physical and moral. He takes his position with the armed force wherever there seems to be the greatest danger; he marshals the men at his disposal personally (verse 13); he moves from place to place, and takes his trumpeter with him, to summon aid where it may be most wanted (verses 18-20); he is there, watching, commanding, encouraging, overseeing, night and day, and scarcely takes off his clothes while the peril continues (verse 23). Such courage is unusual even in a commander who is a trained soldier; in Nehemiah, the royal favorite, the dainty courtier, the “cup-bearer,” it is astonishing.

Nor does his moral courage fall short of his physical. Considerable moral courage was shown, when, notwithstanding that he “was sore afraid” (chap. 2:2), he made his request for leave of absence of the king (verse 5). Still more was exhibited, when, to the scornful and spiteful words of Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, “What is this thing that ye do? Will ye rebel against the king?” (verse 19), he answered, “The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem” (verse 20). . . .

It has been said that in the character of Nehemiah it is almost impossible to detect a single fault. But this praise is a little exaggerated. Nehemiah’s nature was strongly emotional, and he did not always control his emotions sufficiently. His “fiery soul” was sometimes “roused to burning frenzy.”

It may be justly said that this is a slight flaw in an otherwise most admirable character; but still it is a flaw, and should not be overlooked. We can never too strongly impress, either upon ourselves or others, the fact that there is but one flawless character in the whole range of history, one perfect pattern and example, the man Christ Jesus.