Nehemiah 2:18, commentary and pictures

Nehemiah told the leaders in Jerusalem how the good hand of God had answered his prayer by moving the Persian king to grant him permission, authority and practical help for their relief, so that he stood before them sustained by both Heaven and the king. When they heard of that favor they took courage, agreed with one voice to rebuild the wall, and strengthened their hands and one another for the work. His success came not by royal command alone but by winning their willing cooperation, for his careful knowledge of the city's ruin, his earnest appeal, and his hope and energy were contagious and united scattered hearts as well as hands. That united, courageous faith is what enables God's people to hold to duty and press forward despite danger, difficulty and opposition, which only drives them to firmer reliance on God. The same word still calls believers to arise and build houses of worship, schools and sanitariums without delay, recounting God's help to encourage one another and strengthening the builders by cheerful, self-denying gifts of means and labor.

Historical Setting and Background

Nehemiah reached Jerusalem in safety because he carried royal letters to the governors of the provinces along his route, which secured for him honorable reception, prompt assistance, and the protection of Persian power so that no enemy dared molest him. He entered the city with a military escort that showed he had come on an important mission, and this excited the jealousy of the nearby heathen tribes. Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian watched him critically and endeavored by every means to thwart his plans and hinder the building work. He held a royal commission that required the inhabitants to cooperate with him in rebuilding the walls. He first confided in a few men whom he knew to be worthy of confidence, telling them the circumstances that had led him to come to Jerusalem, the object he wished to accomplish, and the plans he proposed to follow, and this at once enlisted their interest and secured their assistance.

He did not depend on the exercise of authority but sought to gain the confidence and sympathy of the people, knowing that a union of hearts as well as of hands was essential to success. When he called the people together he presented arguments calculated to arouse their dormant energies and unite their scattered numbers. His success in leading them to rise up and build was greatly helped by his secret midnight circuit of the city, which he did not tell them about. That inspection enabled him to speak of the condition of Jerusalem with an accuracy and minuteness that astonished his hearers, while the impression made upon him by its weakness and degradation gave earnestness and power to his words. He was not a priest or a prophet and made no claim to high title, but was a reformer raised up for an important time whose aim was to set his people right with God. Inspired with that great purpose, he bent every energy of his being to its accomplishment with high, unbending integrity.

Nehemiah's Appeal and Meaning

Nehemiah set before the people their reproach among the heathen, with their religion dishonored and their God blasphemed, and told how in a distant land he had heard of their affliction and entreated Heaven's favor on their behalf. Telling them of the good hand of his God upon him meant recounting how as he prayed he resolved to ask the king for permission to come to their help, and asked God that the king would not only grant permission but invest him with authority and furnish the help needed for the work. His prayer was answered in a way that showed the plan was of the Lord, and telling the king's words meant showing that he was sustained by the combined authority of the God of Israel and the Persian king. The same telling showed the people how God had favored and sustained him and how the king had supported the work.

He recognized God's hand as good upon him and drew confidence from the king's words, holding to the work despite opposition because God's support made it possible to continue in the plain path of duty. He credited his success and influence to God's good hand upon him rather than to his own character, ability, or energy. He recognized God as his safeguard, working through unseen agencies in every position of influence. Because he did not exalt himself, God gave him wisdom to use his entrusted gifts well, and under God's supervision those gifts increased and served God's purposes.

His direct appeal asked whether they would take advantage of this opportunity and arise and build the wall. When he called the people together he presented arguments calculated to arouse their dormant energies and unite their scattered numbers. That appeal went straight to their hearts, and the thought of how Heaven's favor had been manifested toward them put their fears to shame.

United Courageous Response

Nehemiah made known both the favor of God that had been with him and the support promised by the king, and on hearing this combined evidence the people took courage to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. With one voice they agreed to rise up and rebuild, committing themselves to begin the work together and strengthening their hands for it. Each person strengthened and upheld the others in the undertaking, so that their resolve became mutual encouragement for the good work.

Success required united hearts as well as united effort and hands, and Nehemiah did not depend merely on the exercise of his royal commission requiring cooperation but sought to gain the confidence and sympathy and willing cooperation of the inhabitants. He knew that a union of hearts as well as of hands was essential to carrying the rebuilding through.

He put his whole soul into the enterprise, and his hope and energy and enthusiasm and determination were contagious, filling others with the same high courage and lofty purpose. Each worker became like Nehemiah in turn, helping to make stronger the heart and hand of his neighbor. Believers strengthen one another's hands for God's work through fellowship and shared purpose and through holy energy and faith and hope while depending wholly on God.

Their answer, let us rise up and build, shows that faith in God with united effort strengthens people to carry out the work. Loyal and harmonious cooperation with God's purpose keeps adversaries from stopping His work, and opposition itself can lead to firmer reliance on God and more determined effort.

Confidence that God's hand is with them enables people to rise and build and remain steadfast despite danger or difficulty, holding to the plain path of duty. The verse exemplifies firm adherence to just and holy principles and the determination and moral independence needed to defend truth and do the required work. Nehemiah was no priest or prophet and made no claim to high title, but was a reformer raised up for an important time whose aim was to set his people right with God, and inspired with that great purpose he bent every energy of his being to its accomplishment with high, unbending integrity. As he met evil and opposition to right he took so determined a stand that the people were roused to labor with fresh zeal and courage, and seeing his loyalty and patriotism and deep love for God they were willing to follow where he led.

Principles for Leading Work

Nehemiah's report of divine help and royal backing shows that God's people may seek aid from those in authority to advance God's work, and such requests are to be made prudently and framed as service to the people and to God's work. What prayer, faith, and wise, energetic action can accomplish is seen in Nehemiah, who was no priest or prophet and claimed no high title but was a reformer raised for an important time to set his people right with God. Inspired by a great purpose, he bent every energy of his being to its fulfillment with high, unbending integrity. When he met evil and opposition to right with so determined a stand, the people were roused to labor with fresh zeal and courage, and seeing his loyalty, patriotism, and deep love for God they were willing to follow where he led and give themselves to building.

Those who carry forward God's work are to be encouraged and supported, with believers acting in holy energy, faith, and hope, depending wholly on God and strengthening one another's hands for His work. After God's favor and the king's support were made known, the people committed themselves to rebuild and strengthened one another for the task. That strengthening of the builders means helping the work at Washington advance by furnishing the means it needs, with every church willingly doing its part.

Telling others how God has helped and recounting the support received encourages them to unite and undertake the work together. The call to arise and build is a call to active faith and Christian service, in which faith works by love and binds the heart to God's service. Applied to united effort in building a church school, it carries confidence that God's blessing will rest on those who do their best.

Calls to Build Churches

The words let us arise and build are a call to erect houses of worship in Melbourne and elsewhere, and despite high cost of land and building and apparent difficulty the people must arise and build. Go forward is to be treated as a command, with God's people walking by faith, uniting in the work, and doing what they can. When God's favor and the king's support were made known the people were encouraged to rise and build and strengthen themselves for the work, and while believers do what they can others who have means may be moved to help.

The same call applies to establishing a house of worship in Ashfield for Sabbath observers, where the work was urgent because opposition had closed places where meetings could be held, yet the people pledged money despite poverty and set themselves to the task. It applies also to establishing churches and finding meeting places after camp-meeting tents are taken down, pressing ahead despite uncertainty and obstacles. Though uncertain and difficult, workers pray, plan, and advance step by step without seeing the outcome.

The call applies to building chapels and meetinghouses where church and school are united and eager, beginning with the foundation with thought and prayer in reliance on the Lord's blessing, for progress depends on His blessing. Those newly come to the faith are interested and should join in the work, and when the Spirit stirs workers they arise and build a meetinghouse in united rebuilding. The chapel is built under God's direction with His light and the help of His angels, showing the Lord is with the builders and that His good hand is with the work.

The call applies to building a house for God in Stanmore, where despite doubts about funding faith in God's ownership of the earth and ability to provide gives confidence to move forward as He provided at Cooranbong. Believers plan to build despite obstacles with pledges and reliance on the Lord's help, and the time has come to build with opportunity for all to contribute. Faith should stir zeal and good works, for God will help those who press forward rather than hold back.

Church building is to be undertaken in faith with everyone contributing gifts, donations, money or labor, taking hold willingly in harmony when the Spirit moves and giving labor or money through shared zeal to complete it. The work should not be abandoned because money is scarce, nor should concern over debts hinder advance when opportunity is present. God's people should care about suitable accommodations for worship and show at least as much interest in God's house as in their own homes, building plain but not shameful so construction reflects the faith and truth professed.

The call requires prompt obedience and willing action without delay, trusting God to accomplish what people cannot, obeying and moving forward in faith even when money is not in hand. Unbelief that the work could be finished in time causes delay and keeps the building from completion even when workmen and materials are available. Acting in faith before funds are in hand leads to gifts and practical help that complete meetinghouses at Nashville and elsewhere, with workers giving time or money toward a home for the school proceeding to completion and with united effort in building a church school confident of God's blessing.

The same resolve applies to joining in one purpose and contributing materials and labor to build a place of worship in response to opposition. Newly formed churches under ministerial guidance are to take up church building together, united by recounting God's favor and support for the work. When God's help becomes clear and needed funds are discovered amid difficulties, His people can take courage and say we could indeed arise and build, with gratitude and praise to God.

Calls to Support Wider Work

The verse gives two commands for building up the work at the nation's capital at Washington, one to the workers to rise and build in establishing the cause there, and one to the people in all the conferences to strengthen the hands of the builders. Strengthening the builders means cheerfully and willingly doing their part by furnishing means, investing entrusted means, and giving self-denying benevolence and willing offerings without delay or hindrance. The building is to advance in straight lines with steadfast courage just as fast as means are furnished, and it must not be kept back for lack of means. The same call to arise and build and strengthen the hands of those doing the work urges aggressive work in the field.

Every church in every place is to act its part with no time to lose. God's people are to respond to the favor and bounty He bestows daily by placing all they have and are upon the altar of sacrifice. They are to be co-laborers with Him and His helping hand, returning to Him a part of what He has given as evidence that the truth has been doing its work upon their hearts. As Nehemiah urged the people to rise and build after telling them of God's favor and the king's support, so the school work at Avondale should begin without delay in confidence that God would provide the needed means.

The verse also applies to building a sanitarium in Australia, with the people to move forward under God's direction as they did when building the school and church at Avondale. They are to begin even if they can afford only the central part of the building, and be content with a simpler structure rather than delay for a larger one. When they hear of God's favor and the king's support, their answer, let us rise up and build, expresses readiness to undertake the work and to strengthen themselves for it, and the needed money would enable the workers to arise and build the sanitarium. The decision is to purchase the property and begin building the sanitarium at once if God opens the way, since confidence in God's help strengthens people to undertake a good work. Once the needed supplies and funds are sent, the builders of the planned hospital will proceed despite earlier funds having been used for other urgent needs. The call to rise and build is a call to give generously and act without delay in shared resolve to support the building work, here meeting the need for a sanitarium and a meetinghouse at Newcastle.

Strengthening hands for the good work means workers consulting together, worshiping together, and supporting one another through fellowship and shared purpose as they raise up laborers for the South. It is a call to engage in aggressive work. It also encourages continued health-education work in Redlands and Riverside, since recounting God's help and the king's support encouraged the people to begin rebuilding and strengthened them for the work.