2:20Nehemiah 2:20

Nehemiah spoke to Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem when they mocked the Jews for hoping to rebuild and accused them of rebelling against the king, answering with confidence that the God of heaven would give success, that he and his fellow servants would get up and do the building, and that those enemies had no share or right or lasting place in Jerusalem.PK 635.1+1 The God of heaven is the great Overseer of all and the source of strength who prospers His servants in building, and the declaration was used to encourage the workers until its echo thrilled every heart on the wall.ST Dec 6, 1883+1 God's servants can keep building despite opposition and difficulty because God lives and reigns and will prosper His work if they remain loyal, work together, and rise to carry it forward rather than dwell on discouragement.Ms 69, 1903, par. 32–34+3 Arising to build means acting promptly in faith when means and opportunity are available, using every helpful means without waiting to see every step or the final outcome.Ms 176, 1897, par. 38–39+1 It means beginning when God indicates the work should be done without waiting for human approval, and proceeding even when the project seems beyond reach and the money is not yet in hand, trusting the needed means will come.Ms 179, 1898, par. 23–25+2 So the call applies to building houses of worship and meetinghouses, chapels, schools, sanitariums, and new mission fields by faith, moving forward with earnest prayer and trust in God's provision without delay and without taking on debt.Lt 22, 1897, par. 1–3+4

The reply was addressed to Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, chiefs of the heathen tribes living near Jerusalem who had often shown enmity against the Jews by injury and insult.PK 635.1 It came after arrival in Jerusalem bearing royal letters to the provincial governors and accompanied by a military escort, showing an important mission carried out under the guard and favor of the Persian king.PK 635.1 That display of royal backing excited their jealousy, and from the first they watched every movement with critical eyes and endeavored by every means to thwart the plans and hinder the building work.PK 635.1

It answered them when, hearing what was hoped to be accomplished, they laughed the Jews to scorn and charged them with rebelling against the king.PK 638.4 Against that scorn and charge it declares confidence that the God of heaven will give success, and on that ground commits His servants to get up and do the building.PK 638.4 At the same time it denies those enemies any part or right or lasting place in Jerusalem.PK 638.4

The God of heaven named here is the great Overseer of all and the source of strength, who will prosper His servants in building.PK 639.3–640.1 The words were spoken after the work was actually begun, while the leader's heart was constantly uplifted to God in prayer.PK 639.3–640.1 With tireless vigilance he superintended the building along the whole three miles of wall, directing the workmen, noting hindrances, providing for emergencies, watching the movements of enemies, encouraging the fearful, arousing the laggard, and approving the diligent.PK 639.3–640.1

That declaration that God would prosper the work was used to encourage the workers.ST Dec 6, 1883+1 Echoed and reechoed along the line, the words thrilled the hearts of all the workers on the wall.PK 639.3–640.1

The rebuilding was to succeed by divine strength joined with the united labor of divine servants, and while that loyalty and cooperation lasted no opposition could arrest it.ST Dec 13, 1883 Because the living and reigning God undertakes to give prosperity to His own work, His servants are to rise and press the building forward even under hostile pressure, after the pattern of Nehemiah and his fellow laborers.SLP 159.1 The declaration is confidence that God will prosper the undertaking and that His servants will arise and build, a firm and morally independent adherence to truth and righteous principle in the face of danger and difficulty carried into resolute action in an entrusted task.Lt 116, 1905, par. 11–12

That assurance gives courage to keep building amid difficulties and hindrances instead of lingering over discouragement, since the work rests on faith in a God who will prosper His servants and therefore calls them to rise and advance it.Ms 69, 1903, par. 32–34 The straits encountered in restoring the wall, the hearing of prayer and the opening of a way, together with the denial to opponents of any share or right or enduring claim in Jerusalem, stand as a pattern for divine servants meeting obstacles in their own work.Lt 139, 1903, par. 5–6 The summons to arise and build required prompt action in rebuilding the temple, a command left unheeded through disobedience and through deference to the opinions of others.Ms 116, 1897, par. 17–19

To arise and build is to undertake a work in faith in God's help, acting promptly when means and opportunity are available without waiting to see every step or the final outcome, using every helpful means and suggestion rather than holding back until the whole end is visible.Ms 176, 1897, par. 38–39+1
When God indicates that a work should be done, a chosen person may call others together and begin building without waiting for a board's approval or advice, working steadily until completion while seeking God, who can impress and use chosen workers to carry it forward.Ms 179, 1898, par. 23–25
Confidence that God will prosper His servants underlies arising to build churches and houses of worship by faith even when poor and the source of funds is uncertain, for God accepts willing hearts and enables the work.Lt 101, 1897, par. 7–8
Builders are to proceed even when a project seems beyond reach and all the required money is not yet in hand, trusting that the needed means will come and the building will be completed free from debt.Lt 215, 1897, par. 3–4+1
The work is to move forward promptly with earnest prayer and trust in God's provision and help, going forward without delay and without taking on debt, in reliance on God who will prosper His servants in building a house of worship and meetinghouse.Lt 163, 1897, par. 12+1
The call is a watchword to press ahead with God's work and to begin a house for God without delay, with confidence that God will provide, prosper the work, and be with those carrying it forward.Lt 216, 1897, par. 5–6+1
God enables His servants to arise and build a meetinghouse, so they should rise to build a place of worship in faith and move forward even with limited faith and means.Lt 90, 1897, par. 1+1
In the shared work of building a chapel, God is asked to open the way and strengthen everyone's resolve as builders do their best, and failure to finish on time would mean the victory was withheld because completion was not safe.Ms 175, 1897, par. 77

The resolve to arise and build becomes united resolve to erect a house of worship when opposition shuts believers out of the small building they had been using, and that resolve is answered by gifts of land and building materials and by offers of free labor.Ms 86, 1893, par. 16–20 The verse calls believers to advance the cause by constructing a house of worship, acting in faith to provide what is needed for worship because God will prosper the work.Lt 22, 1897, par. 1–3+1 When a small company is newly established in the faith, those new believers are themselves to arise and build even a humble house of worship and to back the work with practical investment.Lt 24, 1894, par. 1 The same call encourages the building of a meetinghouse for the Lord and the pressing forward of God's work in Sydney, for God helps those who move forward in faith and do not hold back.Lt 37, 1897, par. 15–16

At Cooranbong the resolve takes the definite form of constructing a chapel, undertaken in trust that the Lord will help the work advance.Lt 112, 1896, par. 10–11 At the school the presence of the school itself creates the need to arise and build a church, to be made a worthy offering according to the light given and joined with seeking God's approval and presence.Ms 175, 1897, par. 62–64 The school home is likewise to be taken in hand by laying its foundation and raising its frame in trust that the Lord will favor the work and bring it to completion.Lt 216, 1897, par. 2

In Washington the verse stands as God's command to workers there to arise and build without delay and to advance His work with steadfast courage.Ms 38, 1904, par. 105–106+1 That building moves forward as God's people supply the needed means and willingly take part, while believers across the conferences are called to strengthen the hands of those doing the work.Ms 38, 1904, par. 105–106+1 Establishing the work in Washington and providing the means to carry it forward is the required response to the call.Ms 38, 1904, par. 72–74 The command also embraces the building of a sanitarium, and at Sydney the workers so called trusted that God would provide help and deliver them in His own time despite delays and distress.Lt 8, 1900, par. 9–14+1 God's servants are therefore to proceed with sanitarium building by faith in reliance on His help and blessing rather than wait for others to act.11MR 223.4–224.1

Obeying the command includes using entrusted money to advance God's work by providing meetinghouses, sanitariums, and schools where people can learn truth and receive spiritual and physical help.Ms 38, 1904, par. 49–51 It means supporting and carrying forward work that has been neglected.OFWP 8.3 Workers whom God calls to arise and build by opening the work in new fields are to receive liberal support from those responsible for the work elsewhere, rather than being left to sustain themselves amid hostile and unfavorable conditions.Ms 96, 1902, par. 17