Nehemiah’s task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem was intimidating. Some estimate the city’s circumference at that time was between one and half to two and miles. Not only were the walls in ruins, but the myriad of city gates were desolate too.
Thankfully, Nehemiah didn’t have to work alone. The people of Jerusalem, leaders and laymen, immediately got to work. Keep in mind that the people neither built nor bought new block for the walls. They had to repair the broken down and charred block as they rebuilt. Isn’t that the way life goes? Ruin, repair, and rebuild. The broken pieces of your life can be used to restore what was once torn down. Restoration begins when we, like Nehemiah, weep over the ruins. There can be no restoration until there is repentance. Once repentance has taken place, the next phase of restoration can begin.
Not only was Nehemiah’s task nearly impossible, but he had to deal with ridicule. Sanballat, the Samaritan governor, and Tobiah, an Ammonite official, mocked and ridiculed the rebuilding project. Sanballat said, “What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned” (Nehemiah 4:2)? Restoration will always be met with ridicule. People love to see good people fall, but they don’t always enjoy their comeback. Some would rather people be left in the ruins of past mistakes than see them attempt to recover or rebuild. Likewise, the devil would like nothing more than for people to remain in their sinful and desolate condition than to be restored.
Sanballat asked the question, “Can they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish?” Beloved, can Jesus revive a life from the heaps of failures and sin? Absolutely, He can! But like the broken down walls of Jerusalem, it took a community to rebuild it. The apostle Paul wrote, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1). Jesus can forgive and heal a person, but it is necessary that the Church come together to restore that individual as well. Someone has said that it takes a village to a raise a child. Just the same, it takes the church to rebuild a life.