BT said:
Nehemiah yes. Now while I appreciate Matthew Henry he has only given you a part of the result of the problem. So they "why" remains unanswered. To figure out the why you need to understand what was happening historically at that time. I would recommend reading Nehemiah 1 -13
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As to the why.
Nehemiah was just sitting on the porch drinking an iced tea one day when some fellas from Judah came up and told him that the wall of Jerusalem was being breached. well this upset old Nehemiah something awful and he began to cry and weep, but most importantly pray. When he prayed he didn't just blame those renegade Jews up North, he actually said this:"I am confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have committed
neh1_notes.htm#112 against youboth I myself and my family
neh1_notes.htm#113 have sinned." So in fact like other prophets before him and after him, he took the blame on himslef to.
Next day on the job the King who had never seen old Nehemiah bummed out before on teh job asked him what was up. So he relayed to his boss the troubles that his family was facing. Knowing this was leading somewhere the King, said "So what are you asking?" Nehemiah said that if the King had found any favor in him, let him go back to rebuild the graves of his people.
One of the Kings cohorts asked him how long of a trip this would be, and so nehemiah told him. Feeling bold and that maybe the Lord was on his side in this matter he even asked for letters to get free passage and some wood to help repair the beams, which the King gave.
So he was off on his trip. Once he got there all he found was a mess. So after looking around he talked to a few people and spoke out on how they should rebuild the wall. Of course that was going to cause trouble because the people that were mixed up among the Jews were not wanting to leave. Nehemiah said "The God of heaven will prosper us. We his servants will start the rebuilding.
neh2_notes.htm#223 But you have no just or ancient right in Jerusalem".
So anyway the wall started to be rebuilt and the bad guys started in on the taunts. Silly bad guys, don't they know that the living God is behind all this? Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones! But Nehemiah prayed to the Lord that they would be victorious.
The wall got about half way up and the bad guys decided that they were going to try and mount their forces back up against the "feeble" Jews. Some spies cam e and related what the villians had planned and the people got scared. "Dont be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord,
neh4_notes.htm#421 and fight in behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!" Nehemiah said!
SO from that point if you weren't building you were carrying a spear, and the good Lord frustrated teh plans of the villians.
Now of course there always has to be some problem thrown into the mix and at this point there wasn't any grain for the women and children. In fact some had sold their kids and property into slavery just to be fed. Nehemiah wasn't all too happy at this point and he hoolered at the Jews for being so selfish. He expected as much from the gentiles, but buying your own people? So he told them to give it all back, and told them that anyone doing this again would be cursed.
You might never guess this but Nehemiah was made the Governer of Judah and shortly after that the wall was finally done. Boy howdy was there a celebration to be had. The people all got together and read the law book. This law book made them feel guilty and ashamed for the life they had been living. But then Nehemiah the governor,
neh8_notes.htm#811 Ezra the priestly scribe,
neh8_notes.htm#812 and the Levites who were imparting understanding to the people said to all of them,
neh8_notes.htm#813 This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep. For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the law. He said to them, Go and eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord.
neh8_notes.htm#814 Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. Then the Levites quieted all the people saying, Be quiet, for this day is holy. Do not grieve. So all the people departed to eat and drink and to share their food
neh8_notes.htm#815 with others
neh8_notes.htm#816 and to enjoy tremendous joy,
neh8_notes.htm#817 for they had gained insight in the matters that had been made known to them.
So after reading the law on the second they found out that they were supposed to be living in some kind of a hut that Moses had told them about int eh seventh month. So they got together and got all the materials to make these huts.
Now in almost every story in the OT we see the Jews saying I am so sorry for what i did, and asking God to forgive them for straying away. Not only that but on more than one occasion they swore to do better. This was no exception. Now with this fresh start you would think that this would all be over, just anopther touching story.
Well, not quite. At the celebration all the Levites were brought back to take part in this wonderful time. It seemd to be going well until... It seems that the Ammonite and Moabite people were really embeded into the landscape (through marriage) and that was not a good thing.
You see while Nehemiah was gone, back to the king
all kinds of funky things went on. Eliashib's alliance with Tobiah(an Ammonite) for one. Now it was unlawful for the Jews to have anything to do with the Ammonites because they would not provide water back in the day. The same thing for the Moabites who had hired this dude Balaam against them(Numbers 22:2-6).
The people didn't support the priesthood (the Levites). They were supposed to drop of grain and what not but they didn't. Most likely due to the pagan influence. But he told the rulers they had better shape up and to make sure that the tithes got to where they needed to go. They continually broke the Sabbath, and yes they also intermarried with the heathen/pagans. Not only that but it seemd that every law that had been proclaimed they were trying to break.
So much for I am sorry and will not do it again eh?
But Nehemiah with God's help brought order back to the people, and re-established religious order. That pretty much sums it up for me
