June 28, 2012

As the month comes to a close, I reflect back on the course of the reconstruction effort that Nehemiah and Ezra oversaw. I think that everyone will agree that rebuilding a nation is no easy thing – though I’m inclined to believe that it’s easier than the first building up. After all, the generation coming out of the exile had at least some ground to build upon, while the generations coming out of Egypt and the wilderness had to learn firsthand how to build a holy nation after generations of living among the pagan peoples. Still, the Exile generation had their work cut out for them – those who returned to Judah had to adjust to a lifestyle that most of them had probably never practiced firsthand before. It’s fascinating to watch Israel’s history and what example(s) it sets for us today.

In Chapter 11, Nehemiah records the various allotments of people and where they dwell in the land. There is a lot of detail, but the main idea is that everyone is divided into three distinct categories: first the common people according to their cities, then the Levites and priests, and lastly the leaders. In a sense, it almost seems reminiscent of planting a field; rather than growing a crop in one area and letting it spread outward, Nehemiah spreads the people so that they can expand and fill the entire land while leaving them with a defensible pattern.

Chapter 12 serves as a genealogy for the leaders of the land, from the beginning of the return to Nehemiah’s present. Probably the best way I can describe it is a “passing of the torch” passage; as Nehemiah’s task comes to an end, he leaves the continuation of it in the hands of those listed here. We begin with the fathers who came with Zerubabbel in the days of Cyrus’ decree, both priests and Levites; this passes on to the sons who inherit the legacy of their fathers.

Three different kings are involved in the reconstruction efforts: Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes. Cyrus gives permission for the Jews to rebuild the Temple, Darius defends their right to do so (with royal support), and Artaxerxes is influenced by Nehemiah to write a new decree when the Samaritans attempt to invalidate the old one. Based on dates from historical record, I theorize that “Darius the Persian” was Artaxerxes’ grandfather, with Ahaserus (Xerxes I), Esther’s husband, being the father of Artaxerxes. All this takes place in a range of less than 60 years, and yet so much takes place as GOD brings his people back together.

For the book’s conclusion, Chapter 13 serves as a sort of epilogue, revealing adjustments that Nehemiah had to make after his return to Artaxerxes. Most of the problems involved the Jews intermingling habits and blood with their Samaritan/Gentile neighbors. Just as in Ezra 10, the people separate themselves from their Gentile marriages, purifying their bloodline. There were problem in the Temple leadership, with a priest allowing a Samaritan leader to use a room in the Temple for personal storage, as well as Levites attending more to their own homes than their Temple duties. This would probably be a first step toward the formation of the Essenes, the separatist Jewish sect who blamed the Temple leadership for corrupting the culture.

Other problems that occurred involved the keeping of the Sabbath; some Jews were doing fieldwork, while Gentiles were allowed to come and trade on the Sabbath when everyone should have been resting. Nehemiah confronts the leaders, reminding them of the importance of keeping their promises to GOD (and the consequences that happened when their ancestors failed to do so).

The most severe measures he took were in regard to Jews who had joined in marriage to women of the Philistines, Moabites, and Ammonites, often not bothering to teach them anything but their mothers’ culture. In the past, these three nations had caused Israel more trouble than any others; the irony is that the latter two were distant relatives of Israel, descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot through his daughters. Perhaps the most tragic outcome of this happened to a grandson of Eliashib the high priest, as his father-in-law was non other than Sanballat the Horonite, one of the more prominent of the Samaritan leaders. Nehemiah reminds the others of the great folly of joining with pagan nations, citing the demise of Solomon’s glory and wisdom because of his own marriages.

It is doubtless that Nehemiah committed himself to rebuilding the nation. He went above and beyond what might be considered the call of duty; he was passionate for GOD and the people of Judah. His efforts were drastic, but after previous failures, he was exactly what was needed to complete the reconstruction of not only the Temple and city walls, but also the society of the Jewish nation. Throughout the book, we see many small prayers of Nehemiah asking GOD that he and his efforts would not be forgotten. This may have been motivated by at least two things: a sincere desire that his labors would succeed, and perhaps a fear that whether he succeeded or failed, no one would remember who had done so much for the people.

Next time, we’ll take a step backwards and, through the account of Esther, see what happened to the Jews who chose to stay behind in the lands held by Persia.