Rebuilding What Only God Can Restore — The Gospel Through the Book of Nehemiah
There's something deeply moving about the book of Nehemiah. It's the story of a man who lived far from home, carried responsibilities he never asked for, and yet could not shake the burden God placed on his heart. Nehemiah was born in a foreign land, serving in the Persian court, but his heart never left Jerusalem. When he heard that the city's walls lay in ruins, something inside him broke. The city of God was exposed, vulnerable, and shamed. And Nehemiah knew he had to do something.
That's often how God begins His work—He stirs a heart, He plants a burden, He awakens a vision. But before Nehemiah lifted a stone, he prayed. Before he spoke to the King, he spoke to the King of kings. God's work always begins with God Himself.
A Man Who Prayed Before He Built
Nehemiah's first response to the news was not strategy but sorrow, not planning but praying. He "sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; fasting and praying before the God of heaven," Nehemiah 1:4. That's where all true gospel work begins—not with our strength, but with our weakness; not with our ideas, but with our dependence.
The gospel tells us the same truth. Before we can build anything for God, God must do something in us. The Lord Jesus said, "Without Me you can do nothing," John 15:5. The cross reminds us that salvation is not a human project but a divine rescue. Christ died for the ungodly, rose to give life, and now builds His church through ordinary people who lean entirely on Him.
Nehemiah prayed—and God moved. But here's the surprising thing: God often answers prayer by sending us to be part of the solution. Nehemiah prayed for Jerusalem, and God sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem. The man who prays often becomes the man God uses.
A Vision That Looked Impossible
Rebuilding a wall around a ruined city was no small task. The stones were scattered, the gates burned, the people discouraged, and enemies surrounded them. Yet Nehemiah believed God could do what seemed impossible. He told the people, "The God of heaven will prosper us; therefore, we His servants will arise and build," Nehemiah 2:20.
That's the heartbeat of gospel work. We don't preach Christ because we think people can fix themselves. We preach Christ because only God can rebuild a broken life. Paul wrote, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation," 2 Corinthians 5:17. The gospel is not self‑improvement. It is God doing for us what we could never do for ourselves.
Nehemiah's vision wasn't about stones and mortar. It was about restoring God's honour among His people. Today, the Lord is still building—but not walls. He is building His church, gathering people from every nation into a living temple founded on Christ Himself, Ephesians 2:19–22.
A Work That Needed Everyone
One of the most beautiful chapters in Nehemiah is chapter 3, where there is a long list of names, families, and groups who worked side by side. Goldsmiths, perfumers, rulers, merchants, daughters, priests—everyone found a place on the wall.
God's work has always been a team effort. The gospel doesn't create spectators; it creates servants. Paul reminds us that the church is a body, and "the body is not one member but many," 1 Corinthians 12:14. Every believer has a role. Every gift matters. Every contribution strengthens the whole.
Nehemiah didn't build the wall alone. And no Christian builds the kingdom alone. When God saves us, He places us into a community where we serve, encourage, and strengthen one another.
A Work That Faced Opposition
As soon as the building began, the enemies appeared. Mockery, threats, discouragement, fear—Nehemiah faced it all. But he refused to stop. He prayed, he planned, and he pressed on. At one point, the builders worked with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other.
The gospel prepares us for the same reality. Following Christ does not remove opposition; it often invites it. Yet we stand firm because Christ has already won the victory. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31. The cross disarms every enemy, and the resurrection guarantees that nothing done for Christ is ever wasted.
A Work That Only God Could Finish
In just fifty‑two days, the wall was completed. It was a miracle of grace, determination, unity, and divine help. But the real miracle was not the wall—it was the renewed hearts of God's people. They gathered to hear the Word, confessed their sins, renewed their covenant, and rediscovered the joy of the Lord.
That's the gospel in miniature. Christ rebuilds what sin has ruined. He restores what was broken. He brings us back to God. And the joy He gives becomes our strength, Nehemiah 8:10.
Rebuilding Today
We may not be stacking stones or hanging gates, but God is still calling His people to build—lives, families, churches, communities shaped by the gospel. Like Nehemiah, we start with prayer. We trust God for the impossible. We work together. We endure opposition. And we keep our eyes on Christ, the One who is building something eternal.
The wall Nehemiah built eventually fell again. But the work Christ is doing will stand forever.
All photos courtesy of Unsplash
