We are constantly in need of wisdom if we are going to live successfully because we are not born with complete knowledge of all things. We need input from the outside.
The Bible is input from the outside – the best kind of input: revelation from God himself.
In a world of differing worldviews and philosophies, the Bible enables us to gain knowledge from God and insight in how to live successfully in God’s world.
The book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament contains Nehemiah the master-builder’s memoir and some great insights into living well.
1. Live for your true home
Nehemiah was Jew and a member of the Old Testament exilic community in living in Persia. However, although he lived in Persia, his heart was in Jerusalem – the city of God. He constantly sought info from Jerusalem and prayed for Jerusalem.
In time he returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city’s wall and people.
As Christians, our true home is not the earthly Jerusalem, but heavenly one.
Hebrews 12:22 says, “But you (Christians!) have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.”
Just as Nehemiah prioritized his true home – even while living in Persia – se we are called to prioritize our true home, while being exiles and strangers in this world. In other words, we live for the Kingdom of God.
The irony is that to be successful (in God’s sight) in this world, we don’t live for this world, but for the world to come. Or as Jesus said, seek first the Kingdom of God.
God’s Kingdom should shape our behaviour, beliefs, decisions, lifestyle, priorities, and how we spend money.
Jesus always sought God’s Kingdom first.
2. God wants us to depend on him through prayer and also work hard
Nehemiah was a great example of depending on God in prayer and then working to the best of his ability.
For Nehemiah it wasn’t one or the other. He wasn’t like the person who prays for a job but doesn’t actively go for interviews and pursues all opportunities. Nor was he like the person who just goes for interviews and pursues all opportunities, but never prays.
All through the book of Nehemiah we see him praying much and working much.
Jesus was a great example of depending on God in prayer and then exerting himself to the best of his abilities.
3. Persevering through external and internal opposition
All through Nehemiah’s time in Jerusalem he experienced opposition. Ridicule, lies, character assassination, conspiracies, gossip and even physical threats to his safety.
It’s surprising that much of his opposition came from insiders, not outsiders. Internally, not externally.
Often in life we experience opposition in various forms. Opposition is particularly distressing when it comes from someone in our own family, friendship circle, work group, church, or ministry team.
Opposition is demoralizing, distressing and discouraging. It requires perseverance in serving the Lord and doing what’s right. Therefore, to be successful in life we need to cultivate perseverance.
Jesus experienced the same. He was betrayed by one of his disciples and condemned by his own people before being crucified by the Romans.
Both Jesus and Nehemiah persevered in their trust in God and in what God called them to do.
Jesus also set us a great example. He persevered to the end and endured the cross because of the joy set before him. Cf. Hebrews 12:1-2
4. God’s Word should direct our lives
Thomas Cranmer was Archbishop of England during the time of the Protestant Reformation. He considered how he could best change the beliefs and behavior of a nation. One of the things he did was make sure that an English Bible was chained to the pulpit of every church so that people had access to God’s Word read and preached.
Thomas Cranmer was convinced that as God’s people heard God’s Word, they heard God speak and it would produce change. Cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:13
Many churches today claim wonderful things: healing, deliverance, breakthroughs, anointing, new words from God, and many other tantalizing encounters and experiences. Most of those churches are packed to the rafters. But there is little or no long-term change in people because there is no careful, systematic, clear explanation of God’s Word and what the implications of God’s Word are for us today.
All through the book of Nehemiah we see that change came as God’s people were exposed to God’s Word – as God’s Word was read, explained, listened to, believed and obeyed.
Jesus believed that the words of the Bible are God’s Word. Cf. Matthew 19:4-5
The Apostle Paul famously wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17,
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man (and woman) of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Long-term change is not produced by powerful, emotional, “supernatural” experiences, but as we listen to the Word of God. As God speaks to through the Bible, his Spirit changes us.
5. God’s people are essential
Have you heard people say, “I love Jesus, but a can’t stand the church.”
I know going to church doesn’t make you a Christian, any more than sleeping in a garage makes you a car. Nevertheless, it’s so much better for cars to be parked in garages. Not parking your car in a garage may result in it being vandalized or stolen. Not parking in a garage may be very dangerous for cars.
When God saves us, he saves us into a community. Not a perfect community, but his community.
Throughout the book of Nehemiah, we see God’s people serve each other, encourage each other, help each other, and support each other.
Jesus, the ultimate master-builder, did not say in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my individual Christians”, but, “I will build my church.”
Sinners sin
Of course, people in the church will offend you (guaranteed) because they, like you, are sinners. They are forgiven sinners, but sinners nonetheless. The solution when you are inevitably offended is not to leave the church, but to forgive and reconcile and keep your eyes on Jesus.
God uses his people to encourage, build up, equip, strengthen, rebuke, and pray for each other.
6. The Old Covenant is not enough
Nehemiah’s memoir ends on a sad note.
Nehemiah returned from a break in Persia to find that God’s people were struggling with same old sins as before. Their hearts remained unchanged.
The book of Nehemiah and indeed the entire Old Testament leaves us waiting for a new, better covenant.
Nehemiah and the Old Testament leaves us waiting for God to again intervene in history to transform people’s hearts, that is, to radically change us from the inside out.
And God did that by sending his Son into the world. The Lord Jesus came as King, he died to save us from our sins, he rose to rule, and one day he will return to judge.
Jesus honoured God first in all things; he worked and prayed; he persevered in opposition; he listened to and spoke God’s Word; he surrounded himself with people, in particular the twelve, that he taught, trained and loved; and then he died to bear the wrath of God for our sin and failings.
Now through trust in Christ we are forgiven, given God’ Spirit, and changed from the inside out. We also look forward to a New Jerusalem in the world to come where God will dwell with his people forever.
If we truly want to live wise, successful lives in this world for the world to come, we will build our lives on Jesus and his words. As Jesus said:
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 7:24-27