God gave the prophet Nehemiah favor with a powerful Persian king. The king agreed to all of Nehemiah's requests (Nehemiah 1:11; 2:8, 18). Nehemiah then confidently shared his bold plan to rebuild Jerusalem's walls. The people of Jerusalem trusted God would help them succeed and protect them from enemies (2:18; 4:4–5, 9).
They continued their work despite opposition. They knew God fights for his people and disrupts evil plans (4:14–15, 20). When they completed the walls, Nehemiah acknowledged that the challenging project succeeded only with God's help (6:16).
The book of Nehemiah shows that God is all-powerful and can achieve his plans in both personal lives and nations. The prayer in Nehemiah 9 praises God for his powerful acts. God created the heavens and earth, called Abram from Ur, and gave the land to Israel (9:6; 7–8, 22–25).
God demonstrated his power over people and creation to show care for his people in three main ways (9:9–15):
The miraculous signs in Egypt.
The parting of the Red Sea.
The provision of guidance, food, and water in the wilderness.
The Lord sent the Israelites into exile after many generations of sin (Nehemiah 9:32–37). Now, he was fulfilling his promise to restore them (1:8–9). Nehemiah prayed and led with confidence because he knew everything was part of God's plan.
This same trust in God led Abram to leave Ur and go to an unknown land (Genesis 12:1–3; Hebrews 11:8–10). It caused Rahab to trust God (Joshua 2:9–14; Hebrews 11:31). It prompted King Hezekiah to resist the king of Assyria, Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:1–19:37). Confidence comes when people trust God will keep his promises and complete the work he started in their lives (Philippians 1:6).
Passages for Further Study
Genesis 12:1–4; Joshua 1:10–18; 2:9–14; 2 Kings 18:1–19:37; Nehemiah 1:8–9, 11; 2:8, 18, 20; 4:4–5, 9, 14–15, 20; 6:16; 9:6–31; Psalms 4:5; 9:10; 37:3; 40:3; 44:6–7; 56:3–12; 112:1–9; Proverbs 3:5–12; 16:20; 28:1, 25; Isaiah 26:3; Hebrews 11:8–10, 31; 1 John 4:17