Analysis: The Book Of Nehemiah

The book of Nehemiah was authored by Ezra between 445 and 420 B.C. It records the events of the Jews returning to Jerusalem and rebuilding the wall that once stood strong and protected them from their enemies. Nehemiah started out as the king of Persia’s cup bearer and was eventually commissioned as a governor. Before entering into the leadership of Nehemiah the Jewish people had been exiled for over seventy years, Jerusalem had been completely destroyed, and the temple had been burned in 586 B.C. Zerubhabar led the first group of Jewish exiles to return and begin the rebuilding phases of the temple. Ezra led the second group, and Nehemiah proceeded him. The Persians dominated the Near Eastern world at the time, however they allowed the Jews …show more content…
A Chiasm uses a unique repetition pattern for emphasis on the main themes throughout the story. In a culture where stories are told by word of mouth this type of structure was necessary so that people could better understand what they were being told, and recognize the main takeaways. Chiasms help to point out the main themes of not only the wall being rebuilt, but also the restoration of God’s people, providing for those in need, and obeying the commands that God gives to his people. There is also a great deal of emphasis put on the power of prayer and getting into the word of God. Nehemiah was a very honorable man and took great care in investing in God’s people, and pouring all that he had into their well being. One can surely see that without God choosing to use such a strong leader and working through him, that the wall might have never gotten rebuilt so quickly. The main thing that sticks out throughtout this book of the Bible is the theme of restoration, and how the Jewish people will respond in the face of adversity. God shows that he is loyal and will provide a way for his children prosper and grow closer to …show more content…
There’s no other way that such a large task could be fulfilled without unity and teamwork. The Jews had to stay strong against opposing forces and steadfast in their mission. Through the process the people grew closer to God and the wall emerged in just fifty two days which seems rather astonishing considering the lack of resources. The Jews did seem to fall apart when Nehemiah left over a twelve year span. They became corrupt and lived very sinful lives, however when Nehemiah returned he showed them the right path. The people were taught to study the word of God and to make prayer a part of their daily lives. Over this time true worship was established and the Jews adhered to the word of