There is a way to solve these problems but they do not wish to handle it that way. Read more. What does the wall represent in Nehemiah? Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem's Walls (Nehemiah 2:11-16) Landmarks in Building the Wall of Jerusalem ( Larger map) Notice carefully Nehemiah's strategy. Lots of debate here and that is ok as long as we remember that in-fighting amongst believers only makes the unbelievers more of an unbeliever. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. I do not see a reference to Yom Kippur in these verses. In the eighth chapter of Daniel, the phrase evening-morning(s) was used to indicate Passovers. If you are talking about Daniel 8:14, I do not see anything about Pesach. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem in 445 B.C. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes., 15When our enemies heard that their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 5Then I said to the king, If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favour with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors graves, so that I may rebuild it. 6The king said to me (the queen also was sitting beside him), How long will you be gone, and when will you return? So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a date. Nehemiah was cup-bearer to Artaxerxes. 10One day when I went into the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house, he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, tonight they are coming to kill you. 11But I said, Should a man like me run away? COPYRIGHT 2023 BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY 5614 Connecticut Ave NW #343, Washington DC 20015-2604. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me. Why is a broken-down wall such a big deal? Joshua & Zerubbabel restarted construction but their enemies lodge a protest with Darius Hystaspes. Before the seven Pentecosts begin, the tower gate with its broad place and the wall with its trench in front that were destroyed by Pompey in 63 BCE will have been rebuilt (from my book Lifting the Veil on the Book of Daniel, page 92, or see full discussion at http://www.prophecysociety.org/books/LV2012/LV-091.html ). 52 x 6 days], with the next 52 days being a symbolic sabbath of rest following all that work. Then I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. Nehemiah 4-6. After the wall was finished, Nehemiah did much good by reading the law of the Lord. . Four highly acclaimed books, published in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution: Aspects of Monotheism, Feminist Approaches to the Bible, The Rise of Ancient Israel and The Search for Jesus. and more. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer suffer disgrace. 18I told them that the hand of my God had been gracious upon me, and also the words that the king had spoken to me. Verse 6. In it, Nehemiah describes his efforts to rebuild the city, even in the face of hostile neighbors. 13I went out by night by the Valley Gate past the Dragons Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. Nehemiah and the people rebuilt 10 city gates. It took Nehemiah 52 days to reinforce the gaps and rebuild the wall. Defying the opposition of Judahs enemies on all sidesSamaritans, Ammonites, Arabs and Philistines, the original walls of the City of David were rebuilt by the people in 52 days, working with a trowel in one hand & a sword in the other. By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. He wanted them to know what standards he and they would live by. Just a few years later Cyrus gave his command(at the prompting of YHWH) which allowed the people to return and rebuild the temple. The liberal wants to revise history by dithering about dates . (Neh. . Building the temple of Jerusalem is in fact building Jerusalem. 52 days Once there, Nehemiah defied the opposition of Judah's enemies on all sidesSamaritans, Ammonites, Arabs and Philistinesand rebuilt the walls within 52 days, from the Sheep Gate in the North, the Hananeel Tower at the North West corner, the Fish Gate in the West, the Furnaces Tower at the Temple . Studying them will reveal something about getting close God. Rebuilding the walls showed that God was with His people. 12 gates in that map is still remain today? This company acts as an image bank/agency they own, or represent photographers (and artists, if recent), with regard to copyright. How about it? 11So I came to Jerusalem and was there for three days. A race of slaves emerge from slavery to become a nation. The word restore is shuwb- its primary meaning is to return or turn back. 16 Therefore thus saith YHWH; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith YHWH of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. See http://www.prophecysociety.org for a fuller explanation than can be provided in this forum. The church is named after St Lazare (Lazarus of Bethany, whom Jesus raised from the dead Gospel of John, 11) and, historically, was a famous place of pilgrimage because of its claim to have a piece of Lazarusskull as a relic, reputed to have the power to cure leprosy. 2He said in the presence of his associates and of the army of Samaria, What are these feeble Jews doing? As a leader with strong Christian values holding various ministerial positions in government at a state and federal level within our country, the writings of Nehemiah was my blue print on how to be strategic, diplomatic and never forgetting my purpose. following the Babylonian exile. 23After them Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. Then after the 62 7- sevens the Messiah is cut off. Verse 24 gives the big picture overview of what takes place during the entire 70 weeks. 2And the men of Jericho built next to him. Based on Ezra 6:14 this was none other than Darius son of Hystaspes. About a century and a half after Nebuchadnezzar's conquest, the walls and gates of the city were still broken down. So from the restoring of the wall in 492BCE to messiah the Prince in 2BCE, that equals 490. Christ is clearly cut off at the determination of the 69th week. Nehemiah Prays for His People. Nehemiah gathered the people together to rebuild the walls. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their watch-posts, and others before their own houses. 4The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few and no houses had been built. But thats not when he built the walls, its only when he inspected it for 3 days!! However, there is a world of difference between an artists own title to his work and the labeling of a picture hundreds of years later without any proof of the artists original intention. The workers built the walls in only 52 days. May God bless your search for understanding. http://kofh2u.tripod.com/kofh/. A wall built for Gods Glory Nehemiah depicts the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. After the wall was built, Nehemiah ensured that the people were read God's Law, and they understood it. Our hearts. If the Artaxerxes of Nehemiah references Darius son of Hystaspes their minimum age would have been 66 years. After him Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. Once there, Nehemiah defied the opposition of Judah's enemies on all sidesSamaritans, Ammonites, Arabs and Philistinesand rebuilt the walls within 52 days, from the Sheep Gate in the North, the Hananeel Tower at the North West corner, the Fish Gate in the West, the Furnaces Tower at the Temple Mount's South West. 27After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. I have included Daniel 9:25 below just to be perfectly clear just what the biblical text states. Verse 25 states the following: Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah.. He then rallied the people and, in the face of constant opposition from opponents, rebuilt the wall in 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15)a feat that put fear into the hearts of his opponents (Nehemiah 6:16). Nehemiah and his followers do what seems to be the impossible because they are doing what God has called them to do. However, week of years is not the meaning of the word weeks used to specify the seven weeks and sixty-two weeks in verse 25. They were allowed to return to Israel to rebuild their nation. The Jewish community in Jerusalem had been there for 80 years. It is the bedrock foundation upon which Jerusalems restoration began. As already mentioned, most traditional expositors have interpreted the word weeks in that verse to mean a week of years. In other words, a week in Daniel is interpreted as meaning a period of seven years. They consecrated it and set up its doors; they consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred and as far as the Tower of Hananel. The wall was at last completed52 days (a week shy of two months) after the reconstruction under Nehemiah commenced (verse 15). I think Isaac Newtons explanation gets the closest: They seem to have grounded their opinion on the 70 weeks, which they reckoned form the 1st year of Cyrus. Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem was an important sign to the enemies of Israel. WHAT DID NEHEMIAH DO THAT ENABLED HIM TO ENJOY THE FAVOR AND THE HAND OF GOD IN HIS TASK OF RESTORING. 15So I went up by way of the valley by night and inspected the wall. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs. 24After him Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the Angle and to the corner. 7Next to them repairs were made by Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothitethe men of Gibeon and of Mizpahwho were under the jurisdiction of the governor of the province Beyond the River. If building the temple (YHWH house) in Jerusalem does not qualify as the de facto event in building Jerusalem then nothing does. It is during 62 sevens that the wall and the street were built again. * Both men worked together to restore the city and rededicate its people to God. The early Messianic expectants would have understood the verse to mean: according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, -even- Artaxerxes. The picture of a statue of Nehemiah in this Bible History Daily article caused me to be suspicious. 6Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 12Then I got up during the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. He gathered his people together, he equipped them, and he led them in rebuilding the city walls of Jerusalem. 2. Of the three commands to rebuild the temple as mentioned in Ezra 6, clearly the command by YHWH through Haggai and Zechariah would be the one a Messianic Zealot or their followers would use to base their claim for the fulfillment of Daniel 9. as the provincial governor of Judah/Yehud. to quickly repair the breaches in the wall, Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Destruction of the Temple, http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/80353228.jpg, http://www.prophecysociety.org/books/LV2012/LV-091.html. Now he could rebuild his beloved city of Jerusalem, its walls and gates. So this is how it works Foto Marburg has plenty of Abrahams, Davids, Jesuses (Jesi?) It went from November in the 20th year in chapter 1 to April in the 20th year in chapter 2. The book of Nehemiah records the rebuilding of Jerusalem's city wall in about 445BC. 10But Judah said, The strength of the burden-bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish, so that we are unable to work on the wall. 11And our enemies said, They will not know or see anything before we come upon them and kill them and stop the work. 12When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times, From all the places where they live they will come up against us. 13So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. "Nehemiah 6:15", and "The city of . YHWHs house is the heart of Jerusalem, without its completion nothing else matters. 10Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. English translators have taken the liberty of translating it and denoting another separate Artaxerxes. The Temple, the city walls, and the gates had been destroyed as a result of the three invasions of Nebuchadnezzar and his forces in 606 BC, 597 BC, and 586 BC. Even in the the 7th year of Daryavesh I he could be no younger than 70. 17Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiahs letters came to them. Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem's wall in only 52 days. And rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days. Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been challenging coaches and athletes to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ, reaching millions worldwide. (who came up with Zerubabbel) Talmon and Akkub were porters who kept the gates during the time Nehemiah was in Jerusalem. One side is built on the. Well, there you have it, thats how I see it anyway . Biblical Archaeology Review is the guide on that fascinating journey. 14After I looked these things over, I stood up and said to the nobles and the officials and the rest of the people, Do not be afraid of them. The Bible doesn't say Nehemiah had wall-building experience or even leadership experience. 5Now our flesh is the same as that of our kindred; our children are the same as their children; and yet we are forcing our sons and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been ravished; we are powerless, and our fields and vineyards now belong to others.. By hand. The man of sin will in fact make a military protective covenant with Israel which ushers in the rapture of the called out born again church and begins the ticking on Israel for the last week. Put in your recipe box or binder and keep the card template you used on In the twelfth chapter, the word days was used to indicate Day(s) of Atonement. How many days did Nehemiah pray? Nehemiah. Nehemiah brought all the Levites to Jerusalem for the inauguration. How long was Nehemiah in Jerusalem? 5I said, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments; 6let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. So take 492BCE in Jeremiahs prophecy on the 490 years and until messiah the prince, whats that put us at? Daniyel 9:23 says that at the beginning of Daniyels supplications yatsa davar.. 9Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and gave them the kings letters. Now the 70 is a dual prophecy and the 2nd part is due to be fulfilled soon!! One of the powerful messages of Nehemiah is how much you can accomplish when you align yourself with the will and plan of God. None of the Persian-era decrees fit the text of Daniel 9. Daniel 9 did two things. It took Nehemiah 52 days to reinforce the gaps and rebuild the wall. 1 The words of () Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. Still, they are incorrect.Dan Bruce, The Prophecy Society. According to Haggai 1, YHWH then spoke to Haggai and asked him why the people were building their own houses when the Temple was not completed. Nehemiah's Wall. Four months later, they arrived in Jerusalem. And it could not (as Josephus says) be Khshayarsha, who only reign 20 years. Thanks a lot and I am taking a look ahead to contact you. So it only took 52 days to build this wall, so from this time, its 492BCE. Notice the importance YHWH, not man, places on the construction efforts: Zechariah 1:13-16 And YHWH answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. 9So I said, The thing that you are doing is not good. Daniel 9:25 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. YHWH was telling the people to shuwb or return and build His house that they were neglecting. This Bible History Daily feature was originally published in August 2012. Moving on to the 62 sevens they have nothing to do with the original command to return and build Jerusalem. Really consider the words below. This can only be sadness of the heart. Then I was very much afraid. Notes And Next Steps Nehemiah 3 + Part 4 of the series "Nehemiah: Rise & Build" The Sheep Gate (3:1). Only four years later the Temple was completed in the 6th year of Darius. The Second Reason: Water Neatly tucked away in the eastern slope of the City of David is the entrance to the ancient Jebusite passageway leading to the Gihon Spring. The first thing they did was use the weapon of mocking. Problems of the builders: ridicule; intimidation; loss of energy; shortage of food and money; conflict of interest. The governors of surrounding territories viciously oppose Nehemiah's efforts, but the wall is finished in just 52 days ( Neh 7:15 ). I dont think the prophecy of Daniel 9 gets the attention it deserves in regards to the influence it has had on Biblical and secular chronology. This decree or command by YHWH (in the 12th month, 2nd year of Darius) followed a similar decree given to Haggai just a few months earlier(Hag.1). This evidence of God's blessing encourages the Jews and is a terrific blow to the self-confidence of their enemies. After him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs. The Finklestein chronology, which dismisses the biblical record almost entirely, is also incorrect.Dan Bruce, The Prophecy Society. Israel is not serving God as of now and so time is not calculated because of that. The accounts are punctuated by prayers to God, such as Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people (Nehemiah 5:19). He is even given letters from the king to ensure safe passage and to obtain timber from the kings forest for the gates and walls of Jerusalem. And the plot thickens And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel,.. Then they said, Let us start building! So they committed themselves to the common good. After hearing about the sad state of affairs in Judah, Nehemiah acquired the kings permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city and its fortifications. Darius Hystaspes checks the records and confirms that in fact Cyruss did issue a decree and therefore the contruction could go on. 5Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord. Photo: Zev Radovan. My biggest problem with the article is your third supposition, quoted below: The third key to interpretation of the prophecy is to understand the time period meant by the Hebrew word weeks (BHS, Strongs OT: 7620) in verse 25. Daniyel 9:25 says that the first seven shavuim begin min motsa davar in Daniyels own lifetime, whenever his supplications began (naturally, when the Temple was destroyed). 8Next to them Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. 3So I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. (Neh.8) This likely indicates this was a Sabbath year. Will they finish it in a day? Trying to apply that prophecy to the Persian period is simply incorrect. The 70th week does not start until the Anti Christ appears who make a covenant with many for one heptad (week) a 7 year period. He immediately surveyed the damage to the entire city on his well-known night journey around the walls (Nehemiah 2:1215). 5In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 14Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. Ok kislev is November, and notice it says the 20th year of the king? The new chronology I have introduced in my book Sacred Chronology of the Hebrew Kings (available for reading free on my website) shows how the chronologies of the Bible, Egypt, and Assyria are in perfect agreement when the correct chronology for the kings is used. Your email address will not be published. The waw would have been more accurately translated as a hendiadys where the 2nd word specifies the first. Though the temple has been rebuilt, the city walls were as they had been for the last 130 years, with the result that the inhabitants of Jerusalem had no way of defending themselves against their enemies (see Nehemiah 4:11). 2So the king said to me, Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? Within three days of his arrival in Jerusalem he did a thorough inspection of the walls (Nehemiah 2:11-16). Nehemiah rebuilt the wall to protect the people from the enemies. Another of Nehemiahs accomplishments was to make a record and genealogy of all the nobles, officials and people who were then living in Judah. The world of the Bible is knowable. Sign up to receive our email newsletter and never miss an update. Symbolically, it mightve made more sense for the building of the wall to take place over the course of 312 days [i.e. They told him that the people who had survived being captives were suffering. According to a story, Nehemiah, a high official in the Persian court of King Artaxerxes I at the capital city of Susa, was very troubled that there was no wall to protect his beloved city of Jerusalem, its walls and gates.