Revive Us Again: Lessons from Nehemiah on Spiritual Renewal (Pt. 1)

The book of Nehemiah provides a biblical blueprint for how God revives His people. We'll witness God using the ordinary person Nehemiah to catalyze repentance, courage, and resolve among the struggling Jewish remnant in Jerusalem. Nehemiah models the revival process - starting with one person's brokenness over the condition of God’s people and Temple, leading to heartfelt repentance, and then a faith-inspired vision to fulfill God's promises. Ultimately, Nehemiah teaches that revival flows from God working through His repentant and humble people. Studying this book reveals how God still revives His church today.

Let’s Set the Context

[For an introduction to the Book of Nehemiah, click here]

The Jewish remnant that had returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity was living in disgraceful conditions. Over a century earlier, the prophet Jeremiah foretold of Jerusalem's destruction, which came to fruition in the mid-500s BC when the Babylonians leveled the city and sent God's people into exile.

Nehemiah was likely among those saved decades later through Esther's courageous actions. Though dwelling in Persia, his heart remained with his fellow Jews in the promised land. The book of Nehemiah chronicles the reviving work God did among His people as they rallied to rebuild Jerusalem's broken walls under Nehemiah's leadership.

In conjunction with the book of Ezra, which focuses on restoring the temple, Nehemiah teaches how God revives and reforms His people to pray and act for His glory boldly. Its overarching theme is revival—God spiritually reviving His people, illustrated through the physical revival of rebuilding Jerusalem's protective walls.

As the story unfolds, we see God bringing repentance and courage to His people, enabling them to overcome opposition and fortify the holy city again as a visible demonstration of His faithfulness to revive the repentant. Nehemiah's example highlights how God moves in and through His people as they align themselves with His reviving purposes.

Broken Walls, Broken Heart

The Old Testament book of Nehemiah provides fantastic insight into how God revives and restores His people. At the heart of this inspiring story is that revival begins not with a grand event or the work of a gifted speaker but with one person whose heart is broken over the state of God's people.

Nehemiah was a Jewish man living in the Persian city of Susa, serving as a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. Through some fellow Hebrews, he learned of the disgraceful troubles faced by the Jewish remnant who had returned to Jerusalem from exile. The report was devastating: "The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire" (Nehemiah 1:3).

This news shattered Nehemiah's heart. He wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed fervently before the Lord (v.4). Nehemiah understood that living in a city without walls meant existing in perpetual vulnerability and fear of invasion. But more than the ruined physical walls, the broken spiritual state of God's people grieved him deeply.

Nehemiah's response reveals the starting point when God desires to revive His people. It begins with a broken heart—one person allowing God’s people's disgraceful condition to pierce their soul. Out of this spirit of brokenness flows heartfelt repentance, personal and corporate, for the sins and idolatries that led to this low state (vv.6-7).

Yet Nehemiah didn't wallow in despair. After his confession, he confidently reminded God of His promises to restore His people if they repented and returned to Him (vv.8-10). Nehemiah prepared the future revival by faith, declaring, "They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand" (v.10).

What About Us?

For the church today, Nehemiah's example is both challenging and encouraging. We must, too, allow God to break our hearts over the brokenness around us—be it in our faithfulness, our corporate witness, or the hurt and idolatry rampant in our believing communities. Comfortable Christianity inoculated against brokenness will never experience revival.

Like Nehemiah, we must join in repentance—personal and corporate—for our sins, idolatry, and failure to be salt and light. We must confess our unwillingness to change, our idolization of tradition, and our selectiveness in who we're willing to take the gospel of Christ. Until we own our guilt, we'll never taste revival.

But then, we must claim God's promises in faith! Though Jerusalem's walls were shattered, Nehemiah saw their restoration because he was confident in God's covenant faithfulness when His people repented. We, too, must pray and work towards revival with the assurance that God delights in reviving His repentant people.

For Nehemiah, the willingness to let his heart be broken over Jerusalem's devastated walls soon gave way to a passionate vision for rebuilding the walls and restoring the holy city's glory. First came the broken heart, then the promise-fueled faith, and finally, the commitment to being a part of God's reviving work.

Does the devastation around us break our hearts? The hurt, the lostness, the impact of sin and idolatry on our communities? Or have we grown calloused and accepting of "the way things are"? God is searching for those willing to lead the way in revival by allowing their hearts to be broken, joining in repentance, and finally rising with faith to see His promises fulfilled among His people.

When was the last time we wept over the brokenness we saw? That's where revival begins - a broken heart paving the way for repentance, faith-filled prayers claiming God's promises, and a passion to see Him work in reviving power. Nehemiah's example calls us to expose our hearts to the area’s most in need of God's reviving grace and then join Him in the transforming work He yearns to do. Let it begin with broken hearts like Nehemiah's.

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