This month at my church, I have been teaching from the book of Nehemiah.  It is so very interesting. After the book of Ezra (a Levitical priest) in which Ezra was told by God to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the  temple, we have the book of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah was just a regular guy.  Blue-collar. The cupbearer for the king--who incidentally was sympathetic to the plight of the Jews. (The Jews had been led into captivity by previous kings years earlier.  Jerusalem and God's temple had been totally destroyed.)  As a cupbearer, he was responsible to taste the king's wine and be sure it wasn't poisoned--a common occurrence in those days.

God laid a burden on Nehemiah's heart.  He wanted him to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall around the city because Ezra was taking one step forward and two steps backwards in the effort to rebuild the temple.  Enemies kept destroying their work.

So Nehemiah spoke to the king, and the king financed his trip to Jerusalem and also financed all the timber, stone, and whatever else was needed to build the wall.

Four types of people were involved in all of this.  1. A priest of the house of God.   2. A man who was willing to answer the call of God.  3. A non-Jewish king.  4. A community of people who were willing to come under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah's vision to work and get the job done.

God uses us all to accomplish His plans.  Even those who are not His people.  The church has a similar makeup of people.  Clerical.  People gifted to teach.  People who simply want to do God's will.   And people that aren't sure what they believe but are searching--like the king.

  Acts 20:28 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood."