Ne. 2: Nehemiah Checks It Out

Nehemiah 2:17 "Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.""

Nehemiah brings the wine to the king one day, and is visibly upset. The king, who could, at any moment call for Nehemiah's head if he so much as looked at him wrong, noticed this and questioned him. Afraid, but counting on God for deliverance and success, Nehemiah told Artaxerxes about how the wall of Jerusalem was in ruins, and how he would like to go back and rebuild it. It probably wasn't something the king would take lightly, giving up his cupbearer. That was a very trusted position, but Art let him slide. He probably recognized how important it was to Nehemiah, but God probably also dipped his hand into Artaxerxes's heart and swished it around, moving him to let Nehemiah go.

Nehemiah is also granted a couple requests. One being letters to the Trans-Euphrates kings (those along the way home) that he be granted safe passage, otherwise you mess with Artaxerxes. The second was some timber from the royal forest. That's interesting. The wall of protection for Jerusalem was going to be rebuilt using materials from a foreign king's supply.

After three days in Jerusalem, Nehemiah goes out to check out what needs to be done fixing that there wall and the burnt out gate. They probably could have gotten those gates that Samson put up on the hill, if they were still there. Not really. That's ridiculous. That was like 1000 years ago.

Anyway, Nehemiah inspects the wall under cover of night so that no one would see him or know what he was doing. But afterwards, he encourages them to build the walls and the gates.

I have a couple questions here. Why weren't the walls being rebuilt? I mean, outside of the fact that it was God's plan to have Nehemiah come back and spearhead the effort. What were the Israelites doing with themselves? Was the temple (presumably completed) that big of a drain on the resources? Did they just not think of it?

Also, why the secrecy? Why did Nehemiah not disclose to the jews why he was there until after he had inspected the walls and the gates? Was it so he could create a strategy in advance, so that when he did tell them about the rebuilding, he'd have a plan handy? I suppose that makes sense.