Join in Building the Wall

“So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the foreign nations [Norw.] from Israel.” Neh. 13:3.

Dear soul, if you separate all the foreign nations from Israel, then you will hear the word of the Law, God’s holy commandments, in the innermost depths of your heart. Then the Spirit will be able to reveal holy things to you. Then you will have received a love for this voice, so that you continually separate yourself from everyone whose words and conduct are only of this earth—so that you can hear this voice. A deep peace reigns in the heart of those with a listening ear. However, they do not make an outward show of that peace because they know that the kingdom of God does not come with outward observation. It thrives in the secret place and is nourished by hidden sacrifices. There is a saying: Empty barrels make the most noise. And these empty, religious barrels make a frightful noise. What is important to them is how things look outwardly. Everything is calculated to put on a show for the eager, religious audience. When people are baptized, they make such a fuss out of it that even ungodly people are surprised at such folly. They use all sorts of ties and bonds in an attempt to be united with the foreign nations in Israel. There should be no doubt for anyone that these people are desperately seeking unions and alliances with the foreign nations of Israel and with the citizens of Gibeon who deceived Joshua and the elders of Israel with their offer of peace and an alliance. Josh. 9, from verse 3. The word of the Law, written on tablets of flesh, has become like a plague for them. The Spirit’s voice in the church is bondage. But great, swelling words about themselves and their own importance are gladly swallowed by their undiscerning listeners who have never been exercised in discerning between what is holy and what is unholy. They accept these words as if they have been spoken from the mouth of the Lord.

“Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.” Neh. 9:1-3.

If the spiritual Israel wants to emerge from the mess they find themselves in, it would be very beneficial for them to follow the example of ancient Israel. Separate yourself from the foreign nations, cover yourself with spiritual sackcloth and ashes, and mourn over your wretchedness. Stand quietly in your place and read; meditate on the Law of the Lord your God and confess your foolishness—that you have allowed yourselves to be led by blind guides.

Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. Join in building the wall, but first throw all of your enemies over the wall—those who boast in their liberty when in fact they are merely religious vagrants. “Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.” Neh. 4:17.

Perhaps up to now you have not understood or had your eyes opened to the fact that you should bear burdens and build with one hand while swinging the sword with the other. Naturally, like these other “vagrants,” you have been trained to pass the time mocking those who are working on the wall. But beware lest the wall become so high that there is no way you can get over it and come into the city.

“Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built.” Verse 18.

You have probably been taught that only the leader is supposed to build, and that you should just sit quietly and enjoy life. The leader is to swing the sword, and you are to hide behind his back. Israel of old was given a completely different understanding: each one of them had to build and swing the sword.

The priests built the Sheep Gate. The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. Next to them, Meremoth made repairs, and next to them, the Tekoites made repairs. “But their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.” Neh. 3:5. These nobles were enjoying their “liberty” just like the hirelings of our day, who will not submit and put their shoulders to the work of the Lord.

“And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.” Neh. 6:16.

Just endure, dear soul, you who have put your shoulder to the task of bearing burdens, you who are building with one hand and swinging a sword with the other. The day is coming when the wall will be completed. On that day, all our adversaries will sink in their own eyes and acknowledge that the work was of God.

Endure opposition and mockery for a little while from those who say that we should give up trying to build the wall (Neh. 4:11-12), because the wall is already going up. Do not be terrified by the religious leaders, and do not let them entice you either. They are like competing businessmen who cannot stand to live together in the same house. This is the testimony against them: They seek their own and not those things which belong to the Lord, He who said that they should all become one, even as the Father and the Son are one. John 17:22.