Building Walls

What purpose does a wall serve?  They support the roof/ceiling of a structure. They keep the elements out. They protect us.  Without walls we would be at the mercy of nature and those that intend to cause us harm.  In ancient times the walls of a city was what determined the survival of that city and it's inhabitants.  Many cities of olden time were famous for their walls.  Constantinople (Turkey), York (England), Carcassonne (France), Xi'an (China), and the ancient city of Jerusalem.


Every one of the these cities have, in their histories, been subject to attack by those bent upon conquering. In most cases these cities have been protected by their walls, but at one time or another each has fallen to an attacking army.

Such was the case of Jerusalem, which fell to Nebuchadnezzar, to Rome two times, and to countless other invaders over the centuries.  The wall did not keep the city from harm, due to treachery, weakness or just sheer might of the attacker.

As I have been reading during my devotional time the last week or so, I finished up with Ezra (the rebuilding of the Temple) and decided to go right into Nehemiah which deals with the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls. This morning I began chapter 3.  In this chapter a list of men and their families is given outlining what section of wall each was family group was responsible for.  As I read of Eliashib (the High Priest), the men of Jericho, the sons of Hassenaah, and many, many more that were rebuilding the wall and gates of the city, my mind began to wonder, much like it does when going through Leviticus or Deuteronomy, one verse stood out.  It was one of those versed that jumped off the page because of one word.  Nehemiah chapter 3 and verse 20 says (I will include vs 19 for continuity)...

"¹⁹ Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the official of Mizpah, repaired ^[i]another section in front of the ascent of the armory at the Angle. ²⁰ After him Baruch the son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the Angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest."

Did you catch the word in verse 20?? (emphasized)  Zealously!! Zealously means "full of, characterized by, or due to zeal, ardently active, devoted or diligent".  In other words, Baruch kicked into high speed and got the job done. He built his section of the wall zealously!! Why?  To protect himself, his family and the rest of the Jews that had come back to their holy city, from an attacking enemy.

With this one verse, God got my attention!  Am I building the right kind of walls to protect me and my family?  Am I repairing/building walls to fend off Satan and his attacks?  Do I pray for and ask God to help me "build walls" around that and those that I love so they will survive attacks? And most importantly am I doing it "zealously"?  Having a vibrant, daily relationship with my God is the only way I, or anyone else, will be able to accomplish building walls, and I pray God will help me become a master stonemason!