When Nehemiah led a group of exiled Israelites to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, he probably never anticipated the level of resistance that he would face. Opposition came at them from every side. As enemies conspired against the progress (Neh 4:7-8), Nehemiah had to protect God’s people without an army.
Nehemiah was forced to rely on men with varying levels of military prowess. In a stunning move, Nehemiah places every able man in the exposed places of the wall and tells them to fight.
In order to obtain the ferociousness needed to win the battle, Nehemiah placed every man near his clan as the last line of defense before the enemy could reach that man’s family (Neh 4:13). Before the battle began, Nehemiah reminded the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes” (Neh 4:14).
In this holy moment, God’s people obtained victory through the hands of some fathers who held the line and refused to let any threat past them and endanger their families.