Nehemiah in Persia: Wise as a Serpent, Innocent as a Dove

What has Nehemiah to do with faith and vocation? The character and context of Nehemiah seems so out of touch with twenty-first century living. I do not know of anyone who works, or has worked, under a king as a cupbearer. However, this application of Scripture for life and vocation is shallow. When read carefully, Nehemiah’s world has many similarities with ours, especially when it comes to faith and vocation. Nehemiah lived in a world where he had to navigate the challenge of balancing assimilation with and distinction against a pagan society. How does one act when they are a trusted employee of a pagan organization?

Once defeating the Babylonian Empire, Cyrus the Great ascended to power over the Near East in 539 B.C.E., thus introducing a new era upon many parts of the world. While surpassing the power of its predecessors, the Persian Empire differed in its organization. Assyria and Babylon were famous for exiling nations, while Cyrus and many of his successors did the very opposite, granting limited rights for some exiles to return home. The Persian kings were not opposed to other religions. One famous example is King Cyrus who, after defeating the Babylonians, did not disgrace the Babylonian gods but embraced them. He let them know that it was the will of their gods that brought the Persian empire to their midst. Due to Cyrus’ “style” of ruling, some scholars have even gone as far to call him a polytheist. But even if we were not to go that far, it cannot be denied that those who lived under the auspices of the Persian Empire had some form of religious freedom; one could say, an ancient form of religious freedom.

Through this short summary of Nehemiah’s context, I hope we can begin to draw some similarities between us and the ancient world ruled by an organization that was not necessarily hostile to faith, but at the same time was not wholly for it. Moreover, Nehemiah found himself not only living in this world, but also working under one its kings: King Artaxerxes, the fifth king after Cyrus.

So how does Nehemiah navigate his faith and vocation in a context that is not necessarily hostile to his beliefs? Nehemiah has several different priorities that stand over his job, but how does he work them out before the king of the known world?

The book’s narrative makes its priorities obvious. There is no doubt that Nehemiah’s job as a cupbearer is important (Nehemiah 1:11); his job is the reason why he has access to the king. However, when taking a closer look at the sequencing of the events, the book of Nehemiah portrays the sorry state of Jerusalem as the greatest issue at stake. In the words of Hanani, “[t]he remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire” (Neh. 1:3). A slightly oversimplified way of putting this is that the book seeks first the kingdom of God.

Nehemiah grieves at this news. He then gets up to pray (Neh. 1:4–11). Only after this precursor is it revealed that Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king, as if that component of the story was secondary detail. Nehemiah’s vocation and his role is not unimportant. However, it exists within the greater purposes of God’s will.

So, with the issue present in the mind of our protagonist and his status revealed, Nehemiah prepares for action.

Scripture here is not making the case that every single Christian should now take matters into their own hands by finding a way, by any means possible, to find an audience with their king, prime minister, or president. That opportunity is afforded to some. It is no coincidence that Nehemiah was cupbearer to the king; a role that would have required much training and trust. However, while knowing the risk it played to his job and future, Nehemiah makes plans to speak to the king.

Charging into the palace and demanding leave would have left Nehemiah jobless and likely headless. As generous as the Persian kings could be, they also showed a remarkable brutality to those who abused the empire’s “graces.” Nehemiah knew this. So, it is not surprising that Nehemiah prays fervently to God,

“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man” (Neh. 1:11).

Nehemiah understands that his life could be at stake, but he also knows that his fate is ultimately in the hands of God. Thus, Nehemiah begins with prayer. But praying is not the only thing Nehemiah does.

Being a cupbearer to the king meant that Nehemiah had ready access to the king. We are not sure if he had open access, but he had more access than none. Yet even with permission to stand before the king, Nehemiah plans his steps out meticulously. This is not very clear on the surface, so it needs some explanation.

We read that Nehemiah initially inspected the state of the walls in the month of Chislev (Neh. 1:1) which is around December, yet we are told that Nehemiah approaches the king about this issue in the month of Nisan which is around February or March. This suggests that Nehemiah did not say anything for 3 to 4 months. However, his waiting was intentional, which leads us to the second point.

What seems to be taking place in Nehemiah 2 is some kind of festivity. Scholars have pointed to different possibilities, but at the end of the day the author of Ezra-Nehemiah leaves it ambiguous. We know, however, that the occasion was important and intimate due to the presence of the queen. Royal women of the Persian court were rarely seen in public; honour was built through invisibility in the Achaemenid empire. If you ever wondered why queen Vashti in the book of Esther was upset when told to display herself to King Ahasuerus’ guests, her desire to stay invisible may be the reason why. Nonetheless, the queen’s presence indicates the intimacy and importance of the occasion. Additionally, the ancient author Herodotus wrote that during certain festivities it was Persian custom for the king to be extremely generous, “on that day no one should be refused a request.”[1] Whether or not this happened, we are not so sure. But one thing is not impossible: the combination of a glamourous party and the finest wines would increase the likelihood of a requests being answered.

This by no means is licence for the Christian to make use of drunkard individuals, despite their extravagant power and wealth. What Nehemiah does is to capture an opportune time and context. Would it have been wise for Nehemiah to request a rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem while the king is drawing up war strategies with his generals against a rebellious vassal state? Probably not. However, to request something difficult when the king is happy and with his queen is strategic.

There is one more thing to be said concerning this scene. It is not only the timing of Nehemiah’s request, but also the way he asks. Nehemiah begins his speech with a customary oriental wish, “May the king live forever!” (Neh. 2:3). He then proceeds to string together cleverly thought-out words. In a book that has particular focus on the city of Jerusalem, Nehemiah’s speech with the king refrains from mentioning Jerusalem at all. Earlier in the book of Ezra, letters are sent to King Artaxerxes concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Ezra 4:7–16) to which the king replies, “…it has been found that this city [Jerusalem] from old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid” (Ezra 4:19–20). In the king’s understanding, Jerusalem is a historically problematic city, so he makes a decree to cease all building efforts.

We are not sure when exactly Nehemiah approaches Artaxerxes. It could have been before or after he found out about Jerusalem’s past. However, it is remarkable that in Nehemiah’s speech he does not mention once that he is rebuilding Jerusalem. Perhaps the city was notorious, so not mentioning it gave Nehemiah the best chance to work on the walls.

And this is not the end of Nehemiah’s shrewdness. In addition to not mentioning Jerusalem, Nehemiah indirectly appeals to the monumental tomb culture of the Persians. Nehemiah says that “the city, the place of my fathers’ grave, lies in ruins…” (Neh. 2:3). The greatest issue has already been expressed in the narrative: the trouble and shame for those who had survived exile and the state of the walls (Neh. 1:3). The issue was not necessarily that the graves of their ancestors were ruined. While it is true that the tombs of the ancestors in Israel were in ruins, it was not the primary issue. Yet, Nehemiah speaks of the issues surrounding tombs because that would have captured the king’s attention and sympathy.

Nehemiah’s approach to needs of the kingdom of God is well calculated. It would not be so far off to what Jesus commands Christians to “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Wisdom often calls for the Christian to say the right thing, at the right time, in the right way. It is about what we say, when we say it, and how we say it.

Nehemiah’s careful request to the king is a good example of how Christians can navigate a secular workplace. If the Persian king was utterly opposed to the religion of the Israelites, Nehemiah would not even get an audience before the monarch. It was precisely because of the king’s tolerance towards the faith that allowed Nehemiah to step into the king’s courts. However, religious tolerance, or freedom of religion as we would put it, should not be a license to stay low and do nothing forever. As Christians our hearts yearn for the building of the kingdom of God, yet an opportunity to make an impact often will not drop out of the sky. Some Christians are given special positions to give careful consideration on how they can affect the space around them. Will it be risky? It certainly could be. Hence, the reason why wisdom is necessary. Not everyone’s request will be granted like Nehemiah, but some of us may witness how the Lord works miraculously in places we would never expect.

Another example where Nehemiah had to wisely carry out his convictions while working under the Persian regime is found in the scene of Nehemiah 5. Although not all of Persia’s systems are depicted to be problematic, the king’s taxes are portrayed in exactly that way. Some of the people cry out, “[w]e are having to borrow money of our fields and vineyards to pay the king’s tax” (Neh. 5:4). This monetary burden is exacerbated by the possibility of a drought sweeping through the land (Haggai 1:11). Taxes legislated by a foreign magistrate like Persia was an assumed reality. Yet these demands were not the last that would come from the Persian system. What we read in Neh. 5:15 is that former governors laid further and heavier burdens by demanding both food, wine, and extra shekels. While these governors lavished upon fine wine and delicacies, the civilians were struggling to make ends meet.

At this moment, my aim is not to enter a debate concerning taxes. That is a conversation for another time. However, living sumptuously as your neighbour suffers whilst boasting about is not a biblical ethic. But what can the Christian do in such circumstances? To be more precise, in the context of Nehemiah, the question should be: what can the Christian do if they rise in the ranks and be a person of influence?

Nehemiah tells us that he was appointed to be governor over Judah, but he does something different to the previous governors, “neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor” (Neh. 5:14). The former governors exploited their power, and “[e]ven their servants lorded it over the people” (Neh. 5:15). Nehemiah, on the other hand, says emphatically, [b]ut I did not do so, because of the fear of God” (Neh. 5:15). Wisdom prevails again in the character of Nehemiah. Moreover, instead of sitting in his comfy governor’s chair and ordering people to build the wall, Nehemiah and all his servants get their hands dirty (Neh. 5:16). There is always something valuable in a leader who finds no work too far beneath them.

But how does any of this contribute to our understanding of faith and vocation? Wait just a moment, because Neh. 5:17 reveals something quite startling.

Nehemiah does what seems rather strange in the context. In Neh. 5:17–18, it is revealed that Nehemiah officiates some kind of banquet with 150 guests from inside and outside the community. This event contains a rather large amount of food and wine. From a quick glance at this passage, Nehemiah is engaging in foreign diplomacy, which he is indeed. But there is more to it than that.

In ancient Persia, gigantic feasts were held in the royal court frequently. In fact, such feasts would make Nehemiah’s banquet look miniscule in comparison. In the memories of the Greeks, the Persian kings’ feasts would see hundreds of horses, camels, oxen, sheep, goat, ostriches butchered for the occasion. One could also imagine that among the king’s guests would be foreign leaders and leaders of vassal states. But what exactly is Nehemiah doing here? Why would a governor of a vassal state hold his own large banquet?

The reasons behind Nehemiah’s actions are given very subtlety and carefully in the narrative. The banquet, the invitation to foreigners, the huge feast all looks as if Nehemiah is preparing a coup d’état—even though it would have been a pathetically small one. We are told that 150 people gathered around Nehemiah’s “table” (Neh. 5:17). We should not overlook this word, because gathering around a table in the ancient Near East and the Old Testament is usually done in reference to the actions of a king (e.g., 2 Samuel 9:7–30; 1 Kings 2:7; Daniel 11:27). It would not be wrong to say that Nehemiah is acting in a kingly fashion. But let there be no mistake, Nehemiah acting like a king is very different from trying to be the king.

One scholar calls Nehemiah’s actions in Neh. 5 “double loyalty.” That is, “his faithfulness to Persia, hides in the background…The faithfulness to Judah and Judah’s God that is the public face of [the narrative] portrayal of Nehemiah obscures the Persian influence that lies beneath.”[2] This is undoubtedly risky business. Even though Nehemiah’s intentions are never to overthrow the throne, an easier avenue would be to maintain the status quo of the old governors. Keep everything as-is and hopefully nothing consequential will happen. But Nehemiah clearly thinks differently. He cares about his position, his work, and the people who are affected by his efforts, so this leads him to action.

Although Nehemiah does not want to be king, he does what a king should be doing. In fact, Nehemiah just does what a good leader and worker should be doing. Indeed, foreign diplomacy as a governor can be construed by the Persians as treason against the throne. It was, however, vital for Nehemiah to maintain diplomacy and hold influence in his area so trade agreements and military peace could be stabilized. All of this would have benefited the people Nehemiah represented.

We read later that this was precarious for Nehemiah to do. Sanballat, an enemy of the Jews, invokes a serious accusation against Nehemiah through a letter:

In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together” (Neh. 6:6–7).

Nehemiah rejects all accusations (Neh. 6:8), but the risk was always there. If Nehemiah had taken the easier route—maintaining the ways of the old governors—these accusations would not have been possible. He, however, has different priorities. His eyes are set on a different prize and a different kingdom. So, Nehemiah continues to do what the king should be doing. Or better, he is doing what the King would have him do.

It is quite remarkable that Nehemiah has his position as governor. The king does not know what kind of influence Nehemiah’s faith would have on his work. Nevertheless, the Zoroastrian king of Persia, allows a Judean to manage a vassal state. Yet, if Nehemiah were working under an administration that saw individuals with other faiths as unfit for any job, then he would never have received an opportunity to work in such a context; a context that allowed him to help the poor and the needy in his society.

Eventually, Nehemiah succeeds in his undertakings. As a governor of Judea, Nehemiah thrives. The community benefits financially due to his generosity. Moreover, the important task of constructing the wall is complete. All his tasks were ultimately successful. However, just because our part in the kingdom of God works out, it does not mean the work will be enjoyable or complete.

The task of finishing the wall was not easy to say the least. Enemies like Sanballat, Tobiah, and Gersham would make attempts to make life difficult (e.g., Neh. 6:1–9). There will always be some who will make the task that much more trying. The Christian might find themselves leading a group of Christians who fear the prospect of building the Kingdom of God under the auspices of a secular leader (who knows how quickly things can turn ugly?). The community had been repatriated for some time and enjoyed many freedoms compared to Babylonian stipulations. All things seemed rather dandy, so was there an absolute need to build the wall? They could have just quietly existed and “let the good times roll,” instead of building the wall with sword, spear, and bows at the ready (Neh. 4:13). Any person would prefer living a comfortable existence rather than hear the words, “…fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes” (Neh. 4:14), all while building a wall under the hot sun. But the work of the kingdom of God is never easy. It comes with risks and burdens. Often it comes at the expense of momentary joys.

What Nehemiah could accomplish in his time was only possible in a society that was, in a sense, indifferent to faith. If Nehemiah lived under severe persecution, none of his attempts would have succeeded; our protagonist would likely have been a fugitive for most of the narrative. Nehemiah, however, is enabled to approach the king, plead his case to build the wall, affect the community around him as a governor, because the administration of the Persian Empire was sympathetic to various religions, including the one true faith.

If there is anything the book of Nehemiah teaches us when it comes to living in a society which tolerates the Christian faith, it teaches us that opportunities are often rife. Yet much wisdom is needed to take hold of those opportunities. When a little wisdom is added to the mix, with the blessing of the Lord, much fruit can be expected for the kingdom of God. Not all is lost because we are not living in Christendom.

[1] Hist. 9:110.

[2] Sean Burt, The Courtier and the Governor: Transformations of Genre in the Nehemiah Memoir (Göttingen: Vandenhoek & Ruprecht, 2014), 188.