The book of Nehemiah, coupled with the work of Ezra, combines to tell a story of courage and triumph in the face of tremendous challenges. Not considered to be among the professional religious leaders of the prophetic age, the layman Nehemiah responded with decisive action when he felt the call to guide and lead his people out of physical and moral laxity.

Under Nehemiah's direction the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, restoring physical security to the city's populace. But Nehemiah also helped restore the moral fiber of the community by insisting that the division between rich and poor be diminished. He forbade the land-grabbing, freedom-robbing practices of the wealthy that put the poor into slavery and the community into disarray. In rebuilding the city walls, Nehemiah helped to once a…