The Holy Wail

Nehemiah was a cup bearer to one of the Media-Persian kings and he had a special self-prescribed mission to restore Jerusalem’s gates and walls that had been broken during the Babylonian reign. Nehemiah was given permission, authority and provisions by the king to carry out his mission. The book of Nehemiah describes Jerusalem’s gates and walls and it also mentions the names of the people who repaired each part. No project is ever without its opponents, detractors and distractions – Nehemiah describes these also. Nehemiah was an extraordinary project manager.

Jerusalem holds some significance for the Jewish, Christian and Moslem faiths. They’ve been fighting over it for over a thousand years. Conquerors come and go – Babylonian, Greek, Egyptian, Roman and whoever else since. But that’s the big picture only. It’s when you look at the parts that make up the whole that things get more interesting. Among the little things there is a common theme that reappears, that if you respect Jerusalem and treat it right, you will be blessed.

Further blogs will make some attempt to expound on the significance behind the objects, names and events.