God Brings Revival

For a century and a half, Jerusalem lay in ruins. Its walls were broken, its gates burned, and its once-vibrant streets were empty and quiet. To earlier generations, the devastation of the city must have felt final. This was the holy city God had chosen, the city where His name dwelt, the city where Solomon prayed and the glory descended. And now it was a pile of rubble. Who could possibly bring this place back to life?

But that’s the beauty of the story in Nehemiah 11–12. God is always doing far more than we imagine. What feels hopeless to us is never hopeless to Him. And when He begins to restore what has been broken, He does it in ways that only He can receive the glory for.

One of the most surprising parts of Nehemiah’s story is how ordinary the revival looks up close. Yes, God rebuilds the wall in fifty-two days. Yes, the people gather in chapter 8 to hear the Word, and yes, the city will soon echo with singing and thanksgiving. But before the great celebration comes a quieter moment in Nehemiah 11 — a moment that shows us how God revives what once lay desolate. He uses people who are willing to move for the mission.

Jerusalem was rebuilt, but it was still empty. A city with strong walls but no people is a city that cannot flourish. And so the leaders lived in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to take turns moving in. Some families didn’t wait for the lot. They volunteered. They uprooted their lives, left their family lands, and moved into a fragile, half-reborn city simply because this was the place where God was at work. And Nehemiah tells us that the people “blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.”

It’s easy to miss the courage of that moment. Moving into Jerusalem wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t safe. It wasn’t convenient. It meant rebuilding neighborhoods, restarting markets, and restoring everyday life from the ground up. It meant becoming the early adopters of revival. And yet these families, priests, Levites, gatekeepers, men of valor, and ordinary citizens, stepped forward and said, “We’ll go. We’ll help rebuild what God is restoring.”

That’s how God revives what feels hopeless. Not only through miracles, but through the faith-filled obedience of His people. God loves to rebuild through those who trust Him enough to step into the unknown, to take risks, and to make sacrifices for His kingdom.

And then comes the moment in Nehemiah 12 that takes your breath away. The city that once lay silent now erupts in thanksgiving. Two great choirs circle the walls — one turning to the right, one to the left — singing, playing instruments, giving thanks, and filling Jerusalem with praise. They climb the walls that were once broken, they march above the gates that enemies once burned, and they declare that God has done great things. And Nehemiah writes, “The joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.”

What a picture of God’s restoring grace. The place that once provoked tears now produces joy. The place that once echoed with grief now resounds with praise. The place that once seemed hopeless becomes a place where God puts His glory on display.

Maybe that’s what you need to remember today: God revives what feels hopeless. He restores what feels broken. He brings joy to places that once felt empty. Sometimes He does it through miracles, and sometimes through people who are willing to “move for the mission.” But He always does it for His glory and for our joy.

May your life be like Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s day: rebuilt, renewed, and filled with thanksgiving so loud that it can be heard far away.