When the children of Israel returned to Jerusalem from their 70 years of exile and captivity in order to rebuild the Temple and the city walls; and by such efforts to reestablish their covenant culture. They were not received by the "local authorities" with great joy. They were perceived to be an economic and political threat to those who had entrenched themselves in the postitions of power and influence during their absence. The strategies of their enemies where as follows: to ridicule their vision, efforts and accomplishments; to discredit their leaders; to falsely accuse them of plotting rebellion against the established authority; to conspire to attack and to cause confusion and eventually to plan vioence in an effort to disrupt the work.
The Jews, under the leadership of Nehemiah, responded to the enemies of their cause by: reminding themselves that their covenant God was on their side; by refusing to live in fear; by continuing to rebuild what had been lost; by working day and night in the effort; by setting up a warning system to alert themselves of the strategies of their enemies and by arming themselves. They actually built the wall with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other!
Despite all efforts to the contrary, THEY COMPLETED THE WALL.
I believe that that those of us who identify with the vision of the Tea Party Movement can learn much from studying the record of the successes of Nehemiah and the Jews.
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