Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
Isaiah 49:16 ESV
At the beginning of winter, I’m grateful for the walls of our home that keep the cold, brisk winds at bay. The walls surround us with warmth and protection as the snow falls and the days grow more frigid.
But as Spring approaches and sunshine teases of warmer days ahead, our walls shrink inward becoming more prison-like than protector. We long for rising temperatures and calm winds, so we can break free from the walls that have become restrictive.
Walls are interesting. At times, walls shelter and protect. Other times, they limit and constrain the ones inside of the walls. There are other times when walls create barriers and separation from all things outside of the walls.
Are you like me? At the first mention of walls in a biblical context, my thoughts immediately jump to the walls of Jericho. Same with you?
God’s instructions to the Israelites were that a company of battle-ready men would take the lead followed by seven priests each blowing a ram’s horn. Behind the priests, all of the remaining men of war would follow without speaking a word. En masse, they were to march one time around the entire perimeter of the city’s wall for six days.
On the seventh day, the Israelites were to make six complete laps around the city wall with only the sound of the trumpets. Then on the seventh walk-around, when the priests to began to blow their trumpets, the people were to give a loud shout because God was going to give the city to the Children of Israel.
The people of Jericho had heard the astounding reports about Israel’s God and the miraculous works He had done in Egypt and throughout Israel’s sojourn in the desert. They were afraid, but they believed that their great walls would keep God and His people out of their city. They were mistaken. (Joshua 6:1-27)
When the priests’ trumpets sounded on the seventh trip around the wall, the people of Israel “shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat.”
- Man-made walls created a false sense of security for the people of Jericho.
- Walls built by imperfect builders are by nature, imperfect – not trustworthy or steadfast.
- When imperfectly built walls encounter a Perfect Creator, the walls will eventually fall.
It was almost a thousand years later when God brought a remnant of His exiled people back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. Thirteen years later, God called Nehemiah, the King’s Cupbearer, to lead a second contingency of exiles to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah’s group found that work on the Temple had stalled. The walls of the city were in total disrepair; its gates had been destroyed. Jerusalem lay open and exposed to its enemies. The Jews who had returned to build the Temple were defeated and discouraged.
God used Nehemiah to reignite the passion of God’s people to “rise up and build.” Taunted, threatened, and opposed in every way possible by the enemies of Israel, Nehemiah continued to urge the people to obey God’s command to rebuild.
Against all odds, empowered by God and fearlessly led by God’s man, Nehemiah – now Governor of Jerusalem and still trusted Cupbearer to the King, the Jews miraculously completed the wall-building project in fifty-two days. Temple work was restarted and God’s people once again resided safely in the City of David.
“So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.”
Nehemiah 6:15-16
- God-made walls are powerfully and miraculously constructed.
- We can be confident that the Mighty Builder builds walls only for our good.
- Walls built by the Perfect Creator will stand strong when the attacks come – whenever, however, and whatever they may be.
God builds walls as He sees fit. He uses whatever means He knows is best. When God builds a wall, it will be completed at the moment it is needed. God’s timing is perfect.
In Israel’s moment of need, God made two massive walls from water to split the Red Sea creating a dry road for the Israelites as they fled from Pharaoh’s pursuing army.
The prophet Zechariah writes that one day the city of Jerusalem will be so large, so greatly populated, so productive and flourishing, that it will outgrow its borders and walls will be unable to contain it. At that time, the fire of God’s glory will become the protective wall surrounding Jerusalem. God Himself will be the wall.
“‘And I will be to her a wall of fire all around,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will be the glory in her midst.’”
Zechariah 2:5 ESV
If God wants to build a wall to surround His people or to protect His child, He has every resource at His disposal or He can simply speak the wall into existence.
Are you attempting to take shelter from life’s troubles and challenges behind walls built by the world?
Walls of the world offer promises of safety, belonging, love, success, satisfaction, happiness, and on and on – the list of false promises is without limit. Whatever the promise, the outcome is always the same – disappointment, emptiness, failure, and sorrow.
Or it is walls that you have attempted to build for yourself?
You’ve created your own walls that you believe will protect you from hurtful people, a deceitful world, a broken heart, and all of life’s disappointments. Sadly the outcome is no different from the world’s walls. Any wall built by someone or something other than the Perfect Wall Builder, God, will lead to despair and disaster.
The prophet Isaiah writes this about God:
“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.”
Isaiah 49:16 ESV
He knows the barriers that you have built or have invited or allowed to stand between you and your relationship with God. He is no stranger to your hurt, your pain, your doubts, and your weaknesses. God knows.
God knows your situation inside and out. He has engraved your name on the palms of His hands. You are precious to Him. He wants nothing to stand between you and Him.
Don’t trust the walls built by the world, they will close in and crush you.
Don’t trust the walls you have built for yourself, they will crumble and fall apart around you.
Surrender yourself fully to God. Give up possession of the walls that exist in your life, your heart, your mind, and your spirit. Ask God to break down whatever walls exist.
Ask God to provide the walls He sees necessary to place in your life that will nurture, protect, and allow you to grow strong in Him. He will do it, if only you say “yes, Lord, build the wall.”
“And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you.”
Jeremiah 15:20 ESV