Shalom, Mitspacha!
Speech that Builds, Not Destroys / Return and Rebuilding - Ezra and Nehemiah
Heavenly Father, YHVH, thank You for bringing us safely into Your holy Shabbat. We lay aside the burdens of the past week and enter Your appointed rest with grateful hearts. Open our minds to receive Your instruction, strengthen our faith through Your Word and renew our desire to walk faithfully in Your covenant. May this Shabbat teach us to use our words wisely, strengthen what has been broken and remain faithful to You as we seek to rebuild according to Your purpose.
Baruch YHVH. Emet.
As we partake of the bread, we remember Yahusha HaMashiach, the Bread of Life, whose body was given for us.
As we drink from the cup, we remember the renewed covenant established through His blood, giving thanks for the forgiveness, reconciliation and hope we have through Him.
May this communion strengthen our commitment to walk faithfully in obedience to YHVH's Torah and to live as ambassadors of His Kingdom until Messiah returns.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it shall eat its fruit.”
- Mishle (Proverbs) 18:21
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a word causes pain to go up in anger.”
- Mishle (Proverbs) 15:1
“And all the people answered with a great shout when they praised YHVH, because the foundation of the House of YHVH was laid.”
- Ezra 3:11
“And they built the wall, and all the wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”
- Nechemyah (Nehemiah) 4:6
YHVH gives serious weight to human speech. Words can encourage, correct, reconcile and strengthen, but they can also wound, divide and destroy. Mishle teaches that both life and death are connected with the tongue, reminding us that speech is not insignificant. What we say can produce consequences long after the words themselves have been spoken.
A gentle answer can prevent anger from escalating, while careless or hostile words can intensify conflict. This does not mean that righteous correction should be avoided. Rather, correction should be guided by wisdom and self-control. Truth does not need cruelty in order to remain true.
The account of Ezra and Nehemiah gives us another picture of a people returning from exile and rebuilding what had been destroyed. Yisrael had experienced displacement, destruction and loss, yet YHVH opened a way for the people to return and restore what had been broken.
Ezra records the laying of the foundation of the House of YHVH. The people praised YHVH because the work of restoration had begun. Their worship recognised that rebuilding was not merely a human achievement, but part of YHVH's work among His people.
Nechemyah records the rebuilding of the walls of Yerushalayim. The task required courage, cooperation, perseverance and a willingness to continue despite opposition. The people had a mind to work, and their shared purpose enabled them to make progress even when circumstances were difficult.
Ezra and Nehemiah also show that rebuilding was not merely about repairing physical structures. The people needed to restore their relationship with YHVH, hear His Torah, confess wrongdoing and renew their commitment to the covenant. Physical restoration and spiritual restoration belonged together.
These two themes therefore belong together. Words can either tear down or help build, and rebuilding requires people who are willing to encourage rather than discourage, correct rather than condemn and work together rather than divide one another.
When YHVH restores what has been broken, He also calls His people to become participants in that restoration. Our speech, attitudes and actions can either strengthen the work or hinder it.
Examine your speech this Shabbat. Do your words generally leave people strengthened, corrected with wisdom and encouraged toward righteousness, or do they leave behind fear, resentment and division?
Consider also the areas of your life and community that require rebuilding. Some things cannot be restored instantly. Like the people in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, we may need patience, cooperation, courage and a willingness to keep working despite opposition.
Let us therefore become careful builders with our words. Speak truth without cruelty. Correct without humiliation. Encourage without flattery. Refuse gossip, contempt and destructive criticism.
May we also remember that rebuilding begins with returning to YHVH. Where something has been broken through sin, conflict or neglect, let us seek repentance, restoration and renewed obedience rather than simply trying to repair the outward appearance.
May our words strengthen righteous work, our actions contribute to restoration and our lives demonstrate that returning to YHVH produces rebuilding that can endure.
Heavenly Father, YHVH, thank You for teaching us the power and responsibility of our words. Forgive us for the times we have spoken carelessly, harshly or destructively. Teach us to speak truth with wisdom, courage, gentleness and self-control.
Help us to use our words to encourage those who are weary, strengthen those who are discouraged, correct those who have gone astray and bring reconciliation where conflict has caused division. Keep us from gossip, slander, contempt, manipulation and words intended to destroy another person.
We pray for peace in the Middle East, South Africa and throughout the world. In this time of continued tension and uncertainty, especially in and around Yisrael and its neighbouring nations, bring restraint where conflict threatens to grow, grant wisdom to leaders, protect innocent lives and establish Your righteousness and lasting peace according to Your perfect will.
We pray for an end-time revival. Awaken hearts across every nation, call people to repentance, restore a deep love for Your truth and raise up faithful servants who will proclaim the Good News of Your Kingdom with boldness and humility.
We pray for the elderly, especially those who suffer from loneliness, neglect or abuse. Surround them with loving families, compassionate caregivers and faithful believers who will honour them with dignity, kindness and practical support.
We pray for farmers and all who labour to provide food for their communities. Protect them from violence, strengthen them through every hardship, bless the work of their hands and grant favourable seasons that will produce abundant harvests.
We pray for those affected by wars, natural disasters and humanitarian crises. Comfort those who grieve, heal the injured, provide for the displaced and restore hope to those whose lives have been shaken by suffering and loss.
We pray for evangelists, teachers, missionaries and all faithful servants who proclaim Your truth throughout the world. Strengthen them with wisdom, courage and endurance, protect them where persecution is increasing and open doors for the Good News to reach many hearts.
We pray for those who are ill, especially those battling cancer, chronic diseases and emerging viral outbreaks. Stretch out Your healing hand, guide those who provide medical care, strengthen families walking alongside them and fill every heart with hope and peace.
We pray concerning the coming tribulation and the signs unfolding before our eyes. Grant Your people discernment, steadfast faith and spiritual maturity. Help us to remain watchful, prepared and unwavering as we await the return of Yahusha HaMashiach.
We lift up Derech Olam Mishkan before You. Direct every decision according to Your perfect will, provide every resource needed for the work You have entrusted to us, open doors that no one can shut, bless every ministry platform and let Your Name alone receive all honour and glory.
We pray for all who are rebuilding after loss, whether in their families, communities, livelihoods or relationship with You. Give them courage to begin again, wisdom to rebuild on a righteous foundation and perseverance when progress seems slow. Restore what can be restored, provide what is needed and lead Your people away from the failures that caused destruction.
Help us to become builders rather than destroyers. May our words strengthen what is righteous, our hands contribute to restoration and our lives encourage others to return to Your ways. Give us the same willingness to work that was found among those who rebuilt Yerushalayim, and keep our hearts united in faithful service.
May everything we say and do contribute to the restoration of what is good, true and righteous. Keep us faithful to Your covenant and let our lives bring honour to Your Name.
Baruch YHVH. Emet.
“Hear, O Yisrael: YHVH is our Elohim, YHVH is one!
You shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your might.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
- Devarim (Deuteronomy) 6:4-9
“YHVH bless you and keep you;
YHVH make His face shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
YHVH lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace.”
- Bemidbar (Numbers) 6:24-26
Shalom until tomorrow.