So it turns out the reconstructing a community is a lot more work than reconstructing a temple. Stones are more flexible than people. Did we know this?

While the first half of the Book of Nehemiah was taken up with describing the building project that reconstructed the perimeter of Jerusalem, the second half (8-13) explores the rebuilding of the Jewish community.

That project required its own kind of walls. No foreigners, no idols, no Sabbath-breaking. The returnees wanted to make absolutely sure that their community would be pure so they could avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

As we’ll see when we get to the prophets, though, it’s not quite that simple . . . .

Sat 12/11

#Twible Neh 7: Walls are finished in just 52 days! Nehemiah & Co. get A+ rating on Angie’s List for stonemasonry. (Sermons cost extra.)

Sun 12/12
#Twible Neh 8: Governor Neh has Ezra the priest read the law out loud to the people, who burst into tears. Torah has that effect sometimes.

Mon 12/13
#Twible Neh 9: Day of national confession. People repent for idol worship, blasphemy, killing prophets, & listening to Lady Gaga on iPods.

Tues 12/14
#Twible Neh 10: People take remedial Covenant 101 course b/c they flunked the 1st 22,000 times. Keep law; don’t forget G. How hard is that?

Wed 12/15
#Twible Neh 11: Lottery for “town mouse, country mouse.” Only 10% of people get to live in Jerusalem. Other 90% pull rural duty & bad teeth.

Thurs 12/16
#Twible Neh 12: Heyheyhey, Part-ay! People play Twister on new walls at dedication celebration. Watch where you step at Dung Gate, though.

Fri 12/17
#Twible Neh 13: FYI, city gates’ll be closed from sundown Fri — sundown Sat. In case you were planning to sell fish or wine then…just DON’T.

Tune in to Flunking Sainthood every Friday for weekly Twible commentary.