There were three waves of Israel’s return from exile, that is when the people came back to Jerusalem from the eastern nations. The first two are recorded in the book of Ezra, and the third return is recorded in the book of Nehemiah. The first wave was 538 BC, recorded in Ezra 1-6. The second wave was 458 BC, recorded in Ezra 7-10. The third wave was 444 BC, as indicated in Nehemiah. While the Temple had been rebuilt, Nehemiah knew that the task of restoration was incomplete. Nehemiah was a faithful Jewish man in the Assyrian Empire with a prestigious and dangerous position: He was cupbearer to the king. Nehemiah was responsible for tasting the wine before it was served, in case it was poisoned. He put his life on the line for the king every day. When he returned to Judah, he saw that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and the gates burned with fire. Walls were the mark of a true city, unlike villages which had no walls. This is also why, during the reign of Solomon, he built walls in the villages of ancient Israel to make them cities. Nehemiah saw himself responsible for restoring the city of God once again.

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