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One Year Bible: Day 357 - Nehemiah 5:1-7:3; Revelation 18:1-17a; Proverbs 31:10-20

Again, the combination of prayer and work is seen in Nehemiah - "I devoted myself to the work on this wall" (Nehemiah 5:16), "I prayed, 'Now, strengthen my hands.'" (Nehemiah 6:9). "So the wall was completed ... this work had been done with the help of our God" (Nehemiah 6:15-16). We may contrast the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and the fall of Babylon - "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!" (Revelation 18:2). The contrast between Jerusalem and Babylon - the 'tale of two cities' - is the contrast between God and the devil, between holiness and sin, godliness and ungodliness, righteousness and unrighteousness, good and evil. the triumph is the Lord's. The word of judgment concerning Babylon has been spoken (Revelation 18:10,16-17). Proverbs 31:10 tells us that "noble character ... is worth far more than rubies." Again, what a contrast there is between the rich blessing of noble character and the empty futility of worldly riches: "Woe! Woe, a great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering stones and pearls! In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!" (Revelation 18:16-17).
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