全國百姓的屬靈景況有了復興之後，尼希米開始組織百姓，使全民團結，經過抽籤，有十分之一的人要定居耶路撒冷城內，其餘的則住在別的城邑裡，然後為城牆舉行正式的獻禮，聖職人員也各司其職，帶領全國的敬拜儀式，一切都安排妥當了，尼希米才離開耶路撒冷一段時日。當他再從巴比倫回來，竟發現多比雅居住在聖殿的庫房裡，而且百姓毫不在意上帝的律法，既不守安息日，又開始和異族通婚，盛怒之下，尼希米再度成為改革領袖，肩付起潔淨全國的責任。

        生活若是沒有問題該多好啊！即使世界上只有你一個人，問題依然存在！
        人生在世上不可能離羣獨居，儘管我們了解這一點，有時候還想逃避某人，尼希米最大的挑戰不是來自建築工程，而是要怎樣愛那些建築工人！也許這個「重量級」的問題已由彼得在馬太福音十八章二十一節裡提出來了：「主啊，我弟兄得罪我，我當饒恕他幾次呢？到七次可以嗎？」
        如果到了第七次，尼希米就放棄，那本卷的最後三章就無法完成了，注意耶穌的回答：「我對你說，不是到七次，乃七十個七次。」（太18：22）
        尼希米因重建城牆而聞名：面對這些村夫愚婦，他怎麼辦呢？「原諒他們對他的冒犯」，正如上帝的昭示的一樣，尼希米重塑原諒的典範，是我們從上帝接受命令。批評、抱怨、咒詛都不是上帝所期許的！你明白了嗎？你會在生活中表現出來嗎？

        瑪拉基書—尼希米記的「跋」
        尼希米記之後的四百年間，上帝的默示稀少，也許是因為百姓硬心的緣故。瑪拉基，這位與尼希米同一時代的先知，對當代百姓漠視上帝的心態留下重要的記錄。

延遲的原諒幾乎等於不原諒。

English

        With the walls in place and the spiritual condition of the nation revived, Nehemiah now sets about the task of consolidating and organizing the populace. One-tenth of the people are chosen by lot to relocate within the city walls, while the rest remain in the suburbs. The walls are formally dedicated and temple officers commissioned to oversee the functions of national worship. After an extended leave of absence, Nehemiah returns from Babylon to find Tobiah living in a temple storeroom, and the people displaying a shocking disregard for God's laws concerning marriage and the Sabbath. Assuming again the role of reformer, Nehemiah labors to restore national purity.

        People. You can't live without them, but how often have you yearned to try nonetheless? Nehemiah's greatest challenge came not from trying to lay bricks, but from trying to love bricklayers! Perhaps he pondered questions like the one expressed by Peter in Matthew 18:21: "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?"
        If Nehemiah had stopped at seven, he never would have lasted through chapter 3 of his book! Notice Jesus' reply: "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:22).
        What Nehemiah did with bricks and mortar is well known; what he did with stubborn men and women, "forgiving their offenses against him," is just as well documented in God's Word. Nehemiah knew that forgiveness is our command from God; criticizing, grumbling, and condemning are not. Do you know that?

        Malachi, a Prophetic Postscript on Nehemiah
        Four centuries of divine silence follow the Book of Nehemiah. No Scripture was written during that time span, possibly because of the hardhearted ness of the people. Malachi, a contemporary of Nehemiah, left a brief but powerfully convincing record of the heedless attitude of their day.

Slow forgiveness if not much better than no forgiveness.