The Bible in a MonthSample

Day 11: Rebuilding What’s Broken and Remembering Who’s Faithful

Reading: 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, & Esther

Today’s reading closes out the long, winding story of the kings of Judah and moves us into a season of rebuilding, reforming, and remembering. It’s about what happens when everything falls apart—and what God does next.

2 Chronicles 17–36: The Final Kings and the Fall of a Nation

These chapters introduce a handful of Judah’s final kings. Some are faithful, some are not, but the overall direction is clear: the kingdom is crumbling. Jehoshaphat brings reform. Hezekiah tears down idols. Josiah redistributes the Word of God to the people and restores the temple.

There are glimpses of revival, but it’s not enough to stop the slide. The people resist. Pride creeps back in. Eventually, Jerusalem is conquered, the temple is destroyed, and the people are exiled to Babylon.

The book ends on a heavy but hopeful note. The last paragraph reminds us that God hasn’t forgotten His promise. It points to a return, a rebuilding, and a new beginning on the horizon.

Even when it looks like the story is over, God is still turning the page.

Nehemiah: Rebuilding the Walls, Reforming the Heart

Nehemiah is a man of prayer, strategy, and deep personal sacrifice. When he hears that Jerusalem’s walls are still in ruins, he doesn’t just feel bad; he acts. With God’s favor and the king’s permission, Nehemiah leads the charge to rebuild.

But the story isn’t just about construction. It’s about the restoration of identity. Yes, they lay bricks. But they also stand in the Word, confess sin, renew their covenant with God, and rediscover their calling as His people.

Even with resistance, threats, and internal division, they keep building. Because rebuilding God’s way always starts with remembering who He is and who we are.

Esther: God Is Present, Even When He’s Not Mentioned

Esther’s story happens during the exile, long before Nehemiah’s reforms. It’s unique because God’s name is never mentioned. Not once.

But He’s everywhere.

In the timing. In the courage. In the unlikely rise of a Jewish orphan girl to become queen. In the bold decision to speak up and risk everything to save her people.

Esther’s story reminds us that God is working behind the scenes even when we can’t see His name in the headlines.

What does this part of the story say about God?

That He is not just the God of the mountaintop. He’s the God of the rubble. He rebuilds what we’ve broken. He raises up new leaders. He works through ordinary people in extraordinary ways. Even in exile. Even in silence. Even in ruins, He is faithful.

Takeaway: You may not be building a physical wall like Nehemiah or standing before a king like Esther, but you are called to rebuild something. Your confidence. Your marriage. Your faith. Your calling.

God is not done with you. He can still rebuild what’s been torn down. He can still use you, even when you feel ordinary. And yes, He’s still in the story even when He’s hard to spot.

So rise up. Say the bold thing. Lay another brick. And trust that behind every scene, God is still writing something beautiful.