Nehemiah 7

Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few, and the houses were not rebuilt...Altogether the whole assembly was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty. vv.4, 66


Read chapter 7

This was just the first return (7:5) of this many people back from captivity into the land and Nehemiah calls it "few." Just imagine how big and numerous it was before the captivity if the remnant was at least 42,360 (7:66). From God's promise of a remnant, this was sure a big remnant and there would be more to come later (Ezra 2:64). I wonder if the people lived in tents like in the Exodus since no houses were rebuilt yet?

How crazy that in our own lives we can be surrounded by thousands of people yet still feel alone or disturbed by past captivity in our lives and maybe not feeling like we don't have a home where we're at peace. But one thing for sure is that just as the wall was built as a defense, God is our defense and we're among a company of believers God will one day bring into His Kingdom!