Some revivals in church history, such as the Reformation and the Great Awakening, were somewhat similar to the events described in the book of Ezra and by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. When a remnant left Babylon and returned to Jerusalem bearing the vessels of the Lord, they restored the altar, laid the foundation, and rebuilt the house of the Lord. The book of Nehemiah, however, is in a different setting. Years have gone by and things are no longer well in Jerusalem. The "wall" is broken down and the "gates" are burned with fire. God's people are at the mercy of their enemies, and no one can tell who is in and who is out. Affliction, reproach, confusion, and disorder prevail. Sound familiar? Nehemiah means, "the Lord comforts." We know that the Comforter is the Holy Spirit. In addition to being historically accurate, the book of Nehemiah is a prophetic parable, not only of what we call the end times, but also of the coming kingdom age of righteousness and justice. In this living parable, Nehemiah represents the earnest — or down payment — of the Holy Spirit that was poured out at Pentecost and the transition into the fullness of the Spirit promised for the time of the end.
