What does "the work is great" teach about the magnitude of God's tasks?

Setting the Scene

Nehemiah has returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem’s broken walls. Although God is clearly directing the project, the job is enormous, the workers are few, and enemy forces are watching closely.

Key Verse

Nehemiah 4:19: “Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall.’”

What “the work is great” reveals about God-given tasks

- They exceed ordinary human capacity. God often assigns missions whose size highlights our dependence on Him (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:5).

- They demand unity. No single individual could rebuild an entire city wall; each person’s section mattered (Nehemiah 3).

- They advance God’s honor, not our ease. The wall protected the place where God placed His name; its importance rested in God’s plan (Nehemiah 2:17; 1 Chronicles 29:1).

- They invite opposition. The magnitude of the work drew Sanballat and Tobiah’s hostility (Nehemiah 4:7-8), reminding us that great callings face great resistance.

- They showcase God’s sufficiency. Nehemiah 4:20 promises, “Our God will fight for us,” underscoring that the Lord supplies what the task requires.

How Scripture consistently portrays God-sized assignments

- Moses and the tabernacle: intricate plans, immense cost, yet completed because “the LORD had commanded” (Exodus 39:32-43).

- Solomon’s temple: “The task is great, because this palace is not for man but for the LORD God” (1 Chronicles 29:1).

- The Great Commission: making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20) is far beyond human reach without Christ’s continual presence.

- Personal discipleship: “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

Practical implications for believers today

- Expect God’s callings to stretch you; their size is a built-in reminder to rely on Him.

- Join the team. Even tasks you label “small” contribute to the whole. Without each section, the wall remains incomplete.

- Stay at your post despite criticism; opposition often confirms the importance of the work.

- Measure success by faithfulness, not convenience; God finishes what He starts (Philippians 1:6).

Final encouragement

Because the work is great, God’s grace is greater. He supplies wisdom (James 1:5), strength (Isaiah 40:29-31), and ultimate victory (Romans 8:37) so that what appears impossible becomes a testimony to His power and glory.