U.S. President Donald J. Trump is like the Old Testament figure Nehemiah who was called by God to construct a wall to protect the people of Jerusalem, according to Southern Baptist preacher Robert Jeffress.

(REUTERS / Jonathan Ernst) U.S. President-elect Donald Trump delivers remarks at a luncheon with his cabinet members and congressional leaders at Trump International Hotel in Washington, U.S. January 19, 2017.

In a telephone interview on the Mike Gallagher Show on Jan. 20, Pastor Jeffress talked about the private prayer service he led for President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and their families and Cabinet officers on the morning of their inauguration. The First Baptist Church of Dallas leader explained why he compared Trump to Nehemiah during his sermon that day, the Catholic News Service relays.

"I was privileged to deliver the sermon at that service today. I decided to compare President Trump to another great leader God chose 2,500 years ago named Nehemiah," Pastor Jeffress told Gallagher over the phone. "Nehemiah wasn't a politician, he wasn't a prophet, he was a builder. God told him to build a wall around Jerusalem and he did that, and God made it a great success."

Gallagher agreed that Trump and Nehemiah had some things in common because both were not politicians and had experienced being attacked and mocked by their opponents.

Jeffress answered by saying Nehemiah was criticized by Sanballat and Tobiah, two figures that he says are represented by today's mainstream media. Despite the verbal attacks and the false rumors hurled against him, Nehemiah did not stop building the wall, and the task was done in 52 days. This caused the Israelites' enemies to lose their confidence because they recognized God's hand behind the building of the wall.

"But Nehemiah didn't let it stop him and I think the same is true for this president," Jeffress added in the interview. "He knows God has called him to a great work and he's not going to be stopped."

The sermon about building walls stirred controversy, considering that Trump had previously expressed his intention to build a wall along the country's southern border. In an exclusive interview with The Christian Post, Jeffress clarified that the whole point of his sermon was not about building walls but was about Nehemiah being used for God's unique purpose.

Moreover, Jeffress predicted that Trump's presidency will mark the start of spiritual revival in America. He said the great irony in this forthcoming revival is the major participation of a "secular billionaire" who ended up being the county's "most faith-friendly" national leader.