Nehemiah 6:15 – 8:18
The Wall Completed – Nehemiah 6:15-19 – 7:3
The wall was completed in just 52 days. When the enemies heard about its completion, they were afraid and lost their self-confidence. They recognized it was built with God’s help and that He was the ultimate source of strength and success.
Can you imagine? There was no equipment like cranes or bulldozers to move away the debris. There were only people doing this huge project and in a short time - less than 2 months. It was God’s hand at work.
Nehemiah continually faced opposition. Tobiah used letters to intimidate him by using his allies to spread slander. God’s enemies never give up. Satan know how it all ends, but he is persistent and never gives up.
Nehemiah’s next step after the wall was rebuilt was to set the doors in place and appoint gate keepers, singers, and the Levites. He put his brother Hanani and Hananiah the commander of the citadel in charge, because he was a man of integrity and feared God. The gates were to be opened only during the day and closed at night. He added bars to the gates and appointed residents as guards.
Integrity was important because there must be trust among the workers to ensure cooperation and unity in building the wall. There must be accountability and honest communication for success.
Principle: There is power in perseverance in seeing our tasks through to completion.
A Census Ordered – Nehemiah 7:4-73
It was important to take a census of the people. Jerusalem was large but there were few people and had not built permanent homes for themselves within the walls. So God prompted Nehemiah to register all the people of Jerusalem and make a genealogy. He found a book with the names of those who had been in the 1st to return from exile. It was the same list as in Ezra 2. There were 42,360 listed.
It was important to take a census to verify ancestry and lineage and the fulfilling of prophecy. It insured the identity and purity of the priesthood and allocation of the land and resources. It served as evidence of God being faithful in His promises to restore the people after the exile.
Nehemiah received guidance from God. He received specific instruction how to manage the city gates and register the people. He assembled the nobles, officials and the people to be registered by genealogy.
Verses 63-65 - Some priestly families searched for their genealogy records but were not found so they were excluded and considered unclean and barred from priestly duties. Mixing with the nations is the cause of them losing the certainty of their nationality. It was important to establish genealogical records to be eligible for specific roles. It also emphasizes the maintaining of purity and adherence to God’s covenant of setting apart Israel as God’s treasured possession and making them a holy nation. This covenant pointed to the Messiah who would be a descendant of David.
Once Christ died and rose, believers were tied to His lineage and not the world’s. We are now co-heirs with Christ. (Rom. 8:17).
Principles:
Spiritual Renewal –Nehemiah 8
The people told Ezra to read to them the Law of Moses. Ezra stood on a high platform and read the book. The reading was accompanied by explanations to help them understand. They responded with praise by lifting their hands and then bowed and worshiped with their faces to the ground. He read from daybreak till noon.
It is interesting that God was already working in the people’s lives for them to ask Ezra to read His Word. Then as soon as he opened up the book, the people stood up showing respect and honor for God’s Word. His Spirit was working even before the Word was read.
Some churches stand today when the Bible is read. I remember many years ago when I was in school everyone stood in reverence when Scripture was read. We also showed reverence when entering a room or someone was praying. It was a sign of respect. We stand when we recite the pledge of allegiance or when the national anthem is played to show respect for our country. The Bible doesn’t command that we stand, but we should show respect and honor for His Word.
They wept as they listened and understood the words, because they recognized their past failures to obey God’s commands. He instructed them to not to mourn or weep because this was a day for rejoicing not weeping. It was the 1st day of the 7th month; a special feast day called the Feast of Trumpets. He said the joy of the Lord is your strength. Then Nehemiah sent them to their homes to eat and drink and told them to share with the poor.
The next day the people discovered in the law that they were to celebrate the Feast of Booths for 7 days. They were to live in booths and spread His Word throughout their towns and in Jerusalem. So they went into the hill country and brought branches to build make-shift structures or booths.
They celebrated for 7 days, called the Feast of Tabernacles. They build these temporary living structure on the roofs of their houses, in the courtyards, and in the squares of the city. This feast was all about remembering how God had blessed and provided for Israel in the wilderness during the Exodus. The Book or the Law was read each day of the feast.
Principles:
Resources:
Next week we will continue our study in Nehemiah. -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.
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