NEHEMIAH 11

NEHEMIAH 11 OPENS WITH...RECRUITING CITIZENS OF JERUSALEM

Verse 1 tells us those who will live IN Jerusalem.

"Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities."

To bring 1 out of 10 to dwell in Jerusalem...It wasn't enough to see the city walls rebuilt and the spiritual renewal of the people of Jerusalem; now they concerned themselves with GETTING more people INTO the city.

AND WE KNOW THEN, AS WELL AS NOW, For a city to prosper and be great, it MUST be populated, AMEN?
And for more than 70 years, Jerusalem had been NOTHING but a ghost town. Now, over the last eighty or so years, it has been repopulated, with a new temple built (under Ezra) and the walls rebuilt (under Nehemiah). But the city still needed MORE people.

Nehemiah also knew THE BIGGER the population of Jerusalem, THE GREATER the resources for defense and strength in battle. He didn't rebuild the walls just to see some conquering army come and break them down again, AMEN?!

Now THE LEADERS of the people dwelt at Jerusalem...It was good that the leaders of the people SET THE GOOD EXAMPLE by living IN Jerusalem. Leaders MUST SET the pattern by their lives. They had NO RIGHT to expect the people to live in Jerusalem if they themselves WERE NOT living there.

1 OUT OF 10...The rest of the people submitted themselves to a LOTTERY SYSTEM, where 1 OUT OF 10 would be selected TO MOVE from the surrounding regions INTO the city of Jerusalem. So, in the end, AT LEAST 10% of Judah's population would live in Jerusalem.

Verse 2 tells us Blessing the citizens of Jerusalem.

"And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem."

And the people blessed ALL the men...Apart from the leaders (who had a special obligation) and those selected in the lottery (who were also obligated), there were all the men who WILLINGLY OFFERED themselves to dwell at Jerusalem. These men had a SPECIAL blessing.

They had a UNIQUE pioneer spirit. They had the ability TO ENDURE some measure of hardship or discomfort to accomplish a GREATER WORK for God's kingdom. THEY REMEMBERED THE COVENANT PROMISE OF GOD WITH ABRAHAM AND CAME BACK TO THE PROMISED LAND AND DUG IN AND DETERMINED TO STAY AND REBUILD, REPLENISH IT, AMEN?

It was in these days in the REBUILDING of Jerusalem that God asked an important question through the prophet Zechariah:

Zechariah 4:10 which says..."For who has despised the day of small things? The answer is, "Many of us have!" But these who offered themselves to willingly live at Jerusalem, so as to take what is small and build it up before the Lord, have decided to not despise the day of small things."

To dwell AT Jerusalem...If such a blessing is reserved for those who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem, there was something special about the challenge of living in Jerusalem.

To live IN Jerusalem, you had to RE-THINK your view of MATERIAL things. You had to GIVE UP land in your previous region and TAKE UP some kind of new business in Jerusalem.

REMEMBER THEY LEFT SETTLED HOMES/LIVES AND TRAVELED 800 MILES TO COME BACK TO A BASICALLY DESTROYED, RUINED, EMPTY JERUSALEM GHOST TOWN.

THEY WANTEDDDDDD GOD'S PROMISE AND BLESSING FAR MORE THAN THEY WANTED A SETTLED MORE COMFORTABLE LIFE IN A FOREIGN LAND, AMEN?

To live IN Jerusalem, you had to RE-ARRANGE your SOCIAL priorities, certainly leaving some friends and family behind in your old village.

To live IN Jerusalem, you had to have A MIND TO ENDURE the PROBLEMS in the city. It had been a GHOST TOWN for 70 years, and was now basically a slightly rebuilt, somewhat repopulated ghost town. The city DID NOT LOOK all that glorious and it NEEDED work.

To live IN Jerusalem, you had to live KNOWING YOU WERE A TARGET for the enemy. There were strong walls to protect you, but since Jerusalem was now a notable city with rebuilt walls, the fear was more from whole armies than bands of robbers. The old village was nice, but not in much danger from great armies.

AND REMEMBER THIS TOO....Revelation 21:2 tells us...There IS A CITY COMING DOWN from heaven to earth, when God is done with this earth as we know it, and it calls that city New Jerusalem.

AND SADLY...SOME People today DO NOT WANT to be citizens of the New Jerusalem for the SAME REASONS many DID NOT WANT to be citizens of Nehemiah's Jerusalem.

NOW TO PREFACE THESE NEXT VERSES...MANY HAVE SAID...I DO NOT LIKE TO TRY AND READ ALL THE NAMES, LINEAGE, TITLES, TRIBES, AND TALENTS OF ALL THESE PEOPLE. AND TO BE HONEST, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND GOD'S POINT IS INSURING THE PROPHETS LIKE MOSES, EZRA, NEHEMIAH TOOK SUCH TIME AND CARE TO LIST THEM BY TRIBE, FAMILY, TALENT, & JOB AND BLOODLINE.

BUT AS WE HAVE SEEN IN PREVIOUS CHAPTERS...WOLVES TRIED TO SNEAK IN, DID THEY NOT? TRIED TO CLAIM BLOOD LINEAGE TO THE 12 TRIBES OF THE COVENANT. TRIED TO CLAIM THEY WERE PRIESTS DESCENDED FROM THE LINE OF AARON...MADE ALL SORTS OF CLAIMS...BUT GOD KNEW WHAT THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO DO THEN, AND HE SAW WHAT WOLVES WOULD SEEK TO DO IN THE FUTURE, AMEN?

I MEAN THINK ABOUT IT, A ROMAN POPE/SCRIBE/LEADER/HISTORIAN MADE A DECREE THAT SAID THIS PEOPLE HAD THE REAL RIGHT TO THE PROMISED LAND...OR THAT PEOPLE WERE THEIR FIRST...ALL OF THEM TOTALLY DISMISSING WHAT ALMIGHTY GOD SAID AND PROMISED, AMEN?

AND TODAY, WE HAVE ARABS SAYING PARTS OF ISRAEL HAVE ALWAYS BELONGED TO THEM, WE HAVE PALESTINIANS SAYING WE HAVE TITULAR RIGHTS TO PARTS OF ISRAEL BECAUSE SOME MAN WITH A TITLE DECIDED TO GIVE WHAT HE/THEY HAD NO RIGHT TO GIVE TO ANOTHER PEOPLES, AMEN?

BUT THEN, AS WELL AS THOSE TODAY, WHO CAN AND DO TRACE THEIR DESCENDANTS, THEIR BLOODLINES, BACK TO A PERSON OR PEOPLES...AND CHECK OUT MOSES, EZRA, AND NEHEMIAH'S DETAILED LISTINGS OF ITS PEOPLES AND THOSE WHO LIVES AMONG THEM....FIND OUT QUICKLY THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIVED NEAR OR AMONG THEM, BUT THEY WERE NOT FROM THE 12 TRIBES, NOT FROM THE PRIESTS LINE OF AARON, AND THAT THEY DID NOT AND DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO ANYTHING OF GOD'S UNBREAKABLE, UNSHAKEABLE COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM, AMEN?

AND THE EXACT LAYOUT OF THE PROMISED LAND WAS TOLD TO ABRAHAM, PASSED DOWN TO MOSES...ETC. AND WHEN YOU SUPERIMPOSE GOD'S MAP OVER MODERN DAY MAPS, ALL OF THESE PEOPLES THAT CLAIM RIGHTS TO THEIR LAND, ARE IN FACT LIVING IN AND ON LAND GOD GAVE AND PROMISED TO ABRAHAM THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO, AMEN?

SO WHEN YOU ARE READING THROUGH THE BIBLE AND YOU COME ACROSS THESE DETAILED LISTS...START SMILING...IT SHOWS US THAT OUR ALMIGHTY GOD IS ALL SEEING AND ALL KNOWING, PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE...AND HE ALREADY ANSWERED THE CHALLENGES OF THAT DAY AS WELL OUR MODERN DAY WORLD A LONGGGGGGG TIME BEFOREEEEE THE CHALLENGES WERE EVER BROUGHT UP!

Verses 3-24 tells us of the LEADERS who lived in Jerusalem.

"These are THE HEADS of the province who dwelt IN JERUSALEM. (But in the cities of Judah everyone dwelt in his own possession in their cities; Israelites, priests, Levites, Nethinim, and descendants of Solomon's servants.) Also in Jerusalem dwelt some of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin. The children of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the children of Perez; and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni. All the sons of Perez who dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight valiant men. And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah; and after him Gabbai and Sallai, nine hundred and twenty-eight. Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer, and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city. Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, and Jachin; Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the leader of the house of God. Their brethren who did the work of the house were eight hundred and twenty-two; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and his brethren, heads of the fathers' houses, were two hundred and forty-two; and Amashai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, and their brethren, mighty men of valor, were one hundred and twenty-eight. Their overseer was Zabdiel the son of one of the great men. Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the heads of the Levites, had the oversight of the business outside of the house of God; Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the leader who began the thanksgiving with prayer; Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and eighty-four. Moreover the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren who kept the gates, were one hundred and seventy-two. And the rest of Israel, of the priests and Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance. But the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel. And Ziha and Gishpa were over the Nethinim. Also the overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha, of the sons of Asaph, the singers in charge of the service of the house of God. For it was the king's command concerning them that a certain portion should be for the singers, a quota day by day. Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was the king's deputy in all matters concerning the people.

These are the heads of the province...This extensive list includes TRIBAL leaders (of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin), military men, priests, Levites, gatekeepers, and civil and royal servants.

Who dwelt IN Jerusalem...All these notable men and their families took the lead by CHOOSING TO SETTLE in Jerusalem, setting a GOOD EXAMPLE for all God's people.

Verses 25-36 tell us the Jewish villages and towns throughout Judea.

"And as for the villages with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt in Kirjath Arba and its villages, Dibon and its villages, Jekabzeel and its villages; in Jeshua, Moladah, Beth Pelet, Hazar Shual, and Beersheba and its villages; in Ziklag and Meconah and its villages; in En Rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages; in Lachish and its fields; in Azekah and its villages. They dwelt from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom. Also the children of Benjamin from Geba dwelt in Michmash, Aija, and Bethel, and their villages; in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah; in Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim; in Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat; in Lod, Ono, and the Valley of Craftsmen. Some of the Judean divisions of Levites were in Benjamin."



NEHEMIAH 12 OPENS WITH THE DEDICATION OF THE WALL...

Verses 1-11 tells us of the Priests and Levites in the days of Zerubbabel, the high priest.

"Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their brethren in the days of Jeshua. Moreover the Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who led the thanksgiving psalms, he and his brethren. Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, stood across from them in their duties. Jeshua begot Joiakim, Joiakim begot Eliashib, Eliashib begot Joiada, Joiada begot Jonathan, and Jonathan begot Jaddua."

Verses 12-21 tells us of the priests in the days of Joiakim.

"Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of the fathers' houses were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; of Melichu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; of Abijah, Zichri; the son of Minjamin; of Moadiah, Piltai; of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; and of Jedaiah, Nethanel."

Verses 22-26 tells us of the Levites during the reign of Darius the Persian.

"During the reign of Darius the Persian, a record was also kept of the Levites and priests who had been heads of their fathers' houses in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua. The sons of Levi, the heads of the fathers' houses until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib, were written in the book of the chronicles. And the heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers across from them, to praise and give thanks, group alternating with group, according to the command of David the man of God. Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping the watch at the storerooms of the gates. These lived in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe."

Verses 27-29 tells us of the gathering the Levites for the dedication ceremony.

"Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps. And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem."

They SOUGHT OUT the Levites in ALL THEIR PLACES, to bring them TO Jerusalem...The Levites had MANY responsibilities in the life and worship of Israel, but one of the most important jobs they had was TO LEAD the people in songs of worship and praise to God.

To CELEBRATE the dedication with gladness, both with THANKSGIVING AND SINGING...Mostly, they did not sing without musical instruments. Here are specifically mentioned cymbals and stringed instruments and harps.

There are at least TWENTY TWO DIFFERENT musical instruments mentioned in the Bible, including the harp, the lyre (an ancient guitar), horns, trumpets, flutes, tambourines, drums, cymbals, and bells.

The Levites were SPECIALLY APPOINTED to use these instruments TO LEAD the people in worshipping God through singing.

Sons of the singers … the singers had built themselves villages...There were also SPECIALLY APPOINTED singers. The singers in Nehemiah's day had a CLOSE-KNIT bond, both by families and living arrangements.

Since the job of these singers was to lead the people in worship of God, they had to be GOOD SINGERS; but MORE importantly, they had to be PEOPLE OF WORSHIP themselves, AMEN?

There is a HUGE difference between being a great singer and being a great leader of songs of worship to God. Worship should be excellent, but it isn't entertainment. The goal isn't to give the people a good feeling (though that may happen), but TO GIVE GLORY AND HONOR to God, AMEN?

Verse 30 tell us of their Purification.

"Then the priests and Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall."

Then the priests and Levites purified themselves...They did this FIRST.

WHY?

They could NOT effectively lead the people in worship of God UNLESS they walked in purity before the Lord.

And purified the people...The NEXT THEY DID this. They brought cleansing to the people the way the Bible said to, knowing that only a purified people could really worship and praise God, AMEN?

Some HAVE said of this, if NOT SILENTLY OBJECTED TO THIS...They may say, "I know a person who goes to church and seems to be lost in beautiful praise and worship to God, and I also know their life is rather impure outside the church walls. It sure seems they are worshiping God, but are personally impure."

AND REMEMBER Hebrews 4:12 tells us and warns us that something is wrong there; probably, their worship is NOT A TRUE worship of God in spirit and in truth, but instead a "soulish" experience. All that inwardly moves a person in a deep way is not necessarily of the spirit; it can be of the soul. One of the great works of the Word of God is to divide between that which is truly spiritual and that which is merely soulish., AMEN?

ALSO John 4:24 reminds us that without purity, we can't worship God in spirit and in truth, as Jesus commanded.

AND Psalm 24:3-4 asks us all, "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart." WHICH MEANS it in the sense of bringing praise to God.

AND WE KNOW WE CAN BE made pure and clean before God today, right now, by doing what the Bible says to do - not in following an Old Testament ceremony, but by receiving the word of the New Testament.

JUST AS 1 John 1:9 reminds us..."If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

The gates, and the wall...THIRD, their surroundings were purified. Purified surroundings HELP US to walk in purity consistently. The homes and offices of many Christians could use a good purification and cleansing, AMEN?!

Verses 31-43 tell us TWO CHOIRS lead Jerusalem in joyful praise.

"So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. One went to the right hand on the wall toward the Refuse Gate. After them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, and some of the priests' sons with trumpets; Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, and his brethren, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. Ezra the scribe went before them. By the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went up the stairs of the City of David, on the stairway of the wall, beyond the house of David, as far as the Water Gate eastward. The other thanksgiving choir went the opposite way, and I was behind them with half of the people on the wall, going past the Tower of the Ovens as far as the Broad Wall, and above the Gate of Ephraim, above the Old Gate, above the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped by the Gate of the Prison. So the two thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God, likewise I and the half of the rulers with me; and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minjamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang loudly with Jezrahiah the director. Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off."

Appointed two large thanksgiving choirs...The two large choirs were called thanksgiving choirs for good reason. All praise and worship must have a strong element of thanksgiving to God for it to BE GENUINE, AMEN?.

DO YOU NOTICE the singers sang loudly. They had to be heard, because as glorious as the instruments were, the people would follow the lead of the singers in worship.

God made them rejoice with great joy...God did this with the choirs assembled, and the people spread all about. They were then overwhelmed with joy and thanksgiving, considering all God HAD DONE FOR THEM.

The women and the children ALSO rejoiced...This tremendous experience of worship was FOR EVERYONE...AND INCLUDED THE WOMEN AND THE CHILDREN. There weren't some who weren't able to worship. ALL PEOPLE, WOMEN AND CHILDREN INCLUDED, WERE IMPORTANT TO OUR GOD, AMEN?

The joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off...Their worship WAS A TESTIMONY to others, and what others heard was not so much the singing itself as THE JOY HEARD IN IT. We often worry about others hearing us sing; what OTHERS THINK ABOUT OUR VOICES, but what God WANTS to hear and what others should hear is not so much your singing, but YOUR JOY IN IT, AMEN?!.

Verses 44-47 tells us other aspects of this day of joy.

"And at the same time some were appointed over the rooms of the storehouse for the offerings, the first fruits, and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who ministered. Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God and the charge of the purification, according to the command of David and Solomon his son. For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, a portion for each day. They also consecrated holy things for the Levites, and the Levites consecrated them for the children of Aaron."

Some were appointed over the rooms of the storehouse for the offerings..
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
This was a day of giving. People brought their offerings, firstfruits, tithes to the storehouse of the Levites, and they did it with joy because they enjoyed supporting the priests and Levites ministering on their behalf.

Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God and the charge of the purification...This was a day of purity. It was an ongoing concern, not JUST A ONE TIME, ONE DAY, DONE AND OVER ceremony, AMEN?!

They also CONSECRATED holy things for the Levites...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
It was a day of consecration. Holy things were SET APART for the Levites, speaking of the separation unto God.

REMEMBER THAT EVERY TIME YOU SING PRAISES TO JESUS YOU ARE PURIFYING YOUR SPIRIT, SOUL, MIND, AND BODY BEFORE THE THRONE, WITH ALL OF HEAVEN AS WITNESSES.

REMEMBER EVERY TIME YOU CRY OUT IN REPENTANCE AND EVERY TIME YOU LIFT UP PRAYERS TO OUR JESUS...YOU ARE PURIFYING YOUR HEART, MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT!

AND DID YOU KNOW THAT WE WHO KNOW AND LOVE JESUS CHRIST AND CALL HIM SAVIOR, LORD, & FRIEND ARE CONSIDERED HOLY & CONSECRATED THINGS SET APART AND PRECIOUS TO OUR JESUS?