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“Principles For Post Wall Life” • 1.27.19
• Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
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As we enter into chapter 7, it is
important for us to recognize that we are coming into a new division of the
book of Nehemiah.
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The book divides naturally around the work that the main character has been
involved in. Chapters 1-6 have
featured Nehemiah, the Builder.
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He has been the leader of a movement around Jerusalem to re-establish the wall
that surrounded Jerusalem, which, with a concerted effort, took 52 days to
completely rebuild from ruin.
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Walls are important for cities and nations, but especially for the people of
God! Jerusalem is the one city on earth that God assigns His own Name to.
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His reputation, His fame, is linked to the life experienced by those that live here
biblically! It is the place, conceptually, that represents the most pure
expression of what it means to worship God.
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In theory, it is the place that all of God's blessing emanates from, even to
the ends of the Earth because of the spiritual vitality of it's people!
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Not having a functional wall in Jerusalem meant that there was no way to ensure
security or identity. Nehemiah was used of God to fix all of that!
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He literally rebuilt a physical wall upon the actual ground surrounding
Jerusalem. We have noted that this is a picture of what we are doing with our
lives.
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We are removing the rubble from our past, restoring boulders to their proper
positions where holes had opened up because of our sin.
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We have come to Christ, the greater Nehemiah, who has assigned His Spirit to
complete the work of our sanctification, which He does gently and thoroughly
throughout the believer's life.
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Now, we come to chapter 7. Nehemiah
has been the Builder. The wall is complete but the job has only begun. The rest
of the book contains the record of Nehemiah, the Governor!
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What good is it to build a wall if you don't manage life in relation to it?
With that in mind, we'll focus in on chapter 7 and glean the principles that are before us.
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If you have built your life upon Jesus Christ, the true wall of the believer,
you will want to appoint the right
leaders to help manage post wall life! Verse 1.
Text
• Nehemiah
7:1,2 : "Then it was, when the
wall was built and I had hung the doors, when the gatekeepers, the singers, and
the Levites had been appointed, that I gave the charge of
Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, for he
was a faithful man and feared God more than many." : Nehemiah's final constructive actions were taken when the city
doors were hung.
- As he was completing the task, he was
considerate of the people that would now serve in relation to the wall. Having
a wall was a proper and good first step, but it was not enough.
- The enemies of Jerusalem will not allow a
wall to stop them. They'll stop at nothing to discover weaknesses in the wall
or weaknesses in the policies that govern the use of it.
- Nehemiah had to choose men that would live in
service to what had been built. He begins with the gatekeepers who would stand
at the doors he just finished hanging!
- Those doors would be the entry point for
visitors to the city and merchants with trades to ply. Gatekeepers oversaw the
flow of traffic in and out of the city.
- These men were tasked with discerning whether
or not a person or group were permitted to enter into the city. They were an
important part of a city's defense.
- Nehemiah's next appointment came in the form
of singers. A gatekeeper is necessary for security. Singers are necessary for
the atmoshphere!
- The idea that is communicated here is similar
to a "strolling minstrel!" These are people that are walking around
composing songs, singing as they go.
- You wouldn't be in Jerusalem long before you
heard the sound of a song being written or practiced nearby! It's interesting
to me how often you hear a healthy Christian humming or singing!
• Ephesians
5:18,19 : "And
do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the
Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord," : Within the walls there is a community that is singing to the
Lord.
- Note also the appointment of the Levites or
Priests. These are separated to God and are defenders of the faith of Yahweh.
- Essentially, they are in charge of all things
physically related to the function of the Temple.
- They are assistants in setting up the Tabernacle.
At other times, they are helping to teach God's people. A few times in
scripture, they are the lethal last line of the Tabernacle's perimeter!
- Ultimately, their zeal and their operation is
based around the holiness of God and the guarding of His heart toward His
people. Look at the picture we are seeing thus far.
- Nehemiah is looking out for men that will
discern and assess outside danger, men that will provide a basis for worship
inside the walls and men that will support the spiritual infrastructure.
- At this point, Nehemiah needs to make the
choice of who will oversee general operations around the city. Who will be the
City Manager? What will define this person?
- Nehemiah placed his brother Hanani and
Hannaniah in charge. Wow, couldn't it have been Bob and Larry? These two names
are rooted in the Hebrew word for "Grace."
- Nehemiah chose men whose names meant
"Gracious" and "Favored" or "Graced" by God
respectively! Hanani was Nehemiah's physical brother. Hananiah was an
experienced leader.
- The stronghold, the citadel, was a secure
location that the King could come to and safely reproduce the conditions of his
palace, if the city were under attack.
- The citadel was well supplied and an appropriate
"outworld" for the King. Hananiah knew how to manage such a royal
outpost, but that wasn't Nehemiah's greatest concern.
- Remember that Jerusalem is not simply a city
to govern. It is the city of God! It must be supplied and cared for in context
with the demands of the God of Israel!
- Therefore, there are two characteristics that
set Hananiah apart for servce. First, he was a faithful man. He was reliable,
stable and steady.
- Some might refer to the word
"faithful" as one that responds to their responsibilities in the
light of their beliefs. He believes in Christ and His actions reflect that
belief.
- In other words, one might say as James does:
"You have faith, and I have works.”
Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my
works." (James 2:18)
- I know what a man believes by how he behaves!
This issued in Hananiah impressing Nehemiah. He was reliable to what he
believed. He would be doing what was expected of him.
Second, he revered the Lord more than many. He
was a person by Nehemiah's judgment, who outdistanced others in the category of
God fearing.
- His actions demonstrated an uncommon display
of respect for the opinion of God with respect toward what must be done. This
is who Nehemiah thought worthy of selecting.
- Interesting as we consider this against what
the leaders of Judah presented to Nehemiah last week. Remember that they kept
pushing Tobiah on Nehemiah?
- "Look at all his good deeds. Look at
what he has done!" Nehemiah was not guilty of neglecting to look at him.
He had looked deeply and knew that Tobiah was not fit for consideration.
- The world will ask you to select flashy,
exciting candidates with great worldly experience. God says, "Choose the
one that is reliable and who fears me!" What an astonishing picture!
- God has built a spiritually viable wall
around our lives. It is ours to consider who is let in and allowed to
influence.
- It's ours to be sure that the tone we are
setting is worshipful and the life we are leading is in line with what God
expects!
- The people that oversee our lives might not
impress the world, but they do impress the heart of God! This isn't just what
you do for the land of Jerusalem. This is what you do for the church!
- The New Testament commands what we find
illustrated here. Listen to Paul's instruction to Timothy in his final letter.
• II
Timothy 2:1,2 : "You
therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the
things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful
men who will be able to teach others also." : In the
Apostle Paul's eyes, the premium characteristic for service in God's house is
faithfulness!
- Verses 1
and 2 discuss the right leaders for a post wall society. Notice now, that
Nehemiah introduces the right principle
that they must live by. Verse 3.
• Nehemiah
7:3 : "And I said to them, 'Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened
until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut and bar the
doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his watch
station and another in front of his own house.'" : Nehemiah is very clear with regard to when the gates to the
city would be opened.
- They were not to be opened until the sun was
hot. In ancient times, the world was governed by the motion of the sun. Workers
didn't get to work by 9AM and get off at 5PM.
- They began their work when there was light
and left it when it was dark. Consequently, any other city would open it's
gates at the first light and close them when that light was almost gone!
- Nehemiah, in not allowing the gates to open
until virtual noon, was limiting the amount of time that business coud
transact. But there is another reason to wait until the sun was hot.
- Whatever was willing to reveal itself in the
full light of day offered little danger!
- Most of the time, cities would needlessly
expose themselves to danger by inviting in what could not be completely
examined! What an illustration for us!
- If secrecy is necessary. If shadowy business
is the only option. If darkness is the best time to make a deal, it's best to
keep the doors shut! Look at how specific he is about it!
- While they, the gatekeepers, are standing
guard, make sure that the gate is barred shut! They weren't to open the door
until every thing was absolutely safe!
- It is not to be assumed once a person is in,
that they are not a potential threat. They are allowed to enter and conduct
business, but at the first sight of trouble, they are to be removed!
- Can you see the parallels to a godly life?
There will be good looking people that knock on the door of your life who want
to offer you their wares.
- Like Nehemiah, you have to learn to value the
life that you have been given enough to be discerning, to be on guard
continually and to know how to secure the doors that lead in!
- Additionally, local members were to be
appointed for sentry duties. Listen to how the NLT translates the end of verse 3.
• Nehemiah
7:3 (NLT) : "Some will
serve at sentry posts and some in front of their own homes." : Everyone within the city wall is serving. Some will be given
responsibility to have an eye toward the safety of the city. Some will serve
standing in front of their own houses.
- A strong community ethic is vital for the
health of a family, but a strong family is vital to a community! I love that
the Holy Spirit puts this here.
- The Elders of this church and I have done our
best to provide a Bible saturated service for this congregation weekly. The
record is strong and our ethics are well known.
- Some are able to oversee that public part of
this ministry. Some are stationed at home, privately, overseeing the gates that
lead into your personal realm.
- You have a great responsibility and don't
think that it's less effective because it's less public. Our community needs
your home to be a strong outpost for the Lord!
- When the walls have been built up in your
life, you must have the right leaders,
you must live by the right principles
and you must be surrounded by the right
people. Verse 4.
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Nehemiah 7:4-6 : "Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were
few, and the houses were not rebuilt. Then my God put it into my heart to gather the nobles, the
rulers, and the people, that they might be registered by genealogy. And I found
a register of the genealogy of those who had come up in the first return, and
found written in it: These
are the people of the province who came back from the captivity, of those who
had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried
away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city." : The issue before the city managers was population. There were
more posts to man than people to man them!
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Jesus instructed his disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send
laborers out to the field. Why? "The
harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few!" (Matthew 9:37)
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I love the language here. Nehemiah was wondering what to do. He couldn't let
just anyone live in the city. The city has to be filled with a pure Jewish
line.
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As he considered these things, God put it into his heart to act. The NLT says
that God "gave him the idea." This means that he was praying and
listening, seeking the Lord for His answer.
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I wonder what his idea might have been. Gratefully, we don't know it! He actually
looked to God for the answer, waited to receive it before he acted and then he
acted upon it!
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"What? No lying about who your spouse is?" No gathering of
concubines? How many bad ideas have we seen in the course of the study
scripture or in our own experience!
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The Lord's idea required the people to register themselves by geneology, to
ascertain which people had the rite to live there. It's interesting what
happened next.
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God led them to the correct idea and then, things snowballed in that direction.
All of sudden, Nehemiah came upon a registry that dated back to the first wave
of repatriots.
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I've found that until God directs you to His answer and until you are committed
to it, you won't find the next piece of information! Nehemiah was living this
when he found this record.
- It contained the
people who had returned with Zerubbabel nearly 100 years earlier, which is
provided for us from verses 7 down
to 64 and is essentially the same as
the one found in Ezra 2.
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The list helped to clarify who had genuine family ties to Jerusalem and thus,
actually had a rite to live in the land. That could not be said for all of the
people trying to get in. Verse 61.
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Nehemiah 7:61-65 : "And these were the ones who came up
from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not
identify their father’s house nor their lineage, whether they were of Israel: the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two; and of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, the sons of
Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was
called by their name. These sought their
listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but it was not found;
therefore they were excluded from the priesthood as defiled. And the governor said to them that they should not eat of
the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim." : This was a disputed group of immigrants that were unable to
prove their ancestry, which excluded them from partaking in any feasts.
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What an interesting part of this study, especially as we are about to take
communion together! Only those that had a confirmed place within the city could
enter into God's feast.
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Only those that were rightly related could enjoy the benefit of the feast. May
I say that the same is true for us! Communion is for those whose names are
written in the Lamb's book of life!
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For the community in Jerusalem, a few colored or lit stones would help to clear
things up. Today, the question is "does your life match up?" Verse 66.
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Nehemiah 7:66-73 : "Altogether the whole assembly was
forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their male and female
servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and
they had two hundred and forty-five men and women singers. Their horses were seven hundred and
thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five, their camels four hundred and
thirty-five, and donkeys six thousand seven hundred and twenty. And some of the heads of the fathers’
houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand gold
drachmas, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priestly garments. Some of the heads of the fathers’ houses gave to the
treasury of the work twenty thousand gold drachmas, and two thousand two
hundred silver minas. And that which the rest
of the people gave was twenty thousand gold drachmas, two thousand silver
minas, and sixty-seven priestly garments. So
the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the
Nethinim, and all Israel dwelt in their cities." : This section provides the final tally of people, along with
their horses, mules, etc. You wonder who had the job of counting the animals!?
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There were 42,360 citizens, beside those that served. All together, there were
over 50,000 people that were allowed to dwell in the land.
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These are the people that close our study by illustrating the right responsibility. Notice the repetition. The heads of the
father's house gave. The governor gave. Some of the heads gave.
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Finally, and that which the rest of the people gave. There is no secret in the
Kingdom of God. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also!
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Each of these people who lived in this city, found a way to invest themselves
in it. It's interesting to me that some of the giving is not quantified. Some
is incredibly specific.
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"Don't forget those fifty basins over there!" The point is not what
is given. That is always between the Lord and His person. The point is that
whatever is given is counted by God!
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What was the result of their giving? The priests, at least 97 of them, had
clothes to wear in the city! All the services that the city needed were covered
and Israel settled down in their cities!
Conclusion
- The Lord
Jesus Christ died to set us free, to set us within a home that we could settle
in, having paid the price for our entry with His own precious blood.
- He is our
Leader, the Captain of our salvation! Let us always look for leaders that are
like Him. Let us live by the principles that draw us and keep us close to Him.
- Let us be the
people that are sure of our heritage and let us be found as His willing
partners in the work He has set us in!