Nehemiah 12:27-30 ( ESV )
27And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.
28And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites;
29also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem.
30And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.
Let the celebration now begin! This day would be a day of joy, cleansing and thanksgiving for the people of Israel. They needed first of all to gather up all of the Levites that they could for the task at hand. These Levities were the men who were to be Israel’s priestly tribe. This physical work that the people had accomplished was also spiritual in nature. They wanted a time to thank the Lord for what He had accomplished through them.
I tell you brothers, and sisters it was a day filled with the joy of the Lord. The idea of the word gladness carries with it a sense of mirth and pleasure among the people. This resulted in a people who were marked by a thankful spirit. They could not help but to praise the Lord for what He had done.
The joy of music now flooded their souls. They gathered the singers from all throughout the land to join in this day of celebration. Not only did they have singing, but they also had instruments all around them. in this journey. I believe this day was filled with the Spirit of God among His chosen people.
It was not enough that there was a sense of joy throughout the land. We are told in verse 30 that the priest and the Levites purified themselves. They wanted to be clean before their king of kings. They not only purified themselves but also the people and even the walls that they dedicated. This was a picture of how they wanted Israel to be set apart for God. They desired a holiness before their God. This truly was a reason to celebrate.
Nehemiah 12:31-37 ( ESV )
31Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate.
35and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph;
36and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.
37At the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east.
This was a celebration that was heard of throughout the whole of the city. Nehemiah, now brought the leaders up to the wall and then appointed two great choirs to give thanks. The first choir that we hear about here, in verse 30, went south. The southern Choir was led by Ezra the scribe. The scribe who had earlier helped them build the temple now went before this joyous crowd.
One person’s name stands out to me in this passage, and how he would have loved to have been there on that day. David was not only the former king of Israel but a man who loved the music of God. I am reminded of how when the ark was brought back to the land during his time. When he saw it come into the city the Bible tells us that he danced with joy before the ark. It was a day of rejoicing for this man of God. Yet, his wife Michal, would mock him for expressing himself in this way. David would say, “I will make merry before the Lord. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes.” There should be order in our worship brothers and sisters but also realize there should be joy as well.
Nehemiah 12:38-43 ( ESV )
38The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall,
39and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Gate of Yeshanah,£ and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard.
40So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me;
41and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Mal-chijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader.
43And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.
This was not a chaotic form of worship, as once again we see another group with Nehemiah in it, going to the northern area. They came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. Both choirs now stood and gave thanks along with their officials and Nehemiah. They could not help but be thankful for how God had watched over them. The trumpets of Israel now declared His glory, along with Jezrahiah the leader of the choir. What a day that must have been.
In the midst of it all the people offered great sacrifices to the Lord. This caused them to rejoice even more. Think about that for a second, they rejoiced even as they made sacrifices for the Lord. Do I have that attitude in my Christian walk? When I sacrifice for the Lord does it bring me pleasure? Listen, the women and children rejoiced and their joy was so loud that they could be heard far away.
God had made them rejoice with great joy. He took part in their rejoicing as they celebrated His goodness. He helped their joy to be even more complete. I love the words of Zephaniah when he says, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (E.S.V)
Nehemiah 12:44-47 ( ESV )
44On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered.
45And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon.
46For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs£ of praise and thanksgiving to God.
47And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.
Here is where we see the proof of their joy. It was spread out even more by their giving, and their obedience to the Lord. They wanted to take care of their priest, singers, gatekeepers and the Levites. They rejoiced over their priests and Levites who ministered for them and their God. They celebrated and gave thanks like they had done in the days of David and Asaph his choir leader. They also had made it into a time of purification.
Why was there such joy in the land of Israel on this day? I believe they rejoiced for two main reasons. One, they rejoiced over how God had been so gracious to them in the building of the wall. Secondly, they could rejoice in that they were willing to be obedient to the Lord by setting themselves apart for His work and for His glory. May these things be true in our soul as well.
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| Deep in thought? Doubt it. More like sleeping through the storm. :) |
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