Nehemiah 7:1-4 ( ESV )
1Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed,
2I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many.
3And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.”
Nehemiah knew that just building the wall was not enough. He knew he needed to appoint leadership to protect the city. He next appointed three important groups of people for service. The gatekeeper’s main job was to protect the city physically from harm. They would keep watch over the people. The singers, were needed as worship would now be brought back into the city. Lastly, Nehemiah appointed the Levites who would be in charge of the temple or the spiritual life of the people.
Even though the walls were completed the work of the Lord is a never ending work. Nehemiah knew that he needed men who would be in charge of the protection of the city. One of these men would be his brother Hanani. We know that he truly had a concern for the city as he was the one who gave Nehemiah the first report about the walls. The other Hananiah would be in charge of the fortress that overlooked the northern wall of the city.
I pray that I might be marked by these two characteristics that are found in verse 2. Our prayer should be, “Lord help us to be marked as faithful and God fearing men.” How many fly by night Christians have we seen? When the heat is on, their Christianity goes out the window. The least little threat of persecution or of a hard road ahead sends them running with their tails tucked. I want to be known as a person who feared his God. I don’t want to displease my Father who has given me more than life itself. I want to hear Him say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
Paul knew that it was not enough to just see people come to know the Lord in Ephesus. In Acts 20:28-38 we see the heart of a man who wanted to protect the flock of God. When he left the elders the last time he told them some of the following things.
· Pay careful attention to yourselves and the flock.
· Care for the flock.
· Look out for fierce wolves.
· Be alert.
· He commended them to God and to the Word of His grace.
The above verses would have you and me to DEFEND THE CHURCH OF GOD AGAINST ANY ENEMY. We are called to protect the Lord’s sheep and to help them to grow.
Nehemiah knew that the people still needed protection so he kept the gates shut until later in the day. The reason why he did this was to keep a secret attack from happening in the early morning hours. Many would be asleep and would fall prey to the enemy. Nehemiah was serious about protecting the city of God. As leaders we should be serious about protecting the house of God.
The people had sacrificed much for the work of God. Why do I say this statement? I believe that some of them had even sacrificed their own comfort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. My reasoning for this statement is found in verse 4 when it says, “and no houses had been rebuilt.” What type of comforts am I willing to give up for the work of the Lord?
Nehemiah 7:5-7 ( ESV )
5Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found written in it:
6These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town.
7They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.The number of the men of the people of Israel:
I know what you are thinking. As you look from verse 5 all the way to verse 69 we are now given a list of names. What was so important about this list of names that Nehemiah now puts out before us? You see, Nehemiah needed a list of who the true Israelites were within the city. These were people who had come in during the time of the first return from Persia under Zerubbabel. They had left all to come back to their homeland.
These were those who were the legitimate Jews who God had promised the land for. This land was their inheritance. This land was the land of promise from their God. Many could trace their genealogy and prove who they truly were. Only these had rightful claim to the land and the benefits that came from it. Many would be identified by the town that they lived in and some for their work in the temple.
Jesus would later on talk to a man named Nicodemus and tell him that he had to be born again in order to inherit the kingdom of God. It was not enough to be born of a certain race. His physical birth would not allow him an inheritance into heaven. No, he would have to come to Christ as his savior just like any other man.
I love some of the old hymns that dealt with the theme of is your name written there? When the roll is called up yonder will you be there? Will your name be recorded in the book of life? If your name is not found in that book you will not inherit eternal life. The only way that this can happen is by being born again into the family of God.
Nehemiah 7:61-65 ( ESV )
61The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers’ houses nor their descent, whether they belonged to Israel:
63Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).
64These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.
65The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.
In the midst of Nehemiah seeking to find out who were truly the sons of Israel there were some who could not prove their citizenship. There were even some who were priest who could not find their names written down. This was a heavy thing because from that very point on, these men were cut off from the priesthood and were considered unclean. They also were not allowed to partake of the food set aside for the priest. Only a legitimate priest could determine if they were true by him using the Urim and Thummin.
Advance the above scene to the time of Jesus. Jesus would tell his disciples that there will be many who will say, “Lord, Lord.” Not all who say these words will inherit the kingdom of God. They could do miracles, and even prophesy in His name and still not be his children. There are some who will look just like believers but they are not. They are as Matthew states, “Tares among the wheat.” So great will be their deception that not even the angels would be able to tell. Only God will be able to separate them in the end.
So I ask of you dear reader, “Are you truly born into the family of God? Are you truly a child of God? Could it be that you might be a tare among the wheat?” If you do not know Jesus then stop trying to fool others. Cry out that you are a sinner, in need of a savior. Put your faith in this Jesus who not only died for your sins but rose again to give you eternal life. You cannot enter into the kingdom by your birth or by your works but only by believing in Him. Will you not do this today?
Nehemiah 7:70-73 ( ESV )
70Now some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics£ of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests’ garments and 500 minas£ of silver.£
71And some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver.
72And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests’ garments.
73So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.
What I love about this passage, is that even though many of these men and women had sacrificed, it still was not enough for them. Many of them gave even more to help the cause of Israel. They wanted to be a part of the work of God even after the walls were done. True Christianity lived out will always involve a joyful sacrifice to the one whom we could never repay. What is our money, our service, our life, when He has given us His life, so that we can have an eternal home with Him? We are a part of the greatest family ever known. We can become children of God and joint heirs with Christ by being born again.
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