Nehemiah 9:1-21 - Slow to Anger, Ready to Pardon Sin

Nehemiah 9:1-21

The People Confess Their Sins

1 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. 2 Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.

4 Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the stairs of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to the LORD their God. 5 And the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said:

“Stand up and bless the LORD your God
Forever and ever!

“Blessed be Your glorious name,
Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

6 You alone are the LORD;
You have made heaven,
The heaven of heavens, with all their host,
The earth and everything on it,
The seas and all that is in them,
And You preserve them all.
The host of heaven worships You.

7 “You are the LORD God,
Who chose Abram,
And brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans,
And gave him the name Abraham;

8 You found his heart faithful before You,
And made a covenant with him
To give the land of the Canaanites,
The Hittites, the Amorites,
The Perizzites, the Jebusites,
And the Girgashites—

To give it to his descendants.
You have performed Your words,
For You are righteous.

9 “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt,
And heard their cry by the Red Sea.

10 You showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,
Against all his servants,
And against all the people of his land.
For You knew that they acted proudly against them.
So You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day.

11 And You divided the sea before them,
So that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land;
And their persecutors You threw into the deep,
As a stone into the mighty waters.

12 Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar,
And by night with a pillar of fire,
To give them light on the road
Which they should travel.

13 “You came down also on Mount Sinai,
And spoke with them from heaven,
And gave them just ordinances and true laws,
Good statutes and commandments.

14 You made known to them Your holy Sabbath,
And commanded them precepts, statutes and laws,
By the hand of Moses Your servant.

15 You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger,
And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst,
And told them to go in to possess the land
Which You had sworn to give them.

16 “But they and our fathers acted proudly,
Hardened their necks,
And did not heed Your commandments.

17 They refused to obey,
And they were not mindful of Your wonders
That You did among them.

But they hardened their necks,
And in their rebellion
They appointed a leader
To return to their bondage.

But You are God,
Ready to pardon,
Gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger,
Abundant in kindness,
And did not forsake them.

18 “Even when they made a molded calf for themselves,
And said, ‘This is your god
That brought you up out of Egypt,’
And worked great provocations,

19 Yet in Your manifold mercies
You did not forsake them in the wilderness.
The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day,
To lead them on the road;
Nor the pillar of fire by night,
To show them light,
And the way they should go.

20 You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them,
And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth,
And gave them water for their thirst.

21 Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness;
They lacked nothing;
Their clothes did not wear out
And their feet did not swell.

When the people heard the word of God after so long neglecting it, they spent half the day hearing it spoken and repenting with confession of sin and worship of Him.  They then stood up and blessed the name of the LORD, exalting His glorious name in their hearts and minds above all blessing and praise threat their lips uttered out loud.  They acknowledged He alone was the Lord and Creator of all things, that He keeps it all in His hand to preserve life and receive thankful worship in return as His just due moves even among the angels in the heavenly realms as we do in the earthly.  They remembered how God chose Abraham and rewarded his faith that took God unquestioningly at His seemingly impossible promises and how He made a covenant of a promised land to fill and multiply as the sand of the beach and stars of the heavens with descendants according to that same faith which continues today with those trusting that word of promise in Christ (Galatians 3:6, James 2:21) as Abraham did before us.  They sang out loud of the faithfulness of the LORD to deliver them out of bondage in Egypt and their escape from death passing through the Red Sea as a picture of baptism (1 Corinthians 10:2) we now are immersed in in Christ as we escape bondage to sin and find escape from death to life (John 5:24) in Him by that same trusting faith of Abraham as we hear and find faith to receive Him and His work as the word proclaimed to us assures us.  He led them through the wilderness and spoke His word inscribed on stone tablets for them to read and remember until He sent His Spirit into our hearts to write His laws upon our very hearts to have readily at hand to contemplate and follow Him through the wilderness of the world today.  They praised Him for the bread from heaven to sustain them just as Christ is our bread from heaven (John 6:32-33, 51, 57-58) who sustains us with Himself as the Living Word of our daily bread now.  They lamented how their forefathers refused to keep obeying Him in their pride and ignored His word on cold stone table matching their hearts devoid of it being there and ignored the wonder of the works He had done for them.  Even then, God in His immense grace was slow to anger and ready to forgive them if they repented of their sins; Je did not utterly forsake them, though He had every right to do so.  This grace in mercy is now sealed in the new covenant of grace in the work Christ did that cannot be taken away now no matter how we fall in sin along the journey to the kingdom to come.  In His manifold mercies, God did not forsake them in the wilderness and will not abandon (John 10:28-29, Hebrews 13:5) us either.  God sustained His people then and they lacked no necessities of life.  He will do so for us as His chosen people like Abraham as well because by faith we have received the Son and believed (John 17:8, Romans 4:22-24, 25, 5:1) the words and work Je has done for us.  We acknowledge that He will lead and sustain us to the end as He conforms us to the image of Christ in our wandering through life because He has given us the Spirit to lead (Isaiah 30:21, John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 2:13, 16, 1 John 2:27) and word in our hearts as well as on tablets and books to remind us.  We still praise Him as we understand more fully that He is slow to anger (Romans 6:23) and stands ever ready to pardon our (1 John 1:9) sin as we confess it in acknowledgment and turn from sin to Him each day along life’s narrow way. 

Nehemiah 8:1-18 - A Day of Holy Joy in God’s Strength

Nehemiah 8:1-18

1 Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. 3 Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

4 So Ezra the scribe stood on a platform of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God.

Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

11 So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.

The Feast of Tabernacles (cf. Leviticus 23:33–43)

13 Now on the second day the heads of the fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law. 14 And they found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, 15 and that they should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.”

16 Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves booths, each one on the roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts of the house of God, and in the open square of the Water Gate and in the open square of the Gate of Ephraim. 17 So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly, according to the prescribed manner.

All God’s people gathered together in the square as Ezra opened God’s word to them, reading all day from the morning until midday, while the men and women and all who could understand listened paid close attention.  Ezra stood on a platform that our modern pulpit is devised from to stand there and open the book of scripture and all the people stood up in reverence to hear the word read distinctly as he explained the sense of the passages and helped them understand it all.  We call this expository preaching today.  Ezra read and communicated the sense of the scripture, the people stood and heard and said amen as they understood, and the preacher Ezra blessed the LORD their great God as he looked over the assembly from up above behind the pulpit.  The people lifted hands in praise and bowed in submissive humility as they honored God in being attentive to His word that they had neglected for far too long.  Though the people wept at knowing they had not been keeping His word as it was now revealed from hearing scripture preached to them, Ezra encouraged them to take heart because this was a holy moment before the LORD to hear and respond to His word, and that they should instead remember that the joy of the LORD is their strength.  They were to be still as they considered these things and honor God with joy in their calling as His own brought to repentance as they went home to celebrate the great things the LOED had shown them that day as the scriptures were opened to those hearts, minds, and very souls.  The next day they built booths to remember their journey that led them through the wilderness into the promised land and the bounty of milk and honey realized in the end.  All those who had returned from the seventy years of captivity now reflected on that grace and goodness of the LORD that was revealed in hearing His word and found great joy and gladness in these words made real to them.  All through that feast Ezra daily read from the word of God to them and they celebrated after that week came to a close with the memories and lessons learned down deep in their souls of all they had heard and learned about God and themselves in His providence of grace over them through all their suffering and wandering to that point.  May we also look back at our own journeys in Christ and reflect from the words of God preached to us in all the places He had brought us through, good and bad, to bring us to the grace of our salvation and ongoing sanctification (2 Corinthians 3:18) where we now bow in humility (Psalm 95:6, 96:9, Ephesians 3:14-15, 18-19) and life holy hands (1 Timothy 2:8, Psalm 134:2) in willing obedience of thanksgiving for all He is and has done in His great mercy and love for we the people of God who have been called out of darkness into His marvelous grace as we read and hear daily in His word!  We remember this account of A Day of Holy Joy in God’s Strength as we the people of God hear His word preached and understanding explained.  Each day becomes one of holy joy as we realize that the joy of the Lord is our strength.  Amen and amen. 

Nehemiah 7:1-73 - Captive Remnant Known and Numbered by Name

Nehemiah 7:1-73

1 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, 2 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.

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.”

The Captives Who Returned to Jerusalem (Ezra 2:1–70)

4 Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few, and the houses were not rebuilt. 5 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:

6 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.

7 Those who came with Zerubbabel were Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel:

8 the sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;
9 the sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two;
10 the sons of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two;
11 the sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen;
12 the sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;
13 the sons of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five;
14 the sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty;
15 the sons of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight;
16 the sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight;
17 the sons of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two;
18 the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven;
19 the sons of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven;
20 the sons of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five;
21 the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety-eight;
22 the sons of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight;
23 the sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four;
24 the sons of Hariph, one hundred and twelve;
25 the sons of Gibeon, ninety-five;
26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight;
27 the men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight;
28 the men of Beth Azmaveth, forty-two;
29 the men of Kirjath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three;
30 the men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one;
31 the men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two;
32 the men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three;
33 the men of the other Nebo, fifty-two;
34 the sons of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;
35 the sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty;
36 the sons of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five;
37 the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one;
38 the sons of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

39 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three;
40 the sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two;
41 the sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven;
42 the sons of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel,
and of the sons of Hodevah, seventy-four.

44 The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight.

45 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum,
the sons of Ater,
the sons of Talmon,
the sons of Akkub,
the sons of Hatita,
the sons of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight.

46 The Nethinim:
the sons of Ziha,
the sons of Hasupha,
the sons of Tabbaoth,
47 the sons of Keros,
the sons of Sia,
the sons of Padon,
48 the sons of Lebana,
the sons of Hagaba,
the sons of Salmai,
49 the sons of Hanan,
the sons of Giddel,
the sons of Gahar,
50 the sons of Reaiah,
the sons of Rezin,
the sons of Nekoda,
51 the sons of Gazzam,
the sons of Uzza,
the sons of Paseah,
52 the sons of Besai,
the sons of Meunim,
the sons of Nephishesim,
53 the sons of Bakbuk,
the sons of Hakupha,
the sons of Harhur,
54 the sons of Bazlith,
the sons of Mehida,
the sons of Harsha,
55 the sons of Barkos,
the sons of Sisera,
the sons of Tamah,
56 the sons of Neziah,
and the sons of Hatipha.

57 The sons of Solomon’s servants:
the sons of Sotai,
the sons of Sophereth,
the sons of Perida,
58 the sons of Jaala,
the sons of Darkon,
the sons of Giddel,
59 the sons of Shephatiah,
the sons of Hattil,
the sons of Pochereth of Zebaim,
and the sons of Amon.

60 All the Nethinim, and the sons of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred and ninety-two.

61 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:
62 the sons of Delaiah,
the sons of Tobiah,
the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two;

63 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.

64 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. 65 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.

66 Altogether the whole assembly was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, 67 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. 68 Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five, 69 their camels four hundred and thirty-five, and donkeys six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

70 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. 71 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. 72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand gold drachmas, two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priestly garments.

73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the Nethinim, and all Israel dwelt in their cities.

Ezra Reads the Law

When the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

These who were of the remnant of Israel returned from exile and bondage in Babylon were numbered and named here.  Their genealogies had been record before and then were numbered as a census to mark their place in the restored city of the LORD.  They were grouped by the initial party who came with Zerubbabel, by families of Israel, by priests, Levites, and singers of the temple, by gatekeepers, by Nethinim, by Solomon’s servants, and finally by all those could not identify their father’s house nor their lineage in historical documents (those claiming to be descendants of priests were excluded from the priesthood as defiled, not proven pure).  They all were assigned various tasks in the land and the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, some of the people, the Nethinim, and all Israel dwelt in their cities at last.  Ezra then read the Law to guide them and remind them of their heritage as the chosen people of the LORD God as we read in the next chapter.  This was to reestablish the kingdom of God after their exile to make them think twice before once again abandoning sole worship of their God as before that led to their seventy years of captivity in exile where idols reigned int the land of Babylon.  This reminds me of Paul speaking of (1 Timothy 1:20) Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom God delivered through him to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme the Lord.  Sometimes when the chosen people turn from Him to sin they need to be given over to excommunication from fellowship until repentance leads them to restoration as with Israel here.  May we exhort and encourage one another (Colossians 1:28, Hebrews 10:24-25) to do right and not to direct worship elsewhere instead before this is deemed necessary to restore impenitent hearts.  The captive remnant was numbered by name just as we are called in Christ as a remnant out of the nations are known individually by name (John 10:3, Acts 15:17) to the Father who are in the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord of lords and king of Kings. 

Nehemiah 6:1-19 - Conspiracy and Completion

Nehemiah 6:1-19

Conspiracy Against Nehemiah

1 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), 2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm.

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”

4 But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner.

5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written:

It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king. 7 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, “There is a king in Judah!” Now these matters will be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together.

8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart.”

9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.”

Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.”

11 And I said, “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!” 12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.

The Wall Completed

15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

17 Also in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them. 18 For many in Judah were pledged to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.

When the enemies of God’s people heard that Nehemiah had rebuilt the city wall without any breaks left in it, but had not yet hung the gate doors, they concocted a conspiracy to lure him  outside the city to kill him.  He was wise in the LORD to see through their evil plan and told them he was doing an important work and could not leave it to meet them.  After trying this four times, then Sanballat threatened to write a slanderous letter to the king accusing him of setting himself up as ruler in rebellion against Babylon.  He even blasphemed God by accusing Nehemiah of setting up his own prophets to proclaim him the king of Judah, which he obviously had no intention of doing.  Nehemiah responded by telling Sanballat and the other enemies opposing him and the work of the LORD that he had only invented them in his own heart to stop him serving God by instilling fear of harm by their threats.  Then Tobiah and Sanballat hired a hitman named Shemaiah to lure Nehemiah to a secret meeting and kill him, but God once more opened his eyes to perceive the plot and cause him to sin in believing a false prophecy to stop God’s plan and saw the conspiracy to derail him from it.  One of the first conspiracy theories was born that day in opposition to the truth of God’s word by false prophecy, which thing still occurs today.  Nehemiah prayed that God allay his fears and would hold Tobiah and Sanballat accountable for their sin along with the others such as the false prophet Noadiah used against him.  They completed the work on the wall of Jerusalem in fifty-two days even in the face of the conspiracies and their enemies were disheartened in the face of the work clearly done by the LORD God who was on the side of Nehemiah and God’s people who finished the work as promised.  While Tobiah continued to send threatening letters to dishearten Nehemiah, other nobles kept praising Tobiah for his good deeds because he was of important standing in the unbelieving community.  Nehemiah trusted God and feared him more than those conspiring against the work until he completed it faithfully in the face of the conspiracy theories and threats against his character with blasphemous false prophecies to try to thwart the work of the LORD.  God had the final say as always.  We can learn from this to stay the course of proclaiming the gospel and its truths to both unbelievers set against us and His word, as well as to believers who might be misled by false proclamations (Matthew 7:15, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 4:1) passed as God’s word intended to frustrate His work to deliver souls and build His house of the invisible church.  We read this account and there set our own hands to the work of the gospel and look to the Lord for wisdom to see the truth by the leading of understanding by His Spirit and follow the final word of proven prophetic scriptures (Hebrews 1:1-2, 2 Peter 1:18-19) to complete the tasks we have been given according to our gifts, no matter the worldly opposition (Ephesians 3:10, 6:12) set on stopping us.  We must see the work of building God’s house (Ephesians 4:12-13, 14-15, 16, 1 Peter 2:5) through to completion in the face of conspiracy of our slanderous enemy. 

Nehemiah 5:1-19 - Compassionate Fear of the Lord

Nehemiah 5:1-19

Nehemiah Deals with Oppression

1 And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. 2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

3 There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.”

4 There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards. 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”

6 And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them. 8 And I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?”

Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. 9 Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10 I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury! 11 Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.”

12 So they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.”

Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. 13 Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.”

And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise.

The Generosity of Nehemiah

14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions. 15 But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 Indeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work.

17 And at my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. 18 Now that which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet in spite of this I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

19 Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

This chapter demonstrates the of compassion in dealing with others in the fear of the Lord.  Nehemiah discovered that the people were being taken advantage of by their leaders to the point that they were so in debt that they had family sold into servitude due to the famine.  They had mortgaged their lands and houses to buy food while being charged high interest by their brethren, further increasing their stress and suffering.  Nehemiah thought about these matters and then rebuked the nobles and rulers for their ill treatment of their fellow Jews for their own gain.  He gathered a meeting of them to call them out and chastised them for their lack of fear for God in this and charged them to restore what they had overcharged in their greed at the expense of others’ livelihoods.  Repentance led them to answer, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.”  Nehemiah made certain of this by requiring them to swear an oath before the priests to this effect.  Then they followed through with their promise and did the right thing.  After this, Nehemiah was appointed as governor over Judah for twelve years and he led by example, not taking provisions for himself taken from his brethren by the king.  He did not bleed the people dry as the previous governors, but feared God and worked without expectation of kickbacks or extortion as he continued the work to help restore of the walls of God’s city along with all his servants.  He was given provisions, but shared them and did not demand them as if he was due them.  He saw the bondage and previous ill treatment of his own and refused to continue the acceptable good old boys ways.  He prayed that God would consider all he was doing for good to his people and in the fear and honor of Him.  As 1 Corinthians 9:17-18 says, we are to follow Paul’s example (Acts 20:33-34, 35, 1 Corinthians 4:12, 11:1, 1 Thessalonians 2:9) in this as well, having the gospel as reward in itself in our labors for the good of others.  May we never use others for our own gain, but serve them in the fear of God in love and repent of we are found to be doing this as the Jews did when Nehemiah brought it to light.  This compassionate fear of the Lord should be the basis of our relationships among God’s people. 

Nehemiah 4:1-23 - Mockers Actively Oppose God’s Work

Nehemiah 4:1-23

The Wall Defended Against Enemies

1 But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?”

3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”

4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! 5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders.

6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

7 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, 8 and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

10 Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.”

11 And our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.”

12 So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, “From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.”

13 Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

15 And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work. 16 So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. 17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. 18 Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.

19 Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

21 So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared. 22 At the same time I also said to the people, “Let each man and his servant stay at night in Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night and a working party by day.” 23 So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off for washing.

As the people of God were set about the work of rebuilding the city and house of the LORD, mockers aggressively and actively engaged disrupting their good efforts with mocking and threats as they harassed with the aim to stop God’s work.  In their indignant furor against the LORD and His people, they shouted how pointless the work was and how their attempt to strengthen themselves and offer sacrifices to God once more would undoubtedly fail miserably in their estimation.  Even if they did succeed in rebuilding the walls, they mockingly pointed out that even a small fox running along the top would topple it all.  Nehemiah responded by entreating the LORD for help by turning their verbal attacks back on themselves and not blot out their sins with undeserved forgiveness for their mockery against them as a reflection on the LORD.  In face of this opposition, the people still had the conviction of a mind to work and complete the walls.  They did not allow the defeatist talk to stop their work to restore worship and sacrifice to the city where God met with man.  The adversaries then threatened violence and the people of God responded by being ready and equipped to defend themselves, knowing that their great and awesome God would be with them as they fought the good fight of right over wrong.  This ready defense foiled their plotting and the work continued with swords and weapons at hand for response in a moment’s notice if necessary and set guards at night to protect themselves work.  They agreed that if one team was under siege that others would come to assist their defense to ensure that the work progressed.  Our ready defense in the gospel work (1 Peter 3:15) is our defense against those set against the work of building God’s house, one heart at a time, trusting the Lord for the wisdom and strength to defend us as we put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-11) and build the kingdom city together, coming to aid others under attack by the adversary as needed and encouraging one another in the work to the glory and honoring worship as living (Romans 12:1) sacrifices in His house (Ephesians 2:22, 4:11-12, 15-16, 1 Peter 2:4-5) we are building under His guidance and protection.  Though mockers are actively against God’s work (2 Peter 2:1-2, 3-4, Jude 1:18-19) and attempt to dissuade us to doubt and sin with them, we choose to stand firm (1 Corinthians 15:58, 16:13, Philippians 1:27-28, Ephesians 6:10, 1 Peter 5:8) and fight the good fight as we build the kingdom house of the Lord through the proclamation and defense of the gospel. 

Nehemiah 3:1-32 - Building the City Walls

Nehemiah 3:1-32

Rebuilding the Wall

1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 Next to Eliashib the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

3 Also the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, made repairs. Next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok the son of Baana made repairs. 5 Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.

6 Moreover Jehoiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors, with its bolts and bars. 7 And next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, repaired the residence of the governor of the region beyond the River. 8 Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. Also next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs; and they fortified Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 And next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, leader of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. 10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs in front of his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabniah made repairs.

11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hashub the son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section, as well as the Tower of the Ovens. 12 And next to him was Shallum the son of Hallohesh, leader of half the district of Jerusalem; he and his daughters made repairs.

13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Refuse Gate.

14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, leader of the district of Beth Haccerem, repaired the Refuse Gate; he built it and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.

15 Shallun the son of Col-Hozeh, leader of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate; he built it, covered it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah by the King’s Garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, leader of half the district of Beth Zur, made repairs as far as the place in front of the tombs of David, to the man-made pool, and as far as the House of the Mighty.

17 After him the Levites, under Rehum the son of Bani, made repairs. Next to him Hashabiah, leader of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district. 18 After him their brethren, under Bavai the son of Henadad, leader of the other half of the district of Keilah, made repairs. 19 And next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the leader of Mizpah, repaired another section in front of the Ascent to the Armory at the buttress. 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai carefully repaired the other section, from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, repaired another section, from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib.

22 And after him the priests, the men of the plain, made repairs. 23 After him Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs by his house. 24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress, even as far as the corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai made repairs opposite the buttress, and on the tower which projects from the king’s upper house that was by the court of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs.

26 Moreover the Nethinim who dwelt in Ophel made repairs as far as the place in front of the Water Gate toward the east, and on the projecting tower. 27 After them the Tekoites repaired another section, next to the great projecting tower, and as far as the wall of Ophel.

28 Beyond the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. 29 After them Zadok the son of Immer made repairs in front of his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs. 30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah made repairs in front of his dwelling. 31 After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the Nethinim and of the merchants, in front of the Miphkad Gate, and as far as the upper room at the corner. 32 And between the upper room at the corner, as far as the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.

Priests and leaders of the people began to rebuild the walls and hung the doors that had been broken down around the city of the LORD, Jerusalem.  The gates and wall sections were recorded by the names of the ones leading the efforts along each section, some repairing the walls in front of their own houses as the work progressed along the way to completion of the city dedicated to God (2 Chronicles 6:6) where He was to meet with His people in the house of God housed in its walls and yet to be restored to worship and sacrifice once more.  Some nobles refused to put their shoulders to the work, making their servants do the work instead, while the priests who were servants of the Most High God had no such reservations because they did not consider themselves above working to honor the LORD God personally.  May we who are leaders of others be servants (1 Peter 5:2-3) as well, not allowing pride or self-importance to keep us from God’s work,as given to us by Him with gifts and talents to His honor and glory.  We are to act as living sacrifices (Matthew 20:27-28, Romans 12:1-2) as kings and priests (1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6, 5:10) to our Lord.  May we then in all humility and willing service build up the church body as His house and continue to rebuild it when needed to worship Him together in the beauty of holiness putting our shoulders together in His work in all our various callings and gifting.  This is how we build the future Celestial City brick by brick with the walls of truth founded on Christ (1 Corinthians 3:9-10, 11, 16) and its temple as the body of Christ within its walls.