Sermon - AudioNehemiah 11-13 & Psalm 126 - Audio
Nehemiah 11-13 & Psalm 126 - Reading
Daily Insights - Please Comment
11
The resettlement of Jerusalem and its suburbs [ 11:1–12:26 ]. The book of Nehemiah has affinities with utopian literature, which portrays a good society and highlights the institutional key that makes the society good. The renewing of the covenant in the preceding chapters pictures the institutional key that underlies the good society that Ezra and Nehemiah help to reestablish. The lists of clan leaders who repeopled Jerusalem and the surrounding territory in this present unit build up a cumulative picture of a well-ordered society. As we look at the categories of people who are named, it is obvious that the author regards the religious leaders (such as priests and Levites) as having special prominence in this holy commonwealth. -ESVLB-
1 - Lots were cast in order to bring people back to Jerusalem. Now that much of it had been rebuilt, it was time for people to come and populate it. Notice the contrast of the leaders dwelling within Jerusalem setting a good example for the people. Their finally beginning how to shepherd correctly.
2 - All the people who were willing to freely offer themselves were blessed. They chose to do what was hard. They chose to do what God had called them to.
Q - Are we choosing to do what's hard/what God has called us to, or are we just blending in and going along with the flow? People moving back to Jerusalem likely gave up land, many material possessions, social priorities, and probably some friends and family. They did this for the sake of the mission. What are we giving up for the mission?
3-24 - Here is a list of the leaders dwelling in Jerusalem. This list includes military leaders, priests, royal servants, etc.
25-36 - Here is a list of the Jewish villages
12
1-26 - List of Priests and Levites throughout the days of Zerubbabel, Joiakim, and Darius of Persia
27-34 - Notice that there is much celebration with instruments! This is a time of jubilee.
30 - We see that the Priests and Levites once again can purify themselves, the people, and the land. Things have been brought back to how they were intended...for a time.
43 - "The joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar" = Their loud worship was heard and acknowledge by other people/nations. The joy of the people spread.
44-47 - Offerings were given, and once again things were set apart as Holy for God.
13
The exaltation of the covenant renewal ceremony and the dedication of the walls gives way to some glimpses of unholy behavior in the community at the end of the book. The keynote of this chapter is the same as that of the earlier ceremonial sections of the book: to show that a good society is one that knows and obeys God’s law. The sequence is as follows: a reading of the law leads the people to separate themselves from foreigners (vv. 1–3); Nehemiah cleanses the temple of the desecration represented by allowing a pagan (Tobiah) to have his residence in it (vv. 4–9); Nehemiah also needs to reinstitute the financial support of the Levites so they can do their appointed work in the temple (vv. 10–14); Nehemiah calls a halt to various types of Sabbath breaking (vv. 15–22); Nehemiah stands up to men who had married pagan women (vv. 23–29); summary statement by Nehemiah regarding his reforms (v. 30). -ESVLB-
1-2 - We see that the Ammonite and Moabite people are cursed because they did not have concern for the Israelites when they needed food and water. Once again this goes back to Genesis 12:3 that "God will curse those who curse you." However, even in the midst of the hatred shown to the Israelites, God found a way to turn it into a blessing.
Q. Think back through your life and look for times were things could have been a curse, but God turned them into a blessing.
3 - The people actually obeyed the Law regarding the separation of people. This is one turning point that can be seen...they are actually obeying the Word of God!
4-9 - This is a strange and sad section. Nehemiah went back to Persia for about 10 years. When he got back he found out that the priest had disregarded the separation issue. In fact, this priest named Tobiah is actually a Ammonite as well which means the people had let him back in...ughhh.
At this point Nehemiah has to be questioning the ability of the people to hold on to what God has called them to...will/can it last?
10-14 - oh no! The people also decided that giving was no longer important. The lack of giving showed Nehemiah where the people's hearts were. Giving does this.
15-22 - The Sabbath is forsaken - "Did not your fathers do this, and did not God bring all this disaster on us and on this city!" If I'm Nehemiah I'm a little bit ticked off at this point.
21-31 - Now the people are intermarrying their sons and daughters...finally Nehemiah has had it.
Thoughts - Nehemiah comes back and finds that the people are no different than the other nations. Nehemiah stands up and proclaims to the people = "STOP BEING LIKE EVERYONE ELSE...BE GOD'S PEOPLE!"
31b - Nehemiah ends by washing his hands of these people and asking God to remember that he was faithful.
God's people once again forgot that it is about God's story and not theirs.
2 comments:
I understand why the foreigners were chased out of Jerusalem - they were leading God's people to worship other gods. God desires that we follow only him and do life his way. Isn't it possible that some of the Israelites had converted non-Jews to their way of thinking?
Chasing all foreigners away almost feels like racism to me - separating ourselves from everyone not like us.
Sandy, it is of course possible some of them were converted. I think it would have been very difficult to tell exactly who. Even one of the priests who was supposedly converted becomes foul at the end. Nehemiah is most concerned with keeping God's people together at this point in time. The people haven't proven alone that they could continue in worship to God for a period of time. Any outside influence could hurt the possibility of this happening. However, they don't listen anyway and the outside influences end up being too much for the people to overcome once again.
We can't influence other people/nations if we aren't worshiping God in the first place. I think this was a very delicate time for the nation of Israel as they tried to put back the delicate pieces. Thus the, everyone stay away from God's people as they hopefully find their way towards obedience to God before becoming an influence on the world. Obviously, they mess this up.
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