Sunday Sermon
28th Oct 2007
Nehemiah 11 Repopulating Jerusalem
Introduction. See Nehemiah 7: 4. There were few people qand the houses had not yet been rebuilt.
Jerusalem was the capitol city. The Temple was there. It was the focus of Israel's worship.
The walls were now rebuilt but it was largely uninhabited. It needed a healthy population to ast as the nation's capital and centre for defense.
It was "The Holy City" v 1 & 18. The city chosen for God's dwelling place, purposes and people.
Enemies were all around. All the previous refoorms were fragile unless Jerusalem was populated.
The whole future of Israel as a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" Exodus 19: 6, was at stake.
Nehemiah's Problem.
The people lived spread out across Judah in the lands and towns of their ancient ancestors and their
ancestors who returned from exile in Babylon from 538BC. They were well settled and had established homes and farms. They did not want to move and face hard work, upheaval and danger.
Nehemiah's Solution.
Nehemiah had a difficlut problem - to get a tenth, a tithe of the population to uproot, move to
Jerusalem and start from scratch. He chose to cast lots - a method of making decisions that left no sence of unfairness, no forcing of people and which left no grounds for complaint.
Those who moved.
Six groups are mentioned - People of Judah and of Benjamin, Levites, priests, gatekeepers, singers.
a. Some already lived in Jerusalem or had property there.
b. Some volunteered to move there. Un-named heeroes, but here commended.
c. The rest were chosen by casting lots. They are named in v. 3 - 19 and honoured in the Bible.
Lists of Names in Nehemiah.
Chapters 3, 7, 10, 11, 12. Why are they here?
a. Nehemiah was showing his appreciation for the part played by these individuals.
b. God sees and records His children's names and their service for future rewards. 1 Cor. 3: 12 - 15.
c. This was a community thing. A whole community was responding to God in faith and obedience.
Nehemiah would never have succeeded without the massive workforce of God's people behind
him. Every individual, named or un-named played a part in bringing about transformation.
Application - What Should We Do When God's Will Goes Against What We Would Choose?
Some examples - difficult circumstances may be to be escaped from - or may be God's will for us.
a. Submit to God. Recognise that God is sovereign. (see v 23 "Under the king's orders...)
Accepting where God had put us - home, location, workplace, church. Psalm 31L15.
b. Maintain faith and trust in God. Believe that God has the best plans for my life. Romans 8: 28.
Trusting God when our plans don't work out. Phil. 1: 6. 1 Peter 6 - 7.
c. Practice contentment and thanksgiving rather than moaning. Phil. 4: 11 - 12. Col. 2: 7. Jas 1: 2-4.
d. Recognise the bigger picture. Develope a kingdom of God mentality. I am one of God's people.
The purpose of moving in Nehemiah 11 was to preserve, strengthen and extend the work of the
Lord.
e. Be prepared to work through accepting God's will. Matt. 26: 39. Take time to adjust your thinking.
Romans 12: 1. Offer your whole self to God as a sacrifice. To sacrifice is painful\costly.
That was 445BC. As part of the great cloud of witness (Heb. 12: 1) perhaps they would say to us:
"In Flanders Field the poppies blow between the crosses row on row, that marks our place;
and in the sky the larks, still bravely singing fly, scarce heard amid the guns below.
- To you from failing hands we throw the torch. Be yours to hold it high." John McCraae, 1915. | 