Proud to be TJ's man

Jehovah God is the main subject of this chapter—who He is, what He does for His people, and what His people must do for Him. This prayer reviews the history of Israel and reveals both the majesty of God and the depravity of man. Israel responded to God’s “great kindness” (Neh. 9:17), “great mercy” (v. 31), and “great goodness” (vv. 25, 35) with “great provocations” (vv. 18, 26) that resulted in “great distress” (v. 37).

It is interesting that three of Israel’s great “national prayers” are recorded in Ezra 9, Nehemiah 9, and Daniel 9. Behind these prayers is the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14 as well as the example of Moses when he interceded for the people (Ex. 32–33).

Dr. Arthur T. Pierson said, “History is His story”; and this chapter bears that out. “That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach,” wrote Aldous Huxley; and philosopher George Santayana wrote, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to relive it.” The church today can learn much from the experiences of Israel, if we are willing to humble ourselves and receive the truth.

As you read this prayer, notice that it reveals the greatness of God (Neh. 9:1-6), the goodness of God (vv. 7-30), and the grace of God (vv. 31-38).

THE GREATNESS OF GOD (NEH. 9:1-6)
(Nehemiah 9:1-6) “On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. {2} Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. {3} They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God. {4} Standing on the stairs were the Levites–Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani–who called with loud voices to the LORD their God. {5} And the Levites–Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah–said: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. ” “Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. {6} You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.”

The Feast of Tabernacles had ended, but the people lingered to hear more of the Word of God. Feasting had turned to fasting as the Word brought conviction and people started confessing their sins. In most churches today, a six-hour service—three hours of preaching and three hours of praying—would probably result in some requests for resignations; but to the Jewish people in that day, it was the beginning of a new life for them and their city.

God’s greatness is seen in the fact that He receives our worship (vv. 1-5). True worship involves many elements: hearing the Scriptures, praising God, praying, confessing sin, and separating ourselves from that which displeases God. Each of these elements is recorded in this paragraph.

Worship involves the Word of God, for the Word of God reveals the God of the Word. “The essence of idolatry,” wrote A.W. Tozer in The Knowledge of the Holy, “is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him” (p. 11). The better we know the Scriptures and respond to them, the better we will know God and become like Him. Israel was chosen by God to receive His Law (v. 13) and to know His will. Any worship service that ignores the Scriptures will not receive the blessing of God.

In the Scriptures, God speaks to us; and in prayer and praise, we speak to Him. “Stand up and bless the Lord your God!” (v. 5) is a command every true believer wants to obey. God’s name is exalted above every name (Phil. 2:9-11), and we should honor it as we praise Him. It should be “exalted above all blessing and praise” (Neh. 9:5).

The people also took time to confess their sins (vv. 2-3) and seek the Lord’s forgiveness. The annual Day of Atonement was past, but the worshipers knew that they needed constant cleansing and renewal from the Lord. We must not major on self-examination to the extent that we start ignoring the Lord, but we must be honest in our dealings with Him (1 John 1:5-10). Whenever you see sin or failure in your life, immediately look by faith to Christ and seek His forgiveness; and keep on looking to Him. The more you look at yourself, the more discouraged you will become. Focus on His perfections, not your own imperfections.

Finally, the people separated themselves from the world as they drew near to the Lord (Neh. 9:2; Ezra 6:21). Separation without devotion to the Lord becomes isolation, but devotion without separation is hypocrisy (see 2 Cor. 6:14–7:1). The nation of Israel was chosen by God to be a special people, separated from the pagan nations around them. “You are to be holy to Me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own” (Lev. 20:26, NIV). The Apostle Peter applied those words to Christian believers in the church today (1 Peter 1:15; 2:9-10).

God’s greatness is also seen in the fact that He is God alone (Neh. 9:6a). The nation of Israel was surrounded by idolatry and the degrading lifestyle that was associated with pagan worship. In his reading and explaining of the Law, Ezra had certainly emphasized the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1-17; Deut. 5:6-21), including the first two commandments that declare the uniqueness of God and the wickedness of idolatry. Even today, faithful Jews still recite “The Shema” (6:4-6) as their declaration of faith in the one and only true God.

One of Israel’s ministries to the world was to bear witness to Jehovah, the true and living God. Their Gentile neighbors were surprised that the Jews had no idols (Ps. 115). When Israel turned to idols, as they often did, God disciplined them. In His eyes, their idolatry was like adultery (Jer. 3:1-5); for He had been “wedded” to them at Mt. Sinai when He gave them His covenant.

A third evidence of God’s greatness is the fact that He created the universe (Neh. 9:6b). “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1) is a statement that can be applied only to Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Whenever God wanted to encourage His people, He would point to creation around them and remind them that He had made it all (Isa. 40). He used the same approach to remind them of the foolishness of worshiping idols (Isa. 41).

To know that our Father in heaven is the Creator of all things is a great source of strength and peace. Idolatry means worshiping and serving the creature and the creation rather than the Creator (Rom. 1:25). “Thus does the world forget You, its Creator,” wrote Augustine, “and falls in love with what You have created instead of with You.”

God’s greatness is seen in the fact of His providential care for His creation (Neh. 9:6c). He did not simply make everything and then abandon it to its own course. He is involved in the affairs of His creation: He sees when a sparrow falls (Matt. 10:29), and He hears when a raven cries out for food (Ps. 147:9). He has the stars all counted and named (v. 4), and He has even numbered the hairs on your head (Luke 12:7). “You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Ps. 145:16, NKJV).

Finally, God’s greatness is seen in the fact that the hosts of heaven worship Him (Neh. 9:6d). You and I can’t duplicate the mighty works of the angels, but we can imitate their devotion to the Lord as they worship before His throne. And we have more cause to praise Him than they do! We have been saved by the grace of God and shall one day be like the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not just servants; we are children of God (1 John 3:1-3) and will dwell with Him forever!

In our worship, it’s wise to begin with the greatness of God. If we focus too much on what He gives or what we want Him to do, we may find our hearts becoming selfish. Sincere worship honors God in spite of circumstances or feelings or desires.

THE GOODNESS OF GOD (NEH. 9:7-30)
This prayer rehearses the history of Israel, revealing God’s goodness to His people and their repeated failure to appreciate His gifts and obey His will. The word “give” is used in one way or another at least sixteen times in this chapter (KJV), for our God is indeed the “giving God,” who delights in meeting the needs of His people (1 Tim. 6:17). God gave Israel a land (Neh. 9:8, 15, 35), a law (v. 13), the ministry of the Spirit (v. 20), food and water (vv. 15, 20), deliverers (v. 27), and victory over their enemies (vv. 22, 24). What more could they want?

Centuries before, Moses had warned the people not to forget God, either His gracious hand of blessing or His loving hand of chastening (Deut. 8). Alas, the nation didn’t thank God in times of blessing, but they were quick to turn to God for help in times of suffering (see Pss. 105–106). Let’s not be too quick to judge them, because some of God’s people today treat God the same way.

Forming the nation (Neh. 9:7-18).
(Nehemiah 9:7-18) “”You are the LORD God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and named him Abraham. {8} You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous. {9} “You saw the suffering of our forefathers in Egypt; you heard their cry at the Red Sea. {10} You sent miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day. {11} You divided the sea before them, so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters. {12} By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take. {13} “You came down on Mount Sinai; you spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and laws that are just and right, and decrees and commands that are good. {14} You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees and laws through your servant Moses. {15} In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them. {16} “But they, our forefathers, became arrogant and stiff-necked, and did not obey your commands. {17} They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them, {18} even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,’ or when they committed awful blasphemies.”

It was an act of pure grace when God chose Abram and revealed Himself to him, for Abram was an idolater in a pagan city (Josh. 24:2-3). Eventually, God changed his name from Abram (“exalted father”) to Abraham (“father of a multitude”), because He had promised to make him a great nation (Gen. 12:1-3; 17:1-8). Though Abraham had occasional lapses of faith, for a century he trusted the Lord and walked in obedience to His will. His obedient faith was made especially evident when he gave his son Isaac on the altar (Gen. 22; Heb. 11:17-19).

God’s covenant (Gen. 12:1-3) was the basis for all that God did with and for Abraham and his descendants. It was God’s purpose that all the world be blessed through Israel, and He did this in the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:8). God gave the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though during his lifetime Abraham owned nothing in the land but a cave for burying his dead (Gen. 23).

In the land of Egypt, the nation multiplied greatly, saw God’s power over the pagan gods, and experienced deliverance from bondage by the mighty hand of God (Ex. 1–15). God opened the sea to let Israel through and then closed it again to destroy the Egyptian army. It was complete deliverance; Israel was to have no further relationship with Egypt.

God led His people by day and by night, giving them food to eat and water to drink. He also gave them His holy Law, so that in their civil, personal, and religious life, they knew the will of God. The Sabbath was given as a special sign between God and His people (Ex. 31:13-17), but there is no evidence in Scripture that the Sabbath law was given to any of the Gentile nations.

In Nehemiah 9:16-18, Nehemiah tells us how the nation responded to all that God had done for them: They refused to bow to His authority (“hardened their necks”), listen to His Word (“hearkened not”), or obey His will. At Kadesh-Barnea, they tried to take matters in their own hands and appoint a new leader to take them back to Egypt (v. 17; Num. 14:1-5). When Moses was on the mountain with God, the people made and worshiped an idol (Neh. 9:18; Ex. 32). Moses interceded for the people, and God pardoned them.

How could these people turn their backs on God after all He had done for them? They did not truly love Him. Their obedience was only an outward form; it didn’t come from their hearts. In their hearts, they were still living in Egypt and wanting to return there. They did not have a living faith in God but were willing to receive His help and enjoy His gifts. Read Psalm 78 for an “x-ray” of Israel’s spiritual history.

Leading the nation (Neh. 9:19-22).
(Nehemiah 9:19-22) “”Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. {20} You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. {21} For forty years you sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen. {22} “You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon king of Heshbon and the country of Og king of Bashan.”

During the forty years of Israel’s discipline in the wilderness, the old generation died and a new generation was born; but God never forsook His people. He led them by the cloud and fire, taught them the Word, provided them with the necessities of life, and gave them victory over their enemies. God keeps His promises and fulfills His purposes. If we obey Him, we share in the blessing; if we disobey Him, we miss the blessing; but God’s purposes will be fulfilled and His name glorified.

Like too many of God’s people today, the Jews were shortsighted: They forgot the glorious purposes that God had in mind for the nation. Had they meditated on God’s promises and purposes (Gen. 12:1-3; Ex. 19:1-8), they would not have wanted to go back to Egypt or mingle with the godless nations around them. Israel was a people who lived beneath their privileges and failed to accept fully God’s will for their lives.

Chastening the nation (Neh. 9:23-30).
(Nehemiah 9:23-30) “You made their sons as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their fathers to enter and possess. {24} Their sons went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who lived in the land; you handed the Canaanites over to them, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. {25} They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness. {26} “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you; they put your law behind their backs. They killed your prophets, who had admonished them in order to turn them back to you; they committed awful blasphemies. {27} So you handed them over to their enemies, who oppressed them. But when they were oppressed they cried out to you. From heaven you heard them, and in your great compassion you gave them deliverers, who rescued them from the hand of their enemies. {28} “But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time. {29} “You warned them to return to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen. {30} For many years you were patient with them. By your Spirit you admonished them through your prophets. Yet they paid no attention, so you handed them over to the neighboring peoples.”

God promised to multiply His people, and He kept His promise (Gen. 22:17). He also promised to give them a good land, and He kept that promise (13:14-18; 17:7-8). Under the leadership of Joshua, the army of Israel invaded Canaan, conquered the land, and claimed all its wealth. It was God who gave them victory and enabled them to possess cities, houses, lands, and wealth in the land of Canaan.

It was a “fat land” (“fertile,” NIV), and Israel became a “fat people” (nourished, satisfied); and this led to their downfall. “But Jeshurun [Israel] grew fat and kicked; you grew fat, you grew thick, you are covered with fat; then he forsook God who made him” (Deut. 32:15, NKJV). Moses’ warnings went unheeded (Deut. 8). Israel delighted themselves in God’s great goodness but they did not delight themselves in the Lord. Like the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-24), they wanted the Father’s wealth but not the Father’s will.

“For every one hundred men who can stand adversity, there is only one who can stand prosperity,” said Thomas Carlyle. Novelist John Steinbeck wrote, “If you want to destroy a nation, give it too much—make it greedy, miserable and sick.” It’s possible for a local church to get proud of its “riches” and become poor in God’s eyes (Rev. 3:14-22). The church that we may think is poor is probably rich in God’s eyes (2:8-9).

“Give me neither poverty nor riches,” prayed Agur the wise man. “Feed me with the food You prescribe for me; lest I be full and deny You, and say ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God” (Prov. 30:8-9, NKJV). Through the power of Christ, Paul had learned by experience “how to be abased” and “how to abound” (Phil. 4:12); and that is the lesson all of God’s people need to learn.

Once in the land, Israel enjoyed rest during the days of Joshua and the elders who had served with him; but when those godly leaders were gone, the new generation turned away from the Lord (Judges 2:6-15). God disciplined them, so they cried out for help; and God raised up deliverers to rescue them. Then they would walk in God’s ways for a time, lapse back into sin; and the cycle would be repeated. The Book of Judges records the sad story of how God disciplined His people in their own land by allowing their pagan neighbors to rule over them.

Against the dark background of Israel’s unfaithfulness shines the bright light of the faithfulness of God. When Israel obeyed Him, He was faithful to bless; when they disobeyed Him, He was faithful to chasten; when they asked for mercy, He was faithful to forgive. God is willing to give His people many privileges, but He will not give them the privilege of sinning and having their own way. God’s purposes are more important than our pleasures, and He will accomplish His purposes even if He has to chasten us to do it.

Israel’s sins finally became so disgusting to God that He decided to discipline them away from their own land. He used the Assyrians to destroy the Northern Kingdom, and then He brought the Babylonians to take the Southern Kingdom (Judah) captive and to destroy Jerusalem and the temple. It was as though God said to His people, “You enjoy living like the heathen so much, I’ll let you live with the heathen.” The nation’s seventy years of captivity in Babylon taught them to appreciate the blessings they had taken for granted, and they never again returned to pagan idolatry.

God’s chastening is as much an evidence of His love as is His bountiful supply of our needs (Heb. 12:1-11). We should be grateful that God loves us too much to allow us to become “spoiled children.” The Father is never as close to us as when He is chastening us. “Blessed is the man You discipline, O Lord, the man You teach from Your law; You grant him relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked” (Ps. 94:12-13, NIV). “Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now have I kept Thy Word” (119:67).

THE GRACE OF GOD (NEH. 9:31-38)
(Nehemiah 9:31-38) “But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God. {32} “Now therefore, O our God, the great, mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes–the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings and leaders, upon our priests and prophets, upon our fathers and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. {33} In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong. {34} Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the warnings you gave them. {35} Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways. {36} “But see, we are slaves today, slaves in the land you gave our forefathers so they could eat its fruit and the other good things it produces. {37} Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress. {38} “In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.””

God was good to His people when His people were not good to Him. He sent them prophets to teach them and to warn them, but the nation refused to listen (2 Chron. 36:14-21). He was merciful to forgive them when they cried out for help, and He was long-suffering with them as they repeatedly rebelled against His Word. He could have destroyed the nation and started over again (see Ex. 32:10 and Num. 14:11-12), but He graciously spared them. In His mercy, God didn’t give them what they deserved; and in His grace, He gave them what they didn’t deserve.

As the Levites prayed, they acknowledged the sins of the nation and God’s justice in sending punishment. “In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong” (Neh. 9:33, NIV). Note that the Levites used the pronoun “we” and not “they.” As they prayed, they identified with the nation and acknowledged their own guilt. Nehemiah had prayed the same way at the beginning of the book (1:6-7). It is easy to be convicted about other people’s sins, but God forgives only when we repent and confess our own sins.

In the past, although the nation had enjoyed abundant blessings, they still sinned against the God who had blessed them. Now those blessings had been taken away from them. They were back in the land, but they could not enjoy the land; for everything they worked for was given to somebody else! The Persian king was in control of everything, including their own bodies.

When God had been their king, the Jews had enjoyed great blessing; but when they rebelled against His will, they found themselves enslaved to kings who had no compassion on them. Samuel had warned them (1 Sam. 8), and Moses had prophesied that the nation would forfeit its wealth to its conquerors (Deut. 28:15ff). Whatever we fail to give God, we cannot keep for ourselves. He will take it one way or another. Christians who refuse to honor God joyfully by faithful giving often end up having to spend that money reluctantly on obligations that are painful and unexpected, like doctor bills or home repairs (see Mal. 3:7-12).

The Levites had acknowledged God’s greatness and goodness; and now, on the basis of His grace, they asked Him for a new beginning for the nation. They couldn’t change the servitude they were in, but they could surrender themselves to a greater Master and seek His help. No matter who exercises dominion over us, if we are yielded to the Lord, we are free in Him (1 Cor. 7:22; Eph. 6:5-9). If God had been merciful to Israel in the past, forgiving their sins when they cried out to Him, would He not be merciful to them now?

But they did more than ask God for mercy; they also made a solemn covenant with God to obey His law and do His will. The nation had made a covenant with God at Mt. Sinai and then broken it (Ex. 24:3-8). They had renewed the covenant when they entered Canaan (Josh. 8:30-35) and after they had conquered the land (24:14-28), but then they rebelled against the Lord (Judges 2:6-15).

Samuel had led the people in renewing their covenant vows (1 Sam. 11:14–12:25), but King Saul led the people back into sin and defeat. As soon as his throne was secure, David sought to bring the people back to the Lord (2 Sam. 6); and Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple was also a step in that direction. Sad to say, however, Solomon sinned against the Lord and almost destroyed his own kingdom.

Throughout the history of Israel, there was always a remnant of faithful people who trusted God, obeyed His will, and prayed for God to fulfill His promises (1 Kings 19:18; Isa. 1:9; Luke 2:38). This believing remnant was God’s “lifeline” to maintain the ministry of Israel in the world. They kept the light of faith and hope burning in the land; and because of them, God was able to fulfill His promise and bring the Savior into the world. The Jews in Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s day were a part of that remnant, and God heard their prayers.

Our God is a glorious God (Neh. 9:5). He is powerful (v. 6), faithful (v. 8), and concerned about the needs of His people (v. 9). He is a pardoning God (vv. 17-19, 31), who is long-suffering when we sin (vv. 21, 30) but who chastens if we rebel (vv. 26ff). He is a generous God (vv. 24-25, 35), who gives us far more than we deserve. He is a God who keeps His promises even if we are unfaithful.

Surely this God deserves our loving obedience! Perhaps the time has come for a new beginning.

Two little old ladies were walking out of church one Sunday. One said, “My, that preacher certainly preaches for a long time!” Her friend replied, “No, he really doesn’t preach a long time, it just seems like a long time!” (J. Vernon McGee, Ezra, Nehemiah, & Esther [Thru the Bible Books], pp. 139–140.)

I wonder what they would have thought about a service that had about six hours of Bible reading and preaching at the people’s request, during which the people stood the whole time! And not only that, they came back the next day for more! That was the remarkable situation that we read about in Nehemiah 8.

It would be accurate to call it a revival or a time of unusual spiritual renewal. At the center of this revival was the exposition of Scripture. In fact, Derek Kidner states, “This day was to prove a turning-point. From now on, the Jews would be predominantly ‘a people of the book’” (Ezra & Nehemiah, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries [IVP], p. 106). Our text teaches us that …
A strong emphasis on God’s Word is a primary mark of spiritual renewal.

Down through the centuries, God’s people have gone through cycles where His Word has been neglected and the spiritual condition of His people deteriorates. In His grace, God sends renewal. Inevitably, one of the main marks of such renewal is a renewed emphasis on God’s Word.

We see this in the Old Testament, when Judah languished under the godless reigns of King Manasseh, and his son, Amon. Amon’s son, Josiah, began to seek the Lord when he was 16 and to institute spiritual reforms. Then Hilkiah the priest found a copy of God’s law and Josiah called the nation to repentance (2 Chron. 34:14). Revival ensued because God’s Word was obeyed.

French author Victor Hugo said over a century ago, “England has two books, the Bible and Shakespeare. England made Shakespeare but the Bible made England.” Supporting that view, historians tell us that Elizabethan England was indeed a country of one book, and that book was the Bible.

When they arrived in America, the Pilgrim Fathers brought with them that same reverence for the Word of God. “The Bible came with them,” said American statesman Daniel Webster, “and it is not to be doubted that to the free and universal reading of the Bible is to be ascribed in that age that men were indebted for right views of civil liberties.”

President Woodrow Wilson said, “America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the relevations of Holy Scripture.”

Whether the Bible is “making” any nation today may be debated, but one thing is sure: The Scriptures helped to “make” the nation of Israel. They are a “people of the Book” as no other nation has been, and the church today would do well to follow ancient Israel’s example.

When God’s people get away from loving, reading, and obeying the Word of God, they lose the blessing of God. If we want to be like fruitful trees, we must delight in God’s Word (Ps. 1:2-3).

This explains why Nehemiah called for a “Bible conference” and invited Ezra the scribe to be the teacher. The walls were now finished and the gates were hung. The material needs of the city had been met; now it was time to focus on the spiritual needs of the people in the city. Chapters 8-13 of the book record that spiritual ministry: instructing the people (chap. 8), confessing sin (chap. 9), dedicating the walls (chaps 10-12), and cleansing the fellowship (chap. 13).

It is important to note that Ezra and Nehemiah put the Word of God first in the life of the city. What happened in Jerusalem from that point on was a by-product of the people’s response to the Scriptures.

“The primary task of the church and of the Christian minister is the preaching of the Word of God,” said Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. “The decadent periods and eras in the history of the church have always been those periods when preaching had declined” (Preaching and Preachers, pp. 19, 24). The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to cleanse and revive the hearts of the people of God.

If God is to work in and through His people, then they must respond positively to His Word; and this chapter describes three basic responses: understanding the Word (8:1-8), rejoicing in the Word (vv. 9-12), and obeying the Word (vv. 13-18). The whole person–mind (understanding), heart (rejoicing), and will (obeying)–must be captive to God’s truth.

WE MUST UNDERSTAND THE WORD OF GOD (NEH. 8:1-8)
The Bible is not a “magic book” that changes people or circumstances because somebody reads it or recites it. God’s Word must be understood before it can enter the heart and release its life-changing power. Note that six times in this chapter you can find “understanding” mentioned (vv. 2-3, 7-8, 12-13). Only those people old enough to understand the Scripture were permitted to be in the assembly (v. 3). In our Lord’s “Parable of the Sower” (Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23), the emphasis is on understanding the Word of God. Jesus compared understanding and receiving the Word to the planting of seed in the soil, where it takes root and bears fruit.

Ezra was the ideal man to conduct this outdoor Bible school. He was a priest and scribe who “had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). He had come to Jerusalem about fourteen years before Nehemiah had arrived and had already sought to bring the people back to the ways of the Lord (Ezra 7–10).

That the leaders chose the Water Gate for the site of the assembly is interesting. In the Bible, water for washing is a picture of the Word of God (John 15:3; Eph. 5:26), while water for drinking is a picture of the Spirit of God (John 7:37-39). When we apply the water of the Word to our lives, then the Spirit can work and bring the help we need. It is refreshing to the soul when you receive the Word and allow the Spirit to teach you.

Notice the various ministries that Ezra performed for the people during that special conference.

He brought the Book (Neh. 8:1-4)
(Nehemiah 8:1-4) “all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel. {2} So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. {3} He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. {4} Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.”

This was on the first day of the seventh month, which was the Jewish equivalent of our New Year’s Day. The seventh month was a special time in the Jewish calendar because the Jews celebrated the Feast of Trumpets on the first day, the Day of Atonement on the tenth day, and the Feast of Tabernacles from the fifteenth day to the twenty-first day (Lev. 23:23-44). It was the perfect time for the nation to get right with the Lord and make a fresh new beginning.

The Book that Ezra brought was “the Book of the Law.” This was probably the entire scroll of the Torah, the five Books of Moses, the very foundation of the Jewish religion and civil law. It isn’t likely that Ezra read and explained all five Books of Moses in that short a time. Perhaps he concentrated on explaining Deuteronomy and referred to the other books as he had need.

Ezra stood on a wooden platform (“pulpit”) above the people so they could see and hear him better. He faced the public square where the people stood, and the wall and gate behind him may have served as a sounding board to help project his voice to the vast assembly. In verse 4, he named thirteen men who stood with him, perhaps leaders representing the tribes. Thirteen more men are named in verse 7 along with the Levites; perhaps they were teaching priests.

He opened the Book (Neh. 8:5-6).
(Nehemiah 8:5-6) “Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. {6} Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.”

When Ezra lifted the scroll and unrolled it to the passage he would read, the people who were seated in the square honored the Word of God by standing up. They knew they would not be hearing a mere man speak his own ideas; they would be hearing the very Word of God (1 Thes. 2:13). The people remained standing while the Law was read and explained (Neh. 8:7). Ezra started his reading and teaching early in the morning and continued through midday (v. 3), which means the congregation stood and listened for five or six hours; and this continued for a week (v. 18). No doubt from time to time, he gave the people opportunities to rest; but the people were there to hear God speak and were willing to stand and listen.

After he opened the Word, “Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God” (v. 6). In many churches, there is a blessing after the reading of the Scripture; but there is certainly nothing wrong with praising the Lord for His Word before we read and hear it. The people affirmed his words by saying “Amen, Amen” (see 5:13), which means “So be it!” It was a united congregation (8:1) that honored the Scriptures and was willing to devote half of their day to hearing it read and taught. They didn’t worship the Book; they worshiped the Lord who spoke to them from the Book.

Our churches today have a desperate need in their public services to show more respect for the Word of God. We are commanded to “give attention to the public reading of Scripture” (1 Tim. 4:13, NASB); and yet in many churches, the only Scripture publicly read is the text of the sermon. “Independent churches” criticize “liturgical churches” for being bound to tradition, but the so-called “liturgical churches” at least devote themselves to a systematic public reading of the Word of God. (The word “liturgy” simply means “a form of public worship.”

Every church has a liturgy, either a good one or a bad one.) We wonder how the Holy Spirit feels when He sees Bibles put on the church floor, or used as portable filing cabinets for miscellaneous papers, or even left behind in church where they are stacked up and finally given to the local city mission. We will defend the Bible as the Word of God, but we don’t always treat it like the Word of God.

We are also in too big a hurry to have the meeting end. In some parts of the world, especially in Eastern Europe before the collapse of the Communist bloc, believers would stand for hours in crowded churches to hear Bible teaching. In the average Western evangelical church, the shorter the sermon, the better we like it.

He read and explained the Book (Neh. 8:7-8).
(Nehemiah 8:7-8) “The Levites–Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah–instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. {8} They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.”

The common people didn’t own copies of the Scriptures, so they were thrilled to hear the Word of God. The word distinctly in verse 8 means that the Law was explained to the people in a language they could understand. The Word was translated and expounded in such a way that the people were able to apply it to their own lives. The Hebrew language would have undergone some changes since the days when Moses wrote the Pentateuch, and the everyday conversational Hebrew of the people would be different in some ways from ancient Hebrew. We need new translations of the Bible, not because the Bible changes, but because our language changes.

The Levites assisted Ezra in teaching the Law (v. 7), for this was one of their God-given ministries (Deut. 33:10; Mal. 2:7). They probably mingled with the people and, when there was a break in the reading, answered questions and told them how to apply the Law to their own lives. Here we have a balance between the public proclamation of the Word in the large assembly and the personal application in the smaller groups. Both are important.

WE MUST REJOICE IN THE WORD (NEH. 8:9-12)
(Nehemiah 8:9-12) “Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. {10} Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” {11} The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve.” {12} Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.”

As Ezra read and explained the Word, the assembly’s first response was one of conviction and grief. They mourned over their sins, “for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). The law can’t save us; it can only convince us that we need to be saved and then point us to Jesus Christ the Savior (Gal. 3:24). The Jews had just observed the annual Day of Atonement, and the Lord had dealt with their sins (Lev. 16); so they should have been rejoicing in His forgiveness. On the Jewish calendar, the Feast of Tabernacles (Succoth) follows the Day of Atonement, giving God’s people an entire week of happy celebration (23:26-44). The sequence is important: first conviction, then cleansing, and then celebration.

The Word of God brings conviction and leads to repentance, but it also brings us joy; for the same Word that wounds also heals. “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name” (Jer. 15:16, NKJV). “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart” (Ps. 19:8). “Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart” (119:111, NKJV).

Assisted by the Levites, Nehemiah convinced the people to stop mourning and start celebrating. It is as wrong to mourn when God has forgiven us as it is to rejoice when sin has conquered us. The sinner has no reason for rejoicing and the forgiven child of God has no reason for mourning (Matt. 9:9-17). Yes, as God’s children we carry burdens and know what it is to weep (Neh. 2:1-2); but we also experience power that transforms sorrow into joy.

The secret of Christian joy is to believe what God says in His Word and act upon it. Faith that isn’t based on the Word is not faith at all; it is presumption or superstition. Joy that isn’t the result of faith is not joy at all; it is only a “good feeling” that will soon disappear. Faith based on the Word will produce joy that will weather the storms of life.

It isn’t enough for us to read the Word or receive the Word as others expound it; we must also rejoice in the Word. “I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure” (Ps. 119:162, NKJV). In Bible days, people sometimes hid their wealth in jars buried in the ground (Matt. 13:44; Jer. 41:8). If a farmer plowing his field suddenly discovered a jar filled with gold, he would certainly rejoice. There are great treasures buried in God’s Word, and you and I must diligently “dig” for them as we read, meditate, and pray; and when we find these treasures, we should rejoice and give thanks.

If we read and study the Word of God only from a sense of duty, then its treasures may never be revealed to us. It is the believer who rejoices in the Word, who delights to read and study it day by day, who will find God’s hidden treasures. “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands” (Ps. 112:1, NIV). “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night” (1:2, NKJV).

Do you delight in God’s Word? Would you rather have God’s Word than food (119:103; Luke 10:38-42), or sleep (Ps. 119:55, 62, 147-148), or wealth? (vv. 14, 72, 137, 162) If you delight in His Word, God will delight in you and share His best blessings with you.

WE MUST OBEY THE WORD (NEH. 8:13-18)
(Nehemiah 8:13-18) “On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to give attention to the words of the Law. {14} They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in booths during the feast of the seventh month {15} and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make booths”–as it is written. {16} So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves booths on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. {17} The whole company that had returned from exile built booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great. {18} Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.”

Obligation and appreciation are certainly strong motives for serving the Lord, but celebration is even stronger. When we obey the Lord and serve Him because we rejoice in Him, then our service will be a delight and not a drudgery. The old Bible commentator Matthew Henry wrote, “Holy joy will be oil to the wheels of our obedience.” To the believer without joy, the will of God is punishment; but to the believer happy in the Lord, the will of God is nourishment (John 4:34). The Jews still had work to do in their city, and they needed the joy of the Lord to give them the strength to do it.

“When I think upon my God,” wrote composer Franz Josef Hayden, “my heart is so full that the notes dance and leap from my pen and since God has given me a cheerful heart, it will be pardoned me that I serve Him with a cheerful spirit.”

The Day of Atonement was celebrated on the tenth day of the month and the Feast of Tabernacles from the fifteenth to the twenty-first days. This meant that the leaders had just a few days available for getting the word out to the Jews in the surrounding villages that everybody was going to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. It is not enough to hear the Word of God; we must obey what it tells us to do (James 1:22-25). The people not only had joy in hearing the Word, but they also had “great gladness” in obeying it (Neh. 8:17, italics mine).

During the seven days of the feast, the Jews lived in booths made of branches and usually built on the flat roofs of their houses. It was a time for looking back and remembering the nation’s forty years of wandering in the wilderness, when the people were homeless and lived in temporary shelters. But the feast was also a time for looking around at the harvest blessings from the hand of God. The Lord had given them a good land, and they were never to forget the Giver as they enjoyed the gifts (Deut. 8). The Feast of Tabernacles was also an occasion for looking ahead to the glorious kingdom God promised His people Israel (Zech. 14:4, 9, 16-20). It was a week-long festival of joyful praise and thanksgiving, focusing on the goodness of the Lord.

But the celebrating of the feast was not for enjoyment alone; it was also for enrichment and encouragement. “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10). The world’s joy is temporary and artificial; and when the joy is gone, people are left with even greater weakness and emptiness. But the joy that comes from the Lord is real and lasting and enriches our lives. God doesn’t give us joy instead of sorrow, or joy in spite of sorrow, but joy in the midst of sorrow. It is not substitution but transformation.

Jesus illustrated this truth by the birth of a baby (John 16:20-22). The same baby that gives the mother pain also gives the mother joy! Her pain is not replaced by joy but transformed into joy. The difficult circumstances of life are “pregnant” with joy, and by faith we must give that joy time to be born.

The Feast of Tabernacles was a time for sending food and gifts to others, especially to those who were needy. The Jews had found joy in hearing the Word of God, but now they found joy in sharing the blessings of God. The mind grows by taking in, but the heart grows by giving out; and it is important to maintain a balanced life.

Nehemiah 8:17 does not teach that the nation had ignored the Feast of Tabernacles since the days of Joshua, because that was not so. The feast was celebrated during King Solomon’s day (2 Chron. 8:13) and also when the Babylonian exiles had returned to the land (Ezra 3:1-4). It was not the fact of the celebration that was so special but the way they celebrated, for it appears that everybody participated enthusiastically. Because every family made a booth, some of the people had to move from the houses into the streets and squares of the city. Apparently in previous years, not all the Jews had made booths and lived in them for the week of the feast. They had given only “token” acknowledgment of the feast. Furthermore, the joyful attitude of the people was beyond anything the nation had ever seen. It was truly a week of joyful celebration that brought glory to the Lord.

Ezra continued the “Bible conference” during the entire week of the feast, day by day reading and explaining the Word of God. The combination of joyful fellowship, feasting, and hearing the Word must have strengthened the people greatly. Then the week concluded with a solemn assembly (Num. 29:35), after which the people returned to their regular daily schedules.

Did the blessings of the celebration last? Yes, for a time; but then the people became careless again, and the leaders had to bring them back to the Word of God. But the failure of the people is not an argument against special times of Bible study or celebration. Someone asked evangelist Billy Sunday if revivals lasted, and he replied, “No, neither does a bath; but it’s good to have one occasionally!”

From time to time in the history of the church, God’s Spirit has burdened people to pray, search the Scriptures, and confess their sins; and from these sincere spiritual exercises, He has seen fit to bring fresh life to His people. It happened in Nehemiah’s day, and it can happen again today. Can God begin with you?

“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14, NIV).

Steven J. Cole, “Lesson 8: Spiritual Renewal (Nehemiah 8:1–18),” in Nehemiah, Steven J. Cole Commentary Series (Dallas: Galaxie Software, 2017), Ne 8:1–18.

The walls were completed, the gates were restored, and the enemy was chagrined; but Nehemiah’s work was not finished by any means. Now he had to practice the truth Paul emphasized in Ephesians 6:13, “And having done all, to stand.” Nehemiah had been steadfast in building the walls and in resisting the enemy, and now he had to be steadfast in consolidating and conserving the gains. “Look to yourselves,” warned the Apostle John, “that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward” (2 John 8)

A city is much more than walls, gates, and houses; a city is people. In the first half of this book, the people existed for the walls; but now the walls must exist for the people. It was time to organize the community so that the citizens could enjoy the quality of life God wanted them to have. God had great things in store for Jerusalem, for one day His Son would walk the city streets, teach in the temple, and die outside the city walls.

This chapter records three important steps that must be taken by any leader in order to protect the people and the work that has been done.

Enlisting leadership (Neh. 7:1-3)

Napoleon described a leader as “a dealer in hope,” and Nehemiah certainly fits that description. Before the work began, he inspired the people by assuring them that God would prosper their efforts (2:18-20). When the people were afraid, he prayed that God would strengthen them (6:9). When the enemy threatened, Nehemiah stood his ground and called their bluff; and the work was completed in fifty-two days to the glory of God.

Assistants (Neh. 7:2).

Like all good leaders, Nehemiah knew he couldn’t do the job alone. One of his first official acts was to appoint two assistants, his brother Hanani (see 1:2) and Hananiah, who was in charge of the citadel (“palace”; see 2:8). The citadel was a fortress in the temple area, guarding the north wall of the city, which was especially vulnerable to attack. Hanani and Hananiah would work with Rephaiah (3:9) and Shallum (v. 12), rulers of districts in the city.

Why was Nehemiah convinced that these men would be good leaders? They had two wonderful qualities: They were faithful to God and they feared God (7:2). Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., often said, “The greatest ability is dependability.” If we truly fear the Lord, we will be faithful to do the work He has called us to do. When leaders fear people instead of fearing God, they end up getting trapped (Prov. 29:25); and that leads to failure.

Years ago, the German psychiatrist and philosopher Dr. Karl Jaspers said, “The power of leadership appears to be declining everywhere. More and more of the men we see coming to the top seem to be merely drifting.”

Dr. Ted Engstrom, wrote in his book The Making of A Christian Leader (Zondervan, 1976), “We see the tragedy of weak men in important places—little men in big jobs” (p. 12).

British essayist Walter Savage Landor wrote, “When little men cast long shadows, it is a sign that the sun is setting.” An ominous statement, indeed!

Not everybody is called to be a Nehemiah, but some of us can be Hananis, Hananiahs, Rephaiahs, or Shallums, and work with God-given leaders to help get the job done right. God is looking for faithful, God-fearing men and women who will have the courage and conviction to serve Him, come what may.

Gatekeepers (Neh. 7:1, 3).

What good are strong new gates if nobody is guarding them and controlling who enters and leaves the city? What good are walls if the gates are open to every foe who wants to enter the city? I understand that the Great Wall of China was penetrated by the enemy at least four times, and each time the guards were bribed. Gates and walls are only as good as the people who guard them.

The gatekeepers (“porters” in v. 1) were given specific instructions as to when to open and close the gates (v. 3). To open the gates early in the morning would only invite the enemy to come in while the city was asleep and unprepared. To close and lock the gates without the guards on duty might give enemy agents opportunity to slip in unnoticed. 

Guards.

Nehemiah also had appointed two kinds of guards (“watches” v. 3): Those to patrol the walls at specific stations and those to keep watch near their own houses. Since many of the people had worked on areas of the wall near their homes (3:10, 23, 28-30), Nehemiah now challenged them to guard the areas they had built. With guards at the gates, watchmen on the walls, and a solid “neighborhood watch,” the city was safe from outside attack.

All of this has a message for us today. If God’s people don’t protect what they have accomplished for the Lord, the enemy will come in and take it over. Paul’s admonition must be heeded: “And having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:13). What a tragedy that schools that once were true to the faith are today denying the faith, and churches that once preached the Gospel now have in their pulpits ministers who preach “another gospel.” Every Christian ministry is one short generation away from destruction, and God’s people must be on guard.

We need guards at the gates, faithful men and women who will not allow false Christians to get in and take over the ministry (2 Cor. 11:13-15). We need watchers on the walls to warn us when the enemy is approaching. Christian parents need to guard their homes lest the enemy gets in and captures their children. It is while God’s servants are asleep and overconfident that the enemy comes in and plants his counterfeits (Matt. 13:25), so we must be awake and alert.

In this day when “pluralism” is interpreted by most people to mean “agree with everybody about everything and don’t make waves,” Christians need to remember that they are different and must test everything by the Word of God. There are many religions, but there is still “none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Anything that changes that message or weakens our motivation to get that message out is of the devil and must be opposed. We need guards at the gates and watchers on the wall, or the enemy will take over.

Establishing citizenship (Neh. 7:4-69)

This section parallels Ezra 2:1-64. If you compare the two lists, you will see that some of Nehemiah’s names and numbers differ from those recorded nearly a century before when the exiles returned from Babylon. This does not suggest that there are either errors or contradictions in the Bible. Errors in spelling names or copying numbers could easily creep in over a century, and none of these differences affects any matter of doctrine or duty.

Furthermore, the scribes who kept the public records certainly updated them after the community was established in Jerusalem. Ezra 2 lists the names of those who set out with Ezra, but it’s possible that others joined the group after Zerubbabel’s list was completed. For instance, Ezra 2:2 lists only eleven leaders, while Nehemiah 7:7 gives twelve names, adding Nahamani. “Nehum” in Nehemiah 7:7 is probably “Rehum” in Ezra 2:2. Variations such as this one are to be expected in ancient documents.

Reading this long list of difficult names might be boring to the modern student, but these people were God’s “bridge” from the defeats of the past to the hopes of the future. These Jews were the “living link” that connected the historic past with the prophetic future and made it possible for Jesus Christ to come into the world. Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 are to the Old Testament what Hebrews 11 is to the New Testament: a listing of the people whose faith and courage made things happen.

Our modern cities are ethnic “melting pots”; but in Jerusalem at that time, the important thing was to be a Jew and be able to prove your ancestry. Genealogies were “lifelines” that linked the Jews not only to the heritage of the past but also to their hope for the future. Not to be able to prove your ancestry meant second-class citizenship and separation from all that God had given to Israel (Rom. 9:4-5). Nehemiah wanted to populate the holy city with citizens who knew they were Jews and were proud of it.

There are ten different groups listed here, starting with the leaders who returned with Zerubbabel (Neh. 7:7). These twelve men may have represented the twelve tribes of Israel, even though ten of the tribes had been assimilated by the Assyrians when the Northern Kingdom was captured in 722 b.c. The “Nehemiah” mentioned here is not the author of this book, since these men lived nearly a century before. It appears that these were the elders of the people who helped Zerubbabel, the governor, establish the nation.

Next are listed the various families or clans (vv. 8-25) and the number of people in each family who returned to the land. Verses 27-38 list the people according to their villages. It is interesting that the largest group in the entire list came from Senaah (v. 38), a town whose location is a mystery to us. It must have been a large community if nearly 4,000 people came from there. The Hebrew word means “hated,” and some students think it refers to a category of citizen and not to a place. These may have been the “lower classes” in the Jewish society. Whoever they were, they worked on the walls (3:3) and helped restore the city.

It is worth noting that these returned exiles had maintained their identification with their native towns and villages. They knew where they came from and were not ashamed of it! Many people in our modern mobile population care little about family roots or even civic loyalty. Home is wherever one’s work is, no matter where your original roots were planted. Also, in spite of their local loyalties, these Jews put the good of Jerusalem first (Ps. 137:1-6). True patriotism sees no conflict between loving one’s home city and loving one’s nation, for both are gifts from God.

The temple personnel are listed next: priests (Neh. 7:39-42), Levites (v. 43), temple singers (v. 44), gatekeepers (v. 45), and various temple servants (vv. 46-60). In the original return to the land, it was necessary for Ezra to send for Levites to serve in the restored temple (Ezra 8:15-20). Were the Levites so comfortable in Babylon that they were unwilling to serve in Jerusalem?

The temple servants (“Nethinim”) had been organized by David to assist in the temple (Neh. 7:20) and may have been either prisoners of war or descendants of the Gibeonites (Josh. 9:22-27), who relieved the Levites of heavy routine tasks, like cutting wood and drawing water. “Solomon’s servants” (Neh. 7:57) were also foreigners who labored for the king. That these non-Jews were willing to leave the secure life in Babylon for the difficulties of life in Jerusalem may indicate that they had come to trust the God of Israel. On the other hand, perhaps they were compelled to return by their masters.

The singers will play an important role in the life of the city. There are at least eighteen references to singers in the Book of Nehemiah and eight references to giving thanks to the Lord. There was not much singing during the exile, when the nation was out of fellowship with God (Ps. 137); but now they needed the musicians to maintain worship at the temple.

One group of people, including some priests, could not prove their genealogies (Neh. 7:61-65). For the priests, this would mean being cut off from the temple ministry and the income it provided from the tithes and offerings of the people. But the Law of Moses made it clear that only those whose family line was clearly in the family of Aaron could minister at the altar. Finally, there was a miscellaneous assembly of over 7,000 servants (v. 67). Since the total number of the congregation was over 42,000 (v. 66), about one-sixth of the population was in servitude. Jewish masters must have been very kind to their servants for so many of them to want to travel with them to Judea.

The animals were mentioned (vv. 68-69) because they were vitally important to the Jewish agricultural economy and to the work of rebuilding the nation.

The total of the figures in this list is 29,818; but Nehemiah’s total is 42,360. When you add the 7,337 servants and the 245 singers to the 29,818 total, you get a total of 37,400, a difference of almost 5,000 from Nehemiah’s figure. Some of these extra unnumbered people may have been priests who could not prove their genealogy (vv. 63-65), as well as others who didn’t fit into any special category. If we knew all the facts about how Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 were compiled and copied, we would understand these seeming discrepancies.

The important thing is not to count the people but to realize that these people counted. In leaving Babylon, they did much more than put their names on a list. They laid their lives on the altar and risked everything to obey the Lord and restore the Jewish nation. They were “pioneers of faith” who trusted God to enable them to do the impossible.

Before we leave this section, it might be good for you to ask yourself, “If I had to prove my genealogy in order to get into God’s city, could I do it?” You are heading for one of two destinies—heaven or hell—and only those who belong to God’s family can enter heaven. You enter God’s family by receiving Jesus Christ as your own Savior, and this alone guarantees your entrance into heaven (John 1:11-12; 3:16; 14:6).

Encouraging worship (Neh. 7:70-73)

Citizenship and leadership together can make a state, but it takes worship to make that state into a godly nation. John Stuart Mill wrote, “The worth of a state, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it.” But the worth of the individual depends on his or her relationship to God, and this involves worship. If individual godliness declines, the morality of the nation declines.

The parallel passage is Ezra 2:68-70, which tells us that some of the Jewish leaders gave generously to the temple ministry. But Nehemiah informs us that the governor (“Tirshatha”) and some of the common people also gave offerings to the Lord. It was only right that the leaders set the example. A thousand drams (Neh. 7:70) would be 19 pounds of gold, and 20,000 drams (vv. 71-72) would be about 375 pounds. It seems obvious that some of the Jewish leaders left Babylon very wealthy men, with precious metals and servants; but within a few years, the economy failed and the nation was in the grips of a crippling depression (Hag. 1).

But all of this money would have been useless were it not for the God-appointed ministers at the temple: the priests, Levites, singers, and helpers (Neh. 7:73). Moses had assigned special towns for the priests and Levites to live in (Num. 35:1-8; Josh. 21), but later Nehemiah had to move some of them into Jerusalem (Neh. 11:1-2).

It was now the seventh month (Oct.—Nov.), when Israel was expected to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev. 23:23-44). There could have been no better time for Nehemiah to call the people together to honor the Word of God, confess their sins, and dedicate themselves and their work to the Lord. What began with concern (Neh. 1) led to construction (chaps. 2–3) and conflict (chaps. 4–7); and now it was time for consecration (chaps. 8–12).

As we serve the Lord, we must always do our best; but without His help and blessing, even our best work will never last. “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Ps. 127:1, nkjv). Nehemiah knew that there was a desperate need for the people to come back to the Lord and turn away from their secret sins that were grieving Him. Even though Nehemiah was the official representative of a pagan king, he did everything he could to glorify the God of Israel.

One of the key lessons we can learn from this long chapter is that people are important to God. When God wanted to take the next step in His great plan of redemption, He called a group of Jews to leave the place of exile and return to their own land. He gave them encouragement from the prophets and leadership from people who feared God and wanted to honor Him. The Lord didn’t send a band of angels to do the job; He used common people who were willing to risk their futures on the promises of God.

Today, God is still calling people to leave their personal “Babylons” and follow Him by faith. The church is living in a day of reproach (Neh. 2:17), and there are “ruins” all around us that need to be rebuilt. “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” David asked (Ps. 11:3). The answer is plain: The righteous can rebuild what has been torn down and start over again! If you think that an enemy victory is final, then you have lost your faith in God’s promises. There is always a new beginning for those who are willing to pay the price.

This chapter also reminds us that God keeps accounts of His servants. He knows where we came from, what family we belong to, how much we gave, and how much we did for Him. When we stand before the Lord, we will have to give an accounting of our lives before we can receive our rewards (Rom. 14:7-12); and we want to be able to give a good account.

A third lesson we must learn is that the Lord is able to keep His work going. The first group of Jewish exiles left Babylon for Judea in 538 b.c. and, in spite of many difficulties and delays, rebuilt the temple and restored the worship. Eighty years later, Ezra and another group returned; and fourteen years after that, Nehemiah arrived and rebuilt the walls and gates. During the days of Zerubbabel, God raised up the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah to give God’s message to His people. No matter how discouraging the situation might be, God is able to accomplish His purposes if we will trust Him and do His will. John Wesley was right when he said that God buries His workers but continues His work. We must not be discouraged!

Finally, and most important, we must all be sure that we know we are in the family of God. No matter how much they argued or protested, the priests without legitimate genealogies could not enter the temple precincts and minister at the altar. God is not impressed with our first birth; what He wants is that we experience a second birth and become His children. If you are not certain of your spiritual genealogy, read John 3:1-18 and 1 John 5:9-13 and make sure that your name is written down in heaven (Luke 10:20).

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Counting for God (Nehemiah 7)
Have you ever struggled with feelings that your life is not worthwhile? I think we all feel that way at times. I know that I do! Life goes by so quickly! I often think about, “What am I accomplishing that really matters? How can I spend my life so that it counts for something worthwhile?”

The correct answer to those questions is to spend our lives so that they count for God and His purpose. If our lives count for God, then they count not just for time, but for eternity. So the key question becomes, how can I live so that my life counts for God?

Believe it or not, Nehemiah 7 has some answers to this important question. It is one of those chapters that make you wonder why God took up space in the Bible for it! It especially makes you wonder when you realize that verses 6-73 are essentially the same as Ezra 2. Why would God put this long list of unpronounceable names in the Bible once, let alone twice? It’s just not the sort of chapter that you relish when you come to it in your Bible reading!

The chapter serves as a pivot in the Book of Nehemiah. Chapters 1-6 describe the restoration of the wall of Jerusalem. Chapters 8-13 tell about the restoration of the people of Judah. Chapter 7 begins with three verses describing the precautions that Nehemiah took to guard the newly walled city from attack, thus wrapping up the first half of the book. Verses 4-73 look forward to the reforms of the second half of the book by showing how Nehemiah went about repopulating the city so that it would become a vital center for national and spiritual life.

In Ezra, this list of names of those who returned from Babylon under Zerubbabel in 536 B.C. served to document who was a true Jew. In Nehemiah, nearly a century later (444 B.C.), the list answers the question, “Who is available to repopulate the city and to provide for temple worship?” Nehemiah uses the list to instill in the people a reminder of their personal and national identity as God’s people and to encourage them to fulfill their responsibilities in light of this identity.

There are variations between the two lists that are difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile. Derek Kidner (Ezra & Nehemiah, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries [IVP], pp. 38-39) points out that the names in the two lists show only the slightest variations, whereas half of the numbers disagree apparently at random, with sometimes one list and sometimes the other giving the larger figure. He argues that this is a classic example of how difficult it was for scribes to copy lists of Hebrew numbers. The doctrine of inerrancy asserts that the Bible is without error in the original manuscripts. Since we possess only copies, sometimes we are not able to reconcile conflicting details that may have arisen from scribal errors.

But to set aside these technical scholarly questions, the spiritual message of Nehemiah 7 is intact. It is:

To count for God, commit yourself to the things that matter to God.

The chapter reveals five things that matter to God:

1. Worship matters to God (7:1).

Nehemiah mentions that after the walls were rebuilt and the doors were installed, he appointed the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites (7:1). Most commentators say that these worship leaders were also assigned guard duty at the city gates. While that may be so, I agree with Derek Kidner (p. 102) that these men take priority here because worship was the city’s reason for existence. Maybe they held choir practice while standing guard, but the reason for protecting the city from invaders was not just so that everyone could live securely. It was primarily so that the worship of God in the temple could take place.

From what we read in the Book of Revelation, a good part of heaven will be spent praising God in corporate worship. The saints gather with the angels and the four living creatures and the 24 elders and sing, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,” and “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever” (Rev. 5:9, 12, 13). We will be so caught up with the beauty of the glory of God that we will be lost in wonder, love, and praise!

Gary Larsen has a Far Side cartoon showing a guy sitting on a cloud in his white robe with a harp, and he’s thinking, “I should have brought a magazine.” Sadly, that’s how even many Christians think of heaven—a boring time! But to the degree that we think that, we have failed to see the stunning beauty of Jesus Christ!

When you come on a scene of natural beauty, such as a beautiful sunset at the Grand Canyon, even if you don’t know anyone standing nearby, you want to say something to them: “Wow, that’s awesome, isn’t it!” We do that because beauty creates spontaneous praise in us, and praise is best when it is shared. Heaven will be a time of drinking in the infinite beauty of the infinite God and sharing it with others. If you want your life to count for God, grow as a worshiper by growing to know God in His infinite beauty.

2. Godly character matters to God (7:2-3).

Nehemiah was an exemplary leader who knew that to be effective, he needed to delegate responsibility to other competent men. While certain administrative skills are necessary for effective leadership, the main requirement is godly character.

Nehemiah picked two men. Hanani was probably his blood brother, who had come to him at Susa with the report of Jerusalem’s sad condition (1:1-3). He is appointed as the civil leader of Jerusalem. Hananiah is appointed as the military leader because “he was a faithful man and feared God more than many.” Together they are charged not to open the city gates until the sun was hot, and to bolt them and stand guard when they were shut. Also, they were to appoint guards from the residents of the city, each in front of his own house. There are three godly character traits here:

A. Faithfulness.

The Hebrew word means reliable, truthful, and firm. Hananiah was a man you could depend on. He spoke the truth and if he promised to do something, he did it. If you want your life to count for God, work at becoming a faithful person. It is a fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in us as we walk in dependence on Him (Gal. 5:16, 22). All of us are stewards of the gifts and time that God allots to us. Paul said that it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy, or faithful (1 Cor. 4:2).

Faithfulness is also an essential ingredient in relationships. If you do not trust someone, you will not get close to that person. You always keep your distance, for fear that he will take something that you say and disclose it, perhaps with distortion, to others. If you sense that someone is not truthful, you don’t trust him and you won’t get close to him. Since our God is a faithful God who always speaks truth and keeps His word, as we grow in godliness, we will grow in faithfulness.

Let me briefly suggest four ways to develop faithfulness.

*Recognize and define the responsibilities that God has given you to do. As a Christian, you are responsible to obey God’s commands to live a morally pure life that honors Him. As a husband and father, you are responsible to provide the basic needs for your family. As a parent, you are responsible to train your children in God’s ways. As a gifted member of Christ’s body, you are responsible to serve Him in some capacity. You cannot be faithful if you are foggy about what you’re supposed to be doing.

*Start with and don’t neglect the small things. If you’re faithful in little things, you will be faithful with much (Luke 16:10). In the context, “little things” refers to your managing the money God has entrusted to you. Do you squander it on selfish pursuits or do you invest it wisely for God’s purposes? Do you pay your bills on time? Are you honest in financial matters? Do you keep your word? Do you live an orderly life? Do you keep appointments on time?

*Keep your relational priorities straight. Your relationship with Jesus Christ is first. If it goes, everything goes. Spend time alone with Him each day. Your relationship with your family is next. If I do not order my family relationships properly, I am not qualified to lead in the local church (1 Tim. 3:4-5). Relationships are so important that John says that if I do not love my brother whom I have seen, I cannot love God whom I have not seen (1 John 4:20).

*Learn to use your time more effectively. Most unfaithful people complain that they don’t have time to do what they are supposed to do. But we all have the same number of hours each day. Faithful people learn to use their time well.

B. Fear of God.

Hananiah “feared God more than many.” The fear of God is a matter of degree: Some fear God a little; others fear God more. The fear of God grows out of the knowledge of God. When you see who God is and you realize who you are by way of comparison, you fall on your face in fear, realizing that He could rightly cast you into hell for your many sins. Even when you know that He has been gracious to you through Christ, you do not presume on that grace by becoming irreverent toward the Holy One. You remember that He knows your every thought and deed, and so you seek to please Him in all you do. If you want your life to count for God, grow in the fear of God.

C. Watchfulness.

Nehemiah not only built the wall with the sword and the trowel, he also posted guards and gave careful instructions to these appointed leaders on the need to guard the city. He trusted God, but he also set up a watch (see 4:9). The two are not in opposition.

Jesus warns us frequently to be on the alert (Mark 13:34-37). First Peter 5:8 warns us, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” We need to watch out for the spiritual dangers that Satan strews across our paths, to avoid falling into sins that would destroy us. As married couples, be alert to the dangers that could destroy your marriage. As parents, be alert to the dangers that could destroy your children. As church leaders, be alert to the dangers that could damage God’s flock.

Note that a time of success is a critical time to be on guard. The walls were built, the gates were in place. It would have been easy to kick back and let down the guard. The enemy often hits right after a victory. Be especially careful then!

Also, we need to be especially on guard in our own homes. Nehemiah instructed that each one stand guard in front of his own house (7:3). Guard what movies and TV shows come into your home. Guard what comes through on your home computer. Take caution if your children spend the night at a friend’s home, as to what they plan to do and who is supervising. Instruct and warn your kids about spiritual dangers and how to call if they need help.

To count for God, commit yourself to worship and to godly character, because these things matter to God.

3. People matter to God (7:4-73).

From a historical, salvation perspective, these Jewish genealogical records are important because when the Messiah came to this earth, it was important to prove that He was descended from the tribe of Judah and the lineage of David. When we worked through the list in Ezra 2, we went over the various categories in some detail, so I’m not going to repeat that here. But the list illustrates three important points that apply to us:

A. Individuals are important to God.

Although these names do not mean anything to us, they mean something to God. He knows His people by name. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, “calls his own sheep by name,” and they follow Him because they know His voice (John 10:3-4). I try to learn the names of those who regularly attend here, but my brain is limited and I often fail. But even if I fail to remember your name, there is One who never forgets! He created you in His image and He put you here at this time and place for His purpose.

Make sure that Jesus knows you by name! You may be thinking, “Doesn’t Jesus know everyone by name?” In the sense of His omniscience, yes. But in the sense of personal knowledge, no. On judgment day, He will say to some who cry, “Lord, Lord,” who did many things in His name, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matt. 7:23). They were not truly His sheep, because they did not follow Him. He gives eternal life to His sheep, and they will never perish, and no one can snatch them out of His hand (John 10:28). Make sure that you are one of His sheep!

The fact that individuals matter to God also means that they should matter to us. Invest your life building Jesus Christ into people, and your life will count for God and for eternity.

B. Families are important to God.

The list contains many family groups (7:8-25). God designed the family as the basic unit of society. A man and woman are to leave their own families of origin and come together in a lifelong covenant relationship. In that context, children are to be born and reared in God’s ways as revealed in His Word. The family is also the building block of the local church. To say this is not in any way to devalue singles, who are a vital part of God’s family. But it is to say that the church is only strong when the families in that church are strong. Is it any wonder that Satan is attacking Christian families? If we want our lives and our children’s and grandchildren’s lives to count for God, we must guard our covenant commitments in our families.

C. Men are important to God.

The list is made up of men. This does not mean that women are unimportant to God. The Bible elevates women to a status that is unknown in other religions. Husbands are to grant their wives honor as co-heirs of the grace of life (1 Pet. 3:7).

But at the same time, Scripture is clear that there is a hierarchy of roles in the family and in the church. Husbands are the heads of their wives, just as God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of the church (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5:23). Elders and teachers in the local church are to be men (1 Tim. 2:11-15; 3:1-7). These God-ordained roles are not culturally determined. Rather, they have to do with the church and the home reflecting the image of God, where there is an equality of personhood, but at the same time, a hierarchy of roles in which the Son willingly submits to the Father to carry out the divine purpose. If Satan cannot break up a home through divorce, his next tactic is to get the man to be passive.

Men, for your life to count for God, you need to take seriously your responsibility to lead your wife and children in the things of God. By lead, I do not mean barking commands in Archie Bunker fashion from your armchair in front of the TV set! I mean walking with God as an example and becoming a servant-leader, even as Jesus led. I mean actively loving your wife and training your children. Don’t dump that job on your wife!

To count for God, commit yourself to what matters to God: worship, godly character, and people.

4. Your place in God’s family history matters to God (7:4-73).

Nehemiah says (7:5) that God put it into his heart to assemble the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then he found this book of the record of those who first came up to Jerusalem. It served as a map for the current enrollment. As Kidner (p. 103) puts it, Nehemiah’s “immediate concern was to get his people rightly orientated, sure both of their inheritance and their calling.”

As Christians, our physical lineage is not nearly as important as our spiritual lineage. We need to know that we have been born spiritually into God’s family, the church, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And, we need to have some evidence of it. Those claiming to be priests who could not find any record of their ancestry were excluded from the priesthood until a priest could verify it by divine means (7:61-65). Even so, a believer should be able to verify where God promises eternal life to those who believe in Christ and say, “I have put my trust in that specific promise of God.” And, the believer should see some evidence that God has changed his heart. Before, we were hostile toward God. Now, by His grace, we love God and the things of God.

It is also important to realize that God put you here at this point in the history of His people to fulfill the role that He has ordained for you. Previous generations passed the torch to you. You must carry it faithfully and pass it on to the next generation. One reason modern Christians are so carried away by the world is that they are ignorant of church history, of how God has worked down through the ages through His people who have been faithful to His calling. Reading Christian biographies and church history will give you perspective for the times we live in. Finally,

5. Your understanding of and commitment to God’s purpose matters to Him (7:6, 73).

The people in this list returned from Babylon to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city. They easily could have stayed in Babylon. Their families had been there for several generations. They were established and comfortable there. It was not easy to pack up and move across hundreds of miles of hostile territory to a land that had been devastated by war. But they knew God’s promise to their forefather Abraham, to give him this land. He had said that His name would dwell in this temple in this city, to be a glory to the nations. So they understood and committed themselves to God’s purpose, in spite of the hassle and hardships involved.

God’s purpose is to be glorified among the nations by calling to Himself a people redeemed by His Son, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession,” who “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called [them] out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). If you know Christ, He has given you a spiritual gift, material resources, and opportunities to be used to glorify Him and further His purpose. To count for God, commit yourself to His purpose for your life. There is no greater reason to live than to live for God’s purpose!

Conclusion

I want to close by giving a word of balance in this matter of having our lives count for God. It is good to learn from every godly example that you can, whether in the Bible or in church history. But also it is important to come to terms with how God made you. Don’t kick yourself because you’re not someone else. You will be frustrated if you think that you have to be just like someone else and do what he did. I love Spurgeon, but he was one of a kind! I hope that I learn from him, but I’m not Spurgeon by a long shot!

Each of us is unique and God has assigned each of us a different role to fulfill. In Nehemiah 7, some were priests, others were gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants. Each role is important to God. Discover who you are in Christ and commit yourself fully to be all that God wants you to be. Jim Elliot, who laid down his life at 28 for the cause of the gospel, wrote in his diary, “Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God” (Elisabeth Elliot, Through Gates of Splendor [Spire Books], pp. 19-20, italics his). Commit yourself to the things that matter to God. That’s how to make your life count for Him!

Since September 11, 2001, Americans have had to live under the threat of terrorist attacks. It has changed many aspects of the way we live. We face increased security checks at airports and international borders. We hear of possible attacks at shopping malls and sporting events, although I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do about it, other than report suspicious looking characters or abandoned packages.

It is difficult and frustrating for our government to fight this enemy, because it is often not visible as other enemy armies have been. This enemy hides and uses surprise attacks to achieve its evil goals.

The threat of terrorist attacks should not be anything new for Christians. Centuries ago, the apostle Paul warned, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). Our enemy has used deception, trickery, and other schemes to try to destroy or at least neutralize God’s people from doing what He has called them to do. If we want to finish our course and accomplish His purpose for our lives, we must learn how to resist Satan’s schemes.

In his goal of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah had to stand up to the violent threats of the enemy (chapter 4). He had to deal with internal conflict between the wealthy and poor Jews (chapter 5). He is almost done now. The breaches in the wall have been repaired, and the wall is complete except for the doors in the gates. But the enemy has not given up. In chapter 6, he hits again with four schemes: intrigue (6:1–4); innuendo (6:5–9); intimidation (6:10–14); and, infiltration (6:15–19). (The first three headings are from Cyril Barber, cited by Edwin Yamauchi, Expositor’s Bible Commentary 4:712.)

In the first three schemes, Satan moved first and Nehemiah had to respond. In the last situation, Nehemiah won the victory of the completed wall, but Satan responded with his scheme of infiltration. We learn that …
To complete the work God has given us to do, we must discern and resist Satan’s many schemes.

Under Nehemiah’s gifted leadership, the people completed the rebuilding of the walls. Now all that remained to do was the restoration of the gates and the strengthening of the community within the walls. Since Sanballat and his friends had failed miserably in their attempts to stop the people from working, they decided to concentrate their attacks on Nehemiah. If they could eliminate him, or even discredit him, they could mobilize their allies living in Jerusalem (Neh. 6:17-18) and take over the city.

The average person doesn’t realize the tremendous pressures and testings that people experience day after day in places of leadership. Leaders are often blamed for things they didn’t do and criticized for things they tried to do. They are misquoted and misunderstood and rarely given the opportunity to set the record straight. If they act quickly, they are reckless; if they bide their time, they are cowardly or unconcerned.

Referring to the pressures of leadership, President Harry Truman wrote in Mr. Citizen, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!”

People in places of spiritual leadership not only have the pressures that all leaders face, but they must also battle an infernal enemy who is a master deceiver and a murderer. Satan comes either as a serpent who deceives or a lion who devours (2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Peter 5:8), and Christian leaders must be alert and spiritually equipped to oppose him. It behooves God’s people to pray earnestly, not only for those in civil authority (1 Tim. 2:1-3), but also for those in places of spiritual authority. If Satan can defeat a Christian leader, he can cripple a whole ministry and discredit the cause of Christ.

The enemy’s main purpose was to generate fear in the heart of Nehemiah and his workers (Neh. 6:9, 13-14, 19), knowing that fear destroys faith and paralyzes life. Adolph Hitler wrote, “Mental confusion, contradiction of feeling, indecisiveness, panic; these are our weapons.” Both Jesus (Luke 13:31-35) and Paul (Acts 21:10-14) had to face the specter of fear, and both overcame it by faith.

Nehemiah didn’t listen to the enemy’s lies. He and the people completed the wall and hung the gates in only fifty-two days, much to the chagrin of their adversaries (Neh. 6:15-16). Satan used four strategies in attacking Nehemiah, strategies that he still uses against spiritual leaders today.

COMPROMISE: “WE WILL HELP YOU WORK” (NEH. 6:1-4)
(Nehemiah 6:1-4) “When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it–though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates– {2} Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; {3} so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” {4} Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.”

Up to this point in the building program, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem (Gashmu, v. 6) opposed everything that the Jews did; but now they offered to cooperate and help the Jews build the wall. They offered to meet Nehemiah in a village halfway between Jerusalem and Samaria, a quiet place where they could make plans on how to work together. “We’re willing to meet you halfway,” was their approach. “Now, don’t be an unfriendly neighbor!”

Of course, the enemy’s strategy was, “If you can’t whip ’em, join ’em—and then take over!” Once the enemy gets a foothold in a ministry, he starts to weaken the work from within; and ultimately, the work will fail. While cooperation in the Lord’s work is a noble thing, leaders must take care that they cooperate with the right people at the right time for the right purpose; otherwise they may end up cooperating with the enemy. Satan is a master deceiver and has his servants ready to join hands with God’s people so he can weaken their hands in the work (2 Cor. 11:13-15).

Loving compromise and cooperation can be good and useful things if there are no moral or spiritual issues involved. Happy compromise can invigorate a marriage or strengthen a ministry (Phil. 2:1-4), but this is compromise among people who love each other and have the same purposes in mind. When you invite the devil to join your team, expect him to change the rules and the goals; and expect to be defeated.

Nehemiah rejected their offer because of three convictions. First, he knew that they were lying and wanted to kill him (Neh. 6:2). Nehemiah had the kind of spiritual discernment that leaders must possess if they are going to detect the enemy’s strategy and defeat it. Second, he was convinced of the greatness of the work God had given him to do (v. 3). If Nehemiah allowed himself to be distracted and detoured from the work God had called him to do, where would his people go for leadership? A leaderless project is an aimless project and eventually falls apart. Leaders must be good examples and stay on the job.

During over forty years of ministry, as I have watched Christian leaders come and go, I have tried to take Paul’s admonition to heart: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12, NKJV). This is not to say that Christian leaders must never leave home to minister elsewhere, for they are a gift to the whole church and not just to one work (Eph. 4:11-12). But when “the wider ministry” is more exciting than the work at home, leaders must beware; for the enemy is at work. Dr. Oswald J. Smith used to say, “The light that shines the farthest will shine the brightest at home.”

Behind these two convictions was a third conviction: The Jews had nothing in common with Sanballat and his crowd, so there could be no basis for cooperation. Nehemiah had made that clear at the very outset of the project when he said to Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, “But as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it” (Neh. 2:20, NIV). God’s people are different from the people of the world and must maintain their separated position (2 Cor. 6:14–7:1). If Nehemiah had cooperated with Sanballat and his allies, how could he have led the nation to separate itself from the foreigners in the land? (Neh. 9:2; 10:28; 13:3) He would have been inconsistent.

Nehemiah had both discernment and determination: He refused to be influenced by their repeated offers (6:4; see 4:12). If their offer was wrong the first time, it would be wrong the fourth time or the fiftieth time; and there was no reason for him to reconsider. Decisions based only on opinions might be reconsidered, but decisions based on convictions must stand unless those convictions are changed. Otherwise, decision becomes indecision; and the leader who ought to be a guidepost becomes a weather vane.

SLANDER: “WE’LL TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT YOU” (NEH. 6:5-9)
(Nehemiah 6:5-9) “Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter {6} in which was written: “It is reported among the nations–and Geshem says it is true–that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king {7} and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together.” {8} I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” {9} They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.””

The fifth time the enemy approached Nehemiah, it was with an open letter accusing him of sedition. They had hinted at Jewish insurrection before the project had even begun (2:19), perhaps borrowing the idea from the people who had stopped the building of the temple years before (Ezra 4). Even our Lord was accused by His enemies of promoting sedition (Luke 23:1-5). It would be considered a serious charge in Nehemiah’s day, because Persian kings tolerated no resistance from their subjects. Any hint of rebellion was immediately and ruthlessly put down.

It’s interesting to see how often the enemy used letters in their attacks against the work (Neh. 6:5, 17, 19). An “open letter” to a royal governor would be both intimidating and insulting. Letters to officials were rolled up and secured with seals so that only those with authority could open and read them. Sanballat wanted the public to know the contents of the letter because he hoped to undermine Nehemiah’s reputation and authority. If some of the Jewish workers believed what was in the letter, Sanballat could organize them and create division within the ranks. It was a splendid opportunity for the enemy to divide and conquer.

Statements like “it’s been reported” and “they say” have caused trouble in many local churches and other ministries. In every organization, there are gossip-mongers, hovering like vultures, just waiting for tidbits of slander that they can chew, swallow, and then regurgitate. An anonymous wit has defined gossip as news you have to hurry and tell somebody else before you find out it isn’t true!

“I would rather play with forked lightning, or take in my hands living wires with their fiery current,” said A.B. Simpson, founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, “than speak a reckless word against any servant of Christ, or idly repeat the slanderous darts which thousands of Christians are hurling on others, to the hurt of their own souls and bodies.”

Not only did his enemies falsely accuse Nehemiah of fomenting a rebellion, but they also said he was planning to make himself king and had prophets prepared to announce his coronation (v. 7). If this report got back to the Persian king, there would be immediate reprisal; and that would be the end of the Jerusalem project.

Christian leaders must know how to handle false accusations, vicious letters, unfounded press reports, and gossip. Otherwise, these devilish weapons will so upset them that they will lose their perspective and spend so much time defending themselves that they will neglect their work. Nehemiah didn’t make that mistake. He simply denied the reports, prayed to God for strength, and went back to work. He knew that his character was such that no honest person would believe the false reports. If we take care of our character, we can trust God to take care of our reputation.

On more than one occasion, Bible teacher G. Campbell Morgan was the target of savage gossip that accused him of unfaithfulness to the Christian faith. His usual approach was to say, “It will blow over. Meanwhile, I go quietly on with my work.” Nehemiah would have approved of his approach.

THREATS: “WE WILL PROTECT YOUR LIFE” (NEH. 6:10-14)
(Nehemiah 6:10-14) “One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you–by night they are coming to kill you.” {11} But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!” {12} I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. {13} He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me. {14} Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.”

Shemaiah, a hireling prophet (v. 12), devised a clever plan for trapping Nehemiah. He shut himself up in his house and gave the impression that, like Nehemiah, his life was in danger. When Nehemiah came to see him, Shemaiah suggested that they both take refuge in the temple, where the enemy couldn’t reach them (Ex. 21:13-14; 1 Kings 1:50-53). His words were very threatening: “They are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you” (Neh. 6:10, NKJV).

Since he had access to the temple, it’s possible that Shemaiah was of priestly descent; but even this didn’t influence Nehemiah’s decision. He quickly detected the hoax and let it be known that he was not about to run away in the face of danger. In the first place, he was not that kind of a leader. “Should such a man as I flee?” he asked (v. 11). He had previously said, “I cannot come down!” (v. 3) and now he declared, “I will not go in!” (v. 11) Nehemiah was a true shepherd and not a hireling like Shemaiah (John 10:12-13). If he had run away and hidden in the temple, it would have ruined his reputation forever.

Nehemiah rejected Shemaiah’s proposal because it was contrary to the Law of Moses. It was forbidden for a layman to go beyond the altar of burnt offering at the temple. “The outsider who comes near shall be put to death” (Num. 18:7, NKJV). When King Uzziah tried to invade the holy precincts, God smote him with leprosy (2 Chron. 26:16-21). Nehemiah knew that Shemaiah was a false prophet because the message he delivered was contradictory to the Word of God (Deut. 13:1-5 and 18:20-22). “What saith the Scripture?” (Rom. 4:3) must be the test of any message, even if that message comes from somebody who claims to be one of God’s servants. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8:20).

Nehemiah 6:14 indicates that there was a conspiracy against Nehemiah among the prophets, including a prophetess named Noadiah. This created a great deal of pressure for Nehemiah, for the Jews had great respect for their prophets. Nehemiah was outnumbered, yet he stood his ground. He was a layman opposed by a body of “professionals,” yet he refused to give in. He prayed about them and left the matter with the Lord. In verses 9 and 14, we have the fifth and sixth of Nehemiah’s “telegraph prayers” that he sent to the Lord in times of crisis. Of course, behind these brief intermittent prayers was a life of prayer that gave them strength.

INTRIGUE: “WE WILL NOT GIVE UP” (NEH. 6:15-19)
(Nehemiah 6:15-19) “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. {16} When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. {17} Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. {18} For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. {19} Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.”

The completion of the walls “in troublous times” (Dan. 9:25) was an embarrassment to the enemy, but they did not give up. Satan is not a quitter but stays on the field even after it looks as if he has lost the battle. Many a careless Christian has won the war but afterward lost the victory. Satan is always looking for “an opportune time” (Luke 4:13, NIV) to attack the victors and turn them into victims. We need to heed the counsel of that saintly Scottish minister Andrew A. Bonar, who said, “Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle.”

If you can’t see Satan working, it’s probably because he has gone underground. Actually, we are safer when we can see him at work than when his agents are concealed. Open opposition is good for God’s work and God’s workers because it keeps us alert and trusting the Lord. “Watch and pray!” was certainly one of Nehemiah’s chief admonitions to his people (Neh. 4:9).

It seems incredible that any Jew would secretly cooperate with the enemy, let alone Jews who were nobles from the royal tribe of Judah! If any tribe had a stake in the future of “the city of David,” it was the tribe of Judah; for God promised that a Savior and King would come from their tribe (Gen. 49:10; 2 Sam. 7). When these nobles cooperated with Tobiah, they were resisting the Lord, disobeying the Word, and jeopardizing their own future.

Why would they do such a treacherous thing? For one thing, Tobiah wrote them letters and influenced their thinking. Instead of seeking the truth, the nobles believed the enemy’s lies and became traitors to their own people. Because they believed he was right, some of the men of Judah even took an oath of loyalty to Tobiah! In his letters, Tobiah no doubt flattered them and made promises to them; and they foolishly believed him. The nobles secretly shared the letters with others, and thus the conspiracy grew.

Don’t believe everything you read or hear about Christian leaders. Consider the source and firmly refuse to accept as truth anything that can’t be documented. Especially be wary of what the news media say about evangelical leaders; most media people are not too sympathetic with the Gospel. Looking for exciting stories, some reporters will magnify the insignificant into the sensational, while others will lift statements completely out of context. Sad to say, even the religious press is sometimes guilty of this kind of misrepresentation, including some militant publications that have forgotten how to “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). There are times when you wonder if perhaps we have reached the sad place that Jeremiah wrote about: “Beware of your friends; do not trust your brothers. For every brother is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer” (Jer. 9:4, NIV).

How could these Jews turn their backs on their own heritage, their own brothers and sisters, and their own God? The bonds of human connection were stronger than the bonds of spiritual affection. Because Tobiah was tied to the tribe of Judah through marriage, the nobles of Judah gave the loyalty to him that they should have given to God (Neh. 6:18). The men of Judah forgot that they were “married” to Jehovah God and owed Him their love and loyalty.

But before we criticize these Jewish nobles, let’s examine our own lives. Are we totally yielded to the Lord and fully obedient to Him? Do we ever permit human relationships to influence our decisions so much that we deliberately disobey the Word of God? In twenty-five years of ministeral ministry, I have seen more than one professed Christian leave a church fellowship because of something that was done to a relative in the church.

Commodore Josiah Tatnall is an almost forgotten name in American naval history. During the anti-European uprisings in China in 1859, Tatnall came to the aid of a British squadron in the Pei-Ho River and was criticized for it. In his dispatch to the U.S. Secretary of Navy, his defense was simply, “Blood is thicker than water.”

That familiar statement was recorded by John Ray in his English Proverbs published in 1670; so it’s been around for a long time. The meaning is obvious: Humanly speaking, you have greater obligation to a relative than you do to a stranger. But Jesus said, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matt. 10:37, NKJV). The “blood bond” that unites us to Christ is the strongest bond of all, and our loyalty to Him must come first.

The nobles of Judah weren’t satisfied just to get their information and directions from Tobiah, but they felt it necessary to tell Tobiah everything Nehemiah said! No doubt they were hoping to win Tobiah’s favor and thus earn a greater reward when Tobiah and his friends took over Jerusalem. In every sense, they were traitors to the nation and to the Lord. Meshullam was one of the workers on the wall (Neh. 3:4, 30), and yet his family was undermining the very work he was doing.

But these traitors went even further: They repeatedly told Nehemiah what a fine man Tobiah really was! “They that forsake the law praise the wicked; but such as keep the law contend with them” (Prov. 28:4). Had the nobles of Judah been studying and meditating on the Word of God, they would have had discernment and not been walking “in the counsel of the ungodly” (Ps. 1:1). They were blinded by lies and flattery and completely out of touch with reality. There was no light in them (Isa. 8:20).

But is the situation much different in churches today? It alarms me the way professed Christians, who claim to be “Bible taught,” give their endorsement and support to people who are nothing but religious hucksters. You would think that the recent media scandals would wake people up, but such is not the case. “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way,” wrote Jeremiah; and then he asked, “But what will you do in the end?” (Jer. 5:30-31, NIV) Indeed, we are facing a day of reckoning. Then what?

Tobiah kept sending letters to his informers, and they in turn kept telling people to change their allegiance before Jerusalem was taken by the Gentiles. Nehemiah ignored the letters and threats and kept on working until the job was completed. After all, his work was “wrought of our God” (Neh. 6:16); and when God begins a work, He completes it (Phil. 1:6).

The story began with “So I prayed” (Neh. 2:4). Then we read, “So I came to Jerusalem” (v. 11). “So they strengthened their hands for this good work” is the next link in the chain (v. 18), followed by, “So built we the wall” (4:6) and, “So we labored” (v. 21).

Now we reach the end of this part of the story: “So the wall was finished” (6:15). But this marks a new beginning, for now Nehemiah must protect what he has accomplished. How he does this is the theme of the rest of the book.

 

Steven J. Cole, “Lesson 6: Resisting Satan’s Schemes (Nehemiah 6:1–19),” in Nehemiah, Steven J. Cole Commentary Series (Dallas: Galaxie Software, 2017), Ne 6:1–19.