Nehemiah Pt. 10: Materials & Labor

The construction of the structure is complete, now the real Kingdom Building begins. God’s people have returned from exile, they have rebuilt the walls and gates…What now? Does God just want us to be physically secure and that is enough? Or is that not what really matters to him? I believe He wants more for His people.

He wants to build things in His people and build other people with His people. What does God want to build in your life? What does He want to build in others with you? We can be Material & Labor!

Do you have a VISION of the life God wants you to live? What He wants to build. Kingdom building is ultimately about people, God’s People. This passage immortalizes thousands of people who responded to God’s call to Go! They surrendered their lives to become building materials for God [Potter & clay]

Nehemiah 7 [ESV]

1 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed.

  • The final aspects of ‘The Wall & ‘The Gates’ were now completed
  • The people who will facilitate worship are put in place
  • The physical structure is necessary, but people make it work

2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.

  • Why does the Governor, Nehemiah, put these two guys in charge?
  • Leadership of God’s people starts with integrity and a proper view of God
  • The leadership of God’s people is always spread around
  • Nehemiah was returning to Persia

3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”

  • Tighter than normal control of when you can enter or exit the city
  • The newly formed city / community was vulnerable and needed extra security
  • Once again Nehemiah makes security a community wide deal [Why?]

4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families.

  • The need was to populate the city…God is always growing His people
  • Registration would provide for the return of family property in the city

I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there: 6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 7 in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):

  • The people God who believed what was predicted in Jeremiah 29:10-14
  • Only names listed were families from ‘The Province’ surrounding the city
  • God lists the names of the men was led the return from Persia

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you My promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.” ~ Jeremiah 29:10-14

Then under the heading: ‘The List of The Men Israel’ [also found in Ezra 2]

  • This is going to be very close to the list found in Ezra 2
  • UP-DATED LIST?
  • God remembers His followers, the 30,000 or so who left Persia

I want to stress how much God cares about everyone who steps out in faith for Him

Verses 8-38 list 40 distinct families without specific duties [25,406 people]

Verses 39-42 list the Priests [4 families 4,289 people]

Verses 43-45 list the Levites, Musician & Gatekeepers [10 families 360 people]

  • The 1st 40 families listed didn’t even have a particular ‘Temple Job’
  • These people were inspired by God’s vision for their life! [counter culture]
  • Then you have the Priests, they were 1/6 of those who returned, LEADERSHIP
  • Levites = specialized ministry support, admin for priests [1 levite per 40 priests]
  • Musicians = worship leaders
  • Gatekeepers = Hosts / Body Services

Verses 46-56 list the Temple Servants [32 families]

Verse 57-60 list the descendants of the Servants of Solomon [10 families]

Total of Temple Servants & descendants of the Servants of Solomon [392 people]

  • These were families who for generations embraced their role as ‘Servants’
  • There is a satisfaction in serving the Lord in simplicity, without upward mobility

61 The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers’ houses nor their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642 people.

  • Undocumented… Not in the register but here in Scripture!
  • We have their town and family names
  • These people wanted to obey God even if they were not officially included

63 Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 The governor [Zerubbabel?] told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.

  • They didn’t have the proper documentation to be ‘priests’ but God lists them
  • A High Priest could use the Urim & Thummin to hear from God about it

V. 66-69: The whole assembly together was 42,360, besides their 7,337 male and female servants, and they also had 245 male and female singers. There were 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

  • All the previous people listed only add up to 30,457…
  • The only names given were the people of the province of Judah
  • Judah’s territory was most of the surrounding area of Jerusalem, but not all
  • You have foreign servants & foreign singers…they had to import singers…
  • Not a lot of animals for 42,000 people

70 Now some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave to the work.

  • In Ezra 2 it is specific: they gave freewill offerings for the House of God
  • Here it is more general, ‘The work’: wall, gates and the Temple surroundings
  • Communal Giving / shared condition
  • All gave to the treasury then leadership spent it as consensus

The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests’ garments and 500 minas of silver. 71 And some of the heads of fathers’ houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests’ garments.

  • Darics were gold pieces used by the Persian empire: ¼ oz of Gold
  • Basins were for ceremonial washing
  • Priest’s garments were a very detailed uniform and quite costly [Shared Use]
  • Minas of sliver were approximately one pound bars of sliver
  • Notice the numbers…vs Ezra 2:69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priests’ garments. [Two Different Offerings?]

73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns. And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.

  • The nation of Israel is ‘Re-Constituted’
  • They they are ready to live as God’s people… they need to know how

Why are all of these people listed here and in Ezra chapter 2? Individuals matter to God…each and every one… A personal, intimate, relational God.

BIG IDEAS

God is always focused on the on-going ‘people part’ of kingdom building projects.

God desires His new building projects to have shared leadership and high security.

God calls His people to various roles in the ‘Building’ but they all matter. [He Knows]

God calls His people to sacrifice financially to fund Kingdom Work.

God calls His people to live in relational, worship based community centered on Him.

APPLICATION

What is God currently building in YOU?

What role can YOU play to share leadership & protect our Body?

Why does God record the financial giving in scripture here and elsewhere?

What is your vision for a life surrendered to God in worshipful, relational community?

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you My promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.” ~ Jeremiah 29:10-14

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Nehemiah Pt. 9: Victory for God’s People

Nehemiah 6 ESV

Three themes – (v1-14) attack, (v15-16) victory, (v17-19) endurance

6 Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm.

3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner.

5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand.

6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.”

8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.”

11 But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” 12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me.

14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. 19 Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.

Summary:

There is victory in Jesus

Avoiding your God-given responsibility is to sin

To not be led astray, we need to know the scripture

Sin has consequences that can come back to bite you, but it’s not the end of the story

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Nehemiah Pt. 8: And All The People Said “Amen”!

Opposition to Kingdom Building from Within

Nehemiah 5:1-19 (ESV)

Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.

I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them. And said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunt of the nations our enemies? Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerses the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.  Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

Summary Points

-We must fix our eyes on Jesus to maintain a high view of the faith and the church.

-Our conduct (good or bad) is an advertisement to the world. The world reads us, not the Bible. 

-Nehemiah was an example to the flock; like our elders must be. We need your prayers to walk in integrity; to give you an example to follow.

-Nehemiah asked to be remembered. Praise God, He forgets our sin but He remembers our works!

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Nehemiah Pt. 7: Trust & Wisdom

Asking God to be Himself & Acting Wise

This is an amazing passage about how we kingdom build / disciple build… in the face of opposition. We follow the example found here in Nehemiah: we employ Trust & Wisdom!

Trust & Wisdom: This is how we conduct Biblical Spiritual Warfare. If we want to build Kingdom things we will have to do it thru opposition [warfare]

3 Basic steps we follow when conducting Spiritual Warfare found in this chapter:

#1: It all begins with the RECOGNITION OF OPPOSITION

  • Because Satan & His minions don’t take a day off…

#2: Constant PRAYER TO PREPARE

  • Asking God to do what He will to do

#3: ACTING WITH WISDOM to do what we can do

  • Defensive and Offensive modes of living [Christ Following]

Trust & Wisdom…We get such models of Spiritual Warfare from Scripture

Here is what our text will show us today: The building has begun…the initial excitement dissipates… reality sets in. People start to get discouraged, doubt begins to be voiced, rumors start spreading. How does the building process go forward? God’s people prepare with prayer, trusting God to do what He will do. Then as they trust God, they wisely prepare what they can do…Leadership rallies everyone to the plan because it is a ‘God Given Plan’. Nehemiah leads God’s people to trust their God and act with wisdom.

So let’s join the story in chapter 4 of Nehemiah..

Last Week:

But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves. ~ Nehemiah 4:7-9 [NLT]

Nehemiah 4:10-23

10 Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.”

  • The workers from outside the city begin the grumbling
  • ‘There is no end in sight to the work’…It seems like ‘eating an elephant’
  • But maybe there is some other thing that is really the problem…

11 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.” 12 The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!”

  • Nehemiah knew what the enemy was saying because it was well known
  • People working on the wall lived next to those who were opposed to building
  • They were seeing the preparations that were being made to attack the builders
  • The builders were outnumbered and outflanked / surrounded by enemies

13 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.

  • It was wise to stop work for a moment to organize security [priority]
  • Security was organized on the same model labor on the wall was: community
  • Weapons for different kinds of combat: distance, intermediate & close
  • They prepared for everything they could

14 Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!”

  • Nehemiah double checked his preparation
  • Then he addresses the issue of fear
  • Then he reminds them God who Yahweh ‘the Lord’ IS
  • Then he encourages them to fight for their family & future

15 When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. 16 But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail.

  • Again they know how the opposition reacts [they are like bullies]
  • But you still need to be ready for the bully to throw a sucker punch
  • Attitude of being alert…NOT of FEAR

The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. 18 All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm.

  • Leadership shows it’s support for people who raised important issues
  • Both sides came together trusting God and being prepared for opposition
  • He is initial alarm system to be duplicated [trumpet]

19 Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, “The work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!”

  • They needed a practical way to make a call to arms
  • The sounding of trumpets was big in the history of God’s nation Israel
  • They are ready but they are trusting God to win the battle

21 We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard. 22 I also told everyone living outside the walls to stay in Jerusalem. That way they and their servants could help with guard duty at night and work during the day.

  • Regular vigilance, not when people have time or when it is convenient
  • Spiritual warfare is a daily deal
  • Leadership thinks safety first…AND productivity increases because of it!

23 During this time, none of us—not I, nor my relatives, nor my servants, nor the guards who were with me—ever took off our clothes. We carried our weapons with us at all times, even when we went for water.

  • Leadership sets the example of being extra vigilant
  • Nehemiah and his people covered for others while they ‘freshened Up’
  • The people did their part & believed what they were doing was God protected

KINGDOM BUILDING PRINCIPALS

People get discouraged when the hard work of the project becomes reality.

Opposition to Kingdom Building is coming…it is just a matter of when and how.

Prepare to build with prayer: V. 9 last week & a theme throughout Nehemiah: Prayer!

Act based on God given wisdom born of Prayer / Trust.

Leadership makes sacrifices beyond what it asks of followers.

KINGDOM BUILDING APPLICATION

What can you do to work against things discouraging our Body? [Ephesians 4:1-3]

KINGDOM BUILDING APPLICATION

Have you faced unexpected opposition in the past when you got involved in ‘Kingdom Building’? How well do you recognize the need to prepare with prayer? [Ephesians 6:18]

KINGDOM BUILDING APPLICATION

If we are called to not be afraid of the enemy and at the same time to be wise and prepare, what kind of attitude do we need to bring to our life of Kingdom Building? [Philippians 2:1-11]

THERE IS A LOT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT SPIRITUAL WARFARE!!!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ~ Ephesians 6:10-13 [NASB 1995]

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