Nehemiah 12:27-47a – Walls and Worship

SPEAKER 02 : 0:08

Welcome to Expository Truths, where we exalt Christ by bringing clarity of truth through the scriptures with Dr. John Kyle, pastor of Faith Community Church in Vacaville. As Christians, we are called to know the truth and be able to proclaim it. We can know the truth when we know the Word of God, which is precise, without error, powerful, and effective for both salvation and spiritual growth. Let’s join Pastor Kyle as he takes us verse by verse through the book of Nehemiah, an incredible book showing us how God sovereignly used the faithfulness of Nehemiah to lead the people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in the midst of many mighty and powerful enemies.

SPEAKER 01 : 0:57

Please bring your Bibles to Nehemiah chapter 12, verses 27 through 47. Nehemiah 12… 27 through 47. Now remember, God led Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and to rebuild the ruined walls of the city, which was an absolutely remarkable task. But even more, God led Nehemiah, along with Ezra, to be the catalyst in bringing the people back to repentant faith in the living God. At this point, the wall has now been finished, and it’s been an amazing month as the people have been celebrating corporately at both the Feast of Trumpets and then the Feast of Tabernacles. And then as they gathered together to observe a national day of repentance, followed by the signing of a covenant, where together they committed themselves to honoring and obeying God once again out of their great love for Him. Last time we saw the plan to move 10% of the people back into the city of Jerusalem. That wouldn’t be easy, but it was clearly the best thing to do. It was the needful thing to do, and it was the God-pleasing thing to do. All right, so now what? Well, it was back in chapter 6, verse 15, that says that the wall was finished on the 25th day of the month of Elo in 52 days, which is absolutely amazing, right? I mean, that is an incredibly… amazing task it’s now been a month since that wall was finished an incredible month of great excitement and great spiritual renewal and now we come to this verse here in chapter 12 verse 27 now it says this now at the dedication of the wall of jerusalem stop there Here we see the event which we are now going to look at, which is this. The dedication of the rebuilt month-old wall around Jerusalem. Now please remember that finishing this wall around Jerusalem was a massive task. Just by way of reminder, a little bit of history. It was in 722 BC that Israel to the north was brutalized, besieged, and then deported by the Assyrians. Over a hundred years goes by and Babylon has now become the dominant power in the region. And as such, they invaded Judah to the south where Jerusalem was three times with the destruction of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple during the third assault in 586 BC. So the Babylonians came in, they conquered, they took the wealthiest and most distinguished people of the land, along with the most valuable treasure of the temple, and they sent them all off to Babylonia. Another deportation took place soon after, leaving only the poorest in the land to virtually fend for themselves. Judah was absolutely devastated. And while some people still remained in the land, think about it, they had no leaders, They had no wealth, they had no real means, and they were under the rule of the Babylonians. In fact, many who had been deported to Babylon were better off than those who remained in the land of Judah. Well, as we know, after 70 years of captivity in Babylon, something changed. Miraculously, as Ezra 1 tells us, the deported Jews were given the opportunity to return to their homeland, the Promised Land. Out of some two to three million Jews who had been deported from the land 70 years earlier, only 50,000, about 2%, decided to return to the promised land. But they did return. And in the days of Ezra, they rebuilt the temple and they laid a spiritual foundation for Israel once again. The book of Nehemiah begins 15 years after the book of Ezra ends. So again, just try to picture what’s going on. Ezra tells us that some of the Jews returned to the land, they rebuilt the temple, and they began to spiritually reunite the community under the leadership of Ezra. Very good. But look, there’s still no wall around the city of Jerusalem. What’s the big deal about that? Well, first, walls around ancient cities were for protection. No walls, no protection, not good. When the Babylonians came in and conquered Judah, they purposefully tore down the walls of the city. Why? Because torn down walls represented defeat. Torn down walls represented weakness. And it represented the fact that you had indeed been conquered. And so rebuilding the walls would represent a new day. Not only that the city would be protected from their enemies, but also that God was again with them. And that a new day of hope was dawning for the people. But, again, there was no wall around Jerusalem. The year is now 445 B.C., and the book of Nehemiah opens up by telling us that Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the king of Persia, King Artaxerxes, in the capital city of the empire, Shushan, also known as Susa. Note that it was less than 35 years earlier in the same city that Esther was used by God for such a time as this, remember? To rescue the Jews from extermination. And then before that, this is a city where Daniel had his vision in Daniel chapter 8. Shishan was about 800 miles away from Jerusalem. And when Nehemiah, the Jewish cupbearer to the king, asked some of his brethren about what was going on with his people in Judah and in Jerusalem, they responded with these words in chapter 1. The people are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire. In other words, things are bad. Things are very, very, very bad. Very bad. The word for distress speaks of an event that brings great loss and misfortune. The Hebrew word used here speaks of evil, wickedness, trouble, disaster, and misery. The Hebrew word for reproach speaks of disgrace, shame, abuse, and dishonor. And that’s what was happening to the people who had returned to the land, and that’s what was happening to the people in Jerusalem. But look, it wasn’t just distress and reproach, but it was great distress. distress and reproach, which emphasizes the distress and the reproach. It’s as if words can’t explain how bad things really are in Jerusalem. Furthermore, look, the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed with fire. And so the news just keeps on getting worse. Now think about it. It’s been 140 years since Nebuchadnezzar came in and conquered Judah and tore down the walls of Jerusalem. And even though some people have returned and rebuilt the temple, look, the walls and the gates of the city of Jerusalem are still in ruins. The one and only attempt to rebuild the wall was thwarted a long time ago, and the walls and the gates of the city remained in shambles. And so Jerusalem was still a city without defense. I mean, the temple in Jerusalem could be easily destroyed by anyone who wanted to destroy it, because no decent stand could be made against your enemies without a defense wall. And then there’s this. Israel and Judah were God’s people. Jerusalem was God’s city, and a devastated city with no wall around it, again, represented defeat and weakness. See, the city needed a wall, right? We’ve seen that, right? It desperately needed a wall. So if you remember, Nehemiah prayed and by the good hand of God upon him, he was sent with a blessing from King Artaxerxes to go to Jerusalem and to become the governor there and to help the people return to God and to also rebuild the walls around the city, which he did. In less than two months. And under intense opposition. And against all odds. But hey, nothing’s impossible with God, right? Right? Right? It was all very dramatic. But in the end, the people rallied together, they worked together. The wall was indeed finished in 52 days, around September 21st, give or take. About two and a half miles long, about 10 feet wide, and around 40 feet tall. It was truly a miracle, and even the opposition perceived that this work was done by God. And look, now that the people have had a month to get right with the Lord by diving into the Word together, by repenting together, by getting back to loving God and loving others correctly, and worshiping the one true God the way He really is worthy of, they now turn to dedicating the wall by having a corporate worship service. And why not? I mean, how could they not celebrate God? How could they not celebrate the goodness of God and the fact that Jerusalem now has a wall around it when only God’s hand upon them could have accomplished that? Now they needed to celebrate. They needed to formally celebrate. They needed to formally give praise to the Lord together. They needed to sing His praises together in light of the wall being finished. A wall that still has portions standing today. And so they dedicated the wall. Note that this wasn’t just a time of praise to God in a general way that the wall was completed, but it was a way to recognize this particular city, the holy city, and how after a long period of neglect and desecration, it’s been restored to its rightful owner. As one noted, the dedication consisted in a solemn ceremony in which the leading authorities, accompanied by the Levitical singers, summoned from all parts of the country, and by a vast concourse of people marching in imposing procession around the city walls and pausing at intervals to engage in united praises, prayer, and sacrifices, supplicated the continual presence, favor, and blessing on the holy city. So, this was a very important dedication. This was a very important ceremony in the life of the people. So they dedicated the wall, and the first thing they did was celebrate. And celebration took place throughout this whole event. Look, verses 27 through 30. Now, at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought out the Levites in all their places to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgiving and singing with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps. And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophethites, from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Asmaveth. For the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem. Then the priests and Levites purified themselves and purified the people, the gates, and the wall.” So look, the purpose of this wall dedication service is made very clear. It was to celebrate the dedication with gladness. The first thing that they did was seek out the Levites and all their places to bring them to Jerusalem. Why? Because the Levites, who were descendants of Jacob’s son Levi, they were the people who were selected by God to lead the people in worship. Some of the Levites were priests, but the rest were servants and ministers and all things that had to do with the worship of the one true God, supporting the priests and doing whatever was needed for the tabernacle and the temple, and then the general worship of the Lord. And so one of the jobs of the Levites was to lead the people in songs of worship and praise to God. And so… If the people were going to dedicate the wall and have a great worship service to the Lord together, then the Levites, who were scattered all over the countryside, they needed to be here in Jerusalem. Look, they were brought here to celebrate the dedication with gladness. That makes sense, doesn’t it? It’s a day of gladness. The Hebrew word for gladness means joy, mirth, and the emotion of great happiness and great pleasure. And this dedication service is certainly a time for that. I mean, think of being there. Try to picture it if you can. Think of seeing that wall. Think of looking back just a few months ago with all the oppression and all the distress that was going on. And now look. Not only is the wall done, but the people are joyful and they’re intent on honoring the Lord. It’s an absolutely incredible time. It’s certainly a time for the people to be glad. It’s certainly a time for the people to be joyful. We can relate, can’t we? Come on! Okay, this is a time. I mean, we’re talking about gladness here. We’re talking about joy here. We can relate, can’t we? Okay, that’s a little better. I mean, come on. With Jesus as your Lord and Savior, think about it, every day should be a day of gladness and joy. That’s true. Why? Because true joy and true gladness is found in Christ. Oh yes, happiness comes and goes with our circumstances, but in Christ we have an abiding joy that no earthly trial, hardship, pain, or struggle can really extinguish. Why? Because joy is a deep down confidence that all is well between God and me. And therefore, no matter what happens to me in this life as a Christian, I am God’s and God is mine. What else matters? In light of that, See, spiritual joy transcends circumstances. And while life is often very hard and painful and brutal, we know this. I’m not making light of that. We know that. Look, we in Christ know who we are. We know whose we are. We know that life is short, but eternity is forever. And we know that no matter what happens, the best truly is yet to come. The best by far. And in that, we can be glad. In that, we should… Always rejoice. We have Christ. We have Christ. And the Psalms were repeatedly told to be joyful in the Lord. Paul says rejoice in the Lord. How often? Always. Again, I say rejoice. Christ says rejoice, for your names are written in heaven. And so our relationship to God should bring great joy and gladness to our hearts and to our lives. It should be clearly seen. And the question is, is it? Can people tell you’re a Christian because you’re so joyful? Because you have Christ? Even in the midst of hardship? Even in the midst of pain? Because you have Christ. Joy comes from the Lord. Rejoicing is a command. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit of God who lives in you. And it’s to be a continual part of our lives. And it should be. So yeah, we can relate to the gladness and joy of these people here in Nehemiah chapter 12. What else marked this day? Thanksgiving. Here the people marveled at God’s astonishing and totally undeserved generosity to them. And so, with a sense of adoring wonder, they gave public expression to their immense gratitude. And look, their commitment to Thanksgiving is deliberately repeated throughout this passage. They were thankful to God, and they let God and they let everyone else know it. We in Christ can relate, can we not? Thankful? Anyone here have any reason today, as a Christian, to be thankful? Right? You do. You do if you’re a Christian. See, God’s people aren’t just joyful people, but they’re also thankful people. And not just when we’re dedicating a wall to God. No, but all the time. Because every good thing in life comes from God. And if you’re saved today, then you already have the best thing. You have Him. I’m saved. I’m going to heaven. My trials are temporary, but soon I’ll be home. God cares for me. God loves me. God is with me. God will never leave me. God is working all this out for my eternal good. What about when I’m knee deep in a painful trial? What then? Yes, even then. Look, thanksgiving in a time of trial reflects three things. One, remembrance of God’s supply in the past. You think back over his faithfulness to you up to this point and you realize that his mercies have sustained you through it all. He’s been with you in every trial. He never abandons or forsakes us as children, even if we face persecution and even if we face death for his sake. Two, submission to God’s sovereignty in the present. To thank God in the midst of a crisis or trial is to say, Lord, I don’t understand, but I submit to your sovereign purposes in this situation. I trust that you know what you’re doing and that you will work it all out for the good, Lord. I trust you. Thank you, Lord. Three, trust in God’s sufficiency for the future. A thankful heart rests upon the all-sufficient God, knowing that even though we don’t see how He’s going to do it, He will meet our every true need as we cast ourselves onto Him. Do you believe that? I mean, the Bible is very clear about that, but do you believe that? So, thanksgiving really is a distinct marker of a true believer. I have Him. I’m saved. I have everything. I can be thankful because I have Him. We can certainly relate to the people here in chapter 12. Third, the people celebrated with singing. Now look, the Levites had many responsibilities in the life and worship of Israel, but one of the important jobs that they had was to lead the people in songs of worship and praise to God. And it wasn’t just a cappella, no, but it was with instruments, cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps. See, When the temple was around, some of these singers dwelt in chambers by the temple, and their job was to sing to God, lead in singing to God, write songs for the glory of God, and to teach others to sing to God in heartfelt worship and in heartfelt praise. And they did that day and night. But look, for this particular celebration, they want to get way more singers than they normally have. And as the Levites lived in various towns around the countryside, they gathered the singers together for this very special dedication service where they formed two great Thanksgiving choirs to celebrate the day. Natofa was southeast of Bethlehem. Gilgal was near Jericho in the other direction. Geba and Asmaveth was northeast of Jerusalem. And so these singers came really from all over the area to celebrate. Now, since the job of these singers was to lead the people in worship to God, they had to be good singers. You want someone who is gifted in it. But even more, these people had to be people of worship themselves. See, when God’s people sing to Him, it’s not just singing together that takes place. No. Like singing the words to your favorite song at a concert with a bunch of other people. It’s not like that. It’s singing to God. Think about that. From a heart that’s in love with Him. And that changes things. See, singing is a part of worship. It’s a way to worship God. It’s not all that worship is, not by a long shot, but it’s indeed a way for God’s people to worship Him and to lift Him high and to exalt Him together. See, the goal isn’t to give the people a good feeling, even though that may happen, but the goal is to give glory and honor to the Lord whom you love. And when that is done… with words that glorify Him, from hearts that love Him, singing out to Him, it greatly pleases the God whom you love. Greatly pleases Him. His people should sing to Him from a heart that loves Him. Songs that honor His name and songs that extol His greatness. Dead men don’t sing, but we who are spiritually alive certainly do and we certainly should. Eagerly, from the heart, for His glory, and full of passion and love. And so the singers came to sing to God, yes, and to also lead the people in singing songs to God for His glory, honor, and praise, along with musical instruments. So, I say to you, sing out to God. Sing out to God. Look, have you ever been to a beautiful place and you just can’t help yourself, and so you turn to a stranger and say, isn’t that incredible? I do that all the time. You have to say something because the praise completes the enjoyment. And that’s why Christians sing. It’s like, how could we not? We love Him so much for who He is and for what He’s done for sinners like us that we must praise Him. We must give thanks to Him. And that’s seen in many ways. And one of those ways is singing. The Psalms make that very clear, that because we’re overflowing with love for Him, that one of the ways we praise Him is through songs of thanksgiving, praise, and love back to Him, for that’s the outflow of our love to Him, of our enjoyment of Him. Psalm 511, let all who take refuge in you rejoice, let them ever sing for joy. Psalm 9.2, I will be glad and exult in you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. Psalm 51.14, deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. Psalm 59.16, I will sing of your strength. I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning, for you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of distress. psalm 63 7 you have been my help and in the shadow of your wings i sing for joy james 5 13 is anyone cheerful let him sing songs or praises to god don’t you see god’s been so very good to you if he’s done anything good for you one of the ways to respond is to sing his praises back to him how could we not what about you sing

SPEAKER 02 : 23:50

Thanks for joining us for today’s exposition from the Book of Nehemiah on Expository Truths with Dr. John Kyle. Faith Community Church seeks to exalt Christ by bringing clarity of truth through the scriptures with a commitment to glorifying God through the pure, deep and reaching message of the gospel. Pastor John is the preaching pastor at Faith Community Church of Vacaville, a seminary professor and a trainer of preaching pastors overseas. Join for services at Faith Community Church Sundays at 9 and 1045 a.m. 192 Bella Vista Road, Suite A. To learn more, visit vacavillefaith.org or call 707-451-2026. That’s 707-451-2026. Or visit vacavillefaith.org.

SPEAKER 1 : 25:58

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