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 02 :
Please turn your Bibles to Nehemiah chapter 11, verse 1, through chapter 12, verse 26. Nehemiah 11, 1 through 12, 26. Remember, God led Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and to rebuild the ruined walls of the city, which was a truly remarkable task. But even more, God led Nehemiah to be the catalyst in bringing the people back to repentant faith in the living God. At this point, the wall has now been miraculously finished. It’s been an amazing month as the people have been celebrating corporately at the Feast of Trumpets and then at 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 they committed themselves to honoring and obeying God once again out of their great love for Him. Okay, so now what? Let’s look, verses 1 and 2. Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city. And nine tenths were to dwell in other cities. And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem. So look, back in chapter 7, verse 4, after the wall around the city was done, after it was rebuilt, it says this. Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the houses were not rebuilt. And that is a massive problem. And while the last month since then has been an incredible time of spiritual renewal, as we have seen, which was very necessary, think about it. What good is a city even with fine defensive walls if nobody lives in that city? What point is there for newly rebuilt walls if there’s hardly anyone in the city to defend the city? And then, how could the temple, with all of its daily, weekly, and monthly duties, along with its annual festivals, accommodate all of its worshippers if no one lived in the city itself? And then there’s this. Jerusalem was no normal city, right? Not at all. Not at all. No, Jerusalem was God’s city. It was a city like no other city. It was a city where God’s manifest presence was found. It was a city where God’s temple was located and where God’s worship was centralized. It was a city where his Shekinah glory was at above the mercy seat there in the temple. And so the city, this city in particular, needed to be lived in. It needed to be filled. It needed to be alive. It needed to be thriving. And the best way to secure Jerusalem’s future was to ensure that people actually lived in the city. It needed to happen, see? It needed to happen. But who wants to live in the city when you’re used to living in the country? Well, evidently not many people. You see, the people had gotten used to country living, evidently, growing wheat and barley, olives and so on, with chickens and sheep running around, and it was much better to them than living in the empty city, soon to become a very crowded city. And so, not many were volunteering to move into the city of Jerusalem. Think about it. To live in Jerusalem, you had to reorder your view of material things. He had to give up land in your previous region and take up some kind of new business in Jerusalem. To live in Jerusalem, you had to arrange your social priorities, which certainly meant leaving some friends and family behind in your own country village. To live in Jerusalem, you had to have a mind to endure problems in the city. I mean, it had been a virtual ghost town for 70 years, and even now, with this rebuilt wall, the city didn’t look all that glorious, and it definitely needed a lot of work. And then there’s this. To live in Jerusalem, you had to live knowing that you were a bullseye target for any enemy. Yes, there were now some strong walls to protect you, but since Jerusalem was now a notable city with rebuilt walls, the fear now was from a whole army coming and getting you instead of just a small band of robbers, see? As one said, the old village was nice, but… Not in much danger from great armies like the city of Jerusalem now was. And that’s absolutely right. And so, no one really wants to live in the city, okay? No one really wants to live in the city. But look, the leaders dwelt in the city. Isn’t that good? The leaders. What do real leaders do? They lead. By example, right? That’s what they do. And if they don’t lead by example, then they shouldn’t be called leaders unless you want to call them bad leaders. Real leaders pave the way, though. They show others how to do it, right? They set the example. And so that’s what they did, and they lived in Jerusalem. See, real leaders don’t just say it. Real leaders show it. Jesus didn’t just say, serve one another, but he showed us how that’s done by washing the disciples’ dirty feet. Jesus didn’t just tell us to be humble and to look out for one another’s interests. No, but he showed us what it was like by taking on human flesh and humbling himself to the point of death, even the death of the cross. And our call there in Philippians 2 is to be like Christ, who set the example for us, which is what all good leaders do. Look, how good is it if I tell you what a good marriage is like when my marriage is in shambles? How good is it if I tell you how to play the piano when I’m an absolutely horrible piano player? How good is it if I tell you the key to financial success when I’m way over my head in debt myself? How good is it for me to tell you how you need to suffer and give up much to go live in the city of Jerusalem when I’m not willing to do that myself? No, good and godly leaders aren’t all talk. No, they lead the way and they show others what it’s like. Like Paul who said, mimic me as I mimic Christ. That’s right. That’s good leadership. That’s godly leadership. leadership and clearly nehemiah was a catalyst for all of this clearly nehemiah did this himself and clearly nehemiah led the charge for the other leaders to follow in in what he was doing it’s also a great challenge for every one of us here right now you say no i’m not a leader i’m off the hook therefore i’m not a leader not so fast Because most of us have some kind of influence over others. Husbands, fathers, mothers, grandparents at work, and so on. And so you are indeed leaders. And the call for all of us is to set a good example, a godly example to others. And I guess the question is, are you doing that? All right. Second, look, the people cast lots to see who would dwell in Jerusalem. So again, Jerusalem needs to be populated, but most people don’t want to move there, even though they all agree that Jerusalem needs to be populated. So now what? Here’s what. Let’s roll the dice to see who’s going to move to Jerusalem. And that’s basically what they did. The people really submitted to a lottery system where 1 out of 10 would be selected to move from the surrounding regions into the city of Jerusalem. In the end, at least 10% of Judah’s population would live in the city. Submitting to this couldn’t have been easy for the people. At least 10% of the people would have their lives turned upside down and inside out. But they agreed to it, and that had to have taken a great deal of faith on their part. I mean, they had to have trusted that if they got selected, then it was God who had selected them. Look, they probably weren’t excited about that, but they went anyhow. Why? Why? Because pleasing God is more important than comfort. It’s more important than ease. It’s more important than even happiness. Pleasing God, see, brings true joy even when it’s hard, even when it’s harder. Had you not done that, see? It’s true. But then look, third. There were some people who willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem, verse 2, and I absolutely love that. Now please note that some commentators think that it was those who were chosen by Lot who then willingly offered themselves to live in Jerusalem, and so they submitted to the providence of God. And then others believe that this means that there were indeed some who actually volunteered to move, which is what it seems to be saying to me. And if that’s the case, then these people were seriously, eternally focused. Because again, moving to Jerusalem wouldn’t have been easy in any way whatsoever. And then to volunteer to do that, knowing how hard it was going to be, Oh man, they had to have had God’s glory as their top priority. They had to have known clearly that this is indeed what God wanted them to do. And they had to have been convicted that honoring and obeying God is way more important than any of my own personal comfort. Not that those who didn’t volunteer to move were in sin, not at all, for they were willing to submit to moving if the lot fell to them. But these people who volunteered to move, man, they clearly saw what was at stake. And they were convicted that what they preferred was secondary to what God desired. Isn’t that good? God wants me to go and live in Jerusalem, even though it’s going to be a lot harder. even though life as I know it is going to be much different, even though it’s going to impact my finances and my job and my family and everything else, God wants me to go. Okay, I’ll go because God comes first. See, that’s how it works. Look, many people are moving these days fine as long as you move for the right reasons. See, you shouldn’t move for better finances. You shouldn’t move for your own comfort and ease. You shouldn’t move for a bigger house or a better retirement. No. You should move because moving is the way that you’re going to be able to honor God the most. Because life isn’t about having a better earthly home or a better retirement or a bigger house. No, life is all about glorifying and honoring God the best that you possibly can. And that should always be our first concern. So move. Yes, move. But only if it’s going to enable you to best glorify God. Because we were created to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. See? And the thing about these people here in Nehemiah 11 is that they moved away from the easier life to a harder life. Who does that? They knew that that was the best way for them to glorify and honor God at that time. And so they actually volunteered to move. That has eternal value. Question, who are you living for? Eternal things or earthly things? Things that truly last or things that burn and rot? Does Christ really come first for you or does He only come first when things are easy? As the verse in Isaiah 43.1 says, which applies to every believer in Christ today, Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name. You are mine. Think about that. Isn’t He worth being a little bit uncomfortable for? Isn’t He worth putting first in our lives? Isn’t He worth moving for to a place that’s worse than where we’re now at? If that’s what He wants. Isn’t He worth suffering for and even dying for? Yes. How about living for Him? Well, based on the number of men who moved to the city, there were probably around 10,000 people who moved into Jerusalem, which certainly would have filled it. With a total population of 100,000 Jews in the land, that’s an estimate. And so the plan has been set and the people will begin their move into Jerusalem. Verse 3 says that the people blessed all the men who willingly moved and it was most likely a scene… where they knelt down as the people prayed corporately for God’s blessing upon those people. So they sent them off with an encouragement and with a blessing. Now what? So first, verses 30 through 24, which is a list of names and families of those who volunteered to move back into the city of Jerusalem. The people mentioned include priests, Levites, and temple servants. Now think about that. These guys have their names in the Bible for honoring the Lord. That’s amazing. Next, we come to a list of towns and villages where 90% of the population lived. In these next verses, verses 1 through 11, it gives a list of priests and Levites who came back 100 years before Nehemiah at the first return under Zerubbabel and Yeshua, verse 1. We now come to another list of priests and Levites, verses 12 through 26. Why is that here? And then why read it? Well, it is the inspired Word of God, so there’s that. And then God saw fit to record these names. And these are all real people who lived and died and who honored God with their lives. And even if these individuals are unknown to us personally, they personalize the narrative. Like a memorial to a fallen soldier, these names represent faithful people of the past. And we do well to read those names, at least to read those names. Think about it. Here, God remembers the joyful obedience of his people and it blesses him. And I wonder where we would be if there was a list made today of the people who are faithful servants of the Lord. Would we be on that list? Note a few things. Note that the newly populated city has its overseers and also an additional person who is second over the city, verse 9. These were the administrators and city managers ensuring that the city streets and markets were kept clean, that proper sanitation arrangements were maintained, and that wise building regulations were honored. Note also that there were those who took care of the outside work of the house of God, verse 16. See, the temple, like any modern church building, was subject to the effects of the elements. Therefore, its materials were in constant need of repair. And so those who headed up the outside repair were named. And I love that. I mean, such labor often goes unnoticed, but God sees. And God, their names are in the Bible. God put their names here. Others have had responsibilities in temple worship. Sariah was a ruler of the house of God and he was supported by a team of priests, of singers, of Levites, and of others. Each one faithfully doing his part. And again, God notices that. See, nothing is small to God when it’s done for His glory, right? Nothing. And that’s good for us to remember. All that said, let me make just two general observations in light of that passage. First, you can greatly impact the next generation. Why say that? Because as we read lists like this, you see this. The father of, the son of, the children of. See? There’s a generation of families who are committed to the Lord, who are committed to the Word of God, who are committed to serving the Lord. What’s interesting is that in chapter 12, you have lists of priests and Levites at the time of the first return in 537 BC, a hundred years earlier. But in chapter 11, you have a list of current priests and Levites a hundred years later. And you see many of the same names because they’re of the same families. And so a hundred years later, the family is still praising and serving and worshiping the Lord. And that doesn’t happen by accident. No. Remember in Judges, when the first generation died off, the second generation came along and it says that they did not know the Lord nor the work which God had done for Israel, but they should have known. And that’s a failure on the generation before them. And we don’t want to fail like that. And while we can’t save our children, God’s the one who saves. We can certainly do what God calls us to do. Second observation as we look at these lists, life is brief. Ain’t that the truth? Ain’t that the truth? Time flies. Everyone dies unless we’re Enoch or Elijah or unless we’re raptured. But death for us all is pretty certain and it goes fast. Think about it. All these names represent people. People who lived for a short time and then died. So many names. Horatius Bonner said that ours is a dying world. We dwell in a world of death and a land of graves. Earth is a vast graveyard. And he’s absolutely right. And the question is, are you ready? Are you ready to die? You better be. Because lots of people seem to be dying lately. And none of us knows when our time is going to come. And being ready is crucial. Why? Because for the non-believer, death is your worst day. But for the believer, death is your best day. See, when the non-believer dies, they go straight to hell because they have rejected the Lord and His saving grace. And because of that, they are still in their sin and they must pay the wages of their sins in hell forever, which is the just wages of sin that’s been committed against an infinite and eternal God. However, for the believer today, for us in Christ, the Christian, Jesus has already paid the full wages of all our sin in our stead on that cross. And when we die in Christ, guess what? We go directly to heaven. For to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So being ready is crucial. And surrendering to Jesus in true, saving, repentant faith is the only way to be ready. Now look, if you’re not a Christian today, you should fear death. And for good reason. Because death for you is just the beginning of your pain and misery. But, I’ve got good news. Jesus can rescue you from all that. Yes, He can. And He’s good at it. Anybody? He’s good at it. See, while we’re all sinners who stand condemned before holy God, good news, Jesus, God the Son, left heaven, came here, He lived a perfect life, He died on the cross in the believer’s place, and three days later, He rose up from the dead, and through faith in Him, because of what He did on that cross, you can be declared righteous, right, and fit for heaven, and completely forgiven of all your sin. It means everything. How is that possible? Because on the cross, Jesus took the sin of every person who would ever believe in all of history onto himself. And God the Father punished Jesus for all that sin so he wouldn’t have to punish you, the believer. That is true good news. And it comes by faith. Repentant faith. True, saving faith in Christ, in his person, and in his work. Surrender to Him in true repentant faith, and you will indeed be saved from the wrath to come. That’s good news. See, Christ changes everything. Anybody? He changes everything. And that’s why death for the Christian is our best day instead of our worst. And I guess the question is, are you ready? Are you really ready? And then for us in Christ, are you making each day count for the glory of God? Time flies, doesn’t it? It really does. In James 4, we find a people who are making plans without taking into account their own mortality and God’s sovereignty, which isn’t a Christian’s way to live. Come now, you who say today or tomorrow we’ll go to such and such a city and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit, yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. How true is that? I mean, we don’t even know what’s going to happen to us ten minutes from now, let alone tomorrow or next year. See, these people were arrogantly assuming that they would wake up tomorrow, that they would safely go to the city, and that they would do their business venture, and that it would be successful within a year, and that no one would rob them of their income. They were presuming all these things about an unknown future that they had absolutely no control of and no guarantees about. But look, each one of us could be gone tomorrow. And so James reminds us that life is short. Life is a vapor. A vapor is short-lived, right? You see the mist one minute and the next minute it’s gone. You see the steam coming off of your coffee cup and in just a second it disappears into the air. Life is like that. In Psalm 90, Moses laments the brevity of life. He compares life to a grass of the field that sprouts in the morning, and by evening it’s faded away under the hot sun. He writes in verse 10, As for the days of our life, they contain 70 years, or if due to strength, 80 years. Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for soon it’s gone and we fly away. He’s right. And even if you live to be a hundred years old, oh, how quickly life flies by. That’s why Moses prays, so teach us to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom. And so the wise live not for this life, not really, but they live for the next, for that which truly lasts. Unlike those in James 4.13 who were all about their business instead of God’s business. Hey, we’re all going to die. What are you going to do with the time you have left? What are you going to do? You better make each day count, right? Better live without regret. Better live daily for that which has true eternal value. Just forgive that person. Stop hanging on to that grudge. Let it go. Show love. Be godly. Say you’re sorry. Honor Christ. In Ephesians 5.15, the Apostle Paul tells us to redeem the time. Why? Because the days are evil and we waste so much time on things that don’t matter. And wisdom says to redeem the time while we can. As Robert Murray McShane said, life is vanishing fast. Make haste for eternity. And that’s the call for all of us. As J.C. Ryle said, years are slipping away and time is flying. Graveyards are filling up and families are thinning. Death and judgment are getting near to us all. Awake before it’s too late. What about you? Or is time having its way with you? 1 Peter 1.17 says to conduct yourself throughout the time of your stay here in fear. Psalm 39.4 says, Lord, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days. Let me know how transient I am. Behold, you have made my days as hand breaths and my lifetime as nothing in your sight. Don’t you see? There’s no assurance of tomorrow. And what we do for Christ is all that matters. Don’t waste your life. No. Redeem the precious time you have left. Make haste for eternity. How? Honor God. Draw near to God through His Word and prayer. More is better. Battle sin. Show people who Christ is. Serve others and show them the love of God. Serve in a ministry. Do whatever you can to glorify God with the fading time you have left because every moment gone by is gone by forever. And only what’s done for Christ will last.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thanks for joining us for today’s exposition from the Book of Nehemiah on Expository Truths with Dr. John Kiles. We’ll be right back. 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.
