Bible Study - Nehemiah (6) - Praise - Nehemiah 8:9-12 and 12:27-31 - August 26, 2018

Bible Study – Nehemiah (6) – Praise – August 26, 2018

This is our sixth and final lesson entitled “Nehemiah: Building a Life of Service.”

Our focus scripture is Nehemiah 8:9-12; 12:27-31a.

Serving GOD includes celebrating HIS great work.

We come to the final lesson in Nehemiah rebuilding the wall which surrounded Jerusalem, restoring the gates to Jerusalem and restoring the Jewish people’s faith and hope in the one true GOD, YAWH.

Although these lessons have been focused on rebuilding the physical wall and gates surrounding Jerusalem, it is a graphic illustration of our attempts to rebuild our lives after Satan has invaded our lives.

We studied in our first lesson that Nehemiah confessed all of his sins, the sins of his father, his ancestral line and even the nation. It is vital that we have no unconfessed sin in our lives when we are seeking to obediently serve our LORD JESUS. This is accomplished in the “eyes of our hearts” as the Apostle Paul reveals in Ephesians 1: 18-20:

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 

19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 

20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 

The most secret place in every person’s life is in the “eyes of his or her heart.” It is within every person’s heart where truth is revealed. That truth is that all have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD. So how do you measure up? Not so well! What does a person need to do to change it? You cannot live a good enough life or give of your earthly possessions to earn your freedom from the consequences of sin, which is eternal death. So what is the answer? GOD did it for us because HE loves every person who ever has been or will be. The Apostle Paul reveals this free gift to all who will place their faith in JESUS The CHRIST in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21:

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 

18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 

19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 

20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 

21 God made him (JESUS) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him (JESUS) we might become the righteousness of God.

JESUS gave HIS sinless life to pay, in full, for the sins of every person who places his or her faith in HIS passion and resurrection. JESUS took on our cloak of sin and GOD placed upon each person who places his or her faith in JESUS, HIS cloak of sinless perfection, HIS righteousness.

When a person considers rebuilding his or her life, ground zero is faith in JESUS. Yes, a person must be willing to yield his or her life to the Holy Spirit and trust GOD to rebuild his or her life. Just as Nehemiah needed help, those who choose to rebuild need help as well. GOD goes before him or her to bring the things needed for restoration into the hands of the rebuilder. Satan will be active to discourage and whisper defeat. This is where our relationship with GOD is critical. “GOD has led me to walk this walk and HE will be with me every step of the journey. Defeat is not an option.” It will be difficult and hard but there will be victory because JESUS has defeated Satan and has won the battle for your soul. You have already won, it is a matter of claiming it.

Nehemiah had a cadre of people working to restore the wall. They had to pick up each stone from the rubble and decided whether or not to use that stone again in the wall. Those who are in the rebuilding process must carefully evaluate what they allow back into their lives. Rebuilding and restoring is slow arduous work. Many want GOD to sprinkle magic dust over them and instantly they have arrived. That is not how life works. Life requires sweat equity and often time and testing.

As we rebuild the walls in our lives, we may be tested to verify that they have been properly restored. If a flaw is revealed, we must deal with it. Here one must be careful. Let GOD do the testing when HE thinks you are ready.

We may get tested and pass. Does that mean we can brush up against the things we need to avoid? NO! DO NOT TEST THE THINGS FROM WHICH GOD HAS DELIVERED US! If we need to be tested, HE will do it in HIS timing.

We have seen in our study of Nehemiah that there were many enemies out to lure him away from the work GOD had planned for him to complete. Often, the same is true when we are working to rebuild our lives.  We must stay focused upon that which GOD has called us to complete.

Nehemiah has completed the work GOD called him to accomplish. It took dedication, discernment, organizational skills, people skills and many more skills. Can you name others skills Nehemiah needed?

Who provided these skills?

When the work was completed did they just say, “Will what a good job we did?” Let’s explore!

Our lesson for last week provides the background for this week’s lesson. Give GOD the honor and praise to celebrate HIM.  

Let’s read Nehemiah 8:9-12:

9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, "This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 

10 Then he said to them, "Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because your strength [comes from] rejoicing in the Lord." 

11 And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve." 

12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, send portions, and have a great celebration, because they had understood the words that were explained to them.

Why do you think the people were weeping as they heard the Word of GOD read? There are a number of possibilities:

2 Timothy 3:16:

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Hebrews 4:12:

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

GOD’S Word reaches into the “eyes of our hearts” to reveal our sin but also our salvation. When we see where we were and then see where we are because of the forgiveness and love of GOD, we are humbled and rejoice with humility, gratitude and unspeakable joy. Once we recognize GOD’S love for us it is time to rejoice.

Thus, the unspeakable joy of our celebration leads us to reach out to those who have not come to the banquet table of GOD. We who know the truth are to share the bounty of GOD with others in humility.

Time passed.

The people along with the religious and civil leaders had celebrated the completion of the wall but the wall and gates had not been dedicated to GOD. The book of the Law had been read and explained to them.

Before, we dedicate what has been accomplished by GOD, we who know the truth, must review our relationship with GOD.

It was time for the religious leaders to prepare themselves to represent GOD. This meant that the religious leaders had to go through the process of GOD ordained ritual cleansing. Then they would be prepared to lead the dedication of all the people, the officials, wall and gates to GOD.

The dedication was to honor and acknowledge the power and presence of GOD Who led them to complete what others had not been able to accomplish in 140 years.

Let’s read Nehemiah 12:27-31a:

Dedication of the Wall

27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. 

28 The singers gathered from the region around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites, 

29 from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for they had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 

30 After the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall. [They had also purified the temple and all in the temple – 1 Chronicles 23:28 and 2 Chronicles 29:15-16.]

31 Then I (Nehemiah) brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large processions that gave thanks.  One went to the right on the wall, toward the Dung Gate. 

Nehemiah invited the leaders of Judah to join him on top of the wall. Then he had another group to come on top of the wall. This was a large group of choirs. He divided this large group of choirs into two groups. He sent one group in one direction on top of the wall and the other group in the opposite direction, on top of and around the wall.

Two large groups were on top of the wall. Archeological records reveal that the wall were about 9 feet wide. The two large groups on top of the wall demonstrated the strength and engineering of the wall.

We can only imagine the magnificent sounds coming from these two groups of choirs singing the praises to GOD.

When we restore the walls of our lives according to GOD’S plan and purpose, they are solid. It does not mean that the walls will not be challenged. It means the walls will hold.

When we are in right relationship with GOD and challenges come into our lives, that is when we seek GOD’S strength through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Our strength is within because our foundation is built upon the solid rock of JESUS. Blessings!!!