Nehemiah 13:4-31

The book of Nehemiah has been about a great work of God to renew his people and rebuild Jerusalem. There has been so much in it that has inspired us to serve God with courage and with zeal. There has been so much to admire in the example of Nehemiah and also the people as a whole. Though far away from them in time, their lives and experience of God speak with power to us down the centuries.

All of which makes this concluding chapter something of a damp squib, so to speak. What we have here is the record of failure. Wouldn't it have been better to finish at verse 3? At least then we'd have ended on a high. Conventional wisdom tells us it's best to quit while you're ahead.

But God knows best. His wisdom has dictated that we get the full story and that we get it for a reason. We'll explore that as we look at the details of this last chapter.

1. Compromise
The events of this chapter take place some 12 years after Nehemiah's original return to Jerusalem. He had been back in the service of the King of Babylon and asked for permission to go back and see how things were.

What he found was a real shock. Far from keeping going as they had been in their devotion to God, the people had slipped back into the old ways of compromise. There are 3 specifics things mentioned here:

i) Eliashib the priest had allowed the temple to be defiled by Tobiah taking up residence there. To do that, important articles had been removed, articles that had been given back by Cyrus to the people on their original return, articles that spoke of God's blessing on his people.

These had been pushed aside to make room for an enemy of God and his people. That speaks volumes.

And it didn't end there. In v.10 we see that a knock-on effect had been that the portions assigned to the Levites were not given to them. Allow the enemy to take up a place at the heart of God's temple and things will go from bad to worse.

It may have seemed a small thing to Eliashib but "what was probably passed-off as a friendly gesture to a 'neighbour' was in fact the death-knell of the worship of God".

ii) The second area of compromise was in the area of sabbath observance. The people had allowed foreign traders to do business on the sabbath in Jerusalem and had become caught up in it themselves.

Why was this significant? To keep the sabbath as God had required them expressed their faith in him (they didn't need to work on the sabbath to ensure their survival) and kept their focus (what matters most in life is a relationship with God). In compromising with foreign traders, they showed a weakened faith and a blurred focus.

iii) The third area of compromise was over the issue of taking foreign wives for themselves. This was something forbidden by God and for good reason. Intermarriage was so serious because it would eventually lead to what their enemies had aimed at yet had failed to achieve: the disappearance of the Jewish nation. They would be assimilated into the other nations and God's purposes through them would be lost.

Having seen something of what they did, we need to stand back and see how it challenges us. Notice that all 3 areas of compromise involved a foreign element. In the NT the word used for that is 'the world'. To compromise with the world, to be friends with it, is to become an enemy of God.

Of course that is not saying we don't befriend people who are not Christians; we must do so. But what we must be careful to do is not to imbibe the ways and standards of the world. Once we walked in the ways of the world but no more.

It's clear from what we've seen (and we know this in our own experience too) that compromise can appear so attractive, so reasonable. That's when it's most dangerous. What begins as a small concession leads all too quickly into defection from the Lord.

I think we can begin to see now why God in his wisdom has given us the full story. We're seeing that life in this world is a battle and it is dangerous. It may be depressing to see their decline but we need the warning. God may favour us with times of great rejoicing as he had done for them. But we cannot stay at such a peak of experience. Battles will have to be fought and we need to be strong to do so.

This tension is something that will always be a feature of the Christian life until Jesus comes again. It would be foolish to expect it to be otherwise and dangerous to ignore the warning.

2. Nehemiah's Response
The people had clearly declined in their walk with God. How did Nehemiah respond to that? In characteristic fashion! There are 3 things to notice about his response:

i) Clear - Nehemiah is clear is facing them up with what they've done. He calls a spade a spade. There is no pussyfooting around here. Sin is exposed for what it is: treachery against the Lord (see vv.11,18,27).

We live in an age when sin is denied and excused. And we're pretty good ourselves at doing so. We need to be clear about our failure to live as God intends.

It does no one any good to deny the reality of our rebellion against God. Nehemiah courageously faces the people with what they've done.

ii) Correction - But he's not only brave in saying what's wrong but he's also brave in his handling of them (literally!), forcing them to get on and put things right. It isn't enough for sin to be exposed for what it is, it needs to be remedied. What is wrong must be stopped and what is right must be started.

When we know we have sinned, this is the challenge for us too. To put away the evil and to live out the good. We may not have someone to pull our hair out but we have something far more effective: the living and active word of God, sharper than any two-edged sword, able to judge and to convict us. When God speaks to us through his word, putting his finger on an area that needs attention, it can be very painful indeed. We need to listen.

iii) Cleansing - But notice that Nehemiah was not only clear in his denunciation of sin and quick to correct it, he was also concerned for there to be cleansing of what had been polluted.

When we fail the Lord and sin, we need to be cleansed, we need our work and service for him to be restored. How we can thank him that in our Lord Jesus he has provided for all our sin and failure! His word wounds us in order that we might be healed by the cleansing and restoring grace of God.

If you know that you need that this morning, take heart from the meal we have shared in, for it speaks to us of wonderful grace for guilty sinners, of a way back to God from the dark paths of compromise. May it please him to forgive us our sins and to restore us in his service, that we might honour him and go forward in the battle, with courage and in his strength.

Nehemiah 12:1 - 13:3

1. Temple Times (vv.1-26)
The chapter begins with a focus on the temple and a list of those who served there. The list includes those who served in the days immediately after the return from exile, as well as the days of Ezra & Nehemiah. The point seems to be that there was unbroken service in the temple throughout the difficult years since. Whatever the conditions of life the church may go through, the reality of God and his covenant never changes.

The temple was always the great focal point for the people in that relationship, being the place where they would go to meet with God and where he would meet with them. The services in the temple spoke powerfully of their need of God and his grace in providing them with atonement and blessing. The great and ultimate fulfilment of the temple is our Lord Jesus and his great work was to build in himself a temple not made by hands.

It is interesting that having focussed on the town in ch.11 the focus is now on the temple. The town was fully inhabited and the temple fully staffed. There is a note of completion here. And we are also reminded of the fact that the walls were not of supreme importance in themselves; they were vitally linked to the temple and functioned as "God's gift for the protection and perpetuation of his name in the world".

It would be good to retain such a perspective upon our own physical resources and structures - to see them as serving the greater gospel realities and not as ends in themselves.

2. The Joy of the Lord (vv.27-43)
Having listed the temple servants, we're now given an account of the great celebration when the wall was dedicated, a celebration whose terminus was the temple itself. There are a number of things to notice here:

i) Structured & Prepared - The event itself was clearly very well structured and carefully planned. Nehemiah divided the people into 2 groups, led by himself and Ezra, and they walked the walls in opposite directions, converging at the temple.

This was not a spontaneous outburst of praise; it was an event whose logistics were complex and well ordered. That tells us something about our own worship and service for the Lord. Some suggest that only spontaneous worship is truly spiritual, that only extempore prayer is real. Some even extend that to preaching - there is no need for preparation, God will lead.

That is to misunderstand the meaning of the word 'spiritual'. Our spiritual worship is the offering up of our very physical bodies as living sacrifices, in ways that are deliberate and planned (Rom. 12:1ff).

There is a place in Christian experience for written prayers; they can help to keep us from becoming narrow in our concerns. It is clearly right to study and prepare to speak God's Word. And the same is true for every act of devotion to God - we are to love him with heart, soul, mind and strength - with our whole being, in ways that are thoughtful and genuine.

We need to grasp that what is structured and though-out is not necessarily any less heartfelt than that which is spontaneous and unplanned. Indeed, it may even be more so.

ii) All the People - The second aspect to notice is that the event included representatives of the whole population. This was an event for the people, not for the professionals. Yes, it included those who were gifted in music and song, and rightly so. But praise is not the sole domain of the musically literate - those of us who are 'harmonically challenged' have a part to play too! And that is what happened here. The people were led but they also played their part.

Serving God is for the whole church. Every believer is to offer their praise to him and all the gifts that God has given are to be used, whether in our daily life or in our gathered activities.

iii) Importance of Thanksgiving - Which leads into what is perhaps the dominant note of these verses - for all that the event was well-planned and inclusive, its great purpose was to praise God and to thank him for his mercy and favour, as seen so recently in the completion of the walls despite all opposition.

We see that so clearly in v.43 where the word for joy is used 5 times. The people's rejoicing was intensive (great joy) and extensive (all groups). As one writer has said, "Joy is the only right response to the perception that God is good".

Joy is to be a dominant note in our Christian experience. It is a fruit of the Spirit's work within us and is a central feature of living under God's reign ("the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" Rom. 14:17).

This event was unique in many ways. Some have compared it to revivals in church history and there are many important parallels. One vital aspect of that is noted in v.43 where we read that the people were "rejoicing because God had given them great joy".

This was not the product of a good music group or the sort of songs they were singing, nor was it down to their being led by leaders with charisma. The people have met with God and he is the author of this joy. For all the careful planning, this is not a worked-up joy but one that is sent-down, from God.

We cannot manufacture revival, nor renew ourselves. But we can learn that a focus on the great reality of God and his grace and obedience to his will, leads to praise that is full and true.

When we give ourselves to God, as they had clearly done in their work in rebuilding the walls and then in giving such close attention to his word, hearing and doing it, God is pleased to bless with the mighty sense of his presence; as our Lord said, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him" (John 14:23).

3. Going on with God
But just as their prior obedience was vital to their knowing the blessing and joy of the Lord, so too it was of the highest importance that this time of rejoicing was followed by further evidence of hearts on fire for God, expressed in obedience to him.

And that is exactly what we see. In vv.44-47, the people give for the services of the temple, as they had said they would. They keep their word in obeying God's. That is then followed in 13:1-3 by their conscious separation from "all those who were of foreign descent", in order to maintain the purity of their worship and the strength of their devotion to God.

When the Lord comes near and blesses us, as we plead that he will, it is urgent that we respond with earnest obedience to his word. He isn't asking or looking for something spectacular but rather faithfulness in the ordinary details of life, expressed here in their giving and living. One writer has perceptively said that "The true gauge of spiritual progress...is the extent to which what might be passed by as 'the normal' has been transformed".

Life with the Lord is not about clinging to experiences of great joy or trying to replicate them; they are a gift from God, even where they are preceded by our obedience. Life with the Lord is about walking in genuine faith and heartfelt obedience to his ways, loving him for who he is, not what he gives. May he help us to so glorify him. Amen.

Nehemiah 11:1-36

The focus of this book is the renewal of the people as the people of God. Integral to that has been the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. But, although the walls have been rebuilt, there is still a problem with Jerusalem. As we saw back in ch.7, it needs to be reinhabited.

In this chapter we have the record of how that happened. Before we look at the details, we need to think through why Jerusalem was important to them and how we can apply what we see here to our own situation today.

1. Jerusalem: Past & Present
Jerusalem was important because it was to be focal place for the life of the community and it housed the temple which witnessed to God, his holiness and purposes of redemption. It was the place in which redemption would be wrought and from which the great movement would begin which would take the message of redemption into all the world.

The NT is quite clear that it has lost its historic importance with the coming of Jesus. There is, now, no one 'holy place'; rather, when two or three gather together, Jesus is there, God is there, in their midst. One day all the earth will become a holy place, where God is and where God is known.

In the NT, we find references to 'Jerusalem above', referring to the gathering of all God's people, his church. The church takes on much of the significance of Jerusalem. That is quite clear in Rev. 21 where the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, comes down from heaven, as a bride dressed for her husband.

That helps us to see how we should approach this material. There will be some correlation with the church, allowing for the fact we're dealing with spiritual realities, not physical places.

2. Supporting the Church
With that in place, the first thing to notice is that they took action to repopulate Jerusalem, precisely because of its importance in the purposes of God. And just as Jerusalem was central to those purposes, so today is the church.

As you read the NT, it is striking that the great missionary endeavour has in view the founding of churches - not buildings but living, vibrant communities where God dwells by his Spirit.

The church is described by Paul as "the pillar and foundation of the truth". It is to be the 'place' where God's word is heralded and in which God's word is lived out. No wonder he tells the church in Corinth "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him". The church is central to his gospel purposes.

They understood Jerusalem's significance and acted on it. Do we see the church as central to our own understanding of the Christian life? Not the building we call church but our identity together. And not just ours but churches near and far.

If it is truly significant to us, it will show, in our prayers and our actions. Being together will not simply be for our own sake but, as in the NT, for helping and strengthening others too (and with that as a priority). When the Bible is read and preached, we'll be eager to hear what God says about his church, not just our own lives and situations.

It will show in our missionary endeavour and concern. We'll be praying for and working towards the founding of churches, not simply the conversion of individuals.

Why? Because of the church's place in God's purposes, because of its calling to tell out and to live out his healing grace in relationships that are whole and wholesome.

3. Defending the Church
Jerusalem was central to God's purposes, but, in human terms it faced an uncertain future and needed to be defended. As we read this chapter, it becomes clear that defence was high on their agenda as they repopulated the city (see vv.6,9,14).

Given that the church is "the pillar and foundation of the truth", it is also vital that it be defended from error and heresy, in teaching and living. Clearly that is an important aspect of the work of the leaders of a church but it should also be the concern of all. We cannot be indifferent to doctrinal decline, as though it was only of concern to scholars; we cannot be indifferent to moral decline, as though it could never happen here.

The church needs to be defended and we have a part to play. So play it we must, by the sword of the Spirit and prayer, with lives of love and purity.

4. Supporting the Church
Notice next how they went about supporting Jerusalem. It happened in a twofold way. People volunteered to go and live in Jerusalem and there was a selection by lot of who would go. It may well be that there were too many volunteers and they had to choose by lot from among them (rather than 2 groups).

Here is something that has a parallel in the NT. We read there that "If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task". There is a premium placed on being eager to serve God; Peter exhorts leaders to "Be shepherds of God's flock...not because you must, but because you are willing...eager to serve".

But eagerness to serve is balanced with a recognition that the Lord directs his church in appointing leaders. Leaders are appointed not only because they're willing but because God has made it clear that it is his will. The 2 aspects we see here in Neh. 11 are reflected in the related situation in the NT.

i) Having seen the principle, we must notice and learn from the eagerness with which they offered to go to Jerusalem. They didn't do so because it was a cushy number; to go would mean leaving a settled situation for a place of peril. Yet they were very keen to go because they put God's purposes and the good of the people before their own comfort and security.

This isn't just something for missionaries and full-time workers to emulate but every believer. O may the Lord give us all such large hearts!

ii) It wasn't just those who volunteered to go who were eager and willing to serve. The people as a whole decided to tithe their numbers and put a tenth of the population in Jerusalem. [Here we see again their readiness to take the principles of the law and apply them by extension to the situation at hand.]

That is akin to the church at Antioch being ready to send out some of its best leaders as church planters. How good it would be for us to share that same spirit of sacrifice!

And the people "commended all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem". They blessed them. They honoured them, not boosting their egos but gladly recognising that which was being done for the Lord and for them.

5. Extending the Church
The last thing to notice about this chapter concerns the other towns. The rest of the people settled in towns that recalled the borders during Israel's glory days under David & Solomon. Can you see what is being hinted at? The glory days seemed so long ago but, because God was at work, nothing would be impossible. In fact, the glory to come would far exceed it.

We can affirm the same too. The future of the church is glorious, however tenuous the present, to his praise and glory!

Nehemiah 9:38 - 10:39

The people have been engaging in a great covenant renewal with God. They have heard his word eagerly, they have confessed their sin humbly; now they are going to reaffirm their commitment to him resolutely and absolutely.

Here are the 2 halves of a real relationship with God: confession and commitment. Both are needed for a balanced, healthy and fruitful Christian life. It is the second aspect that we are going to explore as we look at this chapter. Although it's not been deliberately timed, there is no better way to face the start of a new year than to focus on our commitment to God and on his covenant of grace.

1. A Binding Agreement
The people's strength of resolve to live for God is seen in the fact that they set down in writing their commitment to obey his law and seal it with official seals. Nehemiah takes the lead, with the other leaders and the priests who are specifically named but the rest of the people are included too. Each one of them owns the part they will have to play if the whole community is to live before God as they should.

That strength of resolve is further seen in v.29 where they "bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God". Clearly this is no light-hearted commitment. They are saying that they recognise the justice of incurring God's wrath should they fail to honour the commitment they were making.

This is a very impressive and solemn declaration of intent. The fact it is outwardly and visibly expressed does not mean it wasn't genuine. They clearly are not going through the motions but mean what they say. To express themselves in so public a way and with a written record of their commitment would help them to keep a check on their living out what they have said.

Some believers have at times written their own commitment to God and their resolves to live in certain ways and it can be very helpful to do so. We need to guard against it being merely outward but rightly done it can be a great help.

But whether we write something or not, there is an outward and visible declaration we all make when we sit at the Lord's Table. His table and the meal we share there are all about God's covenant of grace with us. To share a covenant meal is to affirm a commitment to that relationship. As we remember that Jesus died for our sin, so we are affirming that we will now live for righteousness. It is not something to be taken lightly, however often we share in it.

They made a binding agreement and were resolute in their commitment to God. Is that something we want to share?

2. Separate...for the sake of the Law of God
The people expressed their commitment in writing but they also expressed it in life. Specifically, mention is made here of how "they separated themselves from the neighbouring peoples" (v.28). This is a recurring note in Nehemiah and is one we need to grasp.

They were called to belong to God, to be holy. That entailed separation from all that would dilute their commitment to the Lord, hence this action. But it is vital that we grasp that this is not a 'holier than thou' separation into a ghetto. They are separated from the world for the sake of the world. The same holds true for us today. We are not to conform to the ways of the world but rather we are to show to the world a new way of being, God's way of being.

Notice that it says they separated themselves from other peoples "for the sake of the Law of God". At the heart of their action was the desire to conform to what God had said.

Now, we must not think that they were legalists who only wanted to keep God's law for personal merit. They were committed to his law because they were committed to him. Having experienced his restoring grace as evidenced in the rebuilding of the wall, they now commit themselves to live a life worthy of such grace.

The implications of this for us are considerable. It challenges us to what extent our lives are different from the world - not in trivial ways but in the big issues of love, integrity, service and purity. The only lives that will impress others with the beauty of the gospel are those lives that radiate the transforming power of the gospel.

And then it challenges us to ask why we seek to obey God's word. Is it to gain his favour or because we have it? Are we motivated by gratitude to God or other reasons?

3. Keeping the Law: In Full, In Spirit
They were resolute in their commitment to God; they showed that in their separation from the peoples for the sake of the law of God. But, as some has said, "a vague statement of good intentions is not sufficient: a confession of faith needs to be translated into a practical and visible change of lifestyle and practice" (Williamson). That is exactly what we see in the rest of the chapter.

i) In Full - Their obedience to the law is comprehensive; they want to keep it in full. That is seen in the way that the 3 things mentioned here (marriage to other peoples; Sabbath keeping and providing for the needs of the temple) cover the 3 main divisions of the law (civil, moral, ceremonial).

Their approach is not the pick'n'mix that is often the case today (with us too?). Because they have been overwhelmed by God's grace, they want to respond with overflowing obedience.

They were not seeking to limit what the Lord may demand of them; their commitment was open-ended and open-hearted. It was to make its mark "upon every day of the life of the community, and of every member of it." (McConville).

ii) In Spirit - The other aspect of their approach that commends itself to us is the way they sought to interpret the law to their specific situation. They were concerned with the spirit, not simply the letter. We don't have time to look in detail now but in each of the areas mentioned, they went beyond what the law strictly said.

And to do that cost them, as the details regarding the temple provisions show. It hurt them to apply God's word and fulfil it in spirit not simply in its letter. Reflecting on that, one writer has noted that "For modern Christians...there is also a cost in discipleship. Do we regard the best of all we have, in terms of material wealth and natural endowment, as belonging first of all to God? Do we seek to apply God's standards with rigour, and a sense of how they apply to the situation in which we are now? The idea that much of the Bible is 'out of date' is little better than an excuse for not listening to it." (McConville)

iii) But we must notice that their major concern is for the temple. Why? Because of their concern for God's glory. What are we going to major on in 2002? It's quite clear what the world is majoring on: £260 spent for each man, woman and child in the January sales and mostly on self. Some of that is no doubt prudent but the spirit of the age is self-centred.

Our Lord's words are very searching here...(read Mt. 6:31-33).

Where does our heart lie? With the glory of God in the gospel or someplace else? Will he come first in our prayers, in our living, in our giving? If we have truly grasped the nature of his grace, the choice will be an easy one to make.

Nehemiah 9:1-37

The events of this & the next chapter follow on from the feast in ch.8 and is the heart of the great covenant renewal between God and his people. It is clearly not an everyday occurrence but rather arose out of the trauma of the exile and the people's need to be reconciled to God and to have their relationship with him reaffirmed.

Because of that very specific historical context, we need to be careful how we apply it to our own, quite different, situation. Yet there are many real lessons in a chapter like this for us to grasp. In their history we see ourselves and are humbled but we also see our unchanging God and so are encouraged.

1. Approach to God (vv.1-5a)
The first thing we should notice about this great prayer is the way they approached God. It is quite clear that they want to focus on him and keep him central. That is why his word is so central again. They have come to praise him and to seek him, confessing their sins. Both are appropriate in the presence of the God "who is from everlasting to everlasting" (v.5a).

There is tremendous seriousness about them as they humble themselves before him. They fast and don sackcloth & ashes, not just going through the motions but with genuine, heartfelt grief and contrition (cf. ch.8). Sackcloth and ashes witnessed to their very real sense of humility and mortality. And, in a concern for purity before God, they separated themselves from foreigners, not by way of a 'holier than thou' attitude but a recognition that God is holy and demands purity in his people.

When that was done, "they stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers" (v.2). This will be elaborated on in the following verses but notice here how they allow the character of former generations to reflect on theirs.

There is no distancing themselves from the problem here, no suggestion that they were somehow different. It is all too easy to see the problem of the church as being down to someone else. They refuse to do that. Instead, they align themselves with the sin of the past, not saying they were responsible for it but acknowledging their own culpability.

We can look back and stand apart; we can look around and stand apart, assuming all to be well with us. As one writer has said, "How much better to try to see with God's eye the failures of the Church in all ages, to admit that we are made of similar stuff, and to admire far more his graciousness".

We are not personally responsible for the doctrinal and moral decline in the church in our own day but don't we share some of the blame? Have our own lives been spotless? Is our own commitment to truth unwavering? Is our love for each other truly sacrificial? Have we not much cause to be humble before God?

There is a lot for us to learn from this serious, reverent and humble approach to God, even where the context is different.

2. Confession to God (vv.5b - 31)
The greater part of this chapter is taken up with a report of their prayer to God, led by the Levites. And the bulk of that prayer is concerned with the history of the nations relationship with the Lord. As we've seen before in this book, history has a lot to teach us, not simply in terms of lessons to draw from the example of the past but because of our solidarity with it. So it is here. There are 3 aspects to their confession here:

i) The Initiative of God - In vv.7-15 there is a clear affirmation of the fact that they were God's people only because of his initiative, not because of their merit. He is recognised for who he is ("You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens...") and for what he did in choosing, blessing & rescuing Abraham's family.

In vv.13-15 his covenant with the people of Israel comes into focus and again it is quite clear that it was the LORD who took the initiative, the terms were his and so was the responsibility to care for them as his people (v.15).

They were saved because of the free grace of God. They knew it and they declared it. They were not coming to him now to seek his blessing on the basis of their own merits but rather because by grace they were his people.

Here is the true posture of all believers and every church. We are what we are by the grace of God. Every instance of renewal, both personal and corporate, will know this and rejoice in it.

ii) The Persistent Rebellion of the People - But how did they respond to such amazing grace? Vv.16-31 admit with great candour that the "every act of love on God's part was met and matched by one of disloyalty on the part of his people". They were treacherous toward him.

The covenant came with laws for life but they cheapened God's grace by refusing to obey him. And this passage makes it quite clear that in doing so they were no different to the people of Egypt - cf. vv.10,29 - arrogance. As we've said, the people of Nehemiah's day in rehearsing their history were acknowledging that they were no different from their fathers.

And if we're honest today, we would have to say the same too. God has taken the initiative to save us but we so often fail him and rebel against his law.

iii) The Unfailing Mercy of God - But the account of the past is not done yet. God was gracious is rescuing them; they were sinful in failing him. Yet through it all, God's love and mercy toward his people never failed.

This is what makes their history so amazing. Time and again here we read of God's persevering mercy to his people - see vv.17,19,27,31.

What does all this history mean for them? Just as they shared in the guilt of the past, so too they could know in their own lives the continuing and unfailing goodness and mercy of God. And because their story is our story, because their God is our God in Jesus Christ, we too can know that same mercy.

3. Petition to God (vv.32-37)
It is precisely this which leads them from confession to petition in the last verses of the chapter. They have come to God in need ("We are in great distress"). They know why times are hard; it's in part because of their sinful rebellion. So they're coming for mercy and grace to help in time of need.

But they aren't coming casually nor are they presuming upon the blessing of God. They're coming to him in full recognition of their sin but also in full recognition of the character of God. They stand upon the history they have just recounted. Here is their hope for their own day.

And every time we come to the Lord's table we are reminded that this is the history on which we stand, the amazing grace of God that did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all and will freely give us all things with him.

One writer has said that "The balance of the prayer is intended... both to point to the open-ended possibilities of future blessing from God, and to call the people to set their house in order so that it might be realised".

There lies both our hope and the challenge to embrace it, both personally and as a church. May the Lord help us to grasp the whole truth, the truth of our sin and his grace and his unfailing purposes and so to respond with the obedience of faith. Amen.

Nehemiah 8:13-18

God's people are being rebuilt as a community that belongs to him. They gathered on the first day of the month to listen to God's word being read and applied to them. They responded to it with humbled conviction and with comprehending joy.

This passage begins with the next day, presumably when most of the people have gone to their homes to prepare food and to send some to those without. But the instruction continues, with the heads of the families (v.13). They were responsible before God for training their families and it was vital that they had further teaching which would then be passed on to others.

1. Doing the Word of God
What is very conspicuous in this passage is that the people immediately obey the word that the hear. That comes out very clearly when you compare vv.14,15 & vv.16,17. They did not merely listen to the word, they did what it said. James would have been proud of them!

And, in contrast to earlier generations, they kept the feast as God meant it to be kept. Not since the days of Joshua had that been done. At other times, the actual pracitce of living in booths was treated quite lightly. The people kept the feast but more by way of token gesture.

God's word, rightly understood and applied to ur own day, is to be followed in all its detail. We must not be content with token gestures but with genuine obedience. To obey is better than sacrifice; really doing what God has said scores highly over going through the motions.

It is a precious thing, both to God and to us, when we read his word or hear it preached and respond to it straight away and do as it says. It quickens desire and resolve to live for him.

Which raises the question, Why do we so often fail to do what God says? Let me make the following suggestions:

- We've lost the connection between God's grace and our obedience - gratitude is to be a prime motivation for obedience in the Christian life, gratitude for the grace of God that saves.

- We've misunderstood the connection between God's grace and our response, thinking that grace means we can live as we please ("God forbid").

- We forget how holy God is and how much he hates sin; we would owe him obedience simply because he is God, even were there no grace.

- We are hardened through sin's deceitfulness and presume we can flaunt with sin at no cost to ourselves. We can't.

2. The Blessing of Doing the Word of God
The fact that they obeyed is very important but what they did is also crucial. God's commands are not aimless or simply there for the doing but rather form part of his purpose for us and for our good and blessing. That works out here in at least 3 ways:

i) Past & Present - The feast that they were to celebrate as a community linked the present with the past in a way that was intended to strengthen their faith and encourage them in their present day experience in difficult days.

It reminded them of the great events of the exodus and the time that the people lived in booths in the desert. Though so much had occurred since, culminating in the trauma of the exile, they were so clearly still God's people with a great heritage in the covenant promises of God.

To be stable people with maturing faith, we need to know our link with the past. As Paul told the church at Rome, "Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of hte scriptures we might have hope". We're to come to scripture with that perspective.

ii) Past & Future - The link to the past gave them "strength for today"; it was also to give them "bright hope for tomorrow". God's purposes for his people didn't terminate with them. The city of Jerusalem was to remain significant in the Lord's plans as the people awaited the Messiah and the true exodus in him.

In Luke's writings we see something of the significance of the city. He of all the NT writers uses the word most often - 60% of all its occurences are in Luke-Acts which form 26% of the NT. So you can see how interested Luke is in the city.

But why such interest? Because it is where the Messiah will come to die to save his people (movement in Luke) and it is to be the place from which the gospel will be taken into all the world (movement in Acts). The people of Nehemiah's day couldn't have known the detail but this feast would have contributed to their sense of God's purposes for his world being focussed in this place.

And so it gave them hope for the future, a hope that we share in the gospel. The meal we share, which reminds us of those awesome events that took place just outside Jerusalem, points us with hope to God's glorious future, when Jesus returns.

iii) No Continuing City - But they were not to be complacent in that hope. Keeping the feast in all its detail reminded them that "here we have no continuing city". In their situation, having just completed the walls, the feast would warn them not to put their faith in walls but in the God who promised to be a wall of fire around his people, the builder of a better city. It would speak to them of the transitory nature of their life in this world.

We need similar reminders. We can live comfortably in this world and in essence that's ok, we ought to receive God's blessings with gratitude. But we must be careful; in this world we are "aliens and strangers".

We no longer belong to the world in its rebellion against God. We must be careful therefore to make sure that we put our trust firmly in God and not in the gifts he gives. This life is very transitory; only God and his kingdom will last. It is in him that we find our "solid joys and lasting treasures".

I'm sure they were proud of their achievement in rebuilding the wall in such a short time and we may be too of some of the things we've done. But we must be careful. Our achievements are not a solid basis of hope for the future; God's faithfulness alone is.

3. The Joy of Doing the Word of God
The people obeyed God's word, straight away, and would know the blessing of doing so. But notice that their obedience was accompanied by great joy (v.17). That is how it should be in the Christian life. John reminds his readers that God's commands are not burdensome to us; rather, they are to be a delight for us, as they were to the psalmist in Ps.119.

That's not saying that obedience is not sometimes hard and costly. Invariably it is; we shouldn't expect it to be otherwise. But it is precisely as we embrace the demands of discipleship that we are able to share the joy of our Lord Jesus who "for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame" (Heb. 12:2).

And where is Jesus now? That verse in Hebrews goes on to say that he "sat down at the right hand of the throne of God". He entered glory as the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. He calls us to walk the same path of discipleship, not simply with those of Nehemiah's day and other great heroues of the faith, but following him and with him as our sustaining guide.

We've heard God's word together. Will we be "doers also" of it? May he help us to honour him and to know his blessing and joy.

Nehemiah 8:9-12

The walls of Jerusalem have been rebuilt; now it's time to rebuild the people of God within those walls. Foundational to that rebuilding was the teaching of God's Word, in particular its focus on the grace of God in their becoming his people and their history as such. And so the people listened together to the reading of the book of the law of God, given to Moses.

It is very clear from what we saw last time that the people were very serious in their attitude towards God and to his Word. There was a move of God among them, causing the people to ask for his Word to be read.

In this passage, we see something of the impact that God's Word made on them as they listened to it being taught. And we need to remember that they sat and learnt together. God was addressing them, not simply as individuals, but as his gathered people.

1. Humbled & Convicted of Sin
The first reaction of the people to hearing God's Word is to break down and weep. As the word was read, explained and applied, they were humbled and convicted of their sin.

There would be much in what they had heard to convict them. How they were to love the Lord and cleave to him; how they were to keep free from idols; how they should love each other and keep themselves pure. And, perhaps most powerfully of all, the emphasis on the amazing grace of God and his utter faithfulness in the face of his people's sin and failure.

To humble and convict of sin is an intrinsic part of the ministry of God's Word and Spirit. But we must remember that the Lord wounds in order to bring healing, that he humbles us in order that he might then raise us in his time.

Although the experience of humbling is not a pleasant one, it is necessary and ultimately a blessing. The psalmist discovered this in his dealings with the Lord. As he reflected on God's Word in Ps.119, he speaks of being afflicted by the Lord but for his good:

"Before I was afflicted, I went astray but now I obey your word...It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees...I know O Lord that your laws are righteous and in your righteousness you have afflicted me." (vv.67,71,75).

When the Lord humbles us through his word, it is for our good and our restoration and rebuilding as his people. At times, we need to be humbled over personal sin; at other times, we need to be addressed as a church and brought low before God. But always his purpose is to restore and then use us for his glory's sake (cf. Peter & also David in Ps. 51:12.13).

2. The Primacy of Joy
To be humbled and convicted is part of the Christian life. But it is interesting to see that Nehemiah and the Levites are quick to quieten the people and to turn them from weeping to joy. Why is that?

The reason given to the people is that "This day is sacred to the LORD" . The regulations that the Lord had given his people, which had just been read to them, specified this day as a day for a sacred assembly, with trumpets sounded (Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1). A sacred day was a day on which they would specifically recall what God had done in grace and power for his people.

Yes, there was a place in their experience, as in ours, for humbling and repentance. But there is a bigger picture to bear in mind, of God and his purposes of grace. To be convicted of sin is a vital part of Christian experience but the dominant note is to be rejoicing in God and in what he has done.

Grief over sin is never to be an end in itself but is to lead to renewed joy in God and service to him. That is what is being conveyed to the people here. In the weakness of their sorrow over sin, in the frailties of their flesh, they are to know that "the joy of the LORD is [their] strength" (v.10).

The people are being brought back to the centrality of God and his gracious purposes towards them. And in the light of that, they are urged to go home and to enjoy the bounty of the promised land, as a tangible expression of those purposes toward them (v.10).

Shouldn't we do the same? Aren't we called to enjoy the Lord and his salvation and the blessings we have in him? It is surely a travesty when we live our lives in a low state, constantly going over our sin and failure but never making it to the larger picture of the restoring grace of God.

God's Word made a great impact on these people. It brought them to tears of repentance but it also lifted them into the joy of the Lord's salvation. Nehemiah and the Levites explained how this was to be a sacred day, applying God's Word to them.

And "all the people went away...to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them" (v.12). Such is the value of learning God's Word together.

3. Sharing the Fruits of Salvation
But notice too how Nehemiah emphasises here their duty toward each other. They are to go away and feast in response to God and his glory and grace. But they are not to neglect the needs of others.

It would be almost criminal for some of the people to be excluded from this visible celebration of God's mercy due to lack of food and provisions.

One man has said, "There can be no conscientious exultation in the plenty of God's world while brothers and sisters go needy". This was clearly felt by the churches in the NT who sent gifts to Jerusalem when they heard there was suffering there among the Lord's people.

It has application to our own response to the need among the Lord's people in the world, not simply for material provision but for trained Bible teachers and pastors for the churches.

In so many ways, we are challenged about whether we will personally enjoy the blessings of salvation and ignore others or whether we will be ready to share God's good gifts with others, as we are able. That is clearly something for every church to consider but each church can only do so as its members respond personally.

What I mean is that the church does not generate funds by itself. It is only as we give that the church will have resources to share with others. If we're truly glorying in the Lord and enjoying his salvation then we will surely want to look for ways in which others will be able to share along with us.

Conclusion
They were humbled under God's hand as his Word was read and taught and they were led to great joy and celebration as they understood that word and its wider context of God's grace and purposes. Its impact on them was considerable.

But did it lead to thoroughgoing obedience? That is the true test of whether we have really heard God's Word. James tells us we're deceived if we hear the word and then do nothing about it. The answer of vv.13-18, which we'll look at in detail next time, is 'Yes, they did'. There lies the challenge for us this morning.

Nehemiah 8:1-8

The passage we're beginning to look at this morning is really at the heart of the book of Nehemiah. In the earlier chapters, we've seen the walls of Jerusalem being rebuilt and in ch.7 saw the community beginning to be rebuilt. That theme dominates the latter half of the book and this chapter, along with ch's 9 & 10, are central to that rebuilding.

1. The Desire for Renewal (v.1)
The chapter is set just a few days after the completion of the walls and opens with the people calling for "Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses" (v.1). Something new is happening among God's people. God is moving among them and there is a great seriousness present. This move towards renewal and reformation is not primarily a man-directed event; there is no indication here that the people were organised by their leaders into making this request. It is spontaneous upon completion of the walls and is clearly an instance of the Lord making his people willing in the day of his power.

Reformation and rebuilding in the church demands the great seriousness of God's people but human effort alone will not prevail. Such seriousness is a product of God's Spirit at work. We must take our responsibilities seriously and we must ask the Lord to work among us. It isn't either/or; it is both/and.

2. The Covenant Renewed
Why do the people ask Ezra to bring out the book of the law, which in all probability was the book of Deuteronomy? It has been often noted that God's Word holds a central place in this chapter. That is certainly true and we'll look more closely at that later on. But the people are not interested in it simply as a piece of holy writing. They are concerned with what God says to them through it. It is a book of covenant and these people are eager to renew their covenant with the Lord.

The whole of ch.8-10 are a record of covenant renewal and it all begins here with the reading of the law. Why was this book so central to that theme? As you read through Deuteronomy you see the following themes emerge:

- The history of God's dealings with his people, especially how he called them in grace. He initiated this relationship, not them.

- The Lord's perseverance with a sinful people; his faithfulness is truly amazing!

- The people are given laws to obey to express their relationship with the Lord; those laws are summed up in the command to love the Lord and to love their neighbour as themselves.

- The covenant is established by the Lord but they will only know the blessing of it as they obey his word. To disobey will bring punishment, as expressed in the curses upon them.

Here, in this book, is the essence of their relationship with the Lord. For the nation to be rebuilt, the fundamentals must be re-established and embraced afresh. The wickedness of the nation had brought about the exile. They had been restored to the land by God's grace and for the sake of his purposes of salvation for the world.

We need to often remind ourselves of the basis of our relationship with the Lord: it is by grace alone, through his love in Christ. We are to be committed to him and are to obey him in love. He is the reason we exist and his purposes of grace and salvation come first.

This is a very special event and is akin in many ways to times of revival in the history of the church which we need to pray for today.

But it is also right to point out the same themes are stressed weekly in the covenant meal that we share together, as we remember our Lord Jesus and his blood of the new covenant shed for the remission of our sins, forming a people for himself, to be celebrated until he comes and all God's people saved. God's covenant is at the heart of the church's life.

3. The Priority of God's Word
But it is very important to recall that the Lord has not simply instituted a meal to remind us of these things; he has appointed pastors and teachers in the church for the preaching of his word. God's Word is to be an abiding priority in the life of the church. And we see here that it was so for this people.

Their commitment here to God's Word is very impressive. The reading of the book was attended by all who were able to understand and they "listened attentively" (v.3) for 6 hours! That was quite a sermon! (The book of Deuteronomy is a collection of messages spoken by Moses). Their eagerness to hear is also shown in the fact that Ezra stood on a special platform and all the people stood to listen.

Their example is a real challenge to us. How important do we see God's Word to be? Is it important in our daily lives? Is it central to how we see church life?

A great debate rages as to how church should be done in the 21st century; whatever we think on that, God's Word is not an optional extra. It is to be central because Jesus is central, because by his Word the Lord speaks of his grace, he teaches us how to live before him and equips us for service in his world as we reach out to others.

It is because God's Word is so vital that great care was taken to make sure the people understood what was read to them.

'Making it clear' in v.8 can mean that the Levites translated it to the people or that they made plain what was being said. However you translate that phrase, the whole verse is crystal clear: the Levites helped the people grasp the meaning and the application of the words they heard.

This ministry of explaining and applying is very close to what is done today through sermons, small group studies and so on. Such ministries are vital to the health of the church and so the progress of the gospel.

Here is the crying need in many developing countries. The gospel is making progress but there is a dearth of trained Bible teachers. The church's task is not simply gaining converts but making disciples, teaching them to obey all that God has said.

And I want to stress in closing what is so obvious in the text, that the people learnt together. Why is that? Because being a Christian, living as a child of God, is not a private thing. He calls us into his family and we are to live as a family.

His word has so much to say to us about life together as the church. We must hear together because we have a mutual responsibility to love one another, fervently, from the heart.

And learning together is also about mutual accountability. We hear and learn together and, as we do, so it becomes clear that we are in this together, that we all have a part to play in letting "the Word of Christ dwell in [us] richly, as [we] teach and admonish one another with all wisdom" (Col. 3:16).

Lastly, learning together is a source of mutual encouragement as we seek to serve the Lord, loving him and our neighbour. On our own, we easily slip back and want to give up. The writer of Hebrews encourages his readers not to do that but rather to "encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching". May God give us grace to do so. Amen!

Nehemiah 7:1-73

Under Nehemiah's leadership, the walls of Jerusalem have been rebuilt. That was very significant in terms of their visible identity as the Lord's people, as well as for protection. But being the Lord's people is more than symbols; they need to construct a community that is alive to God, walking in his ways.

The second half of the book is going to be concerned with that and this chapter shows us the first steps that Nehemiah took to rebuild the community.

1. Just the Job! (vv.1-3)
In vv.1-3 people are given significant tasks to do in Jerusalem:

i) Gatekeepers, Singers & Levites - The first group mentioned are the city gatekeepers. Nothing surprising in that; the gates needed to be guarded. But why singers and Levites too?

The answer to that question takes us back to the heart of why the city was being rebuilt. It wasn't simply to be a place for the people to live but the centre for their worship and witness. To put singers and Levites in place showed that Nehemiah knew that and was anxious to act upon it.

Their life on earth was to centre upon the Lord. He was the reason that Jerusalem existed at all. The people of God are for the praise of God. That's still the case today. The church is not here for its own sake but for the glory of God. Mission is not an end in itself but is for God's glory as the nations are blessed in him. All we do must be tested by this.

No doubt some of the details of city life were fairly mundane and not so obviously 'spiritual'. And church life today is like that too. But there was and is a bigger picture to keep in mind: God and his glory, God and his purposes.

The people would need to be led and encouraged in their praise and in their life of obedience (as ch.8 shows). So the singers and Levites were appointed to serve. Being a church is not about a commercial enterprise but about faith and love. And so the Lord has appointed pastors and teachers and given gifts to the body for the building up of the whole.

ii) Jobs for the boys? Nehemiah's next move may seem at first sight to be less spiritual and more political. Anticipating his return to Susa, he appoints his brother and Hananiah to positions of influence and responsibility in the city. Is this a case of job's for the boys? Were they his cronies?

The text itself shows us how to see this. Hananiah was put into that position because of his spiritual qualities. "He was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do" (v.2). Nehemiah is not concerned to build a dynasty for himself and his friends; he is seeking first God's kingdom and so he appoints men of integrity and spiritual maturity.

And when you look at the NT the same truth comes through over & again. Leaders are to be appointed in the church on the basis not simply of gifting but of character and maturity. Nothing is more vital for the health of the church than that her leaders be men of the right spiritual calibre.

iii) Home Guard - But notice that city life is not just about Levites and leaders; it's about 'ordinary' folk doing their part by way of guarding the city walls. Nehemiah was very practical in his instructions about the home guard and they included "residents of Jerusalem" doing their part.

All of us are in the 'home guard' of the church. And, yes, we may well resemble Dad's Army at times but it is vital that we grasp hold of this. We all have a part to play in maintaining the purity of the church, in life and witness.

How we live at home, how we deal with others at work, how we interact in the community is vitally important. We are God's holy people, set apart for him. We live in dangerous times where truth is under attack. We must be concerned about that, pray about that and do what we can where we can to preserve truth and life.

2. Just a List? (vv.4-73)
So much for the first 3 verses...what are we to make of the next 70? Maybe you were bored when we read it or even thought it was wrong to inflict such a reading on the church. But we must be careful. All scripture is God-breathed and is useful, able to build us up and equip us as the Lord's people. We must be careful that we don't despise or become impatient with God's Word. It is we who are to submit to it, not it to us.

If you look back to Ezra ch.2 you'll see that this is virtually a carbon copy of what we have there. It is a list of those who returned from exile in Ezra's day. It is a record that Nehemiah finds and uses as he sets about repopulating the city. That is his concern and a number of important points emerge from the list in terms of that purpose.

i) Identity & Continuity - Part of what this list did was to create a sense of identity and continuity among them as the people of God. Despite the exile, they were still connected to the great events of the past, they were still identified with the Lord's great deeds of salvation on behalf of his people. This list affirmed their identity as his people in a hostile world.

We have a history too as God's people. The church didn't just appear in a clear blue sky one day! We're part of the historic work of God to save a people for himself. The history of God's people, in the Bible and since, is exciting and faith affirming. This is who we are - God's people, the latest in a long line.

ii) True Israelites - And that sense of identity also clarified and reinforced that they were distinct from their neighbours. We've seen before that Nehemiah refused to compromise with those of other faiths and this list is clearly a way of showing who is part of the true Israel, that is in terms of their descent. He is determined to keep the people pure.

This is another timely reminder to us that we must be careful in our definition of what a Christian is. It may not be fashionable, even in Christian circles, but what a person believes really does matter. It's not about a kindly disposition towards some idea of God but of genuine faith in Jesus as the Son of God, come in the flesh, to die on a cross for our sins.

It isn't arrogant to hold to that, nor is it out of some kind of twisted religious bigotry and hatred. Rather, it springs from a concern for the glory of God and out of love for a world lost in sin that has no other hope. We must not go soft on this, for God's sake and for the world's sake.

iii) Lessons Learned - In this list that there is a determination to learn the lessons of the past, in particular the sin of the past. In the days before the exile, God's regulations for temple worship was trampled and disregarded. But vv.64f show a new concern for purity and obedience to God's law. Sin matters; God's Word matters. We need to learn from our own past failures and endeavour to live in true obedience.

iv) The Grace of Giving - Lastly, this list reminds us that those who returned from exile, who saw that the Lord was at work, who had a vision for God's glory, were excited at what he was doing and had the grace of giving. It was yet another evidence that God was with them. Can we see God at work today, here and elsewhere? Does it excite us? Do we want to be part of what he is doing? Then ask him to show you how you can give, not just money but yourself, for his glory's sake. Amen.

Nehemiah 6:1-19

1. More Pressure!
As this small community struggle to rebuild the ruined walls, as a testimony to God and as a focus for their identity as his people, they faced much opposition, as we saw in ch.3. They had to be resolute and faithful. The earlier threats were seen off but their enemies have not gone away.

In this chapter there are further threats to the community, focussed upon Nehemiah as its leader. In particular, three strategies are employed by their enemies:

i) Trapped Through Talk - As the work nears completion, no less than four times Sanballat and Tobiah ask Nehemiah to meet with them. The implication is clearly that it is time to sort things out and to reach some kind of honourable agreement.

That is a very tempting offer. Very few people enjoy constant tension in relationships and, from a Christian perspective, we're told to do our best to live in harmony with others.

Nehemiah turns them down. Four times. Why? Because he can see through their deception. They're real intention is to harm him, not to discuss how they can peacefully coexist.

We really do need to heed our Lord's words that we must be "as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves". As believers we ought to be a blessing to the communities where we live, not a source of needless trouble. But we also need to be careful that we don't get drawn into positions of compromise through the desire to live at peace with others.

Peace that compromises the gospel is not peace, it's poison.

ii) Stirring Up Trouble - Having failed to draw Nehemiah into open compromise, they threaten to stir up trouble for him by making it known to the king that the rebuilding is more sinister than it seems and that they are rebelling against the state.

Those who want to stir up trouble for churches and Christians have many options open to them. This is one of them and in some places it can be a very potent weapon, claiming that the existence of the church can be a threat to society.

Often in the media, as debates are conducted over important issues that believers are concerned about, this point is often made, although perhaps with greater subtlety. It is said that all Christians are intolerant of others and want to force their religion on others and become a kind-of thought police.

Those kind of points need to be rebutted but often the way to do that is to simply show that they are, in fact, nonsense. Which is just what Nehemiah does here. He doesn't trouble himself with dealing clause by clause with the claims; he calls their bluff by calling them nonsense.

Again, he sees through their schemes. They want to frighten them and weaken their attempts at rebuilding (v.9). His reply should help to thwart their plans. But notice again Nehemiah's trust in God and reliance on him. They're trying to weaken their hands so he prays that God will strengthen his hands!

He's got to do what he can, on the ground, to deal with the attacks but unless the Lord strengthens him and the builders, all their resolve will be to no avail. They are vulnerable people and they need the Lord to protect and strengthen them. Action must always go hand in hand with prayer.

iii) Enemies Within - But not only did Sanballat and Tobiah attack from the front, they also had a man in the community. They used him to try to trick Nehemiah into open sin and so to ruin his standing with the people. If they succeeded here, the whole community would effectively fall apart.

This man, Shemaiah, feigned fear by staying indoors and tried to frighten Nehemiah and get him to go with him to the temple as a place of refuge. For Nehemiah to have gone into that part of the temple would have been sin. He wasn't a priest and must not go there.

But, again, Nehemiah is wise to their schemes and refuses to go. It's interesting that, although he knows exactly what's going on, Nehemiah doesn't openly say so but simply bats back the words of his enemies. He's being as wise as a serpent!

And it isn't just Shemaiah who's compromised by connections with the enemies. Vv.17-19 show that there were many who through marriage had a loyalty to Tobiah and acted on that, causing further trouble for Nehemiah.

For these people, such ties were stronger than the fact that they belonged to the people of God. We must be careful that we don't allow natural relationships to have precedence over the Lord's people and the Lord's work.

So in all sorts of ways, Nehemiah and the people were put under pressure to give in and give up. But they withstood the opposition through a combination of wisdom and faith, acting rightly and trusting God.

Verse 14 then tells us how he looked to God for judgement on Sanballat and Tobiah. He wasn't going to take things into his own hands. True justice comes from the Lord and it is to him he looked. If they refused to repent of their sin then they would face the Lord's anger. And Nehemiah left it at that.

2. Finished! (vv.15,16)
Despite all the struggles, both in terms of the work itself, their own relationships and the pressure from their enemies, the people actually finished the work in 52 days. Their enemies were quite distraught and fearful at this because it was a clear testimony that "this work had been done with the help of [their] God".

The gospel will make progress in this world, whatever the hardships that must be faced, however strong the opposition. That is something we can be sure of and rejoice in. Here is a book to encourage our own labour in the Lord, knowing that, as then, it is not in vain, because he is the Risen Lord who has all power and authority to act on behalf of his church.

3. Keeping On
As we close, I want to mention two things briefly:

i) The struggle never stops. Look how the chapter ends: Tobiah continues to harass Nehemiah, even when the wall is built. There is a salutary lesson for us here. The Christian life is an unremitting, unrelenting struggle. It will be worse at times and better at times but it will always be there. We must be ready for it.

ii) The building doesn't stop. They had the walls and gates in place; houses were next on the list. But even more necessary was the building of the community, which the book now moves on to. The framework of temple and walls was there; what they needed to do was flesh it out in lives that glorified God. The same is true for us. The framework of salvation is in place; what we must do is get on with the daily business of loving and serving the Lord and others. May he help us to do so. Amen!

Nehemiah 5:1-19

So far we've seen this small community serving God with vigour in the face of great opposition, which hasn't gone away. But this chapter brings before us another difficulty that impacts on faithful and fruitful service for the Lord and that is the life that the Lord's people live together.

You might think that facing a common enemy would be all the cement their relationships needed and it is a fact that during times of national crisis, people pull together. But though there is much to be admired at such times, people are still people, fallen and sinful. And the same pressures that bring people together can also cause them to act unhelpfully. That is just what we see in this chapter.

Not only is this a common factor in all of human life, it can also sadly be so in church life. Whilst the oppression and threats of ch.4 could harm the people and halt the work, the threat in this chapter is even greater: it could split the community apart completely, such that they were no longer recognisably living as the family of God.

1. Exploiting Their Brothers (vv.1-5)
The problem in Jerusalem at this time was the exploitation of the weak and vulnerable by those who were more financially secure. Poor people couldn't work to get grain (v.2); others were having to mortgage their fields to get grain (v.3); others were having to borrow money and sell their children into slavery to finance their debts (vv.4,5).

But the great shame about this exploitation is that it was being done by those who were "of the same flesh and blood" (v.5). Right at the heart of what was supposed to be a united people there was a great rupture and a great outcry is raised against it (v.1).

The way this chapter reads, these problems may have existed for some time but the special circumstances of rebuilding the wall have brought them to the fore. The situation now is much more urgent and the people's needs desperate.

The situation that Nehemiah faced in ch.4 was explosive and called for great wisdom and tenacity. This problem will need no less wisdom and resolve. How does he tackle it?

2. Call to Repent and Relieve (vv.6-13)
His response is recorded for us in v.6ff. He was "very angry". There is such a thing as righteous anger and Nehemiah shows it. Here is something that, because it strikes at the heart of their community life, strikes at the glory of God that is to be manifest among his people. They had pulled together and bought back their brothers (v.8) only to enslave them!

We need to be careful when we're angry, that we don't sin (cf. Ps 4:4) but there is something wrong if we're not stirred up when God's name is slighted by the actions of his people.

In his anger, Nehemiah determines to face the nobles and officials with their sin. Here is something that cannot go unchecked or the whole enterprise, rebuilding for God's glory, will come crashing down.

His focus, as he faces them with it, is again upon how they should walk before the Lord and in his presence. They should "walk in the fear of...God" and so avoid the reproach of their enemies. They had been treating the Lord and his ways with a casual disregard. That must stop. He is the Lord; he is to be revered and honoured.

We all do well to examine our lives by this word. Are we walking in the fear of God, wanting to honour him and careful not to bring dishonour to his name?

Nehemiah faces them with their sin and demands that they act to restore what they have taken from their brothers. They are not only to feel bad about their sin, they're to do something about it too.

Having been stunned into silence at first (v.8), that's just what they decide to do (v.12). His words have wounded them in order to bring healing to the community. Their repentance would be the occasion of renewal for their life together.

And this wasn't an empty promise designed to get Nehemiah off their backs. They say 'Amen' to his warning of judgement should they fail to restore what they had taken and then get on with it straightaway (v.13).

Here is genuine repentance in action! If something is wrong in our relationships, it needs to be put right and it needs to be done now. It isn't incidental; it really matters to the progress of the gospel. A lack of love and unity amongst us as the Lord's people is a denial of the truth that God is one and God is love.

Whether we're prepared to act on this is the true measure of how much we fear the Lord and want to see him honoured. Our actions must speak as loud as our words.

3. Nehemiah: An example to follow (vv.14-19)
You may have noticed that Nehemiah was also one who had loaned money to his brothers (v.10) but it seems clear that he and his men were not taking advantage of their brothers in doing so. And the final section of this chapter shows us that Nehemiah led the community by example.

Here is a passage that is especially full of relevance to church leaders but it relates to all of us too. Examples are given in order that they might be followed!

i) In vv.14-18 we see that Nehemiah, although entitled as the Governor to receive a certain level of support, refused to take it from the people. He was conscious that those before him had placed a heavy burden on the people and their assistants had lorded it over them (v.15).

In the NT we see the Apostle Paul doing just this too. In 1 Cor 9:7-12a he affirms the right of the worker to receive his wages; as an apostle he could expect to be supported by the churches. Yet he goes on to say that "we did not use this right". He and his friends refused support in order not to be a burden to them.

And he says that this is his reward in preaching the gospel and they couldn't take it from him! As with Nehemiah, it was the responsibility of the people to provide for his needs and his privilege to forego it.

ii) As well as refusing what was due to him, we also see that he lived in a very generous way. Many ate at his table (vv.17,18) yet, in spite of this, he never took his allowance. As the Lord's people, we are to be generous and eager to give and to serve. In his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul encourages their giving by mentioning the churches of Macedonia who had given "beyond their ability".

Why did Nehemiah act like this? Out of reverence for God and out of concern for his people who had to carry heavy burdens. Here is a man who loves God and loves his neighbour and so his life has the quality it does. (His prayer in v.19 is not for a reward to match his own giving but is a way of claiming that he has acted rightly and from right motives.)

His example points us to the greatest example of all, our lord Jesus. He held nothing back for our sakes; will we do likewise for him and his glory?

Nehemiah 4:1-23

In these past weeks and in the last few days, much has been said about the need (or otherwise) to bring in legislation to deal with religious hatred. Once again, our studies in God's Word are very timely! For here in this chapter we have an account of religious hatred and the right response to it. It is also a chapter that forces us to face up to some difficult biblical material.

As we've said before, our approach to the OT must be to see it through the lens of the NT with Jesus at the centre. We need to bear in mind the whole flow of salvation-history and ensure that the lessons we draw are appropriate for our own context.

1. The Reality of Opposition
We've already seen in ch.2 that the work will not go unopposed and here the enemies of God's people make their stand. The work that has been going on has greatly angered them (vv.1,7). Evil hates and is furious over the progress of God's good work. So they 'up the anti' and do their best to stop the work.

We're reminded many times in scripture that we are involved in a battle and will encounter opposition in this life. But the lesson to learn is that, first and foremost, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood" although it may present and channel itself in that way. Our battle is "against the rulers, against the authorities against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). It was the same in N's day, but becomes much plainer in the NT.

The upshot of this is that our weapons and tactics must be appropriate for the battle - but we'll come to that later! For now, let's just acknowledge that we're in a battle, not for land or money but for the glory of God's name and the hearts, minds and souls of lost men and women. It is not a battle that can be legislated for by Govts, much though we value basic freedoms.

Notice too the approach adopted by Sanballat and his cronies. At first, they try to discourage the workers by ridiculing them and their work. Their words are harsh & hurtful; whoever said that 'sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me' was brave but wrong. Words are powerful and can wound deeply.

But when that seemed not to work, they escalated their attack with threats of violence (v.11), even using some of the Jews to unwittingly carry their propaganda (v.12). If words failed to stop the work, they were not afraid to use force.

We need to learn that the devil has many schemes and tactics that he can use, that he is a subtle foe and sometimes unsubtle too. We need to learn that fear of man can be a potent weapon in stifling Christian work and witness, be it fear of violence, of ridicule or of being passed over for promotion at work.

Our enemy is skilled and brutal. We need to recognise that.

2. The Impact of Opposition
The opposition faced by the Jews was real and it had a real impact on them. They were in the midst of a very difficult task. They had begun well but now, halfway through, the taunts of their enemies and the threat of violence combine to discourage them in their work (v.10).

I think we can all sympathise with them. The work was hard enough as it was, without all these threats. Living a godly life and seeking to win others to the Lord are hard enough tasks without the devil's schemes to contend with.

With enemies within and without, we can all too easily grow discouraged and dejected. Opposition is real and we know it, just as these did. We must expect to have to deal with setbacks of all kinds.

3. The Response to Opposition
But the greatest lessons of this chapter are how to respond to the opposition which is real and damaging. There are 3 things I want to mention from the example of Nehemiah here, as we remember that the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but mighty through God to bring down strongholds:

i) Prayer - Nehemiah prayed about the situation. That doesn't surprise us, we know he's a man of prayer and we want to be the same too. He gives the burden to the Lord in prayer and that enables him to give himself to the Lord in service.

In Ephesians 6 Paul teaches on the need for prayer in the spiritual battle, exhorting the believers to "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests". He was aware of just how vital prayer is in the warfare we face. May the Lord help us to be that aware too.

But we need to deal with how Nehemiah prayed (vv.4,5). His prayer is a problem for many, even commentators. Some might even say that in these troubled times when many are trying to dampen down the fires of religious conflict that words such as these are explosive. How should we deal with them?

What we see here is quite similar to some of the (imprecatory) psalms where the psalmist prays for God to deal with his enemies. There are a number of things we can say:

i) Nehemiah's great concern in this work is not personal but for God's name to be glorified;

ii) frequently the language of such prayers is metaphorical rather than literal;

iii) our own hatred of sin and desire for justice may not be what it should be; judge not the Lord by feeble sense!

iv) ot is not wrong to pray for justice and vindication; evil needs to be dealt with;

It is on that last point that we need to remember where we are in salvation history in this book and then look forward to the coming of Jesus and his own response to evil and opposition.

Not for a moment did Jesus connive with evil, nor did he fail to denounce it and those who steadfastly opposed him ('woes' on the Pharisees et al). But, uniquely, Jesus is the one who combined perfect hatred for sin with a willingness to bear its consequences on behalf of his enemies. In Jesus, prayer for judgement on sin is met with his own self-giving for sin.

So we pray for success in the gospel, for God's kingdom to come in the hearts & lives of men & women. But it still remains that one day, all who are unrepentant will join the devil and his angels in a place of endless destruction. And that will be a just reward for their evil. To pray for God's kingdom to come is also to pray for that time. It isn't wrong to want God's creation to be rid of sin and for justice to prevail. But how we should long for people to be saved!

ii) Faith - Closely allied to his praying is Nehemiah's trust in God and his encouraging of the people to trust him. A number of times he tells them not to fear, to remember the Lord, knowing that "our God will fight for us" (vv.14,20). We must take up the shield of faith and continue to work, despite opposition.

iii) Work - Which is exactly what we see here. Faith in God goes hand in hand with continued hard work and with common sense precautions against attack. Cromwell famously said 'Trust in God and keep your powder dry' and that is what happens here as the people work with both sword and trowel in hand.

Here then is how to handle opposition biblically. In our own day, the battle is fierce and the work is as urgent as ever. We must pray without ceasing, trust the Lord implicitly and work resolutely!

Nehemiah 3:1-32

Nehemiah has come to Jerusalem, full of zeal for God's glory and conscious of a call to lead the people in rebuilding the wall. In this chapter we have the record of the initial work that was done on the repairs needed. It has much to teach us about working together for God's kingdom. But we're going to stand back and see something of the bigger picture first.

1. What They Did: Built A Wall
This chapter is clearly about rebuilding the city walls. But this was more than a construction project. A wall would, of course, be very useful as protection but it was also going to function symbolically, as a badge marking them as God's people and Jerusalem as God's place.

In this chapter we see evidence that they understood this: the priests led the way in the work and when they had completed a section, they dedicated it to the Lord, a highly theological event (v.1). After the havoc of the exile and the difficult years since, along with the temple, the walls would speak of God's ongoing purposes for his people and, through them, the world.

But the wall would also make, in a concrete way, the point that Nehemiah made in 2:20 to their adversaries: they were a holy people, set apart for God and set apart from the nations. They would be separated from others, not simply by a wall, but by their faithfulness to the Lord.

Here is something vital for us to grasp for today too. We need to build bridges into the world, in order to effectively share the gospel with others. We need to meet folk where they are in their understanding. But it is crucial in doing so that we build walls too, walls around our minds and around our hearts. Our thinking and our behaviour must be guarded from all attempts to squeeze them into the world's mould.

We are called to be distinctive as the Lord's people, making the gospel attractive to others. But in being accessible to the world, we must make sure we're not assimilated by the world. Our lives must be governed by scripture and so be distinctive and holy, honouring the Lord and showing the beauty of the gospel. That means serious Bible study and eager obedience.

2. How They Built The Walls
Moving from the bigger picture, we see something of the details of their work recorded here.

i) With Unity - Perhaps the most striking feature of this chapter is the unity with which the people worked together on the walls. Time and again the chapter uses the term 'repaired' to describe what they did, showing it was essentially the same work, it was a unity. And many times we read that they worked next to each other, side by side.

Here is a lovely picture of what the church of Jesus Christ should be and how we should work for the gospel. It is a work that we do together and stand shoulder to shoulder in. Paul called on the Philippians to "stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel" (1:27). Earlier, he had spoken about their "partnership in the gospel". Those are stirring words and this is a stirring example given by these workers.

Notice that this unity of heart and purpose included people of all social strata, from the priests and nobles to the 'ordinary' townsfolk. That's the church! Whatever background we're from, we are one in Christ Jesus, whatever our role within the church, there is to be no division: all one and working as one.

Of course, this point is made so plainly in the NT by the use of the body metaphor. Every part is necessary and contributes to the functioning of the whole. There is an essential unity to the people of God.

And notice that the workers included people from other towns who were equally concerned for God's glory. That is what matters above all; not petty distinctions but a heart for God, loving his Word and honouring the Saviour. It is the big things that unite the people of God.

To rebuild the walls was a huge job and the challenges we face today are likewise very great. How can they be tackled? By each part of the body doing its work, wherever God has placed us and in the context of the church. Rather than be dismayed by the scale of the task, we must play our part, encouraging others as we do so and in that way, by God's grace, the work will be done, to his praise.

ii) In Diversity - They did the work in a spirit of unity but we must also notice how diverse they were: nobles and ordinary folk; various family groupings, different trades and callings. It is this diversity that makes their unity all the more conspicuous.

Variety of gifts is a great blessing from the Lord and is for the building up of the whole and the progress of the gospel. We're told, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" because life is short. All need to ask 'What can I do for the Lord?' & should rejoice as we see others doing what they can.

This is identified as a key role for pastors and teachers in the church, "to prepare God's people for works of service". A church is not just about a minister; it is about the whole people of God serving the Lord as he enables and calls.

Given the diversity of gifts and opportunities the Lord gives, there must be a flexibility in the church that allows for creativity in their use. Many were called to work next to their homes, giving a sense of comfort and security. Church fellowships must be comfortable, secure places that encourage people to serve God.

And yet it is interesting to note here that the variety of gifts were subjugated for a time in the interests of the greater good. There will be times when we need to go 'outside the box', not just in our thinking but in our doing. We must be ready for that and not throw up a defensive 'I can't do that!'.

iii) With Organisation - No doubt the diversity gave rise to a variety of opinions about how the work should be done and what the best approach would be. Yet in their diversity, they held together and seem to have responded positively to the clear lead that was no doubt given by Nehemiah.

Leaders are given by God to do just that. Collaborative efforts are often hard work because we are inclined to insist on our own way, perhaps even despising those appointed by God to leadership in the church. We are all responsible for "maintaining the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace". Yes, there needs to be flexibility and encouragement to serve but we must all be ready to give ourselves for the greater good and respect those in leadership.

iv) With Untiring Zeal - Lastly, notice that the work was marked by great zeal. That is specifically said of Baruch (v.20) and we also see some groups going the extra mile and doing a second piece of wall (v.5 cf. V.27). There is one jarring note (v.5) but that only serves to highlight the remarkable effort of the rest.

Here are people doing what Paul urges in Rom. 12:11 - "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord". As we close, let's ask ourselves if that is true of us.

What will get us going and keep us going in our service is not human sentiment or emotional pressure from the front but a heart that knows the Lord, that loves him and is rejoicing in his grace in the Lord Jesus. May he help us to be fervent in the Spirit and zealous in our labours, for his name's sake. Amen.

Nehemiah 2:11-20

1. Softly, Softly (vv.11-16)
So how does Nehemiah tackle the situation? With great caution. Having arrived in Jerusalem, he doesn't make a big noise about himself and his plans but he proceeds quietly and cautiously, going out at night and with just a few men to assess the situation.

It is wise to be cautious; he needs to carry the people with him. But his approach is about more than simply wise caution. He is going out to see for himself what the situation is. He engages in detailed research that is necessary to doing the work well.

There is a very real sense in which we need to do research today. We expect it of missionaries who are going abroad, that they get to know as much about the country and the people as they can. For our home situation, we tend to assume we know all we need to know - but that may not be the case.

Society is changing fast; people are not where they used to be and it is imperative that we understand the times and that we reflect on how to share the gospel in a new situation.

2. Rallying the Troops! (vv.17,18)
So what did he find? Were things as bad as he had been told back in Susa? Absolutely. Twice Neh. uses almost identical words to describe the situation that were used back in ch.1 (see vv.13b, 17a & cf. 1:3b). They hadn't exaggerated; the situation is very grave. Look at verse 14!

In ch.1, his response was near collapse followed by agonised prayer. Here, he's quite different. Those months of prayer have prepared him for the task. He has faced the reality in his mind and now, seeing it firsthand, he is not paralysed but prepared to act to resolve it.

When we get a grasp of just how desperate a situation is, including our own, we can become so discouraged that we can't even consider taking action. But Neh. has prayed hard, reminding himself of God's promises and now he's ready to get to work. Prayer, faith & action go hand in hand for God's glory.

But it's going to take more than one man to sort out this mess. Nehemiah hasn't been called to a private ministry but a public one. He is called to be a leader among the Lord's people and he begins that leadership here. There are 3 things in particular I want to highlight from his approach:

i) Exhortation - He doesn't gloss over reality; he gets the people to face it and exhorts them to work. Here is a leader doing what leaders are meant to do, giving direction and calling God's people to do God's will.

He didn't take a straw pole about what should be done; he got on with encouraging the people to do what so obviously needed to be done. He was called to lead and lead he did. Yet his manner was not one of strict command but passionate exhortation. He is clearly concerned for God's glory (mention of disgrace) and makes it the basis for his exhortation.

ii) Example - Notice too how the kind of biblical leadership that is exemplified here by Nehemiah, is marked by a servant spirit and self-sacrifice ("let us rebuild the wall"). He's not going to be a leader afraid to get his hands dirty; he'll be in the thick of things, leading by example.

iii) Experience - Lastly, his leadership has the note of personal experience in it. He exhorts them to work, leading by example, and encourages them with his testimony to the hand of God being on him and gives concrete evidence of that in the letter from the king.

The lead he is giving is entirely God-focussed which is just what the people need. This is not some hair-brained scheme of a zealous fanatic but the God-authorised exhortation of a genuine leader with a passion for God's glory

Without a focus on God's glory we lose the incentive to work; without a focus on what the Lord has done for us, we lose heart in the work. Let's aim to get our focus right.

3. Opposition (vv.19,20)
But, as we've seen, it isn't going to be plain sailing. Rebuilding the walls will be hard enough but there is another factor to contend with, the opposition of influential people.

Three officials are mentioned in v.19 and the places associated with them (Samaria, Ammon, Moab & Edom) mean the people are metaphorically surrounded. Knowing they have the upper hand, they taunt Nehemiah and mock the plans to rebuild the.

Opposition and mockery are still with us. The church and Christian belief are regularly mocked in the media and we may have personal experience of it in our own situations. How should we deal with it? Notice 4 things about Nehemiah here:

i) He wasn't afraid to face them. As we were reminded last week, fear of God drives out the fear of man. Here is a man who is passionate about God's glory, who reveres his name, and so he is unafraid of these powerful enemies.

ii) Although he has letters from the King and has already shown them to the governors, he doesn't rely on such things. His reply is clear & unambiguous, "The God of heaven will give us success". However supportive society may be, whatever sympathy and help they may choose to give, our faith must rest firmly in God. It is his church, his kingdom, that we are seeking to build. We rely on him and on him alone.

We are glad to have government legislation that allows us to reclaim income tax on monies given to the church. But we mustn't put our trust in the goodwill of government; it may change and easily. Our faith is in God.

iii) As we saw, Nehemiah was cautious in speaking to the King, making no reference to the Lord. But here he is much more upfront, judging the situation differently. These people need to know who they are taking on: not just a handful of ill-equipped residents of Jerusalem but the God who resides in heaven!

The opposition was real but Nehemiah was putting matters into the Lord's hands. They were his people and were working for him; he would give them success, whatever the opposition. That's something we must learn to do too.

iv) Nehemiah makes it plain that he is not in the business of compromise and political alliances. He tells them quite plainly that they have "no share in Jerusalem or any historic claim to it".

Some might say that he was being needlessly provocative and hostile, that a bit of give and take would work wonders. But that misses the point. To collude with these men would mean diluting the reality of worship, robbing the Lord of true worship.

Pluralism is an enemy to the souls of men. Yes, we must be tolerant in the sense that we do not violently oppose people holding to their beliefs, nor do we try to force profession of faith by physical or emotional coercion.

But that does not mean say that all faiths are the same and lead to the same God. They clearly do not. We must be faithful in rejecting all attempts to get us to tone down the message, whether through promise of resources or by threat. Concern for the glory of God and the eternal destiny of our friends and neighbours demand it.