A Celebration
Question of the day: How are you doing? Is there anything you need?
Today we were going to finish up Nehemiah, but... I changed my mind. There is still too much. So today we have a short and fun section. It is a celebration. The dedication of the wall. I remember when we had the dedication of our church. When we moved in and celebrated the completion. I remember the ribbon cutting of the Family Life center. Oh, how I love a good celebration!
READ: Nehemiah 12:27-47
Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem
27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28 The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.
31 I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of[e] the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of[f] the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. 32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, 33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, 36 and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession. 37 At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate on the east.
38 The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of[g] the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39 over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah[h] Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.
40 The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, 41 as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets— 42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.
44 At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. 45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. 46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
Don't you wish you could hear what this dedication must have sounded like? Choirs, musicians all praising God joyfully. I also love that it could be heard far away! Can you imagine being in the surrounding areas and hearing the joyful choirs? Wow that must have been something!
Three elements to this dedication.
1. Purifying themselves, the gates and the wall.
30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.
Matthew Henry in his Commentary on Nehemiah writes, " Those that would be instrumental to sanctify others must sanctify themselves, and set themselves apart for God, with purity of mind and sincerity of intention."
They then also "purified" the gates and the wall.
Why was this important?
2. They walked all around the wall and the city praising God, signifying that it was all His. Dedicated to Him!
Why was this important?
3. The rejoiced greatly!
They sang so loud and had so many instruments that it was heard far away! Wow, can you imagine? What a celebration that must have been!
Then at the end of this passage, they talk about caring for the temple and the musicians and the gatekeepers. Basically they started giving so that God's house and those who worked would be taken care of. They now made a commitment to keep things working as they should.
What are some ideas or things we could do when we "come back together?"
I personally think it needs to be a huge celebration!
HUGE HUUUUUUGE!!!!
A re-dedication! A recommitting to the work we have been called to do!
What can we be doing right now?
How can we be using our time in "exile" to prepare?
Is there a way we could make this an evangelistic reaping?
What can we be doing right now to reach out to those around the church?
Could we be offering bible studies?
We might only have a few weeks, but we might have a month or more, what can we do?
One thing I know for sure is that we will celebrate and it will involve singing and praising. I can't wait to sing in our church and hear all our voices as we SING to God! I get teary just thinking about it!
Maybe we need to put speakers on the outside of the church and blast the music so that all of the surrounding neighborhoods hear the music! LOL!
I want to end today with a song! I have included a video here for you to listen to later on your own. I hope you will enjoy it.
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