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In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns, while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem):
From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez; and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Kol-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah. The descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem totaled 468 men of standing.
From the descendants of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, and his followers, Gabbai and Sallai—928 men. Joel son of Zikri was their chief officer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the New Quarter of the city.
From the priests: Jedaiah; the son of Joiarib; Jakin; Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God, and their associates, who carried on work for the temple—822 men; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, and his associates, who were heads of families—242 men; Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, and his associates, who were men of standing—128. Their chief officer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.
From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; Shabbethai and Jozabad, two of the heads of the Levites, who had charge of the outside work of the house of God; Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. The Levites in the holy city totaled 284.
The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon and their associates, who kept watch at the gates—172 men.
The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on their ancestral property.
The temple servants lived on the hill of Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.
The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God. The musicians were under the king’s orders, which regulated their daily activity.
Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was the king’s agent in all affairs relating to the people.
As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages, in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its settlements, in Ziklag, in Mekonah and its settlements, in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam and their villages, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its settlements. So they were living all the way from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
The descendants of the Benjamites from Geba lived in Mikmash, Aija, Bethel and its settlements, in Anathoth, Nob and Ananiah, in Hazor, Ramah and Gittaim, in Hadid, Zeboim and Neballat, in Lod and Ono, and in Ge Harashim.
Some of the divisions of the Levites of Judah settled in Benjamin.
These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluk, Hattush, Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah, Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah,Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah.
These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua. The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in the services. Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.
In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families: of Seraiah’s family, Meraiah;
of Jeremiah’s, Hananiah; of Ezra’s, Meshullam; of Amariah’s, Jehohanan; of Malluk’s, Jonathan;
of Shekaniah’s, Joseph; of Harim’s, Adna; of Meremoth’s, Helkai; of Iddo’s, Zechariah; of Ginnethon’s, Meshullam; of Abijah’s, Zikri; of Miniamin’s and of Moadiah’s, Piltai; of Bilgah’s, Shammua; of Shemaiah’s, Jehonathan; of Joiarib’s, Mattenai; of Jedaiah’s, Uzzi; of Sallu’s, Kallai;
of Amok’s, Eber; of Hilkiah’s, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah’s, Nethanel.
The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian. The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals. And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.
Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.
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. The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.
I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 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, 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. 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.
The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah 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.
The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets—and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 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.
Nehemiah 11:1-36, 12:1-43
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Recommitting yourself to God…to His word and His way…brings a sense of renewal. A renewal of spirit fueled by the Holy Spirit energized within you. A renewal of energy toward obedience fueled by the respect and honor directed to the Almighty Master and Creator. A renewal of joy and peace and contentment brought on by feeling the Lord’s love once again moving in, through and around us.
The people of Israel felt all of this and more as they returned to the Promised Land after exile. They understood what had caused them to fall out of God’s favor and recommitted themselves to His principles and ways. They took on the rebuilding of the holy city of Jerusalem, first reconstructing the temple, then rebuilding the walls to protect the city, and then repopulating the city with God’s chosen people. It had been a journey. Renewal is often just that.
And so as we get to the end of Chapter 12 of Nehemiah, it’s easy to see where the people were ready to let their joy toward God be expressed in special ways. The occasion was the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem but the dedication was just the title. The people were ready to worship and praise God…and they did so in grand fashion.
Song is so often a big part of worship and the people of Israel rolled out the red carpet when it came to the musical aspect of the dedication. We read where there were multiple choirs involved.
First, 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.” We use instruments in our present day worship services. The origin of this can be traced all the way back to our Old Testament brothers and sisters.
We read as well that “musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth.” They came in to accompany the Levites in the music process.
Of note was the matter of purification before worship began. No proper dedication before God could be started until purity could be established. A pure and perfect God deserved pure worship and so the “priests and Levites…purified themselves ceremonially” first, and then they “purified the people, the gates and the wall.” As we come before God in praise and worship, it’s important that we come before Him with purity. We should always seek to come clean before we enter the house of the Lord so that we might be properly prepared to worship Him in spirit and in truth…in full holiness and righteousness.
After the purification, Nehemiah began to direct people as to where they should go for the dedication. It had to be quite an undertaking to ensure all the gates were covered as the city covered a significant amount of real estate.
Nehemiah had the “leaders of Judah” to “go up on top of the wall” and “assigned two large choirs to give thanks”. A procession was formed led by “Ezra the teacher of the Law” which included one of the choirs, “Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah…along with Azariah,…Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 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, and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani.” Musical instruments were used “prescribed by David the man of God”. The procession went to the “Fountain Gate” and “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.”
A second procession was formed with the other choir and it “proceeded in the opposite direction”. This procession included Nehemiah himself along with “half the people” and it traveled “past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate”, stopping at the “Gate of the Guard”.
The procession was followed by an assembly “in the house of God”. The two choirs, singing under the direction of Jezrahiah, were joined by Nehemiah “with half the officials, as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets—and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer.”
Purified and properly prepared for worship, we read where the choirs sang, great sacrifices were offered, and all the people were rejoicing, men, women and children…and not mildly rejoicing…no, the rejoicing was momentous, such that the rejoicing in Jerusalem “could be heard far away.”
And why was the rejoicing so great?
Because “God had given them great joy.”
Did you hear that verse? God had given them great joy.
Friends, God intends for us to be people of joy and offers us a joy that will lead us to rejoice as the Israelites did…in a way that will be heard far away…a joy that is far reaching and infectious. God offers a joy unfound anywhere else and when you and I have it in its truest sense, we will stand out…and others will be interested in knowing how we got the joy that we have. They will want to know because their hearts yearn for that kind of joy and they are having trouble finding it. They have trouble finding it because they are all looking for it in the wrong place.
As Christians, God so loved us that he gave His one and only Son Jesus to pay the cost for our sins. This sin penalty paid makes all those who place their faith and trust in Jesus pardoned and no longer under the wrath of God’s condemnation. We ought to rejoice and be glad in this each and every moment that we take breath. The Son has set us free and we are free indeed! Hallelujah! That and that alone should bring us to rejoicing. We have eternal hope that cannot be taken away from us…a heavenly inheritance awaits Christians in a mansion of many rooms that the Father has prepared for them. Praise God for this!
God the Father…the Omnipotent, Omnipresent. Omniscient Master and Creator of us all offers us great joy. We need to grab a hold of it and never let go.
If you’re a Christian and have lost joy, regain it. God is extending it to you through His Son, Jesus.
If you don’t know Jesus in your life, today is the day to accept Him as Savior and receive the fullest extent of joy possible.
And if you have accepted God’s joy in your heart, let your rejoicing resound so that it might be heard near and far.
Indeed…
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
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