Nehemiah Series #15

The Joy Of Revival

Text: Nehemiah 11-12 (Focus on 12:43)

Introduction

Who here likes to experience joy? Thats probably a rhetorical question. However, often times revival is not seen as the path to joy. We find ourselves seeking careers, paying off debt, upgrading things, better health, etc. Now, all of those things can bring about an emotion of joy, however, emotions change and you’re left once again wanting a deeper joy.

When it comes to seeking what seems to be missing, we absolutely must remember our NEW MAN only has a diet of things from above; things only Jesus can provide. Renewal is something only Jesus can give you.

Revival/Renewal has been something these people have been asking for and God has slowly brought it to them. The anticipation has been difficult, but the rejoicing that got to experience made it all worth while.

The joy of revival is something worth pursuing and worth waiting for!

1) Their Joyful Dedication

DEDICATION OF THE WALLS 11-12

As you can see, renewal leads to order.

The city is ready to be occupied once again.

Nehemiah returns from telling about the spiritual work under Ezra to the story of the walls.

Something to keep in mind is that the events in Nehemiah are not told in exact order.

The next step of getting the Jews to live in the city was one of great faith.

This would be good for the city and the glory of God.

Who was living there at this point?

The leaders were living in the city at this point.

They wanted the citizens to join them.

There was a process to moving the people:

They would cast lots and move one out of ten into the city.

(v2) They were willing volunteers.

(vv.3-19) Gives us a total of just over 3,000 people (seems to represent 10% of the male population).

Notice the mentioning of singers (vv.22-23)

During all their years of exile, they had no song to sing.

Ref. Psalm 137

To read about the actual dedication of the walls, we have to go to 12:27-47.

Here is the break down of how it happened: (show slide)

Ezra and Nehemiah divided the people into two large companies.

Ezra was leading one, while Nehemiah was following the other.

Each group contained:

a large thanksgiving choir (12:31, literally a “thanksgiving”)

• a significant lay leader (Hoshaiah, 12:32; Nehemiah, 12:38)

• other leaders (12:32–34, 40)

• priests with trumpets (12:35–36, 41)

• other musicians, including the Levites (12:36, 42)

Mark Roberts and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, vol. 11, The Preacher’s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1993), 277–278.

They started around the valley gate.

Ezra led his group along the east side and then north to the temple area.

Nehemiah followed his group straight north and then east, meeting the other group at the temple area.

Don’t this remind us of the people celebrating while marching around Jericho?

You might ask, “Why go to such trouble with such a procession around the walls?”

They were publicly thanking the Lord as they took a panoramic view of all that God had brought to pass.

Notice verse 43 — Their joy was heard for miles away!

What a day of dedication!!!

The amazing thing you have here is this: Here we witness a dedicated PEOPLE joyfully dedicating GOD’S WORK.

2) The Impact Of Their Joy

I think we can all agree from this joyous dedication service, that JOY is an undeniable outcome of AUTHENTIC REVIVAL!

Think of the kind of people they were before God did this work in their lives:

They were afraid, silent, seemingly without hope, selfish.....

Notice the change revival brought to them:

They lost all sense of self preservation.

They put to death their selfishness.

They became publicly vocal about their Lord.

Let’s focus on verse 43 for a moment:

What you read here was the results of the people taking an extreme pause from their busy lives.

Worship should never get lost in the shuffle of rushing.

God knows how to make us pause!!!

“Great sacrifices” = great adj. — remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree, magnitude, or effect.

This began by the priests preparing themselves.

This word describes both their sacrifices and their joy.

We are called to be a living sacrifice.

Romans 12:1 “1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

1 Peter 2:5 “5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

To clearly keep in focus the GREATNESS of God, will always bring about a life of living sacrifice that is great before God.

“the women and children” = we see here an expression of the entire home.

They were led to this point!!!

2 Timothy 1:5 “5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”

There was collective participation!!!

“Heard from afar”

What was heard was particular; JOY!

The people had literally returned to joy!

Aren’t you thankful that joy is something you CAN RETURN TOO?!

Psalm 51:12 “12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.”

What is the majority of expression do people hear from you?

Quote: “Revived believers cannot stay sorrowful, silent, or selfish because their hearts are filled with affection for God and His people. Indeed, His will and His Word are no longer optional but are our joyful obligation.” Stephen Davey, Nehemiah, ed. Lalanne Barber, Wisdom Commentary Series (Apex, NC: Charity House Publishers, 2012), 171.

3) Their Path Toward Renewed Joy

In a nutshell, their path to a renewed joy is simply this: Initiating the first step toward God!

Renewal is not something God has to order, wrap, and then spend 5 to 10 business days to get it to you.

Renewal comes FROM HIM!

If you want revival from Him, you must make the walk TO HIM.

True story: Gipsy Smith, a well-known English evangelist from the previous generation, was approached by a man and asked how to begin to pray for revival in this country. Gipsy asked him, “Do you have a place where you can go to pray?”

“Yes,” was the reply.

“Then here’s what you are to do: Go to that place and take a piece of chalk along with you. Kneel down there, and with the chalk, draw a complete circle all around you. Then pray for God to send revival to everything inside that circle … and revival will begin with you.” Stephen Davey, Nehemiah, ed. Lalanne Barber, Wisdom Commentary Series (Apex, NC: Charity House Publishers, 2012), 171.

Quote: “True revival comes when we go to God in prayer and ask Him to remove, rekindle, restore, re-establish, and refurbish us.” Stephen Davey, Nehemiah, ed. Lalanne Barber, Wisdom Commentary Series (Apex, NC: Charity House Publishers, 2012), 171.

Be aware that asking for revival may cost you everything!

Matthew 5:48 “48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Illustration: (by C.S. Lewis) Going to the dentist for one problem and they keep you coming back for 10 others. A Dentist of great ethics will be motivated to bring your mouth to as close to perfection as possible.

Example: Of the fifty-six men who signed the Declaration of Independence:

• Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned by the enemy.

• Nine fought and died from wounds or hardships.

• Two lost their sons in the war.

• One had two sons captured.

• Five were captured as traitors and tortured before they died.

• Numerous others lost all financial means, lived a life of hardship, and died in poverty.

What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants. Nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated. Five were trained ministers. Four were physicians. One was a printer, another an iron worker, and one was a politician. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured. Stephen Davey, Nehemiah, ed. Lalanne Barber, Wisdom Commentary Series (Apex, NC: Charity House Publishers, 2012), 171.

These men were ambassadors for the freedom of earthly importance.

Would you and I be any less than them when our ambassadorship is regarding the freedom of the soul?