But Who Will Live Here?

# Nehemiah 11-12

Who’s going to live here?

Introduction:

Good morning once again.

Go ahead and open your Bible or devices to the book of Nehemiah.

Today we enter Nehemiah chapter 11 and immediately find a rather intimidating list of those Old Testament Bible names.

Let’s remind ourselves of the context that leads into this passage because it doesn’t exist as a stand alone list of names for the sake of taking up space. There is a reason that this is here. God intended this to be recorded for a purpose.

In Nehmeiah chapters one through six, we see the people rebuild the wall. In chapter 7 the identity of the people is re-established but we also saw that it was a big city and there were few people in it. Chapter 8 featured the re-reading of the Torah and the re-celebration of the Festival of Booths. In chapter 9 the people confessed their sin to God and rehearsed His mercy. They renewed their commitment to God by making a covenant to keep God’s covenant in chapter 10, and here in chapter 11 and 12 we see them choose who is going to live in the city and dedicate the wall. There has certainly been a lot go on in this book.

This morning I want to point out three main questions and then their answers.

1. Who is going to populate the city?

2. How did they choose who was going to live there?

3. Why is this in the Bible?

As we read this very long passage, be on the lookout for the answers to those questions.

Let’s read from the Word of the Lord.

READ Nehemiah 11:1-12:26

Nehemiah 11:1–12:26 ESV

1 Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. 2 And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. 3 These are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the towns of Judah everyone lived on his property in their towns: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants. 4 And in Jerusalem lived certain of the sons of Judah and of the sons of Benjamin. Of the sons of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of the sons of Perez; 5 and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, son of the Shilonite. 6 All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468 valiant men. 7 And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah, 8 and his brothers, men of valor, 928. 9 Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city. 10 Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin, 11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, ruler of the house of God, 12 and their brothers who did the work of the house, 822; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah, 13 and his brothers, heads of fathers’ houses, 242; and Amashsai, the son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, 14 and their brothers, mighty men of valor, 128; their overseer was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim. 15 And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; 16 and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who were over the outside work of the house of God; 17 and Mattaniah the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, who was the leader of the praise, who gave thanks, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. 18 All the Levites in the holy city were 284. 19 The gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were 172. 20 And the rest of Israel, and of the priests and the Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, every one in his inheritance. 21 But the temple servants lived on Ophel; and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants. 22 The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the work of the house of God. 23 For there was a command from the king concerning them, and a fixed provision for the singers, as every day required. 24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s side in all matters concerning the people. 25 And as for the villages, with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its villages, and in Dibon and its villages, and in Jekabzeel and its villages, 26 and in Jeshua and in Moladah and Beth-pelet, 27 in Hazar-shual, in Beersheba and its villages, 28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, 29 in En-rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its villages. So they encamped from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom. 31 The people of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages, 32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen. 36 And certain divisions of the Levites in Judah were assigned to Benjamin. 1 These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua. 8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9 And Bakbukiah and Unni and their brothers stood opposite them in the service. 10 And Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, 11 Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua. 12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel. 22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the Levites were recorded as heads of fathers’ houses; so too were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 As for the sons of Levi, their heads of fathers’ houses were written in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. 24 And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers who stood opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch by watch. 25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storehouses of the gates. 26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra, the priest and scribe.

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This is the Word of the Lord. Let’s pray and ask God to help us understand and apply it to our lives.

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PRAY

I. Who will populate the city?

Some people probably didn’t want to live in the city.

It was dangerous. If an army came through they would focus on Jerusalem. They knew there were forces that opposed them and the building of the walls.

Less room for real estate in a city.

- Some chosen by lots.

This was common back then and a way that they trusted in God’s providence. Today we have the cannon of Scripture and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit so we don’t have to rely on such practices.

- Some volunteered.

- People willingly gave themselves over to God's program over their own desires. (reword)

- Even though it would have not meant as many advantages for them.

- Unimpressive and dangerous

- They likely did this because of what Jerusalem was all about… whta it meant…

Those who were willing to live there were highly respected.

Referred to as :

valiant men - 11:6

men of valor - 11:8

mighty men of valor - 11:14

The valiant thing about these men was that they were willing to risk their lives for the kingdom of God. They put skin in the game. They risked it for the sake of God’s name. That is true heroism. If you want to live for God, live for the truth of the Bible. Stake your life on these things.

II. How did they choose who was going to live in the city?

A. Process

B. Postions

1. Basic operations

2. Security

They had to be on their guard. They knew there were threats around theme and needed to secure the city.

3. Worship

The temple had to be kept up.

The grounds of the temple had to be kept up.

The priests were needed for the sacrifices.

You see the singers. When the Asaph is mentioned in verse

III. Why is this in the Bible?

Why does God want us to know this in 2023?

These were true Israelites. The tracing back to Zerubbabel shows this. ETC.

Derek Thomas writes,

Ezra & Nehemiah More Information about the Levites

But just as foundation stones and roof timbers are important to a building’s stability while remaining unseen, passages such as these in Nehemiah relate a redemptive purpose for the city of Jerusalem that will only later develop into something deeper and far more glorious. God intends to populate a city—the New Jerusalem into which the nations will come (Rev. 21:2, 22–26).

In the New Jerusalem, people—people with names—will dwell in community with one another and with their Savior. For however tedious these lists may appear, to the individuals themselves and their families and friends these lists bring an emotional response of recognition and gratitude. Memorials to fallen soldiers or acts of terrorism include names—names on which we gaze with affection, even if the individuals were unknown to us personally; they personalize the narrative.

Connection between the generations of returners and rebuilders. Brought together in 12:26.

God working to accomplish His purposes. Should encourage us.

They had a united effort through history to renew the worship of God in the city of Jerusalem.

They each had a place that God had provided for them. They each had an inheritance.

There is grace here! Their sin had put them in the place of being in exile in the first place, and here was God having mercy upon them.

Gospel HERE.

God had specific places for His people to live, serve, and work. He placed them there.

You are placed where you are for a reason.

Takeaways for Today (2023)

God was at work, working to accomplish His purposes. He was restoring the worship of His name among His people in ways that seemed insignificant or mundane to some. Many times people see the week in, week out of the ministry of the church as un-exciting or mundane but it is through these very means that God grows His kingdom. Are you sold out to it? Are you willing to make sacrifices and take risks like these men of valor who put their own skin in the game?

- They were prepared to change their entire existence for their future generations because they saw obeying God as more important than making a comfortable future for themselves… Will you live your life that way? Will you choose God’s way over your personal comfort? It’s easy for us to say yes to that but when the rubber meets the road, we too often choose ourselves. I’m asking you here today, to choose God’s way and God’s plan for building His kingdom over your own desires. Will you do it?

What do you need to do?

Some need to give themselves over to Jesus.

Repent and believe the gospel.

Some need to jump into a position of service in the local church here at Hope.

Some need to become members and solidify that connection with a specific group of believers.

Some may need to make the decision to follow the Lord in believer’s baptism.