Jerusalem: The City Of God
Notes
Transcript
Review
Review
Turn to Nehemiah 7:1-2, 4.
These verses provide the context that we need for Nehemiah chapter 11, where we’ll be in a few minutes.
Read Nehemiah 7:1-2, 4.
It’s 444 BC, the wall of Jerusalem has been rebuilt and Nehemiah has setup leadership to guide the city, but there is a problem: Jerusalem needs houses and people to live in it. Chapter 11 picks up the story and tells us about Nehemiah’s plan to resettle Jerusalem.
Now if you’re just joining us, here’s what happens in the chapters between:
Nehemiah 7 is a genealogy that verified the unbroken bloodline of the Jewish people. At that time, it was reasonable that only the covenant people of God should live in the city of God. They wanted Jewish people to live in the city.
Nehemiah 8-10 tells us about the spiritual restoration of the Jewish people. These were the Jewish people that renewed their covenant with God. They wanted spiritual people to live in the city.
This brings us to Nehemiah 11 and the resettlement of Jerusalem.
Introduction
Introduction
Read Nehemiah 11:1-2.
Next slide here:
The people of the city - Nehemiah 11
Have you ever noticed that every major city has its own feel? You don’t have to travel very far to experience that.
I spent this past Thursday and Friday at a conference just south of Lancaster city and both days I drove through downtown Lancaster. I think that’s the first time I had ever been through there and you know I quickly realized that Lancaster has a different feel compared to Harrisburg. The culture felt different. The buildings were different. The main streets were not as wide.
In the same way, Philly isn’t the same as Pittsburgh. New York isn’t the same as Miami. I’ve not been to Jerusalem yet but you know what I hear from people who’ve been there? They say its a city unlike any other. It has an atmosphere that carries the weight of ancient history and the depth of spiritual heritage, but even more, what makes Jerusalem unique it its people. Today, the mix of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish people creates a feel all to its own.
I want to remind you that this ancient city was given by God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as their inheritance.
Next slide here. Proceed quickly.
The promise - Genesis 12:1
The land - Genesis 15:18-21 (Jebusites)
The city - Joshua 15:63; Joshua 18:28; 1 Chron 11:4
Next slide here:
The city conquered by David: 1 Chron 11:4-9
The city conquered by Babylon - Daniel 1:1-2
The city resettled by Nehemiah
Very few cities in the world have as rich a history as Jerusalem. There’s some cities, such as Damascus, that are older, but no city can compare to the importance of this city across thousands of years of human history.
Now I’m going to show you in just a few minutes why all of this matters, so stay with me on this.
Next slide here:
The people of the city - Nehemiah 11
I’m going to quickly show you how Nehemiah resettled Jerusalem and who he used to resettle it.
It was resettled by use of a random selection - verse 1
Casting lots was a means of random selection and of determining the will of God.
The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
This was there way of letting God pick the Jews that should reside in Jerusalem.
Keep brief:
It was resettled with volunteers - verse 2
It was resettled with the tribe of Judah - v 4-6
It was resettled with the tribe of Benjamin - v 7-9
It was resettled with priests - v. 10-14
It was resettled with levites - v. 15-18
It was resettled with gatekeepers - v. 19
The rest of the Israelites resided in the towns and villages around Jerusalem. This included temple servants and singers - v. 20-24
Application: All of this begs the question: why is this chapter included in Scripture? How is it relevant to us today? Here’s how: It proves that Jerusalem is still the city of the Jewish people.
That’s why this chapter is relevant to the big picture of human history. Since the days of Nehemiah, all kinds of people and major empires have laid claim to Jerusalem - from the Persians, to the Greeks, to the Seleucids, to the Romans, to the Crusaders, and also the Muslims.
Jerusalem isn’t any of theirs. It’s the city of God and of God’s chosen people, the Jews. And the best part? It will be the capitol city of our Savior when He returns to rule and reign on this earth for 1000 years.
And so we see the people of the city and why that matters today. But then secondly…
Next slide here:
The description of the city - Nehemiah 11:1
As I mentioned earlier, every city has its own description.
Philadelphia is the “city of brotherly love.”
Chicago is “the Windy City”
New York is “the Big Apple”
Notice the description for Jerusalem in verse 1.
Read Nehemiah 11:1
That should grab your attention a little bit. That’s a powerful description.
Other cities are sometimes called holy cities in their own traditions.
Muslims consider Mecca a holy city.
Hindus have a city along the Ganges River that they consider sacred.
Sikhism) – home to the Golden Temple.
But even in our day, if someone says “the Holy City” without qualification, they almost always mean Jerusalem.
Now I want to make something very clear: Jerusalem was the holy city not because of its people, but because of their God.
God chose Jerusalem and specifically the temple as His dwelling place on earth. That’s what made it holy. That’s what made the city dedicated, set apart, or consecrated to the Lord. Again, that’s what made it holy.
Application: How eager would you have been to reside in Jerusalem? Probably your first thought is “I don’t know”, so let me elaborate. Living in Jerusalem would have had some real disadvantages.
It was the major city of the Jews. It was the most likely to be attacked by Sanballat and all of the other enemies of the Jews.
It was unsettled. A new community, new economy, and new infrastructure would have to be developed over time.
It was a place where a lot of work still remained.
Probably one reason that lots were cast was because this wasn’t something that everyone would want to do.
Kids will jump up and down when you ask “who wants some ice cream?” but when you ask “who would like to help with the dishes>”… not so much.
Moving to Jerusalem meant relocating your family and building a new home.
Moving has never been easy. Building a new house has never been easy. Those are some of the most stressful things that a family ever does together.
But this was the holy city. It was the place of closeness to God because that is where God’s temple was. The advantage was that it was the place of access to God! The apostle Paul recognized this advantage in Romans 3:1.
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
The great advantage of the Jews was their near access to God - something that pagans around the world did not have!
But I daresay, that after rebuilding the walls and after considering all of the other circumstances, only the most spiritual of Jews would have been willing to move to Jerusalem.
I ask you again this morning: would you have been one of them? Would your desire for God have been enough motivation for you to move to Jerusalem? Would nearness to God have been reason enough for you to go?
Or would you have weighed the circumstances and decided that living in the holy city and being close to God just wasn’t worth the effort?
Drawing near to God still takes effort and discipline on your part. God accepts only those that come to him on His terms.
You must come to him by faith
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
You must come to him by his Son
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
You must come to Him in purity
God cannot tolerate sin in His presence. He cannot fellowship with an unrepentant sinner and He cannot fellowship with a Christian who has sinned and not confessed it in humility!
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
But listen: there is hope for you, because God has no interest, no delight in being distant from His creation. He made you to fellowship with Him. He created you to know Him personally and that is possible if you will seek Him with all of your heart.
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near:
That verse was written thousands of years ago, but its still true of our God today.
It’s time you start reading the Bible daily. Let His words come alive! Let Him speak to you! Fall in love with Jesus Christ! Live like He tells you to live! It’s time you talk with Him in prayer! Not as a routine, but as a conversation! Let this day be the day that you begin to draw close to the Lord.
Conclusion
Conclusion
So I ask you again: would you have made the sacrifice to reside in Jerusalem, the holy city? Would you have prioritized spiritual things over safety, comfort, pleasure, or convenience? Would you have been among the 10%, or would you have been content to live somewhere outside Jerusalem, the city of God?
Today, make the choice to prioritize closeness to God more than pleasure, business, or anything else.
Let’s bow our heads to pray.
Invitation
Invitation
Business meeting
Business meeting
