Seeking the City of God

Rebirth: A series through Ezra-Nehemiah  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Nehemiah returns to rebuild the city walls of Jerusalem to restore it from disgrace and to reestablish its peace. For all his boldness, it is truly the hand of God which carries the work. We, like Nehemiah, seek the peace and glory of the New Jerusalem. However, we are not RE-building something that was destroyed, but rather we await its coming as we proclaim its blessings.

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Restoring the City of God

Intro: The Third Wave

Intro

Halfway through Ezra-Nehemiah. Beginning of the Third Movement in our Rebirth narrative. It’s the story of God restoring His chosen from exile to the land He promised them, in the city of His peace, for His glory, to be a blessing to all nations. So before we dive into this , want to recap & 2.
The Rebuilding and Reestablishment of the TEMPLE
The PRESENCE of the God of heaven and earth amongst His people
The PRESENCE of the God of heaven and earth amongst His people
Led by Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the High Pries
Led by Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the High Priest
The Reestablishment of the LAW
The Reestablishment of the LAW
The setting apart of the PEOPLE for God
The setting apart of the PEOPLE for God
Ezra sent in the Seventh year of Artaxerxes with his blessing.
Ezra sent in the Seventh year of Artaxerxes with his blessing
Briefly, the 1st Movement in this narrative account tells of the rebuilding and re-establishment of the temple - the dwelling place of the God of the heavens in Jerusalem. The 2nd movement was the re-establishment of God’s Law - the setting apart of his chosen people. Holiness. Purity. Justice. Mercy. And now we come to our story today, the third movement, when Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls, seeking to re-establish the city of David in its glory. The seat of the kingdom.
The Rebuilding and Reestablishment of the CITY
The Rebuilding and Reestablishment of the CITY
After the Law was reestablished we read briefly is about the rebuilding of the City Walls
After the Law was reestablished we read briefly is about the rebuilding of the City Walls
Governors of the province Beyond the River write to Artaxerxes saying this was once a great and powerful city and if it is rebuilt it will rebel against your empire
Governors of the province Beyond the River write to Artaxerxes saying this was once a great and powerful city and if it is rebuilt it will rebel against your empire
Artaxerxes stops the rebuilding by Force
Artaxerxes stops the rebuilding by Force
Nehemiah, a Jew serving as the cupbearer to the king, hears of the destruction of Jerusalem and the disgrace of the people.
Nehemiah, a Jew serving as the cupbearer to the king, hears of the destruction of Jerusalem and the disgrace of the people.
After mourning, fasting, and praying for four months, we see that Nehemiah has asked God for deliverance TODAY as he hopes to change the king’s mind
After mourning, fasting, and praying for four months, we see that Nehemiah has asked God for deliverance TODAY as he hopes to change the king’s mind
READ

2 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” 6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.

*aside* v. 3 - Nehemiah was rightfully afraid of what might happen to him next. For one, it was unacceptable for a servant in the king’s presence to show the kind of sadness Nehemiah was showing in the presence of the king. It could have gotten him fired or worse - However, it seems he was using this offense as his doorway into the even greater offense which would have been requesting the king to reverse his decree for the rebuilding of Jerusalem!
This was a very POLITICAL topic, and yet we see that Nehemiah navigates it graciously, not on the basis of a political agenda, but from deep in his heart.
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GOD prevails over the RULERS of the WORLD

Theme #1: God prevails over the rulers of the world (2:1-8)

In chapter one, Nehemiah hears from his brother of the destruction and the shame of Jerusalem, and we saw last week that he weeps and mourns, and he fasts and prays.
Although Nehemiah was afraid, he acts in the boldness of a man who has fasted and prayed for four months. He acted as a man who knew with confidence, not that he was sure to win the heart of the king but that the GOOD HAND of GOD was on him.
Although Nehemiah was afraid, he acts in the boldness of a man who has fasted and prayed for four months. He acted as a man who knew with confidence, not that he was sure to win the heart of the king but that the GOOD HAND of GOD was on him.
THEME: GOD prevails over the RULERS of the WORLD
y the end of chapter one, he has resolution as he prays, “Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
Nehemiah had resolved to speak to the king TODAY.
v. 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.
He knows in his heart and before God that the king is no more than a man under God’s sovereign control.
By the time we get to chapter two, four months has passed since Nehemiah first heard! He was mourning and fasting and praying during that time. Not rushing into action, yet as we will see once he moves forward, he moves with the confidence of a man who has prayed and waited on the Lord for four months!
Nehemiah was not allured by the power of this earthly king. At the end of chapter one he prays “grant mercy to your servant in the sight of this man.” The kings of the earth are not gods, but men. His request, then was not from Artaxerxes, but from God who holds the hearts of kings in his hands.
Nehemiah would have REMEMBERED this God who hardened the heart of Pharao when he led Israel out of Egypt. It was THIS God he was trusting for success. And God’s hand was on Nehemiah, granting him success.
Nehemiah was not just convincing his close friend to lend him a hand here. This takes place against the backdrop of Ezra ch. 4 in which this same king Artaxerxes ceases the rebuilding of Jerusalem by force and issues a decree against its rebuilding. Nehemiah, a Jew serving closely under this king would have known that this was a touchy subject. When the king shows interest in the reason for Nehemiah’s sadness of heart, he tactfully and graciously replies, why wouldn’t I be sad since my homeland, the city of my fathers’ graves lies in ruins. Now the king continues to show Nehemiah his favor by granting him a request. Now Nehemiah subtly reveals that his homeland is Judah. Once the king gives the green light, Nehemiah asks for provisions from the king, and just as we saw in Ezra, the king again rolls out the red carpet for Nehemiah and for the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
That’s our first miracle in chapter 2, but let’s keep reading.

2 In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ graves, that I may rebuild it.” 6 And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. 7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.

Nehemiah was not just convincing his close friend to lend him a hand here. This takes place against the backdrop of Ezra ch. 4 in which this same king Artaxerxes ceases the rebuilding of Jerusalem by force and issues a decree against its rebuilding. Nehemiah, a Jew serving closely under this king would have known that this was a touchy subject. When the king shows interest in the reason for Nehemiah’s sadness of heart, he tactfully and graciously replies, why wouldn’t I be sad since my homeland, the city of my fathers’ graves lies in ruins. Now the king continues to show Nehemiah his favor by granting him a request. Now Nehemiah subtly reveals that his homeland is Judah. Once the king gives the green light, Nehemiah asks for provisions from the king, and just as we saw in Ezra, the king again rolls out the red carpet for Nehemiah and for the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

Theme #2: Building in TEAM amidst opposition (2:9-18)

9 Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

11 So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. 12 Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. 13 I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. 15 Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. 16 And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.

17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.

They strengthened their hands for the good work. This stands in contrast to Ezra chapter 4 when the enemies around Jerusalem incited fear in the people and discouraged them - weakened their hands.
We see hear another principle theme of Ezra-Nehemiah
THEME: Building in TEAM amidst opposition.
Nehemiah was coming from the courts of Artaxerxes. He could have easily been seen as a traitor, informant, or just as a bright-eyed, overoptimistic idealist who couldn’t possibly understand the situation of the Jews living in Jerusalem. However, he was again patient, awaiting the proper time, he held his cards close to his chest for 3 days, and when he goes to them to tell them of the Hand of God - how he had changed the king’s heart, they rise up for the work.
This is our second miracle.

Theme #3: Serving the God of Heaven (2:19-20)

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.”

THEME: Serving the God of Heaven
The kings and governors of the world rule and govern according to the desires of their own evil hearts.
Sanballat and Tobiah are “greatly displeased” even though the king is clearly behind Nehemiah.
It is striking, then, that they accuse the Jews of rebellion! When they themselves are opposing the latest letter from the king contianing his blessing for Nehemiah and the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
The Jews did not FEAR MAN, but declared boldly, we serve the God of the heavens.
The King of kings and Lord of lords rules and governs according to the perfect will of God the Father and according to his perfect justice and mercy.
Which king do you serve?
That is the king the Nehemiah served. It is the king that WE SERVE.
Now, all this begs the question, WHY? What is the significance of this story for us?
This God of the heavens, is elsewhere referred to as the God who created the heavens, the dry land, and the sea, but commonly in the OT titled God of the heavens. However, Jesus has been given ALL authority in heaven AND on EARTH.
We cannot understand the context of Nehemiah without understanding the context of the great city Jerusalem.

The City of Shalom

The first mention of Jerusalem in the bible is in Genesis. But for our purposes, let’s turn to the book of Hebrews, chapter 7, verses 1-2

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

1 God is known in Judah.

His name is great in Israel.

2 His den has been in Salem,

his lair in Zion.

Saying his DEN is in Salem, in Zion shows us three things
First: It was the city of Lion of Judah
Second: It is affiliated with Melchizedek the high priest
Third: Zion was the city of David

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.

In the psalms this city Salem is directly tied to Zion, the cit of David, and the city of the Lion of Judah. The word Salem, is related to the Hebrew word Shalom, which is translated in English as peace. So we should understand Jerusalem to be the City of Peace, or the City of Shalom.
The English word peace, unfortunately does not quite give us the full depth of meaning that comes with Shalom in Hebrew.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.

Shalom was wrapped up in the promises of God towards His people in the covenant between God and Abraham. It meant wholeness, physical, emotional, and relational well-being, and salvation. It was personal, but also familial and societal. But it wasn’t just outward, it was upward: peace between God and man.
This is the kind of peace we should think of when we think of Jerusalem, city of Peace.
wholeness, health, security, well-being, and salvation
The exile was a disruption of that Shalom, in which God was disciplining His people. And so when we read Nehemiah, we should see it not only as a rebuilding of an earthly city, but as an endeavor with far-reaching significance. It is why we must understand that it was ALL DUE TO THE GOOD HAND OF GOD UPON NEHEMIAH.
Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Peace. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 2, p. 1634). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
Now Nehemiah acted in Faith, because he understood the significance of Jerusalem for Shalom between heaven and earth.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

Abraham sought the city of peace. Nehemiah sought it. We too are called to seek it. But we no longer seek it on earth as the other religions. Just as the temple and its customs has been replaced with a better temple, Jesus himself, so too we seek after a New Jerusalem that is to come.
The author of Hebrews says this:

10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

(aside) *by altar he is referring to communion.
*the tent refers to the tabernacle (or temple)
Jesus left the city. The former place whose purpose was Shalom, and HE BORE the shame of its ruins.

32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

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