Equipping Time 2020: Tuesday

Nehemiah 3

Nehemiah 3 CSB

1 The high priest Eliashib and his fellow priests began rebuilding the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel, they dedicated it. 2 The men of Jericho built next to Eliashib, and next to them Zaccur son of Imri built. 3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 4 Next to them Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, made repairs. Beside them Meshullam son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs. 5 Beside them the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not lift a finger to help their supervisors. 6 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate. They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 7 Next to them the repairs were done by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, who were under the authority of the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River. 8 After him Uzziel son of Harhaiah, the goldsmith, made repairs, and next to him Hananiah son of the perfumer made repairs. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. 10 After them Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs across from his house. Next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs. 11 Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab made repairs to another section, as well as to the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Beside him Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs—he and his daughters. 13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars, and repaired five hundred yards of the wall to the Dung Gate. 14 Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 15 Shallun son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and roofed it. Then he installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also made repairs to the wall of the Pool of Shelah near the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that descend from the city of David. 16 After him Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Warriors. 17 Next to him the Levites made repairs under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district. 18 After him their fellow Levites made repairs under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. 19 Next to him Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, made repairs to another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the Angle. 20 After him Baruch son of Zabbai diligently repaired another section, from the Angle to the door of the house of the high priest Eliashib. 21 Beside him Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, made repairs to another section, from the door of Eliashib’s house to the end of his house. 22 And next to him the priests from the surrounding area made repairs. 23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. Beside them Azariah son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. 24 After him Binnui son of Henadad made repairs to another section, from the house of Azariah to the Angle and the corner. 25 Palal son of Uzai made repairs opposite the Angle and tower that juts out from the king’s upper palace, by the courtyard of the guard. Beside him Pedaiah son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants living on Ophel made repairs opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the tower that juts out. 27 Next to him the Tekoites made repairs to another section from a point opposite the great tower that juts out, as far as the wall of Ophel. 28 Each of the priests made repairs above the Horse Gate, each opposite his own house. 29 After them Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. And beside him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, guard of the East Gate, made repairs. 30 Next to him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph made repairs to another section. After them Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his room. 31 Next to him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs to the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the upstairs room on the corner. 32 The goldsmiths and merchants made repairs between the upstairs room on the corner and the Sheep Gate.

A. The Administration - the wisdom of the plan

B. Motivation to work - coordination of the people

C. The Demonstration

1. The leaders were the first to lead out (3:1) – Leaders who set the pace (priests, leaders)

2. Those who did not lead were noted (3:5)

3. Leaders led throughout the project (3:9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)

4. Some were especially noted for the extent of their work (3:8, 13, 15)

5. One was noted for the special care that he demonstrated in his work (3:20)

6. I like the testimony of Baruch – 3:20 – “Carefully repaired”

7. He worked with care – word suggests the idea of “burning with passion”

8. Those who did MORE (Those who completed their own task and took on another

9. 3:21 – Meremoth completed another section (cf. 3:4)

10. 3:24 – Stipulates that Binnui repaired another section (though a previous section that he worked on is not specified)

11. 3:27 – Tekoites (cf. 3:5) repaired another section

12. 3:31 – Meshallum (cf. 3:4) repaired another section

D. The Collaboration

1. Side by side (see phrase, “next to”)

2. Priests and leaders worked side by side with people

E. The Motivation

1. Apparently, the people were encouraged to make repairs along their own property

2. So, they worked on the wall in the area most important to them (their property)

3. Those also worked within family units: (3:3, 3:10, 12, 23, 28, 30)

4. Note 3:17 – Hashabiah made repairs within his own district

Nehemiah 4: Causes of Discouragement in our Lives

A. Failure

1. It was their failure that led them to this point

2. We saw this in Nehemiah 1

3. Jewish Historians – they had tried before to rebuild the walls – and were not successful!

4. Every time they looked at the walls on the ground it was a reminder of their failure!

B. Friction

1. Sanballat and Tobiah – Government officials from surrounding countries

2. Cf. 2:10 – that is the kind of people these are

3. The Strategy of the enemy (4:2-3)

i. Belittled their Abilities - “What are those feeble Jews doing?” – Tobiah tries to mock their efforts – “even a fox knock down!”

ii. Challenged their Ambitions - “Will they restore their wall?”

iii. Mocked their Optimism - “Will they offer sacrifices?”

iv. Attacked their Enthusiasm - “Will they finish in a day?”

v. Undermined their Confidence - “Can they bring stones back to life?”

C. Fatigue (10)

1. Vs. 10 – The strength of the laborers is failing

2. The people were tired!

3. Lit. they were “staggering, tottering, stumbling”

4. They were on the verge of burnout or breakdown

5. NOTE: God’s solution: Eat! (Twice!); Sleep; friend (spread the work)

D. Frustration (10)

1. Vs. 10 There is SO MUCH RUBBLE! (It is everywhere!)

2. You Cannot rebuild on top of the rubble – unsteady building had to remove it! – task seemed overwhelming

E. Fear (12)

1. Vs. 12 – JEWS came 10 Times – We cannot do it; they had bought the threat of the enemy – they are right! Can’t!

F. Focus (10-12)

1. Where is the focus of the people? – It is in the wrong place!

2. Listening to the wrong people

3. They are focusing on the enemy – rubble never bothered them before until the enemy pointed it out (cf. Vs. 2)

4. vs. 12 – they are too close to the enemy

G. How to Overcome Discouragement

1. Focus on the Lord instead of the Enemy (4-5)

i. Seek the Lord

2. Trust in who God is – (14) – “great and awesome”

i. Have Confidence in what He will do (20)

3. Develop Wise Plans

i. Get rid of the rubbish! (10)

ii. I positioned them (13; 21-22)

iii. From that time on (16)

iv. Be on guard against the attack of the enemy

4. NOTE that Nehemiah is out working with them (23)

i. Leader taught them priority

ii. Remember the significance of the Task (14)

iii. Remember who we are working for: God, family, my friends

iv. Nehemiah reminds them in vs. 14 – what they have

5. Work with Genuine Commitment to the Task

i. 4:6 – The people had a mind to work

ii. 4:15 – even their enemies knew that God had accomplished a great work in them

6. Stay United with God’s People (19-23)

i. Do not get so far away from God’s people that we are no longer working together

ii. We need each other

iii. The leaders were side-by-side with the people