Nehemiah Series

Taking your place among the people of God.

One of the consequences of the Global Corronavirus pandemic is that many who can afford it in the UK have moved out of the cities into the countryside.

An interesting social phonmena which may be temporary and for those of us who live in the coutnryside or at least in this small rural town, one we entirely understand.

The Guardian reported that in June and July, 2021 that the “number of buyer inquiries made to Rightmove, the UK’s largest online property website, from people living in 10 cities increased by 78% compared with the same period last year. And there was a 126% increase in people considering properties in village locations, compared with a 68% rise in people searching for towns.”

Living in a city has its advantages, but it also has its challenges. As the Guardian’s readers reported to the paper - "the pandemic has...brought into sharp focus their living arrangements, such as the lack of gardens, overcrowding in the city and distance from those in their community.”

It’s worth noting that overcrowded cities are a relevantly recent phenomenon historically speaking:

It has been estimated that ‘at the time of Jesus Christ, there were only about 250 million people in the world,....It took fifteen hundred years for that to double to 0.5 billion...It doubled again by the end of the eighteenth century, to 1 billion in three hundred years. By the start of the twentieth century, one hundred years later, it was 2 billion.” (James Montgomery Boice).

Today there are nearly 8 billion people in the world. and the majority of these live in cities with the U.N. revealing that the change in those living in urban areas, from 1950 to 2020 has accelerated so that now 56.2% of the global population live in cities. The biggest change has been in Latin America and the Caribbean, with 81.2% of the population living in urban areas, up from 41.3% in 1950. To give you an idea of the rapid urbanisation of the world’s population, 300 years ago, only 2.5% of the world’s population lived in cities. The UN reported in 2018 that 548 cities have a population of 1 million plus inhabitants!

Now such numbers are not merely interesting statistics but they are challenging for the Church in terms of the Christian witness today? The world’s cities are a perfect place to do evangelism - the NT Church suggests this also - Rome, Philippi, Thessalonica - urban centres from which the Gospel could be strategically consolidated and spread throughoutteh wider region. This strategy is still a modern challenge for Christ’s church and her evangelism and mission priorities, even if it is not one that we are directly engaged in here in rural, small town North Yorkshire.

I. THE CHALLENGE TO TAKE YOUR PLACE AMONG THE PEOPLE OF GOD:

How does this lead into Nehemiah Chapter 11? - yet another list of names that understandably can be not only difficult but tedious and uninteresting to read along with the earlier ones of Neh 3; 7, and 10. Living in cities have their advantages but they have their challenges to.

Jerusalem, under Nehemiah underwent a revival but it still needed good leadership and organisational structure.

One of the problems that Nehemiah faced was that the the people did not want to live in cities - Neh 11:1-2. Indeed those who chose to were commended for their sacrifice! “The people commended all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.”!

I’m guesing but I doubt house prices were high in Jerusalem and that the people were not having to live in high-rise flats! Indeed Neh 7:4 confirms this saying: “Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.”

There were a number of very understandable reasons for this. For example, Jerusalem had been without a wall for 142 years and the city had been pretty defenseless for that time, so as a result it was dangerous to live there because if attacked and beseiged there was no place to run away and hide. Likewise teh relatively small number of inhabitants meant that there were too few defenders.

Also the city of Jerusalem had been, and still was a bulding site - it had been ravaged by invading armies, stripped of anything valuable and the resources and commodities needed for the “easy life” were hard to come by. Likewise the housing stock was limited with the recently built walls, still leaving streets filled with rubble and throughfares generally unkempt. This was more like a war zone than an orderly and tidy city.

So Jerusalem was a difficult place to live. It was an even more difficult place to make a living. You can’t blame people for not wanting to move in there, little wonder those who chose to were commended and even admired for their bravery!

The chapter is divided as follows:

(i) an introduction of the problem caused by underpopulation in the city of Jerusalem (Neh 11:1–2),

(ii) a list of people who moved into Jerusalem (Neh 11:3–24), and

(iii) the names of the cities where people were living outside of Jerusalem (Neh 11:25–36).

The purpose of these lists is to show how the revival among the people of God led to the kind of practical and adminsitrative changes that would make Jerusalem a City of God! A place where those who chose to, took their palce among the people were not only safe and secure and well provided, but a palce in which the people were committed to following God’s law and maintaining vibrant worship at the holy temple.

Nehemiah wanted to populate Jerusalem for good and godly reasons, so what did he do? What was his strategy:

1. He Challenged to Leaders to lead by example!

Harry S Truman said: “Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.”

We have already noted some of tne reasons why Nehemiah was such a great leader - He led by GIVING GLORY TO GOD. He led by CONFRONTING THE PROBLEMS THAT STILL REMAINED. He led by DELEGATING AUTHORITY TO FAITHFUL BELIEVERS. He led by PRIORITISING THE WORK OF GOD.

John Maxwell, widely known for hsi work of effective leadership said: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”. It doesn;t mean that of course that things arent challenging or msitakes arnet made or won’t go wrong; it imvolves a commitment to stay focused and flexible to make things happen Again as Maxwell says: "The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.” (John Maxwell).

2. He Challenged the Laity to follow their Leaders!

Christian leadership is a process of influencing a community to use their God-given gifts toward a goal and purpose as led by the Holy Spirit - “The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power, but love, not force, but example, not coercion, but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.’ (John Stott).

This is exemplified here in Nehemiah 11:

The people cast lots to select one out of every ten Israelites to join them (Neh 11:1). This was in keeping with how God originally decided where the people would live in the Promised Land, during the days of Joshua where each tribe should live through the casting of lots (Josh 14:2; 18:6–8).

The casting of lots was a common OT practice as is evident from Proverbs 16:33, ‘The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.’ There is only one reference in the New Testament to the use of lots and that occurred before the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 1:26). We are in a better position to discern the Lord’s will than the people of God in Bible days. We now have the more widespread ministry of the Spirit plus the completed canon of Scripture. Therefore we are to direct our lives by the guidelines for godly living which God gives to us in his Word.

It was interesting that the chapter does not report that anyone refused to move or fought the idea of relocating, though it probably was a big adjustment and inconvenience for many of them. When they left their homes, the people in their villages supported them by praising them for sacrificing in this way.

You don;t need great numbers to change things, it’s amazing what God has done with small numbers. As Margaret Mead says: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”

II. THE CALL TO ACTION FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD TO OBEY:

We have already noted that Chapter 11 reveals Nehemiah’s strategy for the repopulation of Jerusalem

1. The people are representative of the Nation:

Note that the people “volunteered” to live in the city. It was not compelled or coerced.

Each of the tribes and religious groupings selected their own leaders and people freely offered to serve God in this way!

The leaders were chosen by lot, which though they were willing suggests that it was still depedent upon the Lord tochoose from those who offered!

Notice also the echo of the here in v1 - Just as the holy people must tithe to the temple, so also the holy land requires its tithe.

This kind of participatory commitment to furthering the Kingdom of God instead of one’s own individual financial or social wishes is exemplary for believers today.

Some people need to sacrifice and move out in faith, while others need to encourage them and help them adjust.

The names of those who sacrifice to expand the spread of the gospel need to be remembered and held up as an example to others, just as Nehemiah remembered those who came to live in Jerusalem.

God called all types of people to make up a city from gatekeeper to priests. These people responded to God’s call and submitted their will to his will. This is the essential requirement of all who desire to please God.One tenth of the total population of Israel are called to lvie in Jerusalem - this is a tithe offering; a sacrifice of worship to God.

The list of people in chapter 11 begins with the families of two tribes: in Neh 11:3-7, Judah and Benjamin. This is appropriate since Jerusalem was in the tribal territory of Judah and bordered Benjamin, which extended northward from it.

Moreover, most of the people were from those tribes. They had been the chief tribes of the southern kingdom of Judah and were therefore the last to have been overthrown. Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, had been overthrown in 721 BC. Jerusalem fell in 586 BC. The text mentions two families of Judah (vv. 4–6) and three families of Benjamin (vv. 7–9).

After this there are lists of priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple servants, and a variety of city officers (Neh 11:10–24),

Then there followed by a list of settlements outside Jerusalem where many of the people settled. (Neh 11:24-36). This was linked to “wherever their family inheritance was”(Neh 11:20-24), the ancestral property that God gave as an eternal possession for each family. God owned the land as his possession, but he gave parts of his land to his covenant people who sojourned on it (Lev 25:23). Naturally when families returned from exile, they desired to return to their God-given parcel of land.

In total the number of adult males mentioned in chapters 11 and 12 amounts to 3,044. If we add women and children to that, the resulting population of Jerusalem at this time was probably in the region of 10,000 people which the test suggests is one-tenth of the entire population, meaning the total number of Jews in Judah would have been about 100,000.

2. The people are organised into tribes and clans:

Nehemiah could not merely increase the numbers, he needed to organise the people into groups within their tribes and clans under a good and godly government. The lists at the end of chapter 11 suggest that they tried to settle in their ancestral homes.

Note first of all Neh 11:4 Nehemiah writes about ‘a descendant of Perez’. 1 Chronicles 9:6 also lists the descendants of Perez’s twin brother, Zerah. Perez and Zerah were the sons of Judah. born as the result of Tamar, the widowed daughter-in-law of Judah, pretending to be a prostitute, in order to get him to fulfil a broken promise as told in Genesis 38. It was the descendants of these twins, born in such tragic circumstances, who cheerfully resettled in the city of Jerusalem. Grace overcame disgrace and this is reelvant because Matthew, includes Perez in his family tree of Jesus Christ, the friend of sinners (Matt. 1:3). God has the power to bring good out of evil. He can save those who have come from homes of deprivation and depravity so as to display the beauty of his grace in their lives.

The first leader mentioned is Joel son of Zicri, the “chief officer” of the descendants of Benjamin. The next officer mentioned is Judah son of Hassenuah. The Hebrew describes him as being “over the Second District of the city. ” These served in a heirarchy of leaders with Nehemiah, governor of the province of Judah. Hanani, civil ruler of Jerusalem. Hannaniah, the military commander of Jerusalem.

Then we are told of the chief officer of the priests: Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.

Shabbethai and Jozabad, Neh 11:22 tells us that the chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem Some of the Levites had responsibilities for work outside the Temple, including such tasks as storing the wood people brought to the Temple, storing and distributing tithes, collecting Temple taxes, caring for the maintenance of the buildings, and a variety of other support duties including the Kohathites, descended from Kohath, son of Jacob’s son Levi who prepared ‘for every Sabbath the bread set out on the table’. Other Levites were involved with providing praise music, prayers, and other worship activities (Neh 11:17), among these Uzzi son of Bani who was from the clan of Asaph, was among the“singers responsible for the service of the house of God.”

Then there was Mattaniah who was the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer with Bakbukiah was second under him and Abda son of Shammua was also influential.

Akkub and Talmon were the heads of the gatekeepers.

Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of the temple servants.

Neh 11:24 adds that Pethahiah “was the king’s agent in all affairs relating to the people.”

They all worked together for the common good of God’s people.

Whatever rôle we fulfil in the church, we ought to be more concerned with the glory of God than with our own reputation or prestige.

III. THE VISION THAT LEADS THE PEOPLE TO TAKE YOUR PLACE AMONG THE PEOPLE OF GOD:

Nehemiah has a vision of what Jerusalem could be under God.

Israel’s goal was not merely to be settled and happy in a land flowing with milk and honey but this calling was to be ‘a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’ (Exod. 19:6).

Notice that though there was one in ten people called to move into the city, little is said about them as the bulk of the chapter and chapter 12 mentions in detail the families of priests, Levites, and other religious leaders who settled in the city.

Why? Because Nehemiah knew, as we also should know, that a community holds together only as the people give priority to worship and prayer(Neh 11:17). Without this, the people will soon become consumed with achieving and acquiring; building up eaetthoy treasures and in the end consolidating; protecting and even competing before deceiving and strealing and fighting for more!

“A strong religious commitment is essential if a democratic form of administration is to succeed. Without adequate spiritual values it is hard, if not impossible, to retain the idea of obligation and responsibility. Individualism cannot long be held in check by the concept of a calling embodying good works and self-restraint. When this control is weakened, legislation takes the place of spiritual convictions and becomes the foundation of the community.”(Cyril Barber).

We must become a community in Whitby not just a group of peoplr. T. S. Eliot in a poem entitled The Rock asks:

When the Stranger says: “What is the meaning of this city?

Do you huddle close together because you love each other?”

What will you answer? “We all dwell together

To make money from each other”?

Or “This is a community”?

Anthony T Evans a pastor in Dallas Texas said, “The church is first and foremost a spiritual family, a community. That’s why the Bible refers to the church as a ‘household of faith,’ ‘family of God’ and ‘brothers and sisters.’ It’s meant to function as a family, model family life, and care for the families it encompasses.”

The church likewise is called to be ‘a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”(1 Pet 2:9).

Our Lord Jesus mandated His Church with the aim of preaching the gospel and making disciples of all nations - that is our calling and we are expected to be faithful to that call! (see Matthew 28:18-20).

“Making disciples” provides us with an extraordinary opportunity to model community at a time when other forms of true community are breaking down. There is no better place than the fellowship of Christians for embracing those suffering from ruptured marriages, fractured homes, and other broken relationships.

Let us have a vision for making disciples in Whitby = to be a community that wants to BE WITH JESUS; BECOME LIKE JESUS and DO AS JESUS DOES!

Conclusion:

Let WCF vision be all that we can become in God all that we can be to make disciples in Whitby and district.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18).

We need to ponder that.  We exist for the benefit of those who don’t spend their lives in Church! Those who woulsd rather be anywhere but here! Those whose lives are distracted; addicted; in despair and moral chaos. Those who mock our faith and would spit on Christ.

“A faithful church is a gospel church; a good news church; a hope church; a love church.  It is a Christ-church: one that majors on the fact that God has taken our nature, shared our experiences, borne our sins and conquered death.  Let us be faithful to that gospel.” (Donald McCleod).

In order to take our place among the people of God, we need to be wholeheartedly commited to the vision of what God is able to do and wants to do in His Church.

The covenantal obligations of the holy people would be useless if Jerusalem remained underpopulated, since the goal of the people is to dwell with God in the holy land, whose centre is Jerusalem, the meeting place of the people and their God.

God’s glory was bound up in Jerusalem - The Psalmist says: “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within her citadels God has shown himself a sure defense” (Ps. 48:1–3). This “sure defense” includes military defense against the invasion of foreign kings, but more importantly it refers to God’s “steadfast love … in the midst of thy temple” (Psa 48:9).

God’s love provides an impregnable fortress: “As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Thy right hand is filled with victory; let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments!” (48:10–11). Thus the psalmist urges the Israelites: “Walk about Zion, go round about her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels; that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God for ever and ever. He will be our guide for ever” (48:12–14).

Yet what would Zion be if it had no “next generation”?

Nehemiah strives to ensure that the glory of Zion is not lost. At the heart of his mission is the desire for the restoration of the holy people who devote themselves to Jerusalem, whose center is the temple who desire above all else the glory of God. “O Lord, I love the habitation of thy house, and the place where thy glory dwells” (Ps. 26:8). “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple” (27:4).

Again I say, as I said two weeks ago - we at WCF want to elave a legacy that will outlast us to the glory of God!

All the kingdoms built, all the trophies won Will crumble into dust when it's said and done 'Cause all that really mattered Did I live the truth to the ones I love? Was my life the proof that there is only One Whose name will last forever?

And I, I don't want to leave a legacy I don't care if they remember me Only Jesus And I, I've only got one life to live I'll let every second point to Him Only Jesus

(Casting Crowns).

Nehemiah 11 reminds us that it is not enough just to be a member of the covenant people, you need to belong to a community; to be together and to make a difference.

This takes commitment and sacrifice and it takes all of us contributing to the common purpose of making Christ known.

Jerusalem, is being revived, as are its surrounding villages, with their fields. The “word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah” (Ezra 1:1) is coming true - “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfil to you my promise and bring you back to this place.… You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations” (Jer. 29:10, 13–14).

Without Nehemiah’s labors on behalf of the people, there could have been no restoration. And yet Nehemiah’s upbuilding of the holy people and holy land does not attain the goal of perfect holiness and divine indwelling. That awaits the Messiah, who “knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21) and who is “God with us” (Matt. 1:23).

Let us raise our vision as to what we can achieve as we trust in God’s Son, Jesus!

I was minded to read John Wesley’s journal entries on WHitby again as I prepared this sermon. Wesley made his first visit in 1761, preaching on the Abbey Plain and in 1762 anoctagonal preaching house was built by Ripley on Henrietta Street, with a larger 7-storey building called Ebenezer added alongside it in 1769.

Between 1761 and 1769 the 40 members had become 220, described by John Wesley as the 'most affectionate in England'. He continued to visit every other year, preaching in the octagon, in Baxtergate and in the market place.

Extracts from John Wesley's Journal:

June 1761: 'In the evening I preached on the top of the hill, to which you ascend by a hundred, ninety and one steps. The congregation was exceeding large, and ninety-nine in a hundred were attentive. [Next day] 'I walked round the old Abbey, which both with regard to size (being, I judge, a hundred yards long), and the workmanship of it, is one of the finest, if not the finest, ruin in the kingdom.'

April 1764: [Good Friday] 'At six I preached in the new house at Whitby, ill containing the congregation. Here God does still make bare His arm, and sinners are continually converted to Him.'

[Easter Day} ' I preached in the room at five and at eight. There were such a number of communicants at church as, it was supposed, had not been there these fifty years. In the evening I preached under the cliff, for the sake of those who were not able to get up the hill. The skirts of the congregation could not hear, though my voice was clear and loud. But the bulk of them seemed both to hear and understand. How ripe for the gospel is this place!

[Next morning] 'After preaching at five, I met the select society, who seem all to have tasted of the same blessing.'

July 1766: 'I preached at seven in the room; at one in the main street on the other side of the water. A vast multitude quickly ran together, and were deeply attentive. At five I preached in the new market-place to a still larger congregation. A great number of them attended at five in the morning, and we had a solemn parting.'

June 1770: 'Having preached thrice a day for five days, I was willing to preach in the house; but notice had been given of my preaching in the market-place; so I began at six, to a large congregation, most of them deeply attentive.

[Next day] I found our preacher, James Brownfield, had just set up for himself. The reasons he gave for leaving the Methodists were (1) that they went to church; (2) that they held Perfection. I earnestly desired our society to leave him to God, and say nothing about him, good or bad…

[Sunday:] I met the select society, consisting of sixty-five members. I believe all of these were saved from sin; most of them are still in glorious liberty. Many of them spake with admirable simplicity; and their words were like fire. Immediately the flames kindled, and spread from heart to heart. At eight I preached; at nine met the children, most of whom had known the love of God; and several of them were able to rejoice in God their Saviour Almost as soon as I began to speak, God spoke to their hearts, and they were ill able to contain themselves.

'We had a poor sermon at church…

'Between one and two I met the bands, being near two-thirds of the society. Their openness was quite surprising, as well as the spirit with which they spoke…

'At five I preached in the market-place again, to a far larger congregation than before. Our lovefeast took up the next two hours, at which many were filled with solemn joy. Afterwards I met a few of the children again, all of whom had tasted that the Lord is gracious.'

June 1772: 'Here I fouind a lively society indeed. The chief reason of their liveliness was this: those who were renewed in love (about forty in number), continuing fervent in spirit, and zealous for God, quickened the rest, and were a blessing to all around them.

[Nerxt day] 'It being a fair, mild evening, I preached on the smooth, green top of the hill, a little above the church. As soon as I began to preach some poor men began ringing the bells; but it was lost labour, for all the people could hear, to the very skirts of the congregation.'

July 1774: 'We had a solemn hour at five [a.m.] with the society only; and another at eight, while I enforced those words on a numerous congregation, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" … At five I preached in the market-place on "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels," &c., "and have not charity, I am nothing." I spoke exceeding plain, and the people were attentive; yet few of them, I doubt, understood what was spoken. The society, however, are well established, and adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.'

June 1779: 'I went on to our loving, earnest brethren at Whitby… [Next day] 'I preached at eight in the room, and at five in the market-place to a huge congregation. They were deeply attentive, but no more affected than the stones they stood upon.'

June 1784: 'The morning congregation filled the house. Indeed the society here may be a pattern to all in England. They despise all ornaments but good works, together with a meek and quiet spirit. I did not see a ruffle, no, nor a fashionable cap, among them; though many of them are in easy circumstances. I preached at the market-place in the evening, where were at least thrice as many as the house could contain. [Next day] 'I met such a select society as I have not seen since I left London. They were about forty, of whom I did not find one who had not a clear witness of being saved from inbred sin. Several of them had lost it for a season, but could never rest till they had recovered it. And every one of them seemed now to walk in the full light of God's countenance.'

June 1786: '… it has pleased God fully to make up the removal of William Ripley, who was for many years a burning and a shining light. In the evening the house was well filled with people, and with the power of God; and, after preaching four times, I was no more tired than when I rose in the morning.'

June 1788: 'In the evening I preached at Whitby, in the new house, thoroughly filled above and below; though it contains twice as many as the old one; and although the unfinished galleries, having as yet no fronts, were frightful to look upon. It is the most curious house we have in England. You go up to it by about forty steps; and have then before you a lofty front, I judge, near fifty feet high, and fifty-four feet broad. So much gainers have we been by the loss of the former house. Besides that it stood at one end of the town, and in the very sink of it, where people of any fashion were ashamed to be seen.

[Next day] 'At five in the morning we had a large congregation; but it was more than doubled in the evening; and at both times I could not but observe the uncommon earnestness of the people.

[Sunday] 'The house was well filled at seven. For the sake of the counry people, who flocked from all sides, I preached again at half an hour past one on "The end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." After preaching at five, on the education of children, I made a collection for Kingswood School; the rather that I might have an opportunity of refuting that poor, threadbare slander of my "getting so much money". We concluded our service with a comfortable lovefeast.'

June 1790: 'It is very providential that part of the adjoining mountain fell down and demolished our old preaching-house with many houses besides; by which means we have one of the most beautiful chapels in Great Britain, finely situated on the steep side of the mountain. At six it was pretty well filled with such a congregation of plain, earnest people as is not often seen. I conversed with many of them the next day, who were much alive to God.

[Sunday] 'The house contained us at seven tolerably well. The church likewise was well filled. But in the evening we were much straitened for room; but as many as could hear stood on the pavement without. In all England I have not seen a more affectionate people than those at Whitby.'

Oh for such days in Whitby again! God wants to bless Whitby and He is waiting to see how much we want to bless Whitby as well!