Nehemiah 8:7-12

Nehemiah 8:7-12 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. When the people heard what the Book of the Law said, they were crushed. They had been disobeying God’s laws. But Ezra and Nehemiah stopped them. They reminded them that because they were listening to God’s Words, they could repent. First you hear what sinners you are – that is the bad part. But because you hear that you are a sinner, you learn. Then you can repent and make a change – that is the good part. Nehemiah said, “Don’t weep. enjoy God’s goodness. Hold a feast and honor God.” And that’s exactly what they did!

Nehemiah 4:1-3

Nehemiah 4:1-3 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. Sanballat and Tobiah had tried to discourage Nehemiah and the Jews from their work rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, but the work continued. So they tried another plan: they used mockery. First they mocked the Jews and called them feeble. But these men were hard workers. They were anything but feeble. Then Sanballat and Tobiah made fun of their project. They said that their wall wasn’t very strong. They said that even if a nimble little fox were to scamper up the newly built wall that it would cause the wall to tumble down. My, they were smarties! Even today there are people like Sanballat and Tobiah. They don’t do any work themselves, but they gladly make fun of those who are doing the work. Some are willing to do the work and some are willing to criticize those who are doing the work! Don’t let those people discourage you. Keep working for God and ignore their mockery. God is watching you and God will reward you for your faithfulness and punish them for their mockery!

Nehemiah 3:31,32

Nehemiah 3:31,32 After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner. And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants. Just like the priests, the goldsmiths and merchants were not used to doing construction. But they wanted to get involved and they knew their responsibility to help to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The merchants sold things everyday and made money buying and selling. But if their city was not secure, any thugs could come right in and take everything that they had. They knew that they needed the protection of the wall, so they helped to build it. The same with Malchiah, the goldsmith’s son. His father usually worked with tiny tools making rings and gold pins. But if they didn’t have a safe wall to protect them, what might happen to their gold? Sanballat and Tobiah could come right in and take whatever they wanted! So Malchiah worked to protect his father and the other goldsmiths. Malchiah probably had tender hands. He worked with tiny tools shaping beautiful objects in his father’s shop. But he was willing to get his hands dirty and build with stone and cement. The protection of his family was important to him. Malchiah and the merchants are good examples to us.

Nehemiah 3:30

Nehemiah 3:30 After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber. We have two good workers here in verse 30. Hananiah was low down in a big family. But he did his part. Even though he was the sixth son, he repaired his own section of the wall. And then there was Meshullam. He must have been a single man because he only had a chamber – one room! But it was his chamber, so he took responsibility or the wall over against his little room. Just like Hananiah, Meshullam did his part! We should do our part too!

Nehemiah 3:28

Nehemiah 3:28 From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house. Several times here in chapter three we find where someone repaired the wall next to their own house. They took responsibility of their own section of the wall for their own protection. That is the way we should be. Take care of our own area. If our job at home is the garbage, we should take care of that area. If our job is cleaning up the table, we should do that. We should clean up our own rooms. Our mother didn’t get our rooms messy – we did! So we should be the ones to clean them up! We call that personal responsibility. We should do our job!

Nehemiah 3:5,27

Nehemiah 3:5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord. I don’t know who the Tekoites were, but I am sure they were gutsy people! Their leaders were wimps and would not work on the wall of Jerusalem. So the Tekoites just decided to do it themselves! They couldn’t wait on their leaders. They just had to finish their section of the wall all by themselves. But if that isn’t enough, the Tekoites decided to do just a little more! In verse27 they had finished their section on time and there was more to do. So verse 27 says, After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against the great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel. On their own, without leadership, they did another section of the wall! Amazing! That is a great example for us. When we see a problem at church or at Master Club, or at home, we shouldn’t have to be told what to do! We should do just like those Tekoites and just do the work ourselves without being told what to do! They didn’t wait on their leaders; they just got busy and worked! So should we. Don’t wait for orders. Just see what needs to be done and do it!