Dedicating the Wall​ ​

Welcome to the Podcast! Today Pastor Rob Ayer is teaching on how the people of Jerusalem Dedicated there wall​ Dedicating the Wall Nehemiah Chp. 12 begins with a long list of names! We won't read vv. 1-26 but I'd like to offer a thought or two (or three or four) about why it's important. Why does Nehemiah list all the priests and Levites he does in this chapter? Well, let's notice how and who it is linked to… SLIDE 2. These were the priests and the Levites who returned with Zerubbabel … (Neh. 12:1). This list begins with Zerubbabel . Here's what I think it does… It validates the legitimacy of the post exilic community by tracing its spiritual leaders back to the initial return under Zerubbabel. It establishes an approved and continuous lineage (from Zerubbabel to Joiakim to Nehemiah) – which would've been important for rebuilding trust, for maintaining proper temple worship, and for ensuring the tithes were given to qualified ministers. Because history and order are important to God. This listing then – of priests and Levites – in vv. 1-26 - sets Israel up properly and so – confidently - for the dedication of the wall by making it clear and detailed and public - that those who would lead Israel forward were ordained leaders. So that – in Nehemiah 12:27 – the people gathered to dedicate the recently rebuilt wall. The city too is slowly being rebuilt – the cleaning of debris, the building of new homes and businesses, the establishment of worship. There was a spark of enthusiasm and expectancy! Even though there was much left to do. The wall was finished: broad, stable, strong, well-constructed. They had silenced their opposition: these returned exiles – led by Nehemiah - were not feeble (Neh. 4:2), the walls were not breached by the lightness of a fox treading upon them (Neh. 4:3), nor was the work delayed by the lies and extortions of Tobiah and Sanballat (Neh. 6:1-7).Nope. The wall was finished – in 52 days! This is the subject of Nehemiah 12: the dedication of the wall. But there's all kinds of interesting details for us to explore hidden within vv. 27-47. To begin with – the people were happy. Even though they had been uprooted from suburbia or did so on their own – and even though they had to scrounge to find materials to build their urban homes – they were joyful . ​