Nehemiah 11:1-12:47 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Preaching, Repentance, and Revival
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Memory Verse: 11:4
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Outline
ISRAEL'S HISTORY
A TIMELINE FROM BABYLON TO ROMAN CONTROL OVER ISRAEL
A MAP OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE in 500 B.C.
A MAP OF ASSYRIA
A MAP OF JERUSALEM
A MAP OF THE KINGDOMS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH
OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS TIMELINE
A LIST OF ISRAEL'S KINGS AND PROPHETS

SORRY, THE COMMENTARY FOR THIS BOOK HAS NOT BEEN FINISHED.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF BOOKS THAT ARE COMPLETED.

I. New Residents of Jerusalem (11:1-36)

>1. Who lived in Jerusalem? (1-4)

* Nehemiah 11:1-4 "Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. The people commended all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon's servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on his own property in the various towns, while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem): From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez;"

* "the leaders of the people"

* "one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem"

* "other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem"

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>How did the rest view them?

* "The people commended all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem"

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>Where did everyone live?

* Nehemiah 11:20 "The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on his ancestral property."

* "all the towns of Judah"

* "each on his ancestral property"

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>How does this foreshadow the future of God's people? (Heb. 11:10; John 14:2-3; Rev. 3:11-12, 21:1-4)

* "Hebrews 11:10 "For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God."

* John 14:2-3 "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

* Revelation 3:11-12 "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name."

* Revelation 21:1-4 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

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>2. What did some of the people who lived in and near Jerusalem do?

* "priests" (10)

* "Levites" (15)

* "gatekeepers" (19)

* "temple servants" (21)

* "singers" (22-23)

* "king's agent" (24)

II. Priests and Levites (12:1-26)

>3. Why the need for the accuracy of keeping family trees even during the captivity?

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III. The Wall Dedicated (12:27-47)

>4. What was the scene at the dedication of the wall? (27)

* Nehemiah 12:27 "At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres."

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>What were some of the musical instruments that the Levites used?

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>5. Who joined the musicians? (28-29)

* Nehemiah 12:28-29 "The singers also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem--from the villages of the Netophathites, from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem."

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>How can we follow this example? (Mark 14:26; and 1 Cor. 14:26; Eph. 5:19-20; Col. 3:16-17)

* Mark 14:26 "When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives."

* Acts 16:25 "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them."

* Romans 15:9 "so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name."

* 1 Corinthians 14:26 "What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church."

* Ephesians 5:19-20 "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

* Colossians 3:16-17 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

>6. What was necessary at the dedication? (30)

* Nehemiah 12:30 "When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall."

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>How do we purify ourselves?

* John 13:10 "Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."

* John 15:3 "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you."

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>7. Where did the dedication take place?

* Nehemiah 12:31-39 "I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. 32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, 33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 36 and his associates--Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani--with musical instruments [prescribed by] David the man of God. Ezra the scribe led the procession. 37 At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east. 38 The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people--past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39 over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped."

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>Where did they go after the choirs gave thanks? (40-42)

* Nehemiah 12:40-42 "The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, 41 as well as the priests--Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets-- 42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah."

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>What did the some of the priests have?

* "their trumpets"

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>8. Why were they joyful? (43)

* Nehemiah 12:43 "And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away."

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>How is this true for us today? (John 15:9-12)

* John 15:9-12 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."

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>9. How were the priests and Levites supported? (44-45)

* Nehemiah 12:44-45 "At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon."

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>How did the people view them?

* "for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites"

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>Was the arrangements in Nehemiah's time something new?

* Nehemiah 12:46-47 "For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron."

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