Nehemiah 12: “The Celebration And Dedication Of The Wall”
By
1. TIMELINE:
These graphs depict the timeline of the Old Testament, and note that the book of Nehemiah is written about a period of history after the Babylonian captivity and beginning in 445 BC.
Graph of Persian kings & Jewish companies sent out by them to Judea:
1.1. In our last study, we looked at chapters 10-11 of the book of Nehemiah.
1.1.1. We have seen in our study that in 445 BC that Nehemiah, a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I, heard that the people in Jerusalem were in great distress and reproach, and the city wall was still broken down and its gates burned. This caused him to mourn, pray, and fast for four months that God might move the king’s heart and allow him to go and to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall. Finally, the Lord moved in the king’s heart and he allowed him to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city’s wall. The king gave Nehemiah all that he requested to successfully complete the job and even bankrolled the operation.
1.1.2. In chapter 10, we looked at the 84 people who were committed to and signed their name to the oath that the Judeans were making to the Lord after the rebuilding of the wall had been completed, and also the various aspects of the oath they were making itself. Their’s were representative signatures for the whole nation of Israel.
1.1.3. In chapter 11, we looked at those Israelites who where chosen to live in Jerusalem.
1.1.4. In chapter 11, we also looked at the cities where the Israelites lived outside of Jerusalem.
1.1.5. We saw that on that 24th day of the 7th month, the Judeans had sought the Lord in the three hour prayer whose gist is recorded in chapter 9, and they had thoughtfully and prayerfully laid their whole lives up before the Lord. They had determined that they wanted to make significant and permanent changes in their lives as God’s people. They wanted to commit themselves to the Lord and never turn back from faithfully serving Him. The document that they created was made so that they might write out in as specific a form as possible exactly how they were committing themselves to the Lord. The signatures that they had placed on this document then made it formal and binding upon them.
1.1.6. We saw that as God’s people we too need to take serious thought to our own life and see where it is that we fall short and what we can do to make sure that we are walking in God’s perfect will for our lives. Very few people ever do great things for God and claim that this was just something that God did through them and that they didn’t really make any plans or make any commitments to God.
1.2. In our study today, we are going to look at chapter 12.
1.2.1. This chapter deals with the celebration of the Judeans upon the completion of the wall around Jerusalem. All of those in Judea get up on the wall and walk around the city in two different groups going in opposite directions, one being led by Nehemiah and the other by Ezra.
1.2.2. We will talk about the importance of celebrating with a thankful heart and in the joy of the Lord and in our lives as Christians. Thankfulness and joy are really key central components of our worship as God’s people. Plus, living like this helps our witness as Christians.
1.2.3. There are so many verses in the scripture that teach us as Christians that we are to worship with joy and thanksgiving, and even that the things that the Lord does in our lives are designed to bring us joy:
1.2.3.1.The Old Testament worship was one of joy continually:
1.2.3.1.1.Psalm 32:11: “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”
1.2.3.1.2.Psalm 95:1-2: “O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.”
1.2.3.1.3.Psalm 98:4: “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.”
1.2.3.2.In the New Testament we read that in spite of all of our difficulties that we can and should have joy in the Lord:
1.2.3.2.1.2 Corinthians 7:4: “Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.”
1.2.3.2.2.2 Corinthians 8:1-2: “Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.”
1.2.3.3.In The New Testament we read about how that the things that God does in our lives is designed to bring us joy:
1.2.3.3.1.2 Corinthians 9:11: “you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.”
1.2.3.3.2.2 Corinthians 9:12: “For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.”
1.2.3.3.3.2 Corinthians 9:14-15: “while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
1.2.3.3.4.1 Corinthians 13:6: love “does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.”
1.2.3.3.5.Romans 14:17: “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
1.2.3.3.6.1 Peter 1:8-9: “and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”
1.2.3.4.Then there are the commands to be joyful and worship the Lord in joy and thanksgiving:
1.2.3.4.1.Phil. 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice.”
1.2.3.4.2.James 5:13: “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.”
1.2.3.4.3.Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
1.2.3.4.4.1 Thessalonians 5:18: “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1.2.3.4.5.Hebrews 13:15: “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.”
1.2.4. Christians sing on every occasion, including even funerals. We sing because of the joy of the Lord within our hearts that is stirred by our faith and trust in Him and the many promises, lessons and instructions in His Word. We come to the Lord thanking Him for all He has done for us.
1.2.5. We don’t know for certain whether this joyous celebration occurred just after the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem was completed, or whether it occurred after the revival recorded in chapters 9-11 was well in progress. However, most commentators believe it was the latter.
1.2.6. We will see by verse 27 that Nehemiah is now again the central figure being mentioned, and the writing again begins in his first person narrative as it had been from chapters 1-8.
1.2.7. Remember when Sanballat and Tobiah were taunting Nehemiah and the Judeans, and Tobiah stated that if a fox jumped up and walked along the wall around Jerusalem that it would fall down since it was so flimsy and poorly constructed by the Judeans? Well, it is interesting to consider here that now at one time the entire group of Judeans gets up and walks around the city upon the wall they had restored.
1.2.8. Nehemiah begins this chapter remembering and honoring the Aaronic priests and the Levites who had come to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, city and wall before he had arrived. In Neh. 10:2-8, Nehemiah had already listed the priests and Levites that had come with him to Jerusalem.
2. VS 12:1-7 - “1 Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah and Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their kinsmen in the days of Jeshua.” - The first priests who came with the first group under Zerubbabel to live in Jerusalem are enumerated
2.1. One of the things that you can see with Nehemiah was that it was important to him to remember everyone who gave of themselves or their wealth towards seeing the work of God rebuilt in Judea. He seems to have left no significant contributor out of his journal. Nehemiah definitely realized that he was replaceable and that he was in the big scope of what God was doing only a very small cog.
2.2. All of the individual names would be hard to amass by Nehemiah here, but he does recognize the family names or ‘heads of the priests’ and as well as ‘their kinsmen.’
3. VS 12:8-11 - “8 The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving, he and his brothers. 9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brothers, stood opposite them in their service divisions. 10 Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib became the father of Joiada, 11 and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua.” - The respective Levites who came with the first group under Zerubbabel to live in Jerusalem are enumerated
3.1. Though the Levites were not allowed inside the temple nor to function as priests, and their function was primarily just to support the priests, nonetheless Nehemiah realized the importance of recognizing them and their great contribution to the work.
4. VS 12:12-21 - “12 Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of fathers’ households were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.” - The inner generation of priests who came to Jerusalem between Zerubbabel and Nehemiah are enumerated
4.1. In between Zerubbabel and the group that he brought to Jerusalem in 538 BC, and the group that Nehemiah brought in 445 BC, there was a period of about 90 years in which a group came with Ezra in 457 BC and perhaps other priests migrated from Persia over to Jerusalem. Priests taught in the temple and administered the sacrifices for the people, and thus they needed to be remembered.
5. VS 12:22-26 - “22 As for the Levites, the heads of fathers’ households were registered in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan and Jaddua; so were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The sons of Levi, the heads of fathers’ households, were registered in the Book of the Chronicles up to the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. 24 The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers opposite them, to praise and give thanks, as prescribed by David the man of God, division corresponding to division. 25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping watch at the storehouses of the gates. 26 These served in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.” - Likewise the inner generation of Levites who came to Jerusalem between Zerubbabel and Nehemiah are enumerated
5.1. Now, Nehemiah mentions the Levites who served with the priests during that interim period between Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, and he even mentions Darius the Persian as ruling at this time, and he reigned from 521 – 486 BC.
6. VS 12:27-29 - “27 Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28 So the sons of the singers were assembled from the district around Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from Beth-gilgal and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem.” - The Levites and the worship team of singers from all of the districts around Jerusalem were next assembled in Jerusalem for the celebration
6.1. Here in verse 27, Nehemiah is again writing the narrative. He now becomes the principal actor for the rest of the book.
6.2. Verse 27 tells us what was going on during the rest of chapter 12, it was ‘dedication of the wall of Jerusalem.’
6.3. So, we know that the events of this chapter beginning in verse 27 refer to some period of time after the wall had been completed. The problem is that we don’t know for sure when they occurred. Was it right after the completion? Was it right after the events that marked the revival described in chapters 9 – 11? Or, was did these things occur some time period after this?
6.4. There was a deliberate attempt that is described here to make this a really big celebration. They needed worship leaders for this celebration so ‘they sought out from the Levites from all their places’ so that these men could come to Jerusalem for ‘the dedication.’
6.5. Notice here some of the pre-requisites for this celebration was that they ‘celebrate the dedication with gladness,’ and also that they sing ‘hymns of thanksgiving.’ Gladness and thanksgiving is something that should characterize every worship service for the Lord. These things are expressions of our faith and are love responses from our hearts.
6.6. I never realized before that a large part of the responsibilities of the Levites lay in their preparation and leading the people in worship. This makes so much sense though because who else would lead? The Levites here are looked upon to lead in songs with ‘the accompaliment of cymbals, harps and lyres.’
6.7. Some of these Levites are called ‘Netophathites’ here and the New Bible Dictionary has the following entry about who they were:
“(‘a dropping’). A city, or group of villages (1 Ch. 9:16; Ne. 12:28), near Bethlehem (Ne. 7:26). The inhabitants are called Netophathites in evv. ‘Netophathi’ in Ne. 12:28, av, should be ‘the Netophathites’ as rsv. It was the home of some of David’s mighty men (2 Sa. 23:28–29). It is mentioned as a place to which returning exiles came (Ezr. 2:22). That it was near Bethlehem is clear, but it cannot be identified conclusively with any modern site.”
6.7.1. Easton’s Bible Doctionary states that the ‘Netophathites’ have been identified “with the ruins of Metoba, or Um Toba, to the north-east of Bethlehem.”
7. VS 12:30 - “”30 The priests and the Levites purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates and the wall. - The priests and Levites purified themselves, then purified the people, and then purified the gates and the wall around Jerusalem
7.1. On of the reasons that many believe that this celebration occurred after the revival mentioned in chapters 9-11 is because of this verse here which describes the purification of the Levites, the people, and the wall before the celebration of the wall’s dedication commenced.
7.2. As part of their purification on this day, the priests and Levites here surely washed their hands clean and abstained from sexual intercourse prior to this celebration.
7.3. It is important to realize that this celebration that the Judeans have is one of deep worship to the Lord. It is an act of worship, and the people are rejoicing and celebrating the great things that the Lord had done in helping them to complete the wall so that the people who for the previous 100 years had been living in fear could now rest and focus upon being God’s people and fulfilling His will for their lives.
7.4. When we come together to worship the Lord as His people, it is important for us to remember to purify ourselves by confessing and repenting of any known sin before we come. Doing this might just keep us from missing what the Lord wants to do in our lives. Our joy and ability to give thanks will be proportional to our having a pure heart.
8. VS 12:31-37 - “31 Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top of the wall, and I appointed two great choirs, the first proceeding to the right on top of the wall toward the Refuse Gate. 32 Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed them, 33 with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 and some of the sons of the priests with trumpets; and Zechariah the 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 kinsmen, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 At the Fountain Gate they went directly up the steps of the city of David by the stairway of the wall above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.” - Nehemiah first had the leaders of Judah come up on the wall, and then he appointed two great choirs of all the people, one choir went led by Ezra, the priest, and they proceeded from the Fountain Gate all of the way to the Water Gate on the east side of the city
8.1. The leaders of Judah came up on top of the wall first.
8.2. Then, Nehemiah appointed those who would comprise the ‘two great choirs.’ Half of the leaders of Judah went with one of the groups of worshippers, and the other half went with the second group.
8.3. Ezra in the lead, along with Azariah, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamen, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, and some of ‘sons of the priests with trumpets’ and Zechariah and many of his kinsman ‘with the musical instruments’ that had belonged to ‘David the man of God’ went ‘up the steps of the city of David by the stairway of the wall above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.’
9. VS 12:38-39 - “38 The second choir proceeded to the left, while I followed them with half of the people on the wall, above the Tower of Furnaces, to the Broad Wall, 39 and above the Gate of Ephraim, by the Old Gate, by the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at the Gate of the Guard.” - The second choir proceeded around the wall in the opposite direction as the first group, with Nehemiah leading them, and then went from the Tower of Furnaces all of the way to the Gate of the Guard
9.1. Nehemiah went with this second group, but since he was probably not much of a worship leader, it states here that he ‘followed them.’
9.2. The other group had gone to the right around the wall, and this group ‘proceeded to the left’ and took their half of the people ‘above the Tower of Furnaces to the Broad Wall.’
9.3. Going by the Old Gate, Fish Gate, Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, and the Sheep Gate, they ‘stopped at the Gate of the Guard.’
10. VS 12:40-43 - “40 Then the two choirs took their stand in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials with me; 41 and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah, with the trumpets; 42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam and Ezer. And the singers sang, with Jezrahiah their leader, 43 and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.” - The two choirs who marched and sang in praise walking in opposite directions around Jerusalem’s wall converged at the house of God, and they rejoiced greatly, so much that the joy in the city was heard from afar
10.1. The destination of the two different choirs in their walk in opposite directions around the wall of Jerusalem was ‘the house of God.’ Note here that they ‘took their stand’ there.
10.2. On this day, note that ‘they offered great sacrifices’ and also that they ‘rejoiced because God had given them great joy.’
10.3. This was also not just a celebration of the men, but ‘even the women and children’ were they and they all ‘rejoiced’ to such a degree that far away ‘the joy of Jerusalem was heard’ on this day.
11. VS 12:44-47 - “44 On that day men were also appointed over the chambers for the stores, the contributions, the first fruits and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served. 45 For they performed the worship of their God and the service of purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers in accordance with the command of David and of his son Solomon. 46 For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God. 47 So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave the portions due the singers and the gatekeepers as each day required, and set apart the consecrated portion for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the consecrated portion for the sons of Aaron.” - That day men were appointed over the stores for receiving from the people contributions, first fruits, and the tithes from the fields, as required by the law, and Judah gave to the priests and Levites and rejoiced over those who served, for those performed the valuable function of leading the worship of their God and the purification of the people, and, the people gave portions to the singers and to the gatekeepers
11.1. On this day of celebration so many contributions, first fruits, and tithes were offered up that they had to appoint men over the chambers to gather them in.
11.2. The priests and the Levites were given the first fruits and tithes when they were brought to the temple, and note here that because of how the people valued their service in the ‘worship of their God and the service of purification’ that ‘Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served.’
11.3. Among the rest of the people there were also ‘singers and gatekeepers’ who are mentioned.
11.4. Verse 46 tells us that the worship at this time was just like it had been under King David of old: ‘For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God.’
11.5. Nehemiah rewarded the ‘singers and the gatekeepers’ for their service, for it states here that he ‘gave the portions due’ them.
11.6. The ‘consecrated portion’ of the first fruits and offerings were given to the Levites and ‘the sons of Aaron.’
12. CONCLUSIONS:
12.1. Are you always in the habit of rejoicing and giving joyful thanks to God?
12.2. Are you offering a continual sacrifice of praise to God for all of the wonderful things He is doing in your life?