8/5/2011 7:00:23 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: The people in the work
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Various verses in chapter three of Nehemiah
Message of the verses: I am looking at a third main point in Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on the book of Nehemiah and as explained in a earlier SD his outline and commentary on chapter three of Nehemiah are a bit different than the pattern that he follows in his “Be” book series, as he generally follows the chapter verses and comments on either a section of verses or a verse by itself. In today’s SD I will look at some of the people who were working on the wall of Jerusalem, different groups of people and individual people. As it has been in the previous SD’s covering chapter three the commentary will lend itself to the church, and people who are in the church. Dr. Wiersbe writes in the introduction to this third main point the following: “As you get acquainted with the various people mentioned in Nehemiah 3, you will find yourself saying, ‘This is just like the church today!’ Circumstances change but human nature remains pretty much the same.” With that said I will proceed with the first sub-point entitled “God uses all kinds of people.”
In various verses of chapter three we find different kinds of people mentioned from priests in verse one and also verses 12-19, we see men and also women, (v-12), there were professional craftsmen as seen in verses 8 & 32, there were even people from outside the city verses 2, 5, 7. On this job there was a place for all who came to do the work that is the people of Israel.
“Leaders must set the example.” Nehemiah 3:1 “1Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel.”
At this stage of the high priest’s life he was setting a good example as a leader by going out and doing manual labor which I am sure would help bring out other people as they saw his good example and the example of the priests. We will run into some people who thought they were too good to work on this project, and yet we find in the Scriptures that Paul was a tent maker and Jesus was a carpenter, good examples to follow. Latter in the life of Eliashib his grandson would marry a daughter of Sanballat and then his alliance would turn to the enemy.
“ Some people will not work” Nehemiah 3:5 “5 Moreover, next to him the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not support the work of their masters.” The Tekoites built in two places on the wall however their nobles refused to work. I did mention this in the last point that there would be people who did not work. The Tekoites lived outside of Jerusalem, so they came a ways to even do the work.
“Some people do more work than others” Nehemiah 3:11, 19, 21, 24, 27, 30.
“11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of Furnaces.
“19 Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the official of Mizpah, repaired another section in front of the ascent of the armory at the Angle.
“21 After him Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another section, from the doorway of Eliashib’s house even as far as the end of his house.
“24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah as far as the Angle and as far as the corner.
“27 After them the Tekoites repaired another section in front of the great projecting tower and as far as the wall of Ophel.
“30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah carried out repairs in front of his own quarters.”
The people who are listed in these verses asked for additional assignments when they finished the assignment that they were first given. This is a good example, for these people were using their abilities to get the total job done, not just being satisfied with a little, they had more energy to continue on with the work. Many of them were working close to their homes so they did not have to travel very far to work and by doing this they were protecting their homes. This is a good example to follow for believers as they can do the work of the Lord in their neighborhoods.
“Some people work harder than others” Nehemiah 3:20 “20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the Angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest.” I looked up the word “zealously” in the Hebrew dictionary and in most cases the word is used in what would be a negative way like burning with anger, something along those lines, but in this case it means that Baruch had a lot of energy to burn, and he used that by doing more and more work. Dr. Wiersbe points out a couple of verses that go along with this section: Eccl. 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.” Eph. 6:5-8 “5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; 6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.” The final verse he chose is a great verse and is found in Proverbs 8:9 and I want to use a couple of different translations when I copy this verse: “He also who is slack in his work Is brother to him who destroys” (NASB). “A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things” (NLT). He who does not give his mind to his work is brother to him who makes destruction” (BBE). “Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism” (Message).
Spiritual meaning for my life today: In past SD’s I have mentioned what has become one of my favorite verse in the NT, which is Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” In verse nine Paul writes that we are not saved by works that is our good works, but then in verse ten he writes that God has already prepared our work in eternity past.
Now work is what this particular SD has focused on and that is why I bring up this verse. Before God created the earth or angels or anything there was a conversation between the members of the Trinity that mentioned the work that was planned for each believer to do that would glorify God. There was also work discussed that the second Person of the godhead would accomplish in order for believers to be able to accomplish their work, which is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross to pay the price for my salvation. The question arises as to how do I accomplish this work that God has prepared for me to do? I think that the answer can be found in the 15th chapter of John’s gospel where Jesus is speaking to His disciples about the Vine, the branches, and the Vinedresser, along with speaking about fruit, more fruit, and much fruit. The work that God has prepared for me as a believer in Jesus Christ to do has to be done through the power of the Holy Spirit, and this can only be done as I stay close to the Vine, the Lord Jesus Christ. There will be times when the Vinedresser, God the Father must do some cutting and pinching on me in order to make me more fruitful for the cause of Christ, and at that time it may be very hard on me, yet necessary. I believe that I am going through one of those times with some circumstances in my life at this time and all I can say is that it is not pleasant, but I am sure necessary.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
1. Continue to stay close to the vine.
2. Continue to learn contentment.
3. Trust the Lord to work out all of the details of our leaving Kauai and going back to Ohio. (A big one)
4. Romans 12:1-2
5. Ephesians 6:10-18 (necessary) 8/5/2011 8:30:02 AM
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