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Nehemiah 11:1 – 12:26 Keep Saying “Yes” Nehemiah 11:1 – 12:26 Keep Saying “Yes” We return again to the Book of Nehemiah to continue to watch the development and growth of the re-built, re-populated city of Jerusalem. We’ve seen and taken notice of the process of restoring Jerusalem after 100 + years of neglect and abandonment. The first thing the Jews devoted themselves to was rebuilding the Temple – that was described in the Book of Ezra. Secondly, they focused on the walls of the city – we saw that in the early chapters of the Book of Nehemiah. Finally, with those things in place, they began to focus on the houses and buildings within those walls. You may recall we read back in chapter 7, The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt. Nehemiah 7:4 As a wise leader, Nehemiah realizes that the next step is going to have to be to get the homes and buildings rebuilt so that the people can move into the city and fill it with the activity of life once again. Now that we come to chapter 11, we fast forward through the story and the buildings are rebuilt; the homes are in place; the streets are paved (not really) and the shrubbery is planted (again, not really). All we need now is people. The decision to live in Jerusalem would not have been an easy one for people to make. It would have been a sacrifice to live within the city at this time. Many of the amenities of life were not yet in place in this formerly abandoned city. I kidded that the roads were paved and the shrubs were planted – actually that is pretty unlikely. Those things would get done, but they were not done yet. To make a comparison with our day, the walls and the roof of the homes were up, but they did not yet have running water or electricity. Those things will come – just be patient. Sure we have bathrooms. They are down the street and around the block. Sounds lovely. Another good comparison might be if you were offered the opportunity to help repopulate, restore and rebuild the city of Detroit. For decades now, thousands upon thousands of people have been fleeing the Motor City for the suburbs of Michigan or for new states all together. In its’ hey day, Detroit was home to nearly 1.9 million people. Today that number sits around 650,000 - a number which has been dropping every year for nearly five decades. The city itself 1 | P a g e Nehemiah 11:1 – 12:26 Keep Saying “Yes” declared bankruptcy in the summer of 2013. The crime rate of the city has soared to almost five times the national average in every category of violent crime (murder, rape, armed robbery, theft, burglary, etc) for the past 15 years. The schools are considered among the worst performing schools in the nation. Not a very rosy picture. Now, imagine someone coming to you and offering you ‘the opportunity’ to come and live in Detroit and be a part of the ‘renaissance’. Your mind might tell you that this is a good idea and necessary for the restoration of the city - that, all the city really needs is some honest, hardworking men and women. Your head might say that, but your heart is saying, “Are you nuts? I ain’t moving there.” In some ways, that is the condition of things in Jerusalem. Things aren’t that bad as it pertains to crime etc, but as far as its level of development, this rebuilt Jerusalem is far from finished. It’s not yet the thriving city it once was. People that move there are going to have to make some real sacrifices and put up with some (hopefully) temporary inconveniences as things come on line. Hopefully you recall from our study last week that Chapter 10 was a chapter of dedication in which the people pledged themselves to do whatever it was that God called them to do. The rest of the people… joined with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and His rules and His statutes. Nehemiah 10:29 Chapter 11 is about the rubber meeting the road. God, I’ll do whatever you want? OK, I want you to go and live in Jerusalem. To follow the Lord and His leading will likely require you to step out of your place of comfort and endure difficulties for the sake of the kingdom of God. David endured hardship that he might continue to honor the LORD and touch not the Lord’s anointed. Moses chose to endure affliction and suffer with the people of God rather than enjoy the passing pleasures of sin for a season. Esther declared if I die I die and went in to the presence of the king on behalf of the Jewish people. More often than not, the answer to our prayer for personal or spiritual revival is going to mean having to leave our place of comfort and go places we never thought we would go and do things we would never chose to do. 2 | P a g e Nehemiah 11:1 – 12:26 Keep Saying “Yes” That brings us to our story today. Let’s pick up our story in Nehemiah chapter 11. Beginning in verse 1, we read, Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. 2And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 11:1-2 It wouldn’t be easy to live in Jerusalem which is why it is so important to see the first verse of the chapter. Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. 2And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 11:1-2 Leaders need to set the example. Leaders can’t just say, This is what needs to be done. They must show what needs to be done. These leaders had no right to expect the people to live in Jerusalem if they themselves were not living there. And to their credit, they lead well by sacrificing their own wants, needs, desires, etc and going to live in the city. In addition to the leaders, a lottery system is put in place to select 10% of the population to come and live in the city as well. Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. 2And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 11:1-2 The people had tithed their produce and possessions in the previous chapter, now the LORD is asking them to tithe their lives as well. The population essentially submits itself to the lot. OK, 3 | P a g e Nehemiah 11:1 – 12:26 Keep Saying “Yes” Lord, all of us are willing to go if that is what you desire. Show us your will. And then the straws were drawn leading to ten percent relocating into the city and the remaining people returning to their homes in the surrounding villages. Verse 2 provides us with one final additional group that populates the city. We’ve seen the leaders and those chosen by lot. This final group is comprised of those that willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. 2And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 11:1-2 It is interesting to note that the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. 2And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 11:1-2 The idea of blessing the men is congratulating them; cheering them on; honoring them for their decision. My question is: If they are so excited for the people making this decision, why don’t they make the decision themselves? The opportunity for them to volunteer was just as available to them as it was to these other men. It was there for them as well, but they chose not to take it. Instead they merely cheer on those that do. Commenting on this, G. Campbell Morgan wrote, It really is an easy thing, for those who do not volunteer, to applaud those that do. Applause of heroism is neither costly nor valuable.
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