Tabor Baptist Church

• Nehemiah is a historical book
• The list of names attests to this and can be tested against history
• Nehemiah is both prayerful and practical
• You should not be too 'heavenly minded to be of any earthly good'
• This is often applied to pious people who are of no help to others (e.g. monks)
• God calls us to be a spiritual and prayful people, but this will always create a practical people
• We see the two sides of this man
• Are we people who are seeking first the kingdom of God but also very practical in the way we live our lives?
• The pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost led to very practical acts
• Chapter 9 - had feasted and heard God's word
• Chapter 10 - made a covenant with God
• Nehemiah realised that there was a practical need for the city of Jerusalem (7:4)
• The city was underpopulated
• There were houses that were not rebuilt

Nehemiah resolves the practical problem

• Have you ever thought about the problems of under population?
• Little workforce, little military, little to dwell in the city
• Nehemiah knew that God's purpose was that Jerusalem should be the joy of the whole earth
• This was a special people and a holy city (11:1)
• Had made a register of all the peoples (Chap 7)
• He knew the whole city had to be repopulated
• As time passed the people became ready to make this step
• This tells us that the people were in the right place
• The people cast lots to see who would move into Jerusalem (11:1)
• You couldn't blame the leadership for being selected
• Maybe there were so many who wanted to go they had to draw lots
• The previous chapter speaks of giving the first fruits and of tithing
• Another tithe is given, this time 10% of people
• These people willingly offered themselves
• The list of peoples is given in 11:4-24
• There is a long list of 7 different groups of people
• The people who went often had skills necessary to lead the people of God
• Levites - to teach the people
• Priests - to minister in the temple
• Gate keepers - to guard the people
• Nethinim - the singers
• Different people are specifically mentioned
• Sons of Perez (11:6) - remember their heritage from Tamar who prostituted herself with Judah (her father-in-law)
• The walls were built in 52 days but only now the city was being repopulated
• This teaches us that things happen step by step
• This teaches us that God blesses our diligence
• Nehemiah was always looking to God for the next step to take

Spiritual Applications

• We should always strengthen the centre, the church first
• Nehemiah was concerned for the strength of Jerusalem
• The church's first point of the mission statement is 'equipping'
• The Lord Jesus invested much time in 12 disciples to equip and prepare them
• The Lord Jesus invested much time before He started His ministry
• The apostle Paul spent three years preparing in the Arabian desert
• Refurbishing the church is a means to an end
• Was is our vision?
• Are we looking to the re-population of Tabor?
• Do we want to remain a small church?
• Do we want the church to grow?
• The aim of refurbishment is to see more people come in
• We must never force the (pace of the) work of God
• The people willingly offer themselves
• When people unreservedly give themselves to the work of God, He gives great blessing
• Service in the church is voluntary
• God wants a willing people
• "God loves the gates of Zion more that all the dwellings of Jacob" (Ps 87:2)
• There is no longer a physical city - it points towards Jesus Christ
• Isa 65-66 speaks of Jerusalem
• Our vision is much greater than the local church but the worldwide church
• We look forward to the day when there shall be no more sin
• 'Jerusalem the golden' - example from song
• If Nehemiah was concerned about Jerusalem, how much more concerned should we be with the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of God