Nehemiah 11:1-36

It is a wonderful thing to live in a position in which we must trust the Lord.  This situation stretches us our faith and builds our confidence in the power and provision of the Lord.  When the children of Israel returned to the land from exile, they started by building a temple in order to establish their worship.  Then they rebuilt the wall around the city to increase the security of the city and protect the temple as well as the people who lived within the city limits.  However, the majority of the people lived outside of the city walls.  In fact the people desired to live outside of the city on the lands that had been allotted to their families so that they could grow their own crops, raise their own food and be able to provide for their families.  However, it was vital to have people living within the city in order to care for the temple and continue the rebuilding process.

SOME PEOPLE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR WORSHIP: The opportunity to live within the city was open to the qualified people who desired to lead the people and care for the aspect of worship within Israel.  However, since the vast majority preferred to live in the fields and raise their own food; lots were cast to select the families that would move into the city to continue that restoration process as well as lead the people in worship.  The people gave honor to those who assumed this responsibility as they knew the faith that it required.  In general, we prefer to make provision for ourselves instead of depending on others.  Those who promote and facilitate worship must be willing to live by faith.


SOME PEOPLE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR WORK: Those who lived in the fields and raised their crops and animals also had a vital purpose to the overall well-being of the people.  They worked to support themselves but they also made provision for those who were in charge of taking care of worship.  They gave of their abundance in order to meet the need of their spiritual leaders.  Every member of the community had its purpose and God desires to use all of our work for the purpose of His glory.  Just like the physical body, the body of Christ must learn to work in cooperation with one another for the purpose of promoting worship and providing for one another’s needs.

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