Repaired

Our family pouring concrete drive at First Baptist Cottondale

A week ago I wrote about our start on Wednesday night studies of Nehemiah and his being a volunteer. This time I want you to take a walk around the walls of Jerusalem.

Chapter three is one I’ve read through quickly while trying to figure out how to pronounce so many names. Some are familiar, others I’ve not seen elsewhere. I honestly could not see much applicable to my life in this chapter – until Wednesday, when Pastor took us on a walk around the walls.

They were broken and Nehemiah was there to see that they were rebuilt. He had a lot of help, pretty much listed in this chapter:

Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel. (Nehemiah 3:1 KJV)

Beginning with the gate that opened for the sacrificial lambs, the walls went up. Eliashib wasn’t too good to do work, along with other priests – Levites. Each verse moves around the walls, by other gates, around corners, each are being repaired by named men and specific groups. Some, once they finished an area, moved on to another:

And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana. (Nehemiah 3:4 KJV)

After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the son of Koz another piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib. (Nehemiah 3:21 KJV)

There is one instance where there were problems:

And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord. (Nehemiah 3:5 KJV)

On a whole, they all worked together. Chapter three mentions priests, goldsmith’s, apothecaries – each named for a part of the wall’s repair.

I like what Nehemiah prayed in Chapter 4:

So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. (Nehemiah 4:6 KJV)

The people had a mind to work – do we? Back in 2001 our church had a building program – a gym, classrooms and a larger Fellowship Hall. The building was across a drive and a few steps up a hill from the main building. My Beloved Husband, our children and a few church members pour concrete for a drive, handicap ramp, steps and a cover to protect everyone walking from one building to another.

They had a mind to work.

There is much to do today in every church I know. Physical plant work, for certain, but also as certain is spiritual work. Nehemiah spent a good deal of time writing about his prayers. He wrote of the difficulties he had with detractors – look up Sanballat and Tobiah in the Bible. Not helpful people at all:

But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. (Nehemiah 4:1 KJV)

Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. (Nehemiah 4:3 KJV)

Take time to walk around the walls of Jerusalem as they were being repaired in Chapter 3. The Lord's work is available now. Join in.