This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
NEHEMIAH
CHAPTER 12
1 Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
4 Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah,
5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jediah,
7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.
8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.
9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches.
10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada,
11 And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua.
12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
13 Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;
14 Of Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
16 Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
17 Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;
18 Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
19 And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
20 Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel.
Nehemiah gives us a list of priests who returned from Babylon. This list shows us two things:
22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.
23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.
24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.
This was a dutiful recording of the scribes all during the days of the kingdom of Israel. And the practice continued all the way through the captivity (verse 22).
25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.
26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
Even the "doorkeeprs" (porters) were recorded!
27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi;
29 Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.
30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
All these, and also the singers, were called to "dedicate" the wall. It was a great time of rejoicing, for God had given them a great victory.
31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:
32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,
33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam,
34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
35 And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph:
36 And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.
37 And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.
38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall;
39 And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.
40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me:
41 And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;
42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.
They came from all the towns to this historic and joyful event of dedicated the walls of the "Holy City." This was the city in which God had promised to dwell.
43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.
44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.
Once the circuit was made around the wall, they met at the ALTAR. It was a day of PRAISE, and it was a day of OFFERING thanksgiving to God.
45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.
47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.
As was done in the days of God's greatest blessing to Israel, so was it done in this time. Please continue in Bible Study with us.
1) The historical recording of the Jewish people which accurately kept the names of priests and kings all the way to the Saviour's birth;
2) And the fact that God will not forget those who have given themselves to Him.
"..."the rigteous shall be in everlasting remembrance."(Psalm 106:12)
"This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord."(Psalm 102:18)
God remembers all those who come to Him, and He writes their names in the "book of life" (Revelation 20:12). And God takes care to see that the names of His followers are recorded in history of this earth.
One should not miss the fact that Ezra was noted here (verse 13). This validates the recording of the book of Ezra.
God takes care that the events of history which will lead us to trust Christ are recorded accurately.
This was recorded by Nehemiah at the time of the return from Babylon (verse 26) when Jeshua was High Priest, Nehemiah was governor, and Ezra was the chief teacher and scribe.
Note in verse 29 that during the building of the wall, other building was also occurring.
These people were genuinely revived and ready to serve the Lord diligently.
The genuineness of their revival is attested by the attitude of the priests who were diligent to "purify" themselves and the people who came (verse 30).
Their hearts were REJOICING!
So should our hearts rejoice today each time we come to the CHURCH. For the church is the "Holy City" of today, in which God has promised to dwell! We should come to church solemnly with a desire to publicly acknowledge we are sinners in need of a Saviour. But we should also come REJOICING, for God has granted that Saviour, and made a way for our FORGIVENESS!!
The people were divided into two great companies. Then they marched the entire ciruit of the wall praising God, and lifting their loud music of praise to Him.
We should come to the church today to offer ourSELVES wholly to God (Romans 12:1). And we should CONTINUALLY offer praise to Him wherever we may be.
"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."(Hebrews 13:15)
It is good for us to read of when God blessed His people with the greatest of blessings and see what they were doing. Then we should, with heartfelt repentance and rejoicing, come to God doing those things.
Revival, TRUE revival, can be found in the church when we follow the example of these people.
They had:
1) repented from sin, "purifying" themselves according to God's command,
2) worked according to God's plan,
3) faced adversity through prayer and pleading for God's help,
And, now, they came REJOICING and offering thanksgiving to God.
The power in the church today is the presence of God. He has promised to be with us when we come rejoicing and offering praise to Him.
"But thou art holy, O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."(Psalm 22:3)