From Nehemiah 12-13

The wall has been finished, now is the time to celebrate. The people of Judah gather all David’s musical instruments and sing and praise the LORD along several of the gates around the city of Jerusalem. The whole city erupted in praise and they could be hear from far away. What is the most creative way you have praised the LORD for what he has done?

This post is part of my bible in a year series.

Passage and Comments

The wall has been built and they are all prayed up. Now is the time for party. To remember all the LORD had done for them and in particular enabling them to build the wall.

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; 29 also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall. (Neh 12.27-30)

They dedicated the wall to the LORD. They did it with gladness and thanksgiving.

Have you ever been to a dedication? How did you feel?

They didn’t just offer prayers of thanks. They sang their praises to God. They made sure they were purified before him, so nothing would displease him.

31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks.

One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate. 32 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, 33 and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph; 36 and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.

37 At the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east. (Neh 12.31-37)

Two great choirs joined in the praise. It’s not often you see Israel getting together and praising the LORD with song. The singers and their leaders are named.

David is specifically mentioned for his musical instruments which were used for singing and praise.

38 The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall, 39 and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Gate of Yeshanah, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard.

40 So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me; 41 and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. 43 And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away. (Neh 12.38-43)

That rejoiced and sang before the LORD along the walls and gates of Jerusalem:

South

• on the Dung gate,
• at the fountain gate, and
• at the water gate.

North

• Tower of the Ovens,
• Broad Wall,
• Gate of Ephraim,
• Gate of Yeshanah,
• Fish Gate,  
• Tower of Hananel,
• Tower of the Hundred, and the
• Sheep Gate

They were all over the city. The whole city erupted in the LORD’s praises. What a wonderful time it would have been.

And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away (Neh 12.43).

Story of Israel

David had inaugurated the “tabernacle” which he made for the ark of the covenant at Jerusalem with sacrifice (2 Sam. 6:17), and had consecrated the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite in the same way (ibid. 24:25). Solomon, at his dedication of the temple, had sacrificed sheep and oxen “that could not be numbered for multitude” (1 Kings 8:5). Zerubbabel had followed this example at the dedication of the second temple (Ezra 6:17); and we may presume that it was with victims that Eliashib and his brethren the priests had “sanctified” their portion of the wall soon after they completed it (Neh. 3:1). Nehemiah now completed the dedication of the entire circuit of the walls by sacrifices on a large scale. (Spence-Jones, H.D.M. ed., 1909. Nehemiah, London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.)

Story of Jesus

Before Jesus went to the cross he said to his disciples,

20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. (Jn 16:20–22)

The celebration Nehemiah relates must have been impressive. The joy we will feel when Jesus returns even greater.

We need to find ways to unite the community and glorify God together. Special celebrations are a help to the believing community and a testimony to the unbelievers. The emphasis on continuity with what David had done (v. 36) reminds us that an understanding of our place in history and our solidarity with former generations of Christians are vital. We too must see ourselves as part of God’s continuing plan.

Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2016. All Rights Reserved.