Seeds for 11/05/2024 - Nehemiah 11:1-36
Scripture:
1 Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. 2 The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
3 These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns, 4 while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem).
Observation:
Having renewed covenant together, the next order of business that Nehemiah addresses is another aspect of building togetherness.
The leadership of the people—both civic and religious (though those are anachronistic terms, they will work for our purposes)—are going to live in Jerusalem. this makes obvious sense. Jerusalem is the capital. It is the spiritual, political, and symbolic (if you will) heart of the nation. From a practical standpoint, many or most of the leadership needs to live in Jerusalem. This is captured plainly in verses 22-23.
22 The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God. 23 The musicians were under the king’s orders, which regulated their daily activity.
Again, it makes sense to have them in Jerusalem.
So, I love what comes next, in the second half of verse one.
The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.
Those who were not among the leadership cast lots in order to move ten percent of the population to Jerusalem as well. The rest of the chapter goes through specifics.
This seems to have functioned as a large act of enfranchisement for the nation. Of course, they need to make sure that the leadership are able to live there, which is a practical matter. Given the significance of Jerusalem, they conduct a fair way for others to live there too.
The practical result is that Jerusalem is a place for all Israelites, not only a privileged group only. People need belonging and groups need people who feel as though they belong. This practical strategy connected people to the spiritual heart of the nation and built up the nation as a whole.
Application:
In our churches, where are there opportunities to include and connect people?
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, help myself and my church include and connect everyone who desires to be part of our fellowship. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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