Grace Bible Church The Tree of Life A Weekly Review Week ending 021212 Nehemiah. Part 9. Neh 2:17-20, Then I said to them, You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer be a reproach. And I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me, and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, Let us arise and build. So they put their hands to the good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king? So I answered them and said to them, The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right, or memorial in Jerusalem. Neh 3:1-8, Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of [HAN-NA-NEL] Hananel. And next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to them Zac-cur the son of [IM-RE] Imri built. Now the sons of [HA-SE-NAH] Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. And next to them Me-re-moth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz made repairs. And next to him Me-shul-lam the son of Berechiah the son of [ME-SHAZ-A-BLE] Meshezabel made repairs. And next to him Zadok the son of [BA-NAH] Baana also made repairs. Moreover, next to him the TEAK-O-ITES Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not support the work of their masters. And [JOE-I-DAH] Joiada the son of [PA-SI-AH] Paseah and Me-shul-lam the son of [BES-O-DI-A] Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors, with its bolts and its bars. Next to them Me-la-tiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Me-ron-thite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, also made repairs for the official seat of the governor of the province beyond the River. Next to him [U-ZE-EL] Uzziel the son of Har-ha-iah of the goldsmiths made repairs. And next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. Many of the books written on the book of Nehemiah sadly omit chapter three as if there is not much to offer. It s interesting that these are names of individuals whose name is recorded in the word of God which in 1Pe 1:25 says, lives and abides forever. As our Lord said in Mat 24:35, Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away. And Isa 40:8 says, The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. Remember that for everyone of us, we have the privilege and opportunity of having our names recorded forever as well in the historical record section of heaven. Remember that the Bible teaches that the winner s name is recorded in the permanent historical record section because of his invisible historical impact during the Churchage, Rev 3:12a. The impact of the winner is anonymous as far as the record of history is concerned, but not as far as God is concerned. The mature believer s historical record will be recorded forever in the heavenly temple. Each pillar will have the record of his life as a winner. Rev 3:12, The winner, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God. Furthermore, he will never again vanish [go outside] from history. Also I will emblazon on him the title of My God, and the name of the city of My God. This will be his pass to enter the eternal city, the New Jerusalem, a satellite city suspended above the earth in the atmosphere or in space. The temple of God is the eternal record center in the future. For example: the temple
at Ephesus had the great deeds of people inscribed on the pillars. This temple of God will be the historical textbook of the true heroes of history. The mature believer as a part of the pivot is the true impact on history. In fact, in Gal 2:9 the mature believer is currently called a pillar of the Church, Gal 2:9, and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars. Back to Nehemiah chapter 3. Why are certain individuals mentioned? Why are their deeds recorded? Many Christians believe that a church somehow operates on its own, without any divine direction. However, the church that desires to honor God will never attempt to do so on its own, rather it does so by following God s divine blueprint, the Bible. For as an introduction to Nehemiah chapter 3 we need to note some important principles of doctrine. Notice, in Neh 3:1, the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. In Neh 3:3, they built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. 38 times the word repair is used in this passage. In verse 4, they made repairs. Neh 3:6-8, they repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors, with its bolts and its bars. Also made repairs for the official seat of the governor of the province beyond the River. One of the perfumers, made repairs, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. On and on it goes in chapter 3. The whole point is the importance of accuracy and unity among the people of God when it comes to the subject of repairing the wall. There is nothing sloppy in the procedure of the Christian way of life. Pro 13:4 Laziness or slothfulness wants it all and gets nothing; the energetic have something to show for their lives. The sluggard is a picture of the sloppy believer who never glorifies God and receives his escrow blessings. In fact, most of the blessings that believers receive come in the form of logistical grace and not from fulfilling the conditions found in their escrow blessings. We are also warned against sloppiness and laziness in Pro 19:15, Laziness casts a person into a deep sleep, and an idle soul will suffer hunger. Heb 6:12, that you may not be sluggish [lazy and sloppy], but imitators of those who through doctrine and patience inherit the promises. God has developed, in His grace, a system which is totally impossible for human power to live in. In fact, it frustrates human power constantly. And sloppy procedure is always related to emotion, to human works, and to human activity, and is always a manifestation of arrogance. And the power of God is not delegated to a system of sloppy procedure. The Christian way of life is a supernatural way of life and demands a supernatural means of execution. Therefore, the Christian way of life is executed through the power of the Holy Spirit who does not produce emotion. Emotion is produced by the body. The Holy Spirit produces the accuracy and preciseness - a vast difference. The humanity of Christ, during His incarnation and first advent, utilized the divine power of God in the fulfillment of the Father s plan for the incarnation. This same power has been delegated to every Church-age believer for the fulfillment of God s plan for the Church-age. Zec 4:6, Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
Mat 22:29, but Jesus answered and said to them, you are mistaken, not understanding the scriptures, or the power of God. 2Co 4:7, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels [human bodies], that the surpassing greatness of the "power" may be of God and not from ourselves; 2Co 12:9, And He has said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected or matured in weakness. most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Eph 1:19-20, And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might. Which He put into operation in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavens. Eph 3:7, Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. Eph 3:16, That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, We live in a day and age when the accuracy and the perfection of the word of God is being totally rejected. Believers think that if they are sincere that their sincerity is impressive to God. However, in the Church-age accuracy is the order of the day. What we are going to note in Nehemiah 3 is how the Jews repaired the walls of Jerusalem accurately and precisely. This was their manifestation of them love and worship toward God. Col 3:17, And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Eph 6:5-6, Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Ecc 9:10, Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do {it} with all your might; The point is that the Jews had to follow the exact directions given for the repairs. The same thing is true for the Church-age believer. In God s plan, there is an exact procedure for the Church-age believer. There is a particular way of accomplishing something and a series of steps for the believer to follow. This is true in the reparation or the repairs of the soul through the power of the Spirit. God has a plan, a method, a policy, a process, a strategy, and a technique for everything that He desires for us to do. I want to illustrate this with a few passages we have noted in the past which are very applicable to this particular point in this particular doctrine. First of all remember that if your pastor is not accurate in what he teaches than you will not have the accurate information needed to live in the PPOG. The pastor must be accurate and precise in his doctrinal communication. I want you to notice how important it is to be under a strict system of procedure based upon the accurate teaching of the word of God.
Let s take Noah s ark in Gen 6:14-22. Could Noah build the ark the way that he felt it should be built? Could Noah make the ark with the materials that he wanted to use and change the dimensions as he went along? The answer, of course is no! Look at Gen 6:14-15, Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. And this is how you shall make it. The right thing must be done in the right way. Gen 6:15-19, The length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. And behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark-- you and your sons and your wife, and your sons' wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. In Gen 6:22, Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did. Noah had to build it according to the divine design. He could not do it the way he wanted to. The ark would have sunk, the animals would have not fit and would have died. Noah followed the precise correct procedure. In Exo 25, the ark of the covenant is described. The exact directions and accurate dimensions are given in verses 10-21. In vs 22, when the accurate precise procedure is followed, notice what the Lord said. Exo 25:22, And there I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel. The lord would only meet above the mercy seat if the accurate and precise directions were followed. Then in verses 23-39, the directions and the precise correct procedure for the table of shewbread and the golden lampstand are given in every minor detail. Notice what the Lord said in the last verse of this chapter. Exo 25:40, And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain. Notice the word pattern. The lord did not say, get all the people working together and loving each other and tell everyone that they don't have to be too concerned about the pattern. Neither did the Lord say, tell everyone that they should put aside their differences concerning the pattern of things and love each other. The Lord did not say, let s get everyone in the tabernacle and let's have a nice time of fellowship and gushing mushy human activity. Accuracy was the order from the Lord. In fact, accuracy is proof of the believer s admiration toward God. Psa 119:7, I shall give praise to thee with integrity of heart when I learn your doctrines. Did you ever wonder why details are given precisely and accurately as a part of the word of God? Details are given precisely and accurately as a part of the word of God to reveal to us the importance of a right thing being
done in a right way. Heb 8:5, Just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, see, He says, that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain. Notice please that God warned Moses to do it right. This is the importance of the accurate communication of the word of God which is the sword of the Spirit. Now, in the Old Testament accuracy existed in the tabernacle of God. Therefore, you should understand the importance of accuracy in the PPOG. Do you believe that accuracy did and should exist in the tabernacle of God? If you do, then notice Rev 21:3, Behold the tabernacle of God is set up among men, and he shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them. You are now the tabernacle that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit all indwell. The importance of accuracy and precision is also revealed in the accurate precise details and directions found in the Levitical offerings, the Feasts, the Holy Days, the New Moon, etc. This is why Jeremiah warned the children of Israel in Jer 49:20 and Jer 50:45, therefore hear the plan of the Lord. However, just like in the days of Jeremiah believer s had developed hardness of the heart, so it is today and their attitude is the same as in Jeremiah's day. King Solomon built the temple of for the Lord. In 1Ki 6:38, the house was finished throughout all its parts and according to all its plans. The temple was built with extreme accuracy and devotion. Now, do you believe that it was important for accuracy to exist in the temple? Of course it was! Well, you are now the temple of the living God. 1Co 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1Co 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you. Therefore, if accuracy was the order of the day for the temple in the Old Testament, think of how much more it is for the temple in the New Testament - YOU!