The walls are built, now it’s time to remind the people who they are, and to whom they belong.
The priests
Nehemiah 11:10-14
The Levites
Nehemiah 11:15-18
The gatekeepers
Nehemiah 11:19
Further distribution of the people
Nehemiah 11:20-36
Ezra reads the Law
Nehemiah 7:73, 8:1-12
Feast of Tabernacles
Nehemiah 8:13-18
The people confess their sins
Nehemiah 9:1-4
God’s goodness remembered
Nehemiah 9:5-31
People are moving back into Jerusalem and the surrounding towns and villages. After a while, Ezra and Nehemiah call them up to Jerusalem to remind them what it’s all about.
Ezra embarks on a Bible reading marathon of his own, as he starts to read aloud from the Law to al the people, gathered in the town square. It was an emotional time, and the two leaders are keen not to let that emotion get out of hand. They want to channel it, to ensure that the people’s understanding is complete. So they have the Levites teaching and guiding people, telling them how to respond. “Don’t weep, this isn’t a sad day, don’t stand out here all day, you’ll get tired.” Sensible advice. These days, the emotion of a crowd sweeps us away, and we don’t feel able to take charge and direct things. Think of big crowd-led events, such as Princess Diana’s funeral, and you can see that no one was trying to lead or shape the people’s response, we were all followers. Ezra and Nehemiah weren’t scared to lead.
Together they celebrate the feast of Tabernacles, and at the end of the feast, again the Levites are talking to the people, explaining to them what has happened to their nation and why, reminding them that although they have sinned against God, he is merciful and has brought them back. So they tell each other the story that defines them as a nation.
The priests
Nehemiah 11:10-14
The Levites
Nehemiah 11:15-18
The gatekeepers
Nehemiah 11:19
Further distribution of the people
Nehemiah 11:20-36
Ezra reads the Law
Nehemiah 7:73, 8:1-12
Feast of Tabernacles
Nehemiah 8:13-18
The people confess their sins
Nehemiah 9:1-4
God’s goodness remembered
Nehemiah 9:5-31
People are moving back into Jerusalem and the surrounding towns and villages. After a while, Ezra and Nehemiah call them up to Jerusalem to remind them what it’s all about.
Ezra embarks on a Bible reading marathon of his own, as he starts to read aloud from the Law to al the people, gathered in the town square. It was an emotional time, and the two leaders are keen not to let that emotion get out of hand. They want to channel it, to ensure that the people’s understanding is complete. So they have the Levites teaching and guiding people, telling them how to respond. “Don’t weep, this isn’t a sad day, don’t stand out here all day, you’ll get tired.” Sensible advice. These days, the emotion of a crowd sweeps us away, and we don’t feel able to take charge and direct things. Think of big crowd-led events, such as Princess Diana’s funeral, and you can see that no one was trying to lead or shape the people’s response, we were all followers. Ezra and Nehemiah weren’t scared to lead.
Together they celebrate the feast of Tabernacles, and at the end of the feast, again the Levites are talking to the people, explaining to them what has happened to their nation and why, reminding them that although they have sinned against God, he is merciful and has brought them back. So they tell each other the story that defines them as a nation.
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