Nehemiah 11 records the names of those from among the priests and Levites and various other backgrounds who were willing to live in Jerusalem. The people cast lots and one out of ten was to move into Jerusalem. The rest remained in the towns and cities surrounding it. Again, the places where the people lived were named as well as who lived there. The reestablishment of God’s people in Israel was a major blessing as well as a fulfillment of prophecy. As we read it, we might not think it tremendously significant whether the people lived in Jerusalem or the surrounding areas, but that they had moved there and were living as the people of God once again was so important to them.
Nehemiah 12 records the names of the priests and Levites who came with Zerubbabel to resettle Jerusalem. Following this rather long list, we read about the dedication of the Wall surrounding Jerusalem. We might not think of this ceremony as being all that significant, but Nehemiah assembled two great choirs to sing praise and thanksgiving to the LORD. The chapter closes with a record of the reestablishment of the Temple service in the House of God. What a powerful day this must have been for God’s people. They were in the holy city giving thanks and praise to the LORD, and establishing once again that they would worship Him daily.
Nehemiah 13 closes the book with a record of Nehemiah tightening the obedience of God’s people to the Law. He rooted out those who were not bringing tithes to provide for the House of God and the servants of God who worked there. He stopped those who were buying and selling on the Sabbath, and he caused those who had married foreigners to abandon them. Remember, this might sound legalistic to us, but God’s people were being reestablished and the necessity for purity was a key component of that process. While such practices eventually turn to a cold legalism if the LORD is not at the center of them, obedience to the LORD brings blessing. Nehemiah called on the LORD twice to see what he was doing, and to bless him for it. We might be hesitant to call on the LORD to remember our good deeds and to bless us for them, but the principle is sound: Jesus told us if we love Him we will obey His commands. He also told us if we know His commandments, we will be blessed if we do them. Whether our obedience to God is legalism or love always depends on the attitude of our hearts as we carry it out in our lives.
As we return to Matthew 9, Jesus again carries out healing miracles to demonstrate His authority, but before He heals a paralyzed man, He forgives the man’s sins. The Pharisees couldn’t believe the “blasphemy” of that–a man forgiving sins. Jesus healed the man to show them He did have the authority to forgive sin. In the chapter Jesus also called Matthew, and when Matthew invited Jesus to dinner with all his tax collector friends, and the rest of his friends who were “sinners,” the Pharisees objected once again. Those who think they are righteous always condemn “sinners.” Jesus, the only perfect man who ever lived did not condemn the “sinners.” He ate with them, and called them to a new life. Thank God for Jesus’ approach. Whether we are self-righteous sinners or just sinners, we are all sinners in need of the forgiveness of God. As we see Jesus heal a sick woman, raise a girl from the dead, heal two blind men and a deaf man, we realize God is at work. The Pharisees suggested it was the devil, that Jesus cast out demons by the prince of demons. What a strange idea. Why would the devil work against himself? We are left with only a few options concerning Jesus. He could be demonic. He could be a liar, or a lunatic. Or He could be LORD! When we realize He is LORD it changes everything.