Nehemiah: Rebuilding A Community: The Participants, Nehemiah 3:1-32

Nehemiah: Rebuilding A Community
The Participants

Nehemiah 3:1-32

 

The Participants (v. 1-5)

• The chapter is thought by many to be a list of unpronounceable names and gates
  • The text shows us much more than that
• It reveals a process: All were involved
• It reveals a plan : 10 gates and 40 groups
• It reveals a purpose : Build where you live
• Building begins with Eliashib the high priest and the other priests
  • Begin with the Sheep Gate
  • Close to the Temple
  • An example for the rest of the builders
  • Only section that was consecrated
    • Thus consecrating the whole project
  • The narrative continues a path around the city
  • Jericho (v. 2)
    • Not local: 20 miles from Jerusalem
  • References the Tekoites (v. 5)
    • Royals called out for not being involved
      • Possibly out of fear of Geshem the Arab

 

More Get Involved (v. 6–14)

• We start to see the actual occupations of some of the builders (v. 8)
• People worked in front of their own homes (v. 10)
  • Increased sense of responsibility
  • Not far away from home during construction
  • Knew the area better than anyone else
• Father and daughters worked on the wall (v. 12)
• Did their portion and then did more (v. 13)
• Their gate was the Dung Gate (v. 14)
  • Also known as the Refuse Gate
  • Led out to where the refuse was taken
  • No portion was beneath them

 

 

Work Continues (v. 15–32)

• Beth-Zur (v. 16)
  • Town 4 miles N of city
• We begin to see groups working on more than one (v. 19)
• Tekoites do another section of the wall (v. 27)
  • Tekoah was a town approx. 12 miles south

 

The Big Picture

• Nehemiah used everyone to accomplish this work
  • Goldsmiths, perfume makers, merchants
  • Men and women
  • Priests to people from outside the city walls
• Walls would have been totally overwhelming
• Gates controlled access to city but the walls connected the gates
• Modern analogy for the gates
  • Gates reflect the needs of our community
  • Walls reflect the commonality of the needs

 

So What?

• As we seek God’s vision for rebuilding our community:
  • Do we see our role in the work?
  • Do we see our needs and those of our neighbors?

Meditation Verse: Phil. 2:4