Rejoicing in the Lord's Faithfulness (Nehemiah 12:27-13:3)

Welcome to God's Word for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in Morningston, Iowa. Check us out online at www.sharonrpc.org. We pray that this message will be a blessing to you and that the Lord will use it to transform your faith and your life. Please turn over in your Bibles with me to the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah, 1st and 2nd Kings, 1st and 2nd Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah. And we'll be looking this morning at Nehemiah chapter 12. And we'll be going from Nehemiah chapter 12 verse 27 through chapter 13 verse 3. So just the first three verses of chapter 13. Nehemiah chapter 12 beginning at verse 27 can be found on page 440 of your Pew Bibles. This is God's Word. Pay careful attention.

Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought out the Levites in all their places to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps.

And the sons of the singers gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophithites, from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azimuth. For the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem. Then the priests and Levites purified themselves and purified the people, the gates, and the wall. So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs.

One went to the right hand on the wall toward the refuse gate. After them went Hoseaiah and half the leaders of Judah, and Azariah, Ezra, Meshulam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, and some of the priests' sons with the trumpets. Zechariah, the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Wataniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Asaph, and his brethren, Shemaiah, Azrael, Mililai, Gil-alai, Ma'ai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. Ezra, the scribe, went before them. By the fountain gate in front of them, they went up the stairs of the city of David, on the stairway of the wall beyond the house of David, as far as the water gate eastward. The other Thanksgiving choir went the opposite way, and I was behind them with half of the people on the wall, going past the tower of the ovens, as far as the broad wall, and above the gate of Ephraim, above the old gate, above the fish gate, the tower of Hananel, the tower of the hundred, as far as the sheep gate, and they stopped at the gate of the prison.

So the two Thanksgiving choirs stood in the house of God. Likewise, I and the half of the rulers with me, and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseah, Minjamin, Micaiah, Elionai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets, also Maaseah, Shammaiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzziah, Jehonanan, Melchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singer sang loudly with Jeraziah, the director.

Also that day, they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy. The women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off. And at the same time, some were appointed over the rooms of the storehouse for the offerings, the first fruits and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions specified by the law for the priests and Levites. For Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who ministered.

Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God and the charge of the purification according to the command of David and Solomon, his son. For in the days of David and Asaph of old, there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, a portion for each day. They also consecrated holy things for the Levites, and the Levites consecrated them for the children of Aaron.

On that day, they read from the book of Moses and the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. So it was, when they had heard the law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.

The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever. Well, this morning as we look at these verses 27 through 13.3, we see people actually doing what God has commanded and what they've promised to do. And so children, if you're going to draw a picture today, you might want to draw a picture of somebody doing one of these things that the people had promised to do, whether it's the priests blowing their trumpets or the people bringing in their tithes. But as we look at what the people are doing, it's clear that it's God who is faithful and the people are trying to be faithful. And so I want you this morning to do a little bit of imagination run with me, okay?

I want you to imagine that you were a common day, every normal Levite. And if you were a normal Levite, let's say you were from the town of Geba, you heard from your grandfather what it was like to minister at the first temple. And you remember hearing from his great-grandfather about how the people of God had killed the prophets. about how even though your great-grandfather had been faithful, I remember hearing my grandfather tell me, they hated us, son.

They didn't want to hear God's Word. Son, when I grew up, you could see the bones in my ribs and in my legs, because we were dirt poor, because the people didn't bring in the tithes. We lived off the tithes. We lived off the first fruits and the people didn't bring it in. They would rather go to the high places and give it to their pagan gods.

And you remember your father telling you about being sent away into Babylon. Sent away even though they had been faithful, even though some of your family remembered the covenant. The people of God had largely forgotten and God had promised that He was going to judge them and send your family, send all the Israelites away. And there, in Babylon, you were born.

There in Babylon, you were raised, and as you were raised, you saw King Cyrus come up, and you remember hearing about the temple being rebuilt, and about Ezra being sent to rebuild the temple, and you were excited, but you weren't sure if you should go yet. Was this going to be a fool's errand? Would this actually work? But the temple is built.

And then one day, a few kings later, Darius II becomes king. And when Darius II becomes king, he has a man at his right hand, and he's a godly man. His name is Nehemiah. And he finds out from his brother Ahenani that the people in Jerusalem are living in squalor. That there's no wall. And Jerusalem is unoccupied and God does something amazing. You remember hearing about God has actually made this man's heart that he wants to send Nehemiah to go and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

It was as if God's promises were being fulfilled before my very eyes, and I couldn't wait, so I went ahead and I joined the company of Levites, and just a few of us, and we went back, and we went to Jerusalem, and something amazing happened. The wall was actually built. It only took us 52 days and we built the wall of Jerusalem. I mean, we worked hard. There was one point in which there was danger and we had to carry our sword in our left hand and build the wall with our right hand and sweat was coming down our face and the saltiness of that sweat was getting in our eyes as the sun beat down on our face. But God was doing a great work. He was fulfilling His covenant promises.

And then there came a day when the wall was done. Do you remember when we looked at that? When all the work was done and there was peace in Jerusalem, when all the heavy stones were set in their place, when God had accomplished this great work and all the enemies of God were put to shame, they couldn't say anything else. And then something even more amazing happened.

See, my grandpa used to tell me about how God's people, they didn't want to hear God's word when we lived in here long ago. But now the people themselves called for Ezra the scribe and they said, bring out the book. Can you believe it? The Israelites actually wanted the law of God. They wanted to hear the covenant read. I'd never seen anything like that before in my entire life. The whole assembly of God called together and as we were standing there at the water gate with the temple behind us in front of us and the wall finished in front of us, we heard Ezra actually read the book of the law.

And the people cried. They cried at that book. We remember seeing our loved ones' faces after they had worked for days and days and days, but on their face, even though there was dirt, the tears were washing away. But then Ezra told us, stop. And Nehemiah told us, stop. This was not a day for weeping, but a day for rejoicing. And guess what we found out in that book? Do you remember what we found out? We found out that there was actually supposed to be a feast at that time.

A feast of booths, of tabernacles, and we all went into the city and we all dwelt in tabernacles, we dwelt in our tents, and we remembered the great work that God had done in His covenant. All of His people remembering that God is good and loves His people, and He's keeping His promises. Everybody was there. All of our cousins, all of our family, everyone who had returned was safe inside the city walls. And then something even more miraculous happened. The people renewed the covenant.

Do you remember that? Do you remember the day when all the Israelites, when all the Israelites came together? And it was like God was working, somehow working in all of our hearts, and all of us remembered that it wasn't just us who had sinned, but also our Father sinned, and we all signed a confession of faith. Do you remember when the priests signed their names to that covenant? Do you remember when we looked at that? Do you remember seeing that document? The wall was finished. The city wasn't full.

But again, God was working in His people. God had done all these great promises. God had rebuilt Jerusalem. God had built the wall. And even God had worked in some of our families' hearts that a tenth of them even left their homes after traveling from Babylon, from Persia, and coming back. They were willing to live in Jerusalem.

And they made all these great promises in this covenant. I mean, they made promises that they wouldn't have foreign marriages anymore. They made promises that they wouldn't take foreigners' daughters and we wouldn't give away our sons anymore. Do you remember that promise? Do you remember the promise that they told us that they would actually bring in the tithes, they would bring in the first fruits, they would bring in the harvest so the temple of God would not be neglected? They made that promise.

But I remember reading those words on that paper and thinking to myself, talk is cheap. Talk is cheap. Are they actually going to do it? I mean, I know God is faithful. I know God is actually going to keep that covenant. I know God is going to do His work, but let's face it, our people aren't exactly faithful people. Our people don't often follow through with their covenant commitments. We get really excited really fast, but I'm not sure they're going to keep up their end of this covenant bargain. And so we went home. We went home for seven months, we had tilled our fields, we had planted the seeds, and now it's seven months later.

And now Nehemiah has told all of us to come back. He's told all the Levites to come back. And that's what he does in verse 27. He tells all of us we need to come back to Jerusalem. We need to come back from all of our towns, all of the Levites, all of the singers, all the gatekeepers.

We had settled around Jerusalem. Some of us three miles away down to the south. Some of us a few miles further to the northeast. But we had all settled there and they brought us back together. But see, there's something in the text here that assumes that we understood what was going on at about the time of the first fruits.

We needed to be clean because the Passover was going to happen. So God brings all the Levites, all the priests back in to Jerusalem and they purify themselves. They take their clothes and every little stain that they see, they scrub it out. And every article of clothing they have, they wash in water, and we fasted, and we purified ourselves, and we made sure that we were ready for the Passover. And when all the people of God came for this mandatory feast that God had told us in the book of Leviticus, chapter 23, to all celebrate once a year, when we came to celebrate that, do you remember what the priests did at that time? I mean, the text tells us what we did. Verse 30, then the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people, the gates and the walls.

See, we brought in all the people and we didn't just purify ourselves. All the people were purified. Can you believe it? God actually worked in the people's hearts that they wanted to come to the Passover. Man, it's been years and years and years since the Passover had been celebrated like this. And yet all God's people are there and the wall is built. And Nehemiah is a good governor and he does what governors and administrators love to do. He puts on a big show.

And there's two choirs that are brought together. There's a choir led by Ezra, and you can see Ezra the scribe on top of the wall, and as he walks with the Torah, he's walking up north. And as he's walking up north, he has that scroll, the book of the covenant in his arms, and he walks before the choir as they sing God's thanksgivings. And then on the other side of the wall, starting at the valley gate, they go to the south and they head to the east and they go past David's house. And Nehemiah the governor is there with all his regalia after him.

Can you see the gatekeepers in their full armor? Can you see the sun sparkling off their weapons? Can you hear the sounds of the trumpets as they blow, calling God's people together for the Feast of First Fruits two days after the Passover? Do you hear the sounds of thanksgiving of God's people, that the wall is finally built, that God's covenant is there, that there is joy to be had in the city? I'm telling you it was such a grand joy that I swear the Amalekites could hear it.

It wasn't just a small celebration, we all celebrated it. Everybody in Jerusalem celebrated with great joy. I mean, we couldn't even say it. It was so good. Verse 43 tells us, also that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced. First time, rejoiced. For God had made them rejoice. Second time, with great joy. Third time, and it wasn't just us. Our women and our children rejoiced. Fourth time, with great joy. Fifth time, so that from far away everyone could hear it. The celebration that God had kept his promise. But now is the point. It's great to celebrate, but talk is cheap. Did they bring the goods? Did the people actually obey God's law?

God is faithful. God kept up his end of the bargain. God kept his covenant. He promised to send us away if we were wicked, but in His loving kindness, He'd bring us back, and He's done that. I remember asking, would God's people be faithful in return?

It's as if God was working in their hearts, and they did it. They did it. They had made promises in Nehemiah 10, verse 38. They had made promises in the covenant that they would actually bring in the firstfruits. That they would bring in their tithes. That they would bring in their contributions. And here they actually have done it. Look with me at verse 44.

And at the same time, the people were appointed over the rooms and the storehouses for the offerings of firstfruits and the tithes to gather them in. to them from the fields of the cities the portion specified by the law for the priests and the levites for judah rejoiced over the priests and levites who ministered they once scorned our family the levites my grandfather was poor They didn't bring in their tithes, they didn't bring in their offerings, they didn't bring the sacrifices.

We starved and were ridiculed and neglected, and now God's people rejoice in the priests and the Levites. What has God done here? This could only be the work of God. That people would actually love God's ministers. That they would willingly give up their tithes. That they would recognize that it is God who's brought the first fruits. God has done something amazing here.

Something that hasn't been seen for generations and generations and generations. It's as if the covenant is renewed. It's like we're back to Exodus and this opportunity is right in front of us again. We're entering the promised land and will we keep the covenant ourselves?

But it's amazing, the people came. The people came and they brought their first fruits. They brought their tithes. They didn't neglect the temple. They didn't neglect God's Word. They actually did what God commanded. If you know anything about the history of our people, this is a miracle. Seriously, most of our history in the Old Testament is our people really don't do well at this. And here they're doing it.

But there's a harder thing than just bringing in your tithes. There's a much harder promise that our people made in that covenant. They had promised that they would not give away their sons or give away their daughters to other cultures. They would not bring their daughters and intermarry with them. And on that same day that they brought in their tithes, on that same day that they brought in and we celebrated the dedication of the wall, they had a harder challenge.

Because Ezra opened up that book and he read something to us from Deuteronomy that was really hard. Chapter 13. And on that day they read from the book of Moses and the hearing of the people. And then it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them.

However, our God turned the curse into a blessing." And I can hear Ezra's voice as he slowly read this. And as he was reading, he looked up, as he was reading the covenant law, looking me in the eye and asking, what are you going to do with your wife? Are you going to actually repent? Now's when rubber hits the road. Now's when the feet hit the fire. Now's when things get really hard. Do you love me more than your spouse? Will you actually keep my covenant? Will you actually regard me as holy or will you be taken away like Solomon by his many wives? Will you actually obey?

And something amazing happened. I remember the air was thick like we could cut it with a knife. And God did a work that day. Chapter 13, verse 3. So it was when they had heard the law that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel. They did it. They did it.

For hundreds of years, God has been telling them to do this. For hundreds of years, the priests, we have pleaded with them to do this. For hundreds of years, we have been telling them, do not yoke yourself together with unbelievers. It will only lead to your degradation and ruin. For hundreds of years, we have laid the law before you and said, this is what is good and what is right and what is just. And if you do it, your ways will prosper and you will have great success.

And they scorned it by here. Somehow, something has changed. God's people actually respond to him. This must be a miracle. Only God can turn people's hearts to do it this way. No wonder why there's rejoicing with great joy, and even our wives and children are rejoicing. that even the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Amalekites, even those in Samaria could hear the rejoicing that's coming from Jerusalem as the trumpets fill our ears with a melodious singing of the thanksgiving to God that he has kept his covenant. But let's be honest, you're not allowed there. This is not your story. You wouldn't be allowed in that multitude. You wouldn't be allowed in that temple. You're a Gentile. You are one who by birth should not smile at this passage.

But there's something amazing, even more amazing than what happens here. See, this is part of the covenant of grace that we see happening in Nehemiah chapter 12 and 13. But something far greater has happened in our day. The Holy Spirit has taken you as a wild shoot and has engrafted you into the family of Israel. By your birth, you are not allowed to celebrate here. but by your adoption as sons and daughters through the spirit of Jesus Christ, you can also see yourself here and say yes and amen and respond accordingly. Because God has also done a great work in your heart. Because God has also called you His child through the blood of Jesus Christ, by the power of His Holy Spirit. He brings you not into this earthly temple that Ezra and the people bring there, but He brings you into the heavenly Jerusalem.

And we have a far better first fruit to rejoice in. I want you to turn over in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, starting at verse 20. And I want you to pay attention to who brings in the firstfruits and who is the firstfruits here. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, beginning at verse 20, page 1023.

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall also be made alive. But each one in his own order, Christ the firstfruits. Afterwards, those who are Christ's at His coming.

Then comes the end when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power, for He must reign till He who has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For he has put all things under his feet. But when he says all things are under him, it is evidence that he who put all things under him is accepted. Now, when all things are made subject to him, then the Son himself will also be subject to him. to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all."

See, it is Jesus Christ who is the firstfruits. Nehemiah chapter 12 shows us the restoration of God's people, but even that, when they bring their firstfruits into the temple for the first time, and there's great rejoicing, and they keep God's covenant, it is not pointing to that in and of itself. But it is pointing to Jesus Christ. It is our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is all, and in all, and in Him, we are able to find our place at the temple of God.

Not a temple made with earthly hands, but a heavenly temple. And in that temple, and the holies of holies, He did not just stand out in the courtyard. But He went to the inner holies, so the holiest of holies. But something amazing happened there. See, you as Gentiles were meant to be outside, outside the court of the Gentiles, not allowed inside the temple proper and not allowed inside the holies of holies.

But God, through His firstfruits, has done something amazing. He has torn that curtain. And today, today, Jesus Christ sits in the heavenly holies of holies, and he bids you to enter as a nation of priests. See, we who were once outside the covenant are now, through our high priest and through the firstfruits, able to know that we can draw near to God.

And we don't need to look to Nehemiah and go, oh, that's such a cool story. I wish I was there. No, you have a better story today. Because see, you are cleansed better than those priests and Levites could ever cleanse. You are cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. You are given his perfect robes of righteousness. You have no more filthy rags. But you are pure. And you are holy. live that way.

Closing Prayer

God has done all this work. It is he who deserves our thanksgiving. It is he who deserves our praise. It is he who bids us to sing with great rejoicing that in all the world they might hear about the joy of our God. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you that you indeed are a covenant-keeping God, and even though we are those who often fail, Lord, and our talk is cheap, Lord, you are faithful, and you have done everything. Lord, we thank you that you brought in your firstfruits, Jesus Christ, and give us eternal life through him. Lord, we thank you that he sits upon the throne. Lord, we thank you for cleansing us in His blood. In Jesus' name, amen.

Thanks for listening to this week's message from God's Work for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in rural southeast Iowa. We pray that the message would be used by God to transform your faith and your life this week. If you'd like to get more information about us, feel free to go to the website, SharonRPC.org. We'd love to invite you to worship with us. Our worship time is 10 a.m. every Sunday at 25204 160th Avenue, Morning Sun, Iowa 52640. May God richly bless you this week.