Dec
15
Written by:
Route 365
12/15/2010 5:00 AM
Week 50 : Day 3
Nehemiah 12:27-47
by Rob Cattalni
This section not only describes the celebration of this great work but the restoration of joy to this community—something God had given them for this occasion (v.43). We can only imagine the emotional impact this dedication had on Nehemiah—who’d walked these same walls in their broken state when he first visited the city—and on the many who had committed themselves to this work against increasing opposition. There would no doubt be a real sense of vindication too that they had not only finished the wall but were offering sacrifices to God in the temple. That this moment led to the reinstitution of tithes to the temple and the ministering priests suggests the restoration of joy was matched by a true restoration of various aspects of worship—a worship that had been neglected for many years. This larger purpose too may explain the delay in the dedication (see the conclusion of chapter 6). Only after Ezra had come to read the law and renew the covenant did the larger significance of the reconstruction come into view. This was in fact a re-consecration of the people of God.
There are many lessons for us in this section particularly as they relate to the importance of worship. Worship is a duty—the paying of tithes and offering in reverence to God—but it is so much more than this. It is tied closely here to the experience of joy. This points to the central place worship plays in our lives. We were made to worship, find true fulfillment in it, and when it is lacking in our lives we are less than ourselves. The life God intends—for us and our church—begins here. How is your worship today? Are you experiencing joy in your life apart from your circumstances? What steps might you need to take in your life, your daily routine, to see this joy increase?
Your fellow traveler,
Pastor Rob
Tags: