Jerusalem’s Walls Dedicated

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Nehemiah 12:27-47
Psalters: 257, 373, 222, 134
Series: Nehemiah
  1. The setting.
    1. The dedication ceremony was not immediately after the walls were completed; about 7 or 8 weeks after.
    2. Re-centered on praising God for His boundless mercies the nation now properly gives their tithes to the Lord for Levites.
  2. The dedication.
    1. Dedication is the awareness that God has given something, that we receive it with gratitude, and promise to use it correctly.
      1. God gives us: new life in Christ, the truth of the gospel, the Reformed confessions, membership in Christ’s body, etc.
      2. Also everything we have materially He has given to us.
    2. The dedicatory ceremony.
      1. The singers among the Levites were gathered from the surrounding villages to join those now living in Jerusalem (27).
      2. There was purification (30) of the people, the walls and gates.
      3. The singers climb steps to the top of the wall, then divided into two (31,38), some going to the right and rest to the left.
      4. The procession proceeded around Jerusalem, the city of David, dedicating it to the God of David’s great Son.
    3. Rest of the day was filled with service at the temple: great sacrifices were offered (43) in recognition of God’s great mercies.
      1. The greatness of their joy was in part evidenced in that they could be heard far off (43b).
      2. All the people (including the wives and children) were caught up in praise to God for what He had done for them.
  3. The depth of joy experienced by the people is evidenced in their giving and worship (44-47).
    1. This shows that their joy was not a temporary high, but something they worked to have as a steady burning light.
    2. Their giving showed that they wanted to support the real walls of Jerusalem (the preaching of the pure doctrines of gospel).