The focus of this book is the renewal of the people as the people of God. Integral to that has been the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. But, although the walls have been rebuilt, there is still a problem with Jerusalem. As we saw back in ch.7, it needs to be reinhabited.
In this chapter we have the record of how that happened. Before we look at the details, we need to think through why Jerusalem was important to them and how we can apply what we see here to our own situation today.
1. Jerusalem: Past & Present
Jerusalem was important because it was to be focal place for the life of the community and it housed the temple which witnessed to God, his holiness and purposes of redemption. It was the place in which redemption would be wrought and from which the great movement would begin which would take the message of redemption into all the world.
The NT is quite clear that it has lost its historic importance with the coming of Jesus. There is, now, no one 'holy place'; rather, when two or three gather together, Jesus is there, God is there, in their midst. One day all the earth will become a holy place, where God is and where God is known.
In the NT, we find references to 'Jerusalem above', referring to the gathering of all God's people, his church. The church takes on much of the significance of Jerusalem. That is quite clear in Rev. 21 where the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, comes down from heaven, as a bride dressed for her husband.
That helps us to see how we should approach this material. There will be some correlation with the church, allowing for the fact we're dealing with spiritual realities, not physical places.
2. Supporting the Church
With that in place, the first thing to notice is that they took action to repopulate Jerusalem, precisely because of its importance in the purposes of God. And just as Jerusalem was central to those purposes, so today is the church.
As you read the NT, it is striking that the great missionary endeavour has in view the founding of churches - not buildings but living, vibrant communities where God dwells by his Spirit.
The church is described by Paul as "the pillar and foundation of the truth". It is to be the 'place' where God's word is heralded and in which God's word is lived out. No wonder he tells the church in Corinth "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him". The church is central to his gospel purposes.
They understood Jerusalem's significance and acted on it. Do we see the church as central to our own understanding of the Christian life? Not the building we call church but our identity together. And not just ours but churches near and far.
If it is truly significant to us, it will show, in our prayers and our actions. Being together will not simply be for our own sake but, as in the NT, for helping and strengthening others too (and with that as a priority). When the Bible is read and preached, we'll be eager to hear what God says about his church, not just our own lives and situations.
It will show in our missionary endeavour and concern. We'll be praying for and working towards the founding of churches, not simply the conversion of individuals.
Why? Because of the church's place in God's purposes, because of its calling to tell out and to live out his healing grace in relationships that are whole and wholesome.
3. Defending the Church
Jerusalem was central to God's purposes, but, in human terms it faced an uncertain future and needed to be defended. As we read this chapter, it becomes clear that defence was high on their agenda as they repopulated the city (see vv.6,9,14).
Given that the church is "the pillar and foundation of the truth", it is also vital that it be defended from error and heresy, in teaching and living. Clearly that is an important aspect of the work of the leaders of a church but it should also be the concern of all. We cannot be indifferent to doctrinal decline, as though it was only of concern to scholars; we cannot be indifferent to moral decline, as though it could never happen here.
The church needs to be defended and we have a part to play. So play it we must, by the sword of the Spirit and prayer, with lives of love and purity.
4. Supporting the Church
Notice next how they went about supporting Jerusalem. It happened in a twofold way. People volunteered to go and live in Jerusalem and there was a selection by lot of who would go. It may well be that there were too many volunteers and they had to choose by lot from among them (rather than 2 groups).
Here is something that has a parallel in the NT. We read there that "If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task". There is a premium placed on being eager to serve God; Peter exhorts leaders to "Be shepherds of God's flock...not because you must, but because you are willing...eager to serve".
But eagerness to serve is balanced with a recognition that the Lord directs his church in appointing leaders. Leaders are appointed not only because they're willing but because God has made it clear that it is his will. The 2 aspects we see here in Neh. 11 are reflected in the related situation in the NT.
i) Having seen the principle, we must notice and learn from the eagerness with which they offered to go to Jerusalem. They didn't do so because it was a cushy number; to go would mean leaving a settled situation for a place of peril. Yet they were very keen to go because they put God's purposes and the good of the people before their own comfort and security.
This isn't just something for missionaries and full-time workers to emulate but every believer. O may the Lord give us all such large hearts!
ii) It wasn't just those who volunteered to go who were eager and willing to serve. The people as a whole decided to tithe their numbers and put a tenth of the population in Jerusalem. [Here we see again their readiness to take the principles of the law and apply them by extension to the situation at hand.]
That is akin to the church at Antioch being ready to send out some of its best leaders as church planters. How good it would be for us to share that same spirit of sacrifice!
And the people "commended all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem". They blessed them. They honoured them, not boosting their egos but gladly recognising that which was being done for the Lord and for them.
5. Extending the Church
The last thing to notice about this chapter concerns the other towns. The rest of the people settled in towns that recalled the borders during Israel's glory days under David & Solomon. Can you see what is being hinted at? The glory days seemed so long ago but, because God was at work, nothing would be impossible. In fact, the glory to come would far exceed it.
We can affirm the same too. The future of the church is glorious, however tenuous the present, to his praise and glory!
