The list of people who worked on the wall of Jerusalem continues. There is such a wide range of people all working together to God’s glory.

Notice that some people finished their allotted work and got to work on a new section of the wall: Meredith the son of Uriah (vv. 4 and 21) and the Tekoites (vv. 5 and 27). Being done quickly or early is not always a time for rest but sometimes an opportunity to do more for God.

Quite a few people worked on the section of the wall directly in front of their house. People are often more likely to get involved in something where they have a vested interest. That’s not always a bad thing. When things affect you personally, where you recognise an opportunity for service, that’s where you should get involved. What is God stirring in your heart right now? How can you get involved in God’s work today?

This chapter lists all those who were involved in rebuilding the wall. This section looks back from the point of view of the completed wall even though the wall has not yet been completed in the story.

When we come across a list of names in the Bible, it can be easy to just gloss over them as boring. But there are things we can learn. If you didn’t read the list, I suggest you go back and read it with an open mind and heart and see if the Holy Spirit brings anything to your attention.

Here are some things we can learn from this list of names:

• This is a reminder that the Bible includes the historical account of real people doing real work for God.
• Lots of different people were involved in different capacities in the work of God. In the church, we are taught that each of us has different gifts and talents and we all need to work together as part of God’s family.
• Some people were gifted and trained for other things, such as goldsmiths and perfumers (v 8). These people were not trained construction workers and yet they were involved in this project. While God has given you certain gifts, sometimes you just need to get involved in the work that needs to be done. Some of God’s work isn’t so much about talents as it is about hands and bodies needed.
• Some people didn’t carry their weight. The nobles of Tekoa (Amos’ hometown, Amos 1:1) considered themselves too important to do this work (v 5)
• Whole families worked together (v 12). We don’t know if Shallum’s daughters were young or not but I’m sure children would have been involved in whatever capacity they could. You are never too young to get involved in God’s work.

Ordinary people, working together, is an important part of God’s way of doing things. God wants you to be involved in the work He has prepared for you to do (Eph 2:10). This list is a reminder that God keeps track of everything that everyone does (or doesn’t do). One day your work will be examined and it will become clear if you were committed, just involved, or skirting your responsibility (1 Cor 3:13).

Nehemiah journeyed to Jerusalem with an army escort and letters of passage for passing through the various territories along the way. This was a long journey that would have taken at least two months (Ezra’s similar journey took five months, Ezra 7:8-9). When he arrived he began to face opposition as Sanballat and Tobiah became angry that someone had come to look after the welfare of the people of Israel.

Nehemiah waited three days (the pattern of his life tells us he probably spent that time resting and praying). He didn’t tell anyone in Jerusalem his plans because at that point he didn’t have any. He had a vision for rebuilding the wall but had not established the condition of the gates and walls for himself. On the third day, he took a few trusted men with him and went out at night to survey the damage. At one point, by the King’s Pool, the damage was so severe that his mule couldn’t ride through the rubble and he had to head down the valley.

Having established the scope of the project, Nehemiah was now ready to call on the people of the city to work with him, “let us build the wall of Jerusalem.” He encouraged them with the testimony of how God had been working to bring him this far. He also told them of the favour they had with the king to do the work. So the people were encouraged and began to ready themselves for the work.

But Sanballet, Tobia, and now Geshem began to jeer them. Nehemiah doesn’t rise to the argument. He simply states that God would help them to succeed, they would do the work, and the three had no right or claim to Jerusalem.

Nehemiah gives us a wonderful example of Godly leadership. He shows that even with a specific mission from God, he still needed to do things like rest, pray, plan, rally others, lead by example, and remain calm in the face of opposition. As you do God’s work, God’s way, you too can say, “The God of heaven will make us prosper.”

It is now almost five months later. There is wisdom in waiting. While we should be burdened in prayer for the things that are wrong in this world marred with sin, it is not up to us to fix any of it. God is still the one who needs to do the moving, even if He chooses to work in us. There is wisdom in praying and waiting until God gives us our next step. Nehemiah is performing his duty before the king, serving him the wine, when the king notices he is sad. Nehemiah would not have shown sadness in front of the king because if that had happened and the king was in a bad mood, he might have been banished, or even killed. But on this day his burden overwhelms him and the king notices. King Artaxerxes asks him why he is expressing sadness of heart. Nehemiah explains his concern about the ruined city of his family. When the king invites him to make a request, he prays before continuing. This must have been one of those quick prayers of the heart before continuing. How wonderful that even just before we open our mouths we can pray, “Lord help me” and then continue. Nehemiah sees that God has opened up the opportunity to do something about the walls of Jerusalem so he makes his full request to the king. I’m sure that in the five months of waiting he had thought through some possible plans so that now that he is able to make a request, he knows exactly what is needed. The king granted Nehemiah what he asked, why? “for the good hand of my God was upon me.” Nehemiah was burdened so he prayed. He waited and planned, continually praying. When God opened the door it was obvious that the good hand of God was upon him! Are you praying, planning, and waiting?

It was somewhere between mid-November and mid-December, 444 BC in Susa, the capital city of the Persian Empire, the site of king Artaxerxes Longimanus’ winter palace. Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer. Nehemiah was a Jew who had chosen to remain in prominent service of the king even though the Jews had been allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city. Nehemiah’s brother, Hanani, brought men from Judah who gave a report about the shocking state of the city of Jerusalem. Nehemiah would have known that the city’s walls had been destroyed and the gates burned back in 586 BC, but the Jews who had returned had been there for almost ten years, so perhaps he had thought that some progress would have been made in its restoration. But the city was lying exposed and in trouble and no progress was being made on its restoration.

Nehemiah was so distraught about the news that he mourned, fasted, and prayed for days. His prayer is a beautiful example of intercessory prayer. He prayed for his country. He prayed for the sins of his fellow countrymen, including himself, even though he was clearly an upright and faithful follower of God. He reminded God that even though He had promised to send Israel into exile if they disobeyed Him, He had also promised that if they humbled themselves before Him, He would bring them back from wherever they had scattered to the promised land. Nehemiah didn’t just pray, he decided to do something about it.

As you look at your generation, your city, your school, your area, your peers, your world, are you burdened? Are you concerned enough by the godlessness that has become so pervasive that it drives you to prayer? Are you so concerned that you are willing to stand up and do something about it? God in His sovereignty has always chosen to do His work through ordinary people. God will work through you if you are willing to step up and commit to doing whatever it is He would have you do. It all begins with prayer. What will you pray today?

Jesus again speaks of His impending suffering, death, and resurrection. He tells them with great detail what will happen to Him. His prophecy would be remembered by the disciples in just a few days after these things had taken place and be a huge reassurance and reminder that Jesus was God—the one who can predict and control the future.

But the disciples still don’t grasp the significance of Jesus’ death. They are still thinking in terms of an earthly kingdom. Jesus has just spoken of rewards and now the mother of James and John comes to Jesus to ask that her sons be given the places of honour on Jesus’ right and left hand. Mark wrote that the sons made the request (Mark 10:35). Perhaps the sons sent their mom to ask Jesus or they asked Jesus after their mom. Jesus turns to the two and asks them if they are able to endure suffering and death like He is about to. Their response was probably driven by the zeal to rule rather than their understanding of what Jesus was really asking. Jesus told them that they would suffer for him—and both did. But it is God who determines what rewards we all receive one day in heaven. The remaining ten disciples are indignant at the brothers’ request. They’re probably mad because they secretly wanted the highest honour and were irritated at James and John trying to take advantage.

Jesus reminds His disciples that His kingdom doesn’t work the way the world does. On earth, leaders lord their authority over others. But in the church, those who lead must be servants of others. Jesus was the prime example who came, not to be served, but to serve. Where would you place your life on the leader/servant spectrum? Are you driven to lead and be above others, or are you inclined to serve others? It’s not natural to want to serve. If we want to live like Christ, we must think like Christ, and to do that we must be changed by His word (Rom 12:1-2; 2 Cor 3:18).

Jesus tells a parable about a vineyard owner who goes out to hire workers to work in his vineyard. The first group he finds he offers to pay a days wages for a days work and sets them to work. Later in the day he finds others standing around idly and sends them to work promising to pay them “whatever is right.” There is an element of faith on their part that they will be paid what is right at the end of the day. Later in the day he finds more people who are not working because no one had hired them. He sends that group to work and they also work in faith that they will be paid a fair amount. At the end of the day the vineyard owner instructs his foreman to pay the workers beginning with those hired last and ending with those hired first. Each of the workers is paid a denarius (a days wage). Those who were hired first expected to be paid more but they also received a denarius. They grumbled because they felt they had been unfairly treated. They had worked the whole day but been paid the same as those who had only worked for a single hour. The owner points out that he had done them no wrong because he paid them exactly what they had agreed to work for. Did they begrudge him because he was generous with his own money to the other workers?

In the end it is God’s generosity and His decision that will determine rewards. He has promised that those who serve Him in this life will be rewarded but this parable teaches that we will have no place to bargain with Him based on our efforts. God calls for our humble service and complete faith in His sovereign right to reward whom He chooses to reward on the basis He alone decides. Even service for reward is based on faith.

As the rich man walks away sad, Jesus turns to his disciples and tells them that it is extremely difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. He repeats Himself for emphasis explaining that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. There was no small gate in the walls of Jerusalem at the time that a camel could go through if it went down on its knees as has been spread in modern times—that would be something hard, but possible. Jesus was talking about the largest well-known animal in Israel passing through the smallest opening—an impossible task. The disciples get it and ask, “Who then can be saved?” Throughout the ages, it is the rich who we have all looked to as the ones who have it all together and clearly have found the secrets to life. But Jesus reminds us that salvation is impossible by man’s efforts, no matter how great his achievement. Salvation is only possible through God.

Peter points out that they have done what the rich man would not. They have given up everything to follow Jesus. Jesus promised the rich man that if he gave up his wealth, he would receive treasures in heaven. Peter wants to know what they would receive. This is a great question. If salvation is by faith alone, what does one get for self-denial? Jesus promises rewards in the regeneration (“the new world”), this is the kingdom Jesus will establish at His second coming. When Jesus establishes the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will be regathered from the around the world (Mat 24:31). Each apostle will rule over the portions allotted to the twelve tribes. Jesus promises that all who have left behind the dearest things in life will receive a hundredfold in benefits as a reward in the kingdom. There is a distinction between entering the kingdom (eternal life) and inheriting the kingdom (eternal life). To enter the kingdom requires only belief. To inherit the kingdom requires self-denial, taking up one’s cross, and following Jesus as His disciple. Jesus concludes that many who are first (in this life) will be last (in the coming kingdom). Things are not always as they seem. Those who are successful or powerful in the church may be paupers in the kingdom. Many who are paupers in the church will be powerful in the kingdom. How you live now will have a direct bearing on your position of service for Christ in the life to come. Are you living today in light of eternity?

Some children were brought to Jesus so that he would lay His hands on them and pray for them. The disciples rebuked the people. Jesus stops them and lets the children through. While adults can sometimes see children as an annoyance that get in the way of their “important” work. Jesus reminds us that it is the children who are most likely to inherit the kingdom of heaven because of their childlike faith. Children only know complete dependence on others for what they receive. It’s only as we grow up that we begin to think that we can do things in our own strength. Don’t let your growing up smother your childlike dependance on God.

A rich man came to Jesus and asked Him what “good deed” must he do to have eternal life. This man has approached Jesus with a preconceived idea of how he can receive eternal life. He hasn’t come with an open question, “how can I receive eternal life?” His question presupposes that a good deed will be what is needed and he just needs to find that good deed. If you read carefully, you’ll see that Jesus never actually answers his question by telling him to believe as he did for many others (John 3:16;4:13-14; 5:24; 6:35,47; 11:25-27). Instead, Jesus’ answer shows us a model for “pre-evangelism” which can help someone move from where they are to a place where they recognise that they cannot save themselves through their own efforts.

Jesus first challenges the man to rethink his concept of “good”. There is only one who is good, and that is God. If we want to be good, then we must be like God. With God, good is not simply being better than someone else, or better than some standard we set for ourselves. God sets the standard for good, and that is perfection. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God—His standard of good (Rom 3:23).

Next, Jesus helps the man see that he fails at his own false assumption. Since what is good is defined by the law—Jesus directs the man to the Ten Commandments given by the absolutely good God. Jesus lists out specific things from the second part of the law and sums it up with the second great commandment, “you shall love your neighbour as yourself.” The man in his self-confidence declares that he has kept all these things since he was young. He, by his own definition, is good. “What do I still lack?” he asks. Then Jesus shows him his lack by testing him on the tenth and final commandment, “you shall not covet.” Jesus invites the man to sell all he has and give it to the poor so he might store for himself treasures in heaven, and then come and follow Him. At this point, the man realises that He is unable to meet the standard because his great wealth was too much to give up. The man was brought to a place where he was fully aware that he was not able to save himself. If we follow Jesus’ example, at this point we can introduce someone to the God who saves, not because of what the person has done, but because of who God is—a God of grace! (Rom 6:23)

Divorce has always been a sticky subject. The Pharisees bring the subject of divorce to Jesus in order to trip Him up. They likely wanted to get Him to say something that would offend some and cause them to stop following Him. They ask, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?”

Jesus answers by pointing them back to creation. In the beginning God created male and female and ordained marriage as a union between husband and wife that was for life. This union is so strong that husband and wife become like one flesh. It has been described as two sheets of paper being glued together so that they are like one piece of paper, and to try to separate the two again will cause them both to tear and break in the process. What God has joined together is not for man to separate.

They go on to try and trip Jesus up by suggesting He is violating the law of Moses in His answer. But Jesus points out that Moses made provision for divorce only because of the hardness of man’s heart but from the beginning divorce was never part of God’s plan. God’s plan requires no divorce under any circumstance, but Jesus concedes that sexual immorality outside the boundaries of marriage allows for divorce.

The disciples recognise that this lifetime commitment is a hard thing and that it might be better not to marry. Jesus responds that celibacy is an unrealistic solution except for three groups of people who are able to remain single: those who’s sexual drive is diminished by birth defect (eunuchs from birth), those who have ben physically castrated (eunuchs made so by men—usually in royal courts of the time) and those who dedicate themselves to singleness for the sake of the kingdom, to serve God. For everyone else, it is better to marry (1 Cor 7:9,36).

Today’s culture sees marriage very differently to how God designed it. It is no longer seen as exclusively between one man and one woman, nor is it seen as a lifetime commitment. The Pharisees showed they were more interested in their cultural definition of marriage than God’s.
What is your approach to relationships and marriage? Is it led by your own desires (hardness of heart) or by God’s design and purpose for marriage?