Nehemiah 12

Nehemiah 12:27

They brought together all the musicians. They had a great music festival. Listed here are the names of these inscribed in the Lamb’s Book of Life. They are meeting together to dedicate the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah brought people from all over the land to this dedication because Jerusalem was the city where the temple was.

Nehemiah 12:40

Next Nehemiah lists the priests. They were all there.

Nehemiah 12:43

The strangers, visitors, tourists, and others passing through that land who heard the great shout of praise and joy probably said, “What in the world is going on over there?” Undoubtedly they went to find out. What a testimony this was to the pagan world around them! On one occasion when I was in Oakland, California, I passed by a stadium where a baseball game was being played. Someone hit a home run, and a great shout went up from that place. It must have been an exciting game, and I wished that I was there watching it. That was a natural reaction, you see. I thought at the time, My, if I could only get that kind of a shout to go up when I preach, the whole community would hear it, and I have a notion that many people would investigate to find out what caused it. One of the reasons people pass by the church today is because they think we are a dead and boring lot. And nine times out of ten they are correct. There ought to be more of the joy of the Lord in our services todayreal joy. In the Epistle to the Philippians we will find that the very source of power is joy. And remember that Nehemiah said, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.” If you are a crybaby Christian, you are not going to have much of a testimony. A dear lady once told me, “My husband is unsaved, and, Dr. McGee, I just can’t reach him.” Then she began to blubber. She continued, “I speak to him at breakfast in the morning, I weep and tell him how much I love him and want him saved.” Then again at supper she did the same thing. I got to thinking about that. Would you want to have breakfast and dinner with a weeping woman?

I don’t know about you, but I would not. It certainly would not help the digestion. I have a notion her husband was plenty sick of it. Later I told her, “I have a suggestion. Why don’t you quit talking to your husband at breakfast and dinner.” “Oh,” she replied, “You mean I should quit witnessing?” I told her, “Yes, quit witnessing in the way you have been doing it, and start witnessing a new way. Start praying for him.

Stop weeping before him’the joy of the LORD is your strength.’” In chapter 13 we see again the demonstration that eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. It is the price of Christian liberty and Christian freedom, too. Somewhere between chapters 12 and 13 Nehemiah returned to his job in the palace at Shushan. Remember that he had only asked for a leave of absence. He had been back in Persia for awhilemaybe a year or twowhen he asked for another leave of absence so that he could go to Jerusalem. He made a shocking discovery. The people were not keeping the separation that they should have.