Neh 12:47 | KingComments | STEP | Another consequence of the walking on the wall is the care of God’s servants to further His work. When there is dedication, not only the heart is touched, but also the wallet ( ). Where there is thankfulness to God, it will also be seen in doing good to people and sharing with them. Giving love does not empty the heart; giving money does not empty the wallet ( ). After the LORD has received His part in the “great sacrifices” ( ), the servants receive their part from the people ( ). If God is praised for the restoration He has given, there will also be thankfulness for the service His servants do among the people. Judah rejoices. Our joy is expressed in accepting each service on behalf of God and in supporting it in a practical way. If servants are not accepted and even forgotten, it is proof of contempt by the people for what the church is to Christ. For Christ, out of love for His church, gave ministers for the edification of His church ( ). The care of priests and Levites goes out to the service of their God and what is needed for purification. Everything that is done for God can only be acknowledged and accepted by Him if it is in accordance with His holiness. He cannot accept anything that is impure. But He also knows who we are. That is why He provides opportunities to serve Him in a way that is pleasing to Him. There is order by obeying the institutions of the past. The standards of purity have not changed since the days of David and Solomon. What those standards are, God has revealed in His Word. Because He has not changed, the standards of purity have not changed for us either. If we want to serve Him as a priest, Levite, singer and gatekeeper, we will consult His Word. Then we will go back to the beginning and we will not be at the mercy of human traditions that are constantly being adjusted in the course of time. This is not about adapted melodies or adapted language. It is about the content of our thanksgiving. Are God and the Lord Jesus still the object of it? Do the songs bear witness to necessary reverence? Is the content in accordance with Scripture? The preference of many Christians is more and more for songs that “sing well”, that give a certain good feeling. The content is hardly looked at, let alone tested against the Bible. Songs in which the Holy Spirit is sung to and worshiped have become commonplace. Respect has also disappeared more and more. God and Jesus are brought down to the level of man. Certainly, we may speak boldly with and about God and Christ, but we must never become popular or banal. The last verse ( ) aptly connects the days of Nehemiah with the days of Zerubbabel. In both cases it concerns a revival that God has worked. In both cases the same things happen. There is great willingness to give. Provision is made for the maintenance of the singers and the gatekeepers. Every day they get what they need. Every day they can do their work, without having to worry about their livelihood. Singers turn to God in thanksgiving. Gatekeepers look at people. They see to it that only they who have the right to do so enter the city. For us this means that we have to make sure that our thanks to God and our care for the church are given our attention every day, that these aspects, so to speak, receive food every day, and have a living presence in us. All Levites are thought of. They receive consecrated portions. The people give them what they have set aside for the LORD. In turn, the Levites give the consecrated portions to the priests. The foregoing expresses a beautiful mind. Where the Lord becomes great for the hearts and there is dedication to Him, the people will function the way He wants them to. Each member fulfills the task assigned to him or her for the benefit of every other member. This working among God’s people culminates in what is given to the priests, who here are called “the sons of Aaron”. This designation emphasizes the practice of the priesthood in the awareness of the connection with the Lord Jesus as the High Priest. Thus, finally, the heart is turned toward Him.

‏ Nehemiah 12:47

Taking Care of the Levites

Another consequence of the walking on the wall is the care of God’s servants to further His work. When there is dedication, not only the heart is touched, but also the wallet (Heb 13:15-16). Where there is thankfulness to God, it will also be seen in doing good to people and sharing with them. Giving love does not empty the heart; giving money does not empty the wallet (Mal 3:10-11).

After the LORD has received His part in the “great sacrifices” (Neh 12:43), the servants receive their part from the people (Neh 12:44). If God is praised for the restoration He has given, there will also be thankfulness for the service His servants do among the people. Judah rejoices.

Our joy is expressed in accepting each service on behalf of God and in supporting it in a practical way. If servants are not accepted and even forgotten, it is proof of contempt by the people for what the church is to Christ. For Christ, out of love for His church, gave ministers for the edification of His church (Eph 4:11).

The care of priests and Levites goes out to the service of their God and what is needed for purification. Everything that is done for God can only be acknowledged and accepted by Him if it is in accordance with His holiness. He cannot accept anything that is impure. But He also knows who we are. That is why He provides opportunities to serve Him in a way that is pleasing to Him.

There is order by obeying the institutions of the past. The standards of purity have not changed since the days of David and Solomon. What those standards are, God has revealed in His Word. Because He has not changed, the standards of purity have not changed for us either. If we want to serve Him as a priest, Levite, singer and gatekeeper, we will consult His Word. Then we will go back to the beginning and we will not be at the mercy of human traditions that are constantly being adjusted in the course of time.

This is not about adapted melodies or adapted language. It is about the content of our thanksgiving. Are God and the Lord Jesus still the object of it? Do the songs bear witness to necessary reverence? Is the content in accordance with Scripture? The preference of many Christians is more and more for songs that “sing well”, that give a certain good feeling. The content is hardly looked at, let alone tested against the Bible. Songs in which the Holy Spirit is sung to and worshiped have become commonplace. Respect has also disappeared more and more. God and Jesus are brought down to the level of man. Certainly, we may speak boldly with and about God and Christ, but we must never become popular or banal.

The last verse (Neh 12:47) aptly connects the days of Nehemiah with the days of Zerubbabel. In both cases it concerns a revival that God has worked. In both cases the same things happen. There is great willingness to give. Provision is made for the maintenance of the singers and the gatekeepers. Every day they get what they need. Every day they can do their work, without having to worry about their livelihood.

Singers turn to God in thanksgiving. Gatekeepers look at people. They see to it that only they who have the right to do so enter the city. For us this means that we have to make sure that our thanks to God and our care for the church are given our attention every day, that these aspects, so to speak, receive food every day, and have a living presence in us.

All Levites are thought of. They receive consecrated portions. The people give them what they have set aside for the LORD. In turn, the Levites give the consecrated portions to the priests.

The foregoing expresses a beautiful mind. Where the Lord becomes great for the hearts and there is dedication to Him, the people will function the way He wants them to. Each member fulfills the task assigned to him or her for the benefit of every other member. This working among God’s people culminates in what is given to the priests, who here are called “the sons of Aaron”. This designation emphasizes the practice of the priesthood in the awareness of the connection with the Lord Jesus as the High Priest. Thus, finally, the heart is turned toward Him.