Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Nehemiah 10-11
Nehemiah 11:2
And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.
Jerusalem was a dangerous place. The “Sanballats and Tobiahs” were everywhere. These two men’s names were used to represent all the enemies that wanted to hinder, and even stop the good work in the city. The great City of David was being rebuilt, the temple was being rebuilt, and most offensively to the enemies, the worship of the true God of Heaven was being reformed and revived. These things the enemy could not stand.
In this dangerous place, men were needed. They were needed to oversee the continued work, to maintain the wall, the gates, the temple. They were needed to sing, to perform the duties of the priesthood, to manage and govern the business of the city. Not all wanted to stay in Jerusalem, there were easier places, safer places, more desired places to dwell. Greener pastures, if you will, both figuratively and literally, were for their taking. So, they came up with a plan. That plan was that one in ten would be determined to live in Jerusalem through the drawing of lots. Probably, the ones whose lot it was to stay did not think they were the winners.
But some men. We don’t know how many, but some men willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem. Perhaps those that volunteered took the place of some of those that drew the lot to stay. We don’t know all about it, however it must have been quite a gesture on their part. For the people blessed all of them. These men were blessed by their fellow citizens. It must have been quite a scene to see, these men staying while others left the great work that Ezra and Nehemiah began.
They were worthy to be honored for they denied their own comforts, safety, and probably prosperity. All for the public good and the glory of their God. Notice though they …willingly offered themselves. Today, in our society, those who do this sort of thing, enter into sacrificial service for God and others, who give up great opportunities for the common good of all, are frankly looked down upon. Most only consider their own fortunes, wants and desires. Those who do otherwise are seen as some sort of inferior person.
Consider a foreign field missionary. This is exactly what they do. They willingly offer themselves to go. They just follow the Lord’s leading to the place. They give up comforts of home, family, and certainly prosperity to go to a place of God’s calling to serve others in the Gospel ministry. Winning souls to Christ, building churches to the glory of God, spending and being spent for the worthy cause of Christ. They are heroes. They should be blessed by all. Yet, they are too often seen as less than they are, which are God’s greatest servants.
Would you have stayed? That is not a rhetorical question, it is an honest one. Would you willingly offer yourself for some noble cause for God or nation knowing that it would hinder your personal future goals, plans, desires and wants? This is a question that every person should think about, become introspective about, and conclude the answer so they may know themselves. Evidently the men in Nehemiah 11:2 did. They counted the cost and determined that the overall wellbeing of their nation and the work of their God was more important than… well, than anything else.
Dr. William T. Howe
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