Chapter 11 Overview:

There was only one issue, you need people for there to be a party, and Jerusalem was severely lacking in that department. Although the Jewish remnant had returned to their homeland, they couldn’t take the heat, so they stayed out of the kitchen. In other words, most of the people had settled on the outskirts of town for many reasons, but most experts would agree that it was because the Holy City of Jerusalem was the primary target for enemy attacks. So Nehemiah came up with a plan for each group to cast lots. If Nehemiah was the one who tried to talk the Israelites into moving, they could tell him no. But if it was God who chose the people, they didn’t really have a lot of say in the matter. 

Chapter 12 Overview:

It is no surprise by now that Nehemiah is a leader who gives credit where credit is due. That is why the lists of names in this book of the bible are seemingly endless. For the first 26 verses of chapter 12, Nehemiah lists out the people that worked within the temple and what their roles were.

Why do you think that is?

• It is because Nehemiah is a great leader who recognized that this impossible feat of completing the wall in a crazy timeline wouldn’t be possible without the people put their personal agendas on pause for the sake of the mission.
• With that, take a moment to think about the seat that you are sitting in right now. LF had this building for roughly 2 years, but there have also been believers that have been filling this room for the past 100 years. For over a century, there have been people like you and me who have been called to the eastside of Indianapolis in order to share the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ with this community. How often do we pause to thank God for those faithful saints who have tilled the ground of the neighborhood that we call home? (Let’s take some time to thank God for those people this week)

Celebration:

31I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. 32Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, 33along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, 36and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession. 37At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate on the east.

38The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.

40The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, 41as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets— 42and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away. Nehemiah 12:31-43

Chapter 13 Overview:

Chapter 13 is a textbook example of what happens when we don't make a habit of celebrating what God has done in our life. 

Discipline should beat out momentum in our walk with the Lord every single day. 

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