Journal Through the Bible: Week 104 Monday

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Nehemiah 7:1-38

After the gates were installed Nehemiah set up a system for guarding the city. It was a bit difficult since there were few people actually living inside the walls. The city was large but the houses had not yet been built.

Nehemiah consulted the genealogy records of those who returned from the exile. A similar list had been compiled by Ezra earlier. Nothing like records to provide people with a feeling of "ownership!" We will only read the lists of leaders and men who returned with Zerubbabel today. Note that when it says "the children of _______" followed by a number it means the children of a particular city or location, not the children of a man so named, although verse 21 lists the people from Ater that evidently descended from the former king Hezekiah.

Does God issue any commands?

• Nehemiah stated that God put it into his heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy.

Does God make any promises?

• Not that I identified.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• Nehemiah appointed faithful men to be the watchmen over the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jesus is the Watchman over all who will inhabit the New Jerusalem.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• The wall was built and the gates were installed. The singers and porters were given their assignments. Then the gates of Jerusalem were to be shut for the protection of the city. In the New Jerusalem the walls are built and the gates are installed but they are never to be closed! All attendants will fulfill their assignments but with Jesus as the Watchman and with sin vanquished there will never be a chance of attack against it. (You can be there! Even now the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Revelation 22:17)