SUNDAY April 2 2017
Making a Survey
And after him the priests, the men of the plain, made repairs. After him Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs by his house. - Nehemiah 3:22-23
It is interesting to make a survey of the wall of Jerusalem as Nehemiah continued his work to rebuild. Nehemiah 3:1-5 describes the northern wall of the city and those associated in the repairs. Nehemiah 3:6-12 describes the west wall of the city, to the Valley Gate were Nehemiah passed through, at night, to inspect the city’s walls.
Then Nehemiah 3:13-15 describes the work on the south west wall, from the Valley Gate to the Pool of Siloam, on the southern slope of the city of David. During our trips to Israel we have been there many times. The work between the south east Fountain Gate and the Water Gate is described in Nehemiah 3:16-27. Finally, Nehemiah 3:28-32 describes the west Horse Gate to the Sheep Gate.
There were thirty eight individual workers mentioned in Nehemiah 3 and forty two different people groups identified. The word build is used six times, the word repair––which means to make strong or firm, is use thirty five times, and the locks and bars are mentioned five times.
All the different cultural people involved in the work, relate to us, that God uses all kinds of people, with unique personalities, and temperaments. It would be chaos if we tried to do that in the world; only God can bring unity among us––we are one in the body of Christ.
I would encourage any believer, to go to Israel with us and survey the city of Jerusalem for themselves. It is incredible as you walk into the city and see all the different sights. You will never read your Bible the same way, everything will come to life––it’s amazing!
Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
the city of the great King.
~Psalm 48:2~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!