Summary: Our God is a God of second chances. If you come back to him, he will forgive you and take you back. The question is, when he gives you a second chance, will you use it?
Nehemiah 12:27-43; 13:1
27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28 The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.
31 I 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. 32 Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, 33 along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35 as 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, 36 and 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. 37 At 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.
38 The 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, 39 over 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.
40 The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, 41 as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets— 42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43 And 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…
13:1 On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) 3 When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.
Discussion Questions:
What happened?
- What do you see the people of Israel doing in 12:27-30? Why was this needed?
- Why did Nehemiah send the choir around the wall in both directions (vv. 31, 38)?
- How do we know whether the celebration was a strategic one vs a spontaneous one?
- What action does the nation take after the celebration (12:44-13:3)?
What did it mean?
- Why do you think all this effort and expense was invested in this celebration?
- Based on God’s dealings with the Israelites, would you say God is a God of second chances? Why or why not?
- What do you think was God’s purpose in limiting the Jews’ contact and involvement with non-Jews (13:1-3; cf. Ex:34:12-16, Lev 20:26, 1 Kings 11:1-4)?
What does it mean for us?
- Can you think of some things that God has done in your life that are worthy of celebration? How have you celebrated them?
- What specific things can you learn about celebrating God’s activity in your life from Israel’s celebration?
- What have you learned from your study of Nehemiah that calls for some kind of action on your part? Describe how you could respond.
