This post is Day 15 in a series of studies about “Nehemiah”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Nehemiah – Day 15

Here a whole team of priests were labourers. Those of us that imagine priests wearing long robes, looking holy can not imagine them building walls! But their role is to do what is necessary to build and encourage a believing community, and this community of Jewish believers certainly needed help.

Nehemiah 3:1

Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the hundred, which they dedicated…

The Thought

Chapter 3 of Nehemiah’s rebuilding project is interesting and very specific. It gives us information about who did what and where.

Here we read that a whole team of priests were labourers. Those of us that imagine priests wearing long robes, looking holy can’t imagine them wall building! But their role is to do what is necessary to build and encourage a believing community, and this community of Jewish believers certainly needed help.

But the priests were also there to pray and we read that they dedicated the Sheep Gate once they had rebuilt it, then they continued and dedicated the next part too.

In the book of Exodus, we read of many instructions given in advance for the building of the temple in Jerusalem once the people arrived there and much of the temple had to be anointed:-

Exodus 40:9-11 (God is speaking to Moses) “Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy. Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it will be most holy. Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them…”

Our homes and our cities all need to be dedicated to Jesus. The enemy does not play fair, and is always ready to go places he is not invited. Prayer walks round our homes and our cities help to protect us from enemy activity.

Action

Pray today to dedicate your home to The Lord, even if everyone living there is not a believer, (it could help them see the truth).

Pray round your community with a prayer partner or small group.