Alright, if you read chapter 3 you know exactly how boring it can be. A bunch of names we've never heard (and can't say if we tried) and a bunch of locations that don't mean much to us.
But let's be faithful in examining what this chapter offers. There is nothing in the Bible that was put there on accident. Sure, there are things that aren't interesting and may not be essential to our walk with God but our goal in this study is to learn to dive into scripture even when we don't feel like it.
Have you felt like it this week? Have you done it?
So often it is easy to use the excuse "I wasn't called to do this for God." We sometimes think we are above certain requirements in scripture whether we think it verbatim or not. Our actions betray our desires. What responsibilities have you been shrugging off lately?
Look at the kind of people who worked on the wall. Priests, Levites, city officials, people from other cities, daughters, sons, goldsmiths, etc. This wasn't Malchijah's Model Home Company or Zadok Wall Repair Corporation. It was a community of people who could have made excuses but decided that the work that needed to be done was important. Obviously, there was a little bit of self-interest in the task because it protected their city. But they could have said, "Ah, there's enough people working." And some of the people lived in different cities.
Don't be lazy. Prioritize. What have you been doing lately? What have you been reading? How has your prayer life been since camp? Did you expect that things would always be easy?
Unite with the body of believers. Take responsibility.
Will you admit that the waters around us have grown?
You better start swimming or you’ll sink like a stone
Do you stand with us or do we stand alone
It’s time that we stand up, enlist for the war
I’ve tasted battle and now I want more
I’ve known the truth and been cut to the core
But I’m back in the game now to even the score
And I mean to go out with both my guns blazing
Amazed at a God who’s so truly amazing
To triumph in battle as the spirit enables
Can’t turn back the clock but we can turn the tables
i think it's cool that the time was taken to record the names of all the people working, and what they worked on, and who they worked with, and who they were the son of, and who was working next to them. i wouldn't have thought to record all of that, but like you said now we get to read about all the different people who helped. people from every occupation.
ReplyDeletei wouldn't have liked to be the people reffered to in verse 5..."but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors" it seems like everyone else is working. maybe others also weren't working, but these got singled out.
the main thing that i get from this chapter is that it was a group effort. it seems like everyone is coming together for one purpose. they seem very unified.
and yes, it is an encouragement to get things done even when there might be something funner to do.
I really picked up on the unity as well. They were all working together to accomplish a common goal. I feel accomplished when I work hard to get the job done that may not always be the easiest job or the funnest job to do. I like how people of all trades came together to get the job done...they didn't see themselves "too good" to repair the wall(for the exception of the nobles)
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