April 7, 2011 - Nehemiah 11, 12
I am really curious as to why the "servants of Solomon" are mentioned often in the rebuilding stories. I read a commentary that stated they were Canaanites that Solomon put into forced labor and that it seemed they formed a
Picture these things:
Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks...with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.
... for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. Nehemiah 12:29 (ESV)
The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall,
and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Gate of Yeshanah, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard.
So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me...with trumpets; Nehemiah 12:38-41 (ESV)
and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away. Nehemiah 12:42-43 (ESV)
And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon.
For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron. Nehemiah 12:45-47 (ESV)
What an amazing sight that had to be. Amazing!!! The re-institution of God's Law and the ordinances of things like festivals and sacrifice and whole singing communities, what a refreshing and awesome thing to behold, revival.
Here are some new t-shirt submission rejects- no biggie, I just have some new card designs:
