Nehemiah 12:27-43 - Homilies By W. Clarkson

A joyous dedication.

Knowing all that we do know of God's ancient people, of the devoutness of their spirit, and their disposition to connect closely the human and the Divine, we should expect that the building of the wall round the sacred city would be followed by some religious service. The verses of the text give a graphic description of this interesting scene. The Levites who had been dispersed through the province were "sought out of all their places" ( Nehemiah 12:27 ), and the "sons of the singers gathered themselves together" ( Nehemiah 12:28 ) from "the villages round about Jerusalem" ( Nehemiah 12:29 ). It was a day of sacred joy, when gladness in the Lord rose to enthusiasm, and could only be poured forth in song and shouting. First, however, came the solemn ceremony of purification ( Nehemiah 12:30 ), the sprinkling of "water of separation"—a "purification for sin" ( Numbers 19:9-13 ). This was sprinkled on the

Then came the twofold procession ( Nehemiah 12:31-40 ). In two divisions, starting from the same point, and going in opposite directions, they traversed the walls, Nehemiah beading one half of the princes of the people, and Ezra the other half; in both cases preceded by the "thanksgiving companies" (verse 31), which played and sang as they marched. They met near the entrance to the temple (verse 40), and there joined in the utterance of public praise, singing "loud thanksgivings to their God" (verse 42). Then came "great sacrifices" (verse 43) offered on the brazen altar by the priests, the people, during the procession and after the sacrifices, rending the air with shouts of great joy, women and children joining in the general gladness, "so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off" (verse 43). The whole scene suggests thoughts to us of—

I. OUR PURIFICATION OF OURSELVES . If we ask, What is there in Christianity that answers to the purification of themselves and of the people by the priests under Judaism? (verse 30), we answer that there are two ways in which we are now made clean.

1. "By the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" we are "cleansed from all iniquity." We are "justified by his blood" ( Romans 5:9 ). Applying to our own souls' need the propitiatory work of our Redeemer, we ourselves are "made whole" in the sight of God; "we are washed,… we are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus" ( 1 Corinthians 6:11 ).

2. By deliberate separation of ourselves to the service of God. Not the withdrawal of ourselves from the relationships in which we are called to stand or from the active duties which await our energy and skill, but the separation of our souls from the evil which is in the world, and a full dedication of our powers and our lives to the service of our Saviour. Thus are we purified.

II. THE ACCEPTABLENESS OF OUR WORK . The wall which had been built was purified as well as the builders (verse 30). Our work which we have wrought for God and man needs to be made clean, pure, acceptable. It is thus rendered—

1. Through the work of the Divine Mediator. We ask acceptance of all we have done for Jesus' sake.

2. By the spirit of consecration we show in its execution.

III. OUR JOY . The joy of the Jews on this occasion was

Such should be the characteristics of our Christian joy; it also should—