Nehemiah 11:25-12:26
More lists, more names as we come to Nehemiah 12:1-26. And this time around our passage is focused on God's workers, the Levites and priests. Now I threw out the challenge a few days ago for us to slow down and read these detailed, list-filled passages with an eye toward what we can learn from them. Well, I'm throwing out that challenge again.
Read back through Nehemiah 12:1-26 focusing on the information God is putting before us. What do these verses show you about the Levites and priests' lives and work? (Now I'll be honest, the first time I read this passage I didn't see much. But when I went back and read with more intentionality, there was quite a bit there. I just overlooked it.) Tami W.
Honestly, usually when i run into these long lists, I just gloss over them. But when I took your advice and actually looked, in there was exactly who was charged with doing what tasks, of which there were quite a few. If I hadn't slowed down and looked, I would have never noticed. I guess that is what is known as looking at something but not seeing it. In a way, a lot of scripture is like that. If you just look at it at face value, it means one thing, but if you really look closely, and look at the context it is in, you see something a whole lot deeper. Thanks for pointing this out to us! Everyone have a blessed day!
The lives and work of the Levites and priests involved "keeping watch" along with an official record of ancestry. The Levites kept family records "as prescribed by David the man of God" (Neh. 12:24). The Levites were "to praise and give thanks" to the LORD our God.
I heard on the radio something that applied to this. The lists of names, of family, of those who stood beside each are important enough to be in the Bible. People are important. Relationships are important. You never hear at a funeral what beautiful jewelry the deceased had or what a nice car or any of the material things of life. You hear about how they interacted with family and friends!
Nehemiah seems to be tracing the leadership among the priests and Levites as it pertains to the ancestry of one particular family.
Joshua is mention in 12:1 as one who led the initial return to Jerusalem.
His ancestry is traced through six generations (including Joshua himself) in 12:10.
The leaders during his son's days are given in 12:11-21.
In 12:22-24, its made clear that leadership continued down through the next four generations, as well.
So, what we have here is a record of God's faithfulness in providing leadership through the priests and Levites from the very beginning of the return from exile straight through it and beyond.
Each person, family, tribe, group, town and linecould age......had a place and porpose to fulfill, that ONLY they could fulfill. If we balk and wish our lives away....everyone misses the fruit of God's purpose in our life. No one else can fulfill it! What glory to know that in our personal lives and place.