Nehemiah

Nehemiah 7: A record of God's people

Begin in prayer

Before we read a long record of names, let us ask the LORD to show our family His care. Please ask Him to teach us that He gathers His people, and that Jesus calls His own.

But now Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel says: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.

Isaiah 43:1

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us how You put it into Nehemiah's heart to gather Your people, and help us to see Christ, the great High Priest of all who come to God through Him. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

When the wall is built and the doors are hung, Nehemiah puts his brother Hanani and Hananiah in charge of Jerusalem. He tells them to keep the gates shut until the sun is hot, because the city is wide and large but its people are few. Then God puts it into Nehemiah's heart to gather the people and list them by their families. He finds the old record of those who first came back from captivity with Zerubbabel. The list counts families, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple servants, and the whole assembly is more than forty-two thousand. Some priests cannot prove their family line, so they must wait until a priest stands up with the Urim and Thummim.

As you read Nehemiah 7, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God put it into Nehemiah’s heart to gather His people and count every family.

A wall and gates do not make a city, and this city was wide and large, but its people were few (verse 4). Nehemiah says, “My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people” (verse 5). The long list is the old record of those who came back from Babylon with Zerubbabel, close to the list in Ezra 2. We do not need to learn every name. Each family came home as a family, with a name, a town and a place among God's people. God had promised through Moses to gather those who return to Him (Nehemiah 1 verse 9), and this list shows the promise kept. Three priestly families could not find their records, so they were kept from the priesthood for a time (verses 63 to 65). Jesus, from the tribe of Judah, became a priest by the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7 verses 14 to 17). He calls His own sheep by name (John 10 verse 3).

How does Nehemiah 7 show us that God put it into Nehemiah’s heart to gather His people and count every family?

The city is large, but its people are few.

The wall stands and the doors are hung, but the houses are not built (verse 4). A strong wall does not fill a city. Nehemiah puts Hananiah in charge, a faithful man who feared God above many (verse 2).

God puts it into Nehemiah's heart to gather the people.

The idea comes from God, and Nehemiah says so. He finds the book of the first families who came back with Zerubbabel (verses 5 to 7). God had promised to gather His people, and here they are counted (Nehemiah 1 verse 9).

Each family is counted, and each priest must show his line.

The list names families by their towns and fathers, then priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and temple servants (verses 39 to 60). Three priestly families could not find their records and had to wait (verses 63 to 65). Jesus is a priest forever by an endless life, not by a family record (Hebrews 7 verses 14 to 17). He calls His own sheep by name (John 10 verse 3).

Memorise

My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people.

Nehemiah 7:5

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, do I belong to Jesus, who calls His own sheep by name?

Nehemiah found a book with the names of families who had come home. God had put it into his heart to count them. Three priestly families, who could not find their records, had to wait before they could serve.

Our names are not on a list that makes us holy. We are sinners, and our record is stained. But Jesus is a priest who lives forever. He died for His people on the cross, offering Himself once for all, and He brings them to God. He rose from the grave and lives to pray for those who come to God through Him (Hebrews 7 verse 25).

So come to Him. Turn from your sin, and put your trust in Jesus. He promises to forgive everyone who trusts Him, and He knows His own sheep by name.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God gathers His people, and that Jesus is the priest who brings sinners to God. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He gathers His people, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say their own name to God.

but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Luke 10:20

Father, thank You that You gather Your people. Thank You for Jesus, the priest who lives forever and brings sinners to You. Teach us to turn from sin and put our trust in Him. Amen.