INTRO:

• Chapters 1-6 focuses on God’s work through Nehemiah and the people to rebuild the Jerusalem walls.
• Chapters 7-13 focuses on the work of God in the hearts of the people.

RECAP:

• Nehemiah was called to restore a community of people whose hearts were given over to Yahweh living in the land… loving and obeying and worshipping the Lord… demonstrating and declaring God’s goodness to the nations around them… waiting expectantly for the promise of the return of the Messiah.

• In Part 4, we see a movement of God to restore God’s people. People embracing His Word, repenting, renewing, reforming, and re-entering into a covenant with God.
  • But what happens when revivals are over?

• True revivals should bring good results.

THREE KEY RESULTS OF A SPIRITUAL REVIVAL:

#1) REPOPULATION OF GOD’S PEOPLE (Nehemiah 11:1-12:26)

Nehemiah 11:1 ESV

Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns.

Cast lots = was universally viewed as a form of divination by which the will of God was revealed.

Proverbs 16:33 ESV

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

Nehemiah 11:2 ESV

And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 7:16 ESV

And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”

#2) JOY OF GOD’S PEOPLE (Nehemiah 12:27-47)

Observation #1: Celebration (v. 27-29)

Nehemiah 12:27 ESV

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.

• Joy is one of the very first thing the enemy wants to rob from you! Your Joy!

• In the Bible, there really isn’t a difference between Joy and Happiness.
  • Joy = Joy of the Lord; Happiness = Joy of the world

• Happiness depends on happenings. Joy is how you perceive things.

• Happiness is what happens on the outside. Joy is what happens on the inside.

• Happiness depends on feelings. Joy depends on a focus.

• Joy is trusting God with a thankful heart that He is working all things for the good.

Romans 15:13 ESV

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Observation #2: Purification (v. 30)

Nehemiah 12:30 ESV

And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

• Purified = ṭâhêr= to be bright; uncontaminated; be clean morally, purge

Romans 12:1 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Colossians 3:16 ESV

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

• The Word of God revived them, and it resulted in celebration.

Observation #3: Wall Party (v. 31-39)

Nehemiah 12:31a ESV

Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks…

Nehemiah 4:3 ESV

Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”

Observation #4: House Party (v. 40-42)

Nehemiah 12:40 ESV

So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me;

Observation #5: Influence (v. 43)

Nehemiah 12:43 ESV

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.

• Joy echoes far and attracts notice.

• How far does your influence reach in the kingdom?

Romans 14:17 ESV

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

3 Key Results of True Revival:

(1) Growth (Repopulate)

(2) Joy (Rejoice)

(3) Service (Reorganize)

#3) SERVICE OF GOD’S PEOPLE (Nehemiah 12:44-47)

Nehemiah 12:44-47 ESV

44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered.

45 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.

46 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.

47 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.

• The purpose was to maintain the spiritual awakening.

• When true revival happens, people care more about what God cares about. We care more about God’s mission & we take care of God’s House.

Matthew 9:37 ESV

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

CONCLUSION

So what can we learn from Nehemiah in these two chapters 11-12?

(1) God wants to build His House.

(2) God wants us to experience His Fullness of Joy.

(3) God wants us to collaborate with Him.

Revelation 21:2 ESV

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

When God truly moves in our lives through a spiritual revival/awakening…

• There’s growth
• There’s joy
• There’s action