Rebuilding the Walls

Paul said in Philippians chapter four, verse five, let your moderation be known to all men. If you want men to see something about you, let them see your moderation. Now, that word doesn't really refer to being moderate and eating and drinking, although certainly we should be. but that's talking about not holding people's feet to the fire, not looking at them and holding them off in a critical matter. And I think that has something to do, the reason I read that passage of scripture or quoted it to you is because it has something to do with the way I want to try to introduce this message. Let your moderation, a good way of describing that word is your humaneness. looking at their side.

Now turn to Nehemiah. Now I want to remind you, Nehemiah chapter two, that Ezra was about rebuilding the temple and Nehemiah is about rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Now we've all heard the saying, build bridges, not walls. And there is certainly wisdom in that statement. I wouldn't in any way not count that statement as being a very wise and important statement.

It's a metaphor that encourages build relationships rather than create divisions. Seek understanding. Don't just cut somebody off. Try to find out where they're coming from rather than isolation. Promote reconciliation rather than conflict. A bridge symbolizes connection, cooperation. We're in the people business. Every one of us. We're in the people business. And this is a very important concept of building bridges, not simply trying to set up walls. We certainly see the wisdom of this, but now let me say this, the Bible is not anti-wall. There's much wisdom in walls. There's much importance in walls. David said in Psalm 51, build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

I want you to turn with me for a moment to Psalm 122. Now Jerusalem's the church. We read of the Jerusalem which is from above and the heavenly Jerusalem. Jerusalem represents the church. I want us to read this 122nd Psalm. David said, I was glad when they said unto me, let us go unto the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together whether the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord into the testimony of the Lord, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord for their set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. They shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. Now, is this talking about praying for the Jerusalem, the Tenisrael right now? I wouldn't say you shouldn't pray for it. You ought to pray for everybody, shouldn't you? But this is talking about the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peace is within her walls. Oh, the peace of simply being in Christ. You see, if I'm in Christ, I'm part of that church of the living God, the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. And what peace there is, because he is my peace. What peace are in the walls of Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem has been surrounded by walls for protection. Listen to this scripture, Isaiah 60, verse 18. Thou shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise the walls of Jerusalem.

Now, look at Nehemiah 1. The words of Nehemiah. the son of Hakaliah, and it came to pass in the month of Shezlu in the 20th year, as I was in Shushan the palace, that Hanani, one of my brethren, came and he incerted men of Judah, and I asked him concerning the Jews that had escaped. Now, Nehemiah had never been to Jerusalem, but he knew that 60 years before, men went back to Jerusalem, sent by Cyrus the king to rebuild the temple, and indeed the temple had been rebuilt. And 60 years have passed and Nehemiah asked this man, tell me about the Jews that are still in Jerusalem, the men of Judah. And I asked him concerning the Jews that escaped and what were left of the captivity and concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, the remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem also is broken down. and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

And it came to pass when I heard these words that I sat down and wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven and I said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments, let thine ear now be attentive and thine eye is open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel, thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee.

Both I and my Father's house have sinned, for we have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandest thy servant Moses. Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandest thy servant Moses, saying, if you transgress, I'll scatter you abroad among the nations, but if you turn to me and keep my commandments and do them, though there were of you cast off unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence and will bring them into the place that I've chosen to set my name there.

Now, these are thy servants, these people who are in this horrible condition. These are thy servants, and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power and by thy strong hand. O Lord, I beseech thee, let thou, my near, be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name and prosper. I pray thee, thy servant, this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man, for I was the king's cupbearer. Grant me mercy in the sight of this man, that I might rebuild these walls.

Jerusalem means founded in peace. What a beautiful name, founded in peace. And this is talking about the church, the heavenly Jerusalem, the Jerusalem that is from above, founded in peace. Oh, the peace she enjoys, the peace that Christ worked out. I love the scripture, Colossians chapter one, verse 20, having made peace by the blood of his cross.

He made my peace. The reason I have peace is He made my peace. Ephesians 2 14 says He is our peace and that fills me with joy because if peace is to be found by looking within, I'm not going to have any. I'm going to find all kinds of reasons to be scared to death, but I love the fact that the scripture says He is our peace.

Romans 4 25, He was delivered for our offenses. He was raised again for our justification. Now think of what is being said there. My offenses, my sins, He was delivered because of them. They became His. But what did He do? He put them away. He was raised again for our justification. When were you justified? When He was raised from the dead. Therefore, being justified. we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Oh, the heavenly peace of Jerusalem. And just as the wall surrounded earthly Jerusalem, there are the walls of salvation that surround the church. Walls are for protection. I think of this, the wall, the immovable wall of God's justice is what protects me from his wrath. I want you to think about that.

The reason I'm protected from the wrath of God is because of the justice of God. He will not punish a sin that's already been punished in the person of the Redeemer. The very justice and righteousness of God demands the salvation of every believer. If Christ paid my debt, it is paid. paid in full, and His justice will not let me suffer."

I think of the walls of God's eternal love in Christ Jesus. He says to every believer, behold, I have loved you. That's an individual. It's a whole lot of individuals. But this is what He said concerning every one of His people. Behold, I have loved you with an everlasting love, a love that had no beginning. Think about that. He never began to love you and it's a love that cannot be extinguished. Behold, this is said to everyone in Jerusalem, within the walls of Jerusalem, that place of safety. Behold, I've loved you with an everlasting love, therefore. with loving kindness, I've drawn thee. He's drawn you to himself. You wouldn't have come except he drew you. He drew me and I followed on, charmed to confess the love divine.

Oh, the walls of his eternal love that can't be extinguished. We have the wall of his omnipotence kept, kept, preserved by the omnipotence of God. By the power of God, the same power that created the universe, the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead, is the power that keeps the believer. I'm kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. I think of the wall of his grace. What a wall. The wall of his grace. His electing grace.

If he chose me, I must be saved. His redeeming grace. If He paid my debt, it's paid. I never have to pay it because it's already been paid. I stand before God without sin. I think of His regenerating grace, how by grace He gave me life. I had not life before. I had physical life, but I didn't have spiritual life. But He said, live. And I lived. And that's a life that can't die. It's eternal life.

The walls of Jerusalem, the church of the Lord God. These walls protect us from false doctrine. There's a wall between works and grace that thank God cannot be bridged. Walls not only keep things out, they keep things in. You know the reason I don't leave Christ? I've got the walls of His grace that won't let me leave Him. I'm protected. I'm accepted in the beloved. Thank God for walls. Yes, I want to build bridges, not walls. I see the wisdom in that. But thank God for walls. The Bible is not anti-wall. Now, let's pick up in verse 11 of chapter 1. Oh, Lord, I beseech Thee Let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name, and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.

He's talking about the king, King Artaxerxes. For I was his cupbearer. And he had a very near and dear relationship with this man, who was the king, as we're gonna see, Artaxerxes. Verse one, chapter two. and it came to pass in the month of Nisan, that's the month of the Passover, the Jewish Passover, in the 20th year of Artaxerxes, the king, that wine was before him and I took up the wine. and gave it unto the king. Remember, he was the king's cupbearer.

He would get the wine, taste it, make sure it wasn't poison. And we saw how that's a powerful type of Christ. We saw that last week. But in his experience, he would take the wine and bring it to the king. Now, I had not been before time sad in his presence.

He said, every time I was in the king's presence, I was cheerful. Would to God that that would be me. Always cheerful. I'm not, but I should be. And this gets us some idea of the character of this man. He was always cheerful in front of the king. He wasn't sad. I mean, he knew he worshiped the living God. He knew that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. He was cheerful. He had not been sad in the presence of the king up to this time.

Verse two, wherefore the king said unto me, Why was I counting it sad, seeing thou art not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart." Now we see the intimate relationship he had with the king, don't we? I mean, he was very sensitive to the fact that he was sorrowful at this time. He said, this is nothing but sorrow of heart, you're not sick, what's wrong?

Then I was very sore afraid and said unto the king, let the king live forever. Why should not my countenance be sad when the city, the place of my father's sepulchers, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven, and I said to the king, I love that. Not much time in between him speaking to the king, but before he spoke to the king, he prayed to the God of heaven.

I love that name for our God. He's the God of heaven. That means He's the only God. He's the living God. He's the true God. Elohim, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, the God of heaven. That means He's God over all. Where's your God, David? Our God is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased. That's the God I'm praying to.

And then prayed to the God of heaven and I said to the king, if it pleased the king and if thy servant had found favor in thy sight that thou wouldest send me unto Judah." Now this is significant. He didn't say, let me go to Judah. He said, send me to Judah. The Lord Jesus was sent of His Father. He went willingly but He was sent and here Nehemiah says, I don't want to just vault you.

I don't want to go. I want to make sure it's you that are sending me to. And you know, sending me on this mission, I want the Lord to send me. I don't want to do anything on my own. I want the Lord to send me. If he doesn't send me, I don't want to go.

And Nehemiah felt that way too. He wanted the king to send And I said unto the king, if it please the king, and if thy servant hath found favor in thy sight, that thou would send me unto Judah, unto the city of my father's sepulchers, that I may build it." I want to build up those walls again.

And the king said unto me, the queen also sitting by him, I like picturing that here, the king and queen are the most powerful people in the world. And here's Nehemiah before him and Nehemiah was dear to him. Look at the king's response. And the king said unto me, the queen also sitting by him, for how long shalt thy journey be?

And when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me, and I had a set time. I was going to return at this time, but he gave me this time to rebuild the walls. Moreover, I said unto the king, if it please the king, let letters be given to me to the governors beyond the river that they may convey me over till I come into Judah.

I need this thing in writing. I want your signature on it. And I thought of the Bible. I need this thing in writing. I don't want to just believe something because somebody said it. I want it in writing. I want your writing, your signature that you're the one sending me. I don't want to come up and say, well, the king sent me. What's your proof? Our proof is from the scripture. I want it in writing. Verse eight, and a letter, here's what else I want.

I want a letter unto Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertains to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter in. The king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me. Even though I'm sure he loved the king, he knew this wasn't any act of kindness on the king's part, although it was. He knew the only reason it happened was because of the good hand of God upon him. This is God's work. And he realized this, verse nine. Then I came to the governors beyond the river and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. He even brought him an army to protect him.

When Samballot, the Horonite, they're gonna come up several times in this book, when Samballot, the Horonite, and Tobiah, the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

They didn't want these walls built up. Why? Because they couldn't get in there. That's what their problem with the walls were. Those walls would prevent them from entering Jerusalem and they were exceedingly grieved over this. They didn't like it. They were in disagreement.

So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. Now you know what the significance of that is. Our Lord accomplished our salvation in the death for three days and his resurrection. I came to Jerusalem and was there three days And I arose in the night, I and some few with me.

Neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do, Jerusalem." I didn't tell anybody about this. I love that. He knew what the Lord had given him to do and he wasn't concerned about letting men know. He showed such wisdom in this. I rose in the night, I and some few men with me. Neither told I any man what God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem, neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. And I went out by night. A reconnaissance mission, as it were. Checking out all of Jerusalem. Nobody knew about it. The governors of, the heathen governors didn't know about it. I did this at night. So nobody could see what I was doing.

I rose in the night, I and some few men with me, neither I told any man my God had put my heart to do at Jerusalem, neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon, and I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire." There were 10 gates, and they're mentioned in the third chapter, and we're going to consider what those gates represent when we get to that. But every gate had been burned with fire. The walls were broken down, nothing but rubbish, no protection.

Verse 14, then I went on to the gate of the fountain and to the king's pool, but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then when I up in the night by the brook and viewed the wall and turned back and entered by the gate of the valley and so returned, and the rulers knew not whether I went or what I did, neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work. I didn't tell anybody about what I was doing.

Verse 17, now here's where he tells them why he was there and what he was doing. Then said I unto them, you see the distress that we are in. Now that word is the word that's generally translated evil and wickedness. Now it was a bad place where they were in. They had no protection, they had no walls, they had no gates. But I like the way he uses the word evil. You see the evil. that we are in. And dare I say, the evil that's in us. You see the distress, the evil, the bad circumstance, and you could take that in so many directions. I said in them, you see the distress that we're in.

And a view of evil about yourself only comes from a view of the Lord. It'll seem negative, it'll seem morose, but if you ever see the Lord, if I ever see the Lord, I'm gonna be just like Daniel. When I saw him, my comeliness, that which I thought was beautiful about me, turned to corruption. Now he said, you see the distress, the horrible condition that we're in, how Jerusalem lies waste and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

Come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God, which was good upon me, as also the king's word, that he had spoken unto me. And they said, let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. Now, we have, as they did, we have a good work to do. That's the preaching of the gospel. Everyone, every individual in this room, we have a good work to do. I was thinking about this, the spread of the gospel. The Lord said, Go you into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. And a hundred years ago, there was no radio. There was no TV. There was no internet. There was nothing like that.

And yet look at the spread of the gospel all over the world through people, individuals like us, preaching the gospel, bringing people to hear the gospel. That was the way for two centuries. It's only been in the last how many years that we've had TV and radio and internet and all those things. But the point I would like to make is I hope all of us will by his grace become zealous for the spread of the gospel and seek to preach the gospel as the Lord opens up the door to everybody we come in contact with, as the Lord opens the door. I'm not talking about banging people over the head, but praying for the Lord to open a door. The main spread of the gospel is not through TV and radio and internet. It's the people witnessing the gospel.

May the Lord enable us and stir us up in this great work. Then said I unto them, verse 17, you see the distress that we're in, Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. Come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach, a disgrace.

Then I told them of the hand of my God, which was good upon me. Here's why we have this encouragement to do it. This is the Lord doing it. That's why we're so encouraged with regard to this. I told them of the hand of my God, the hand of my God, which was good upon me. You know, the Lord's hand's always good, and it's always all powerful.

As also the king's words that had spoken unto me, he told them about the king and the letter the king wrote, and they said, let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. Here we have Sanballat again, but when Sanballat, the Horonite, And Tobiah, the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem, the Arabian, heard it. They laughed us to scorn. They made fun of us.

You all think you're going to build up this building? You think you're going to bring up these walls? You can't do this. Are you going to go against the king? They didn't realize he was doing the king's will. But they were saying, how do you think you can go against the king? They laughed us to scorn and despised us and said, what is this thing that you do? Will you rebel against the king?

Then answered I them. Now here we have a three-point gospel message. This is how he answered them. And it may seem harsh at first. Then answered I them and said unto them, the God of heaven, he will prosper us, therefore we his servants will arise and build.

You have no portion, nor rite, nor memorial in Jerusalem. And this kind of reminds me of Ezra chapter four. If you'll turn with me there, back a few pages, you might remember this. Now, when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity built at the temple unto the Lord God of Israel. Then they came to Zerubbabel and to the chief of the fathers and said to them, let us build with you.

Let us participate in this. For we seek your God as you do. We believe the same God. We do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assur, which brought us hither. But Zerubbabel and Joshua and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said to them, you have nothing to do with us to build a house under our God, but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel." Notice they didn't mention the Lord God of Israel, they just talked about God in the generic, not the Lord God of Israel. But we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel as King Cyrus The king of Persia had commanded us.

They said, we want to participate. He said, we don't want your help. And on the surface, that might seem harsh, but it's the truth. Back to chapter two of Nehemiah, verse 20. Then answered I them, these people who made fun of us and despised us and laughed us to scorn.

Then I answered them and said unto them, the God of heaven, Elohim. Isn't it amazing that God is referred to in the plural? El is God, Elohim is God in the plural. One God, plural, in three distinct persons. That's one of the great glories of the gospel. It's identified in the very first verse of the Bible. In the beginning, God, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, created the heavens and the earth. At the very beginning, we have this glorious truth regarding the person of God.

One God in three distinct persons, and he's the God of heaven. That means he's the only true, he's the living God. the God of heaven. He's telling these people when He's making this statement, He's your God too. You might not know it, but you're in His hands. He controls you completely and we're not a bit afraid of what you can do to us because the God of heaven is our God and His hand is upon us.

I answered them and said, the God of heaven, He will prosper us. We can't fail. He will prosper us. If God be for us, who can be against us. He will prosper us, therefore we, his servants, will arise and build, and there's nothing you can do about it. I love his confidence in his God. That's not arrogance. That's not cockiness. He just knew God's God. You can't stop this. This is God's purpose. This is God's will. You can't stop this.

But you have no portion. nor rite, nor memorial in Jerusalem. He says to these people, he knew they were God's enemies. He knew they didn't care anything about the gospel, the God of glory. He said, you have no portion in this. You know what David said?

The Lord is my portion. And the portion of the Lord is his people. This is this special relationship with God and His people. If I'm united to Christ, I have a portion of Christ. I am a portion of Christ. He's my portion. Turn to Psalm 17. Verse 13, arise, O Lord, Disappoint him, cast him down, deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword. I love the way he says the wicked is thy sword. You're in control of the wicked. You're using them according to your will. For men which are thy hand, O Lord, for men of the world, which have their portion in this life.

My portion's not in this life. My portion's the Lord. whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure. They're full of children. They leave the rest of their substance to their babes. All their life is so good. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness. That's my portion. I'll be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness. Now he says you have no portion in this. Nor do you have a right. Here's the second thing he says.

The Lord's my portion. He's my portion. If I lose everything earthly, that's okay if the Lord's my portion. That's what we glory in. That's who we glory in. The Lord's my portion. I'm his portion. I belong to him. Oh, the near-dear relationship between Christ and his people. The Lord's my portion. I love saying that. The Lord's my portion. Men of the world have things in this world as their portion. David said, not me. My portion is the Lord. he said, secondly to these people, you don't have any right in this. There's no right reason for you to have this.

Now, if I'm a believer, I have a right. It's called justification. Jesus Christ made me righteous and gave me a right. I have a right to enter the kingdom of heaven. A right. How come? Because I have no sin. There's nothing that can prevent me. Christ put it away.

I have perfect righteousness. Bold shall I stand in that great day. For who are to my charge allay, fully absolved from these I am from sin's tremendous curse and shame. Jesus thy blood and righteousness my beauties are, my glorious dress. I have a right. The gospel is such a righteous thing. It's not our sin being swept under the carpet.

It's my sin being put away and me being made the very righteousness of God, so I have a right into the kingdom of heaven. He says to these people, you have no right in this. The only people who have the right of this are those people who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, if you believe on Christ, my dear friend, you have the right. Righteous.

And the next thing he says to these people, you have no portion, nor rite, nor memorial in Jerusalem. No memory is the word in Jerusalem. What did the thief say? Lord, remember me. Do you pray that right now? Lord, remember me. My hope of salvation is in His memory of me. Not my ability to remember anything. You know, one of these days I might lose my mind and not even know my name, but if the Lord remembers me, all is well. Our hope is in the memory of the Lord Jesus Christ. And let me tell you something about His memory.

If he remembers you, it's because your sins and iniquities, he remembers no more. It's a double edged sword. If he remembers you, here's the reason. your sins and your iniquities, he remembers no more. And the reason he doesn't remember them anymore is because there's nothing there to remember. You stand before God right, just, holy, unblameable, unreprovable in his sight. There's no sin for him to remember. Those sins you remember, he doesn't remember them because they are not.

They're gone. You remember them right now. And you say with David, my sins are ever before me, but they're not before the Lord. And when you enter heaven, you won't even remember what it's like to be a sinner. Oh, our hope is in his memory. The fact that he remembers me and he does not remember my sin.

Now, this is the gospel clearly stated to these people. He knew they didn't, had nothing but ill feelings toward them. He knew they didn't believe. And he says to them, this, you have no portion. You have no right, you have no memorial, you have no memory in Jerusalem. Well, the Lord's my portion. I have a right. Jesus Christ the righteous is my right. And he remembers me. And this is all my salvation and all my desire. Let's pray.

Lord, we thank you for your gospel. We thank you that you're our portion and that we're your portion. We thank you for the righteousness in the gospel that you have made us right before you. And it's not, it's real, it's most true, holy and unblameable and unapprovable in your sight. And Lord, we believe that in your sight, that is indeed what we are, how we rejoice in it. And Lord, how we thank you for your memory, that you remember your people, just like you did that thief on the cross, and that you remember our sins and iniquities no more because you put them away.

Now, Lord, we ask that you would enable us to arise up and build and seek to be your witnesses in this land. Let us not become indifferent or apathetic about the spread of your gospel, but Lord, cause each one of us as individuals to rise up as builders in this great work. Bless us for Christ's sake. In his name we pray, amen.

Rebuilding the Walls

Sermon Transcript

About Todd Nibert

Comments

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

Rebuilding the Walls

Sermon Transcript

About Todd Nibert

Comments

More from Todd Nibert

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Articles by Todd Nibert

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book