Read Nehemiah 12:27-47
Any time a new building or road is opened, there is always a ceremony. The politicians and leaders put on their kit, and cut a ribbon. When a boat is launched, a similar ceremony with a bottle bubbly smashed against the bow. These events ceremonially recognise completion of the building, road, or ship, and set them apart for their official service.
In Nehemiah 12, the completed walls of Jerusalem are dedicated, accompanied by worship and giving. This passage, which sees an external object purified for God’s mission, reminds us of the importance of being purified on the inside if we are to be made useful for God’s mission. It also reminds us that it is good and right to give thanks to God with song and instrument for his purification of us through Jesus Christ, and to give from what we have for his worship too.
With the walls rebuilt, the people rededicating themselves to serving God, and Jerusalem repopulated, it was time to dedicate the walls which had been such a project. The Levites, who according to our previous devotion were spread throughout the surrounding area as well as in Jerusalem, were gathered together for the task of leading God’s People in the dedication effort (vv.27-29).
Before the wall itself was dedicated, these Levites purified themselves according to the rituals which God provided to Moses at Mount Sinai (v.30). They then purified the people, the walls, and even the gates.
From a practical perspective, the Law said nothing about purifying walls and gates. But given the terrible loss of life when Babylon conquered Jerusalem, and the decades of trampling by “unclean” non-Jews, a ceremony to cleanse and rededicate the walls which surrounded and protected Jerusalem, God’s Old Testament dwelling place with his people, must have seemed appropriate.
But why the Levites and people as well? These purification rituals were ceremonial in nature, and pointed to the need to be purified inside to have a proper relationship with God. The problem was not dirt, but the dirtiness which affects us all because of our sin. This must be cleansed for God to relate to us as he wishes to do.
With all of this done, Nehemiah assembled a big festival chorus to give thanks to God for his goodness to them. The choir was split in two. One group, led by Ezra, headed around the city on the top of the walls towards the south. Nehemiah led the second group around the city towards the north (vv.31-39).
These choirs were filled with musical instruments, making a great noise of gladness and thanksgiving. Both choirs then met and stood “stood in the house of God” to continue giving praise (v.40-42).
While they were there, they offered a great number of sacrifices of thanks to God, “for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away” (v.43).
Everyone rejoiced in what their leaders, spiritual and temporal, were doing. They committed themselves to the support of the priests and Levites through giving from their own resources, and appointing people to ensure they were received and kept (v.44, 47).
All of this service of God and the service of purification of the people and the walls was completed according to God’s commands through David and Solomon (vv.45-47). None of this was innovation, but was based in Scripture. This pleased the people, and it would have pleased God as well.
The dedication and the ceremonies recognised that for God to dwell with his people in Jerusalem, the city needed to be ceremonially clean. While that was primarily related to the Temple, perhaps the cleansing of the entire area indicated that Nehemiah and the Jews had a greater awareness of how the whole land was polluted by sin.
Ultimately though, the ceremonial cleanliness related to their inner hearts. It is the same for us. We can create ceremonies to bless buildings or people, but unless our hearts are cleansed and purified then we cannot enter God’s presence.
It is through Jesus’ blood that we are cleansed and made holy so we can enjoy God’s presence. Only Jesus’ blood, not ceremonies and rituals applied to our physical bodies, can purify our hearts so we can be dedicated to God.
Because we are dedicated to God through the Spirit’s cleansing work in our lives, our worship and praise is truly joyful, reflecting the forgiveness and mercy we have received rather than fearful judgement if we mess the rituals up.
It also gives us a heart for ensuring that the work of God’s Kingdom is sustained, and all those who work at its task are sustained as well. Supporting the work of the gospel is a joy rather than a burden, and something we should seek to do not under compulsion but cheerfully.
Instead of buildings and walls to dedicate, we have our lives to dedicate to God. Let us rejoice in Jesus’ cleansing blood that purifies us so we can enjoy God’s presence, with vibrant worship and joy.