Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20110403.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Nehemiah: Excelling In Leadership In Hard Times
Part IV: The Leader's Role When God's People Are Mobilized By Him, Nehemiah 8:1-13:31
C. Leading In Humble Influence
(Nehemiah 11:1-12:47)
  1. Introduction
    1. When God gave command in Deuteronomy 17:18-20 regarding Israel's kings, He directed the king to have his own copy of Scripture, that he read from it all during his reign to learn to revere the Lord and to keep all the Law that his heart not be lifted up above his subjects as he influenced them to follow God.
    2. Such humble leadership was exemplified in Nehemiah, a quality we who lead in marriage, family, church, business and government should exhibit (Acts 20:32-35). We view Nehemiah's example for our insight:
  2. Leading In Humble Influence, Nehemiah 11:1-12:47.
    1. Nehemiah exemplified God's call that Israel's civil rulers, her kings, know the Law so as to revere God and thus obey His statutes, Nehemiah 11:1-12:30:
      1. When the workers finished building the city wall, they cast lots to bring a tenth of the population into the city to populate it (Neh. 11:1, 2-12:26), Nehemiah, Israel's governor (Neh. 8:9a NIV) tacitly supported the move, knowing of God's Biblical will that Jerusalem flourish, cf. Psalm 51:18; 102:16.
      2. At the dedication of the wall, when the people sought to bring the Levites from surrounding towns to lead in musical celebration of the event (Nehemiah 12:27-29), Nehemiah again gave his implicit approval, knowing the Biblical stipulation that the Levites were the spiritual leaders, Leviticus 10:8-11.
      3. When the priests and Levites purified themselves, the people, the city gates and the wall with the sprinkling of blood in accord with the Law, Nehemiah as governor again gave his implied approval as a ruler who knew and heeded Scripture, Neh. 12:30; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Neh. 12:30.
    2. Nehemiah then exemplified God's call that Israel's civil leaders, her kings, so revere and obey God from reading His Word that they not lift their hearts up above their countrymen in pride, Nehemiah 12:31-46:
      1. Nehemiah arranged for two groups of leaders and accompanying choirs to proceed in opposite directions around the top of the wall and meet at the temple courts to praise the Lord, Neh. 12:31-42.
      2. This exercise would have greatly edified the people: one of Israel's foes, Tobiah the Ammonite, had once mocked the wall building effort, saying that even were a light fox to go along the top of the wall, it would break it down, Nehemiah 4:3. Victory over that critique would be symbolized in this dedication, causing great rejoicing in the people, cf. Nehemiah 12:40-42! This event then exposed Nehemiah's intent to encourage the people in humbly considering their past persecution.
      3. In addition to humbly edifying the afflicted, Nehemiah honored others above himself:
        1. The first group Nehemiah assigned to go in a counterclockwise direction on the wall was led by Ezra, the scribe God used to lead the first Hebrews back from Persia, Ibid., ftn. to Neh. 12:31-37.
        2. The second group that went around the wall in a clockwise direction (Ibid.) included Nehemiah himself, but he did not lead the group, but humbly walked behind the others, Nehemiah 12:38.
    3. Nehemiah exemplified God's call that Israel's civil rulers, her kings, so revere and obey God from reading His Word that they not turn aside from God's commandments in any way, but that they heed them, Neh. 12:47 with Neh. 10:38-39 with Lev. 27:30-33; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Neh. 10:38-39:
      1. After the great celebration of praise to the Lord in the temple court (Nehemiah 12:43), Israel's leaders organized those who would oversee the temple storage rooms for the tithe collections (Neh. 12:44a), for the people were so pleased with the ministry of the Levites that they heartily gave, Neh. 12:44b-46.
      2. Nehemiah kept influencing the people to heed the Law on these tithes as evidenced by the fact that for the duration of his civil oversight, they kept practicing their collection, Neh. 12:47 with Lev. 27:30-33.
Lesson: In line with the Deuteronomy 17 directives for Israel's kings, Nehemiah read and obeyed God's Word so as to revere Him and so to interact humbly with his subjects in influencing them to obey Him.

Application: May we who lead others in marriage, family, business, government and church read and heed Scripture so as to revere God and interact humbly with our subordinates as we influence them.