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2025 Study of the Book of Nehemiah #3

INSPIRING CO-WORK FOR REBUILDING THE WALL

Nehemiah 3:1-32

1. As you read the passage, take note of who did what for the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall (1-32).
2. Where did this rebuilding project start and end (1, 32)? How did the priests and Levites participate in the rebuilding of the wall (1, 17, 18, 22, 28)? What is the significance of dedicating the Sheep Gate and the two towers (1)? Why was repairing the Dung Gate important (14)?
3. Who were the people who rebuilt the section of the wall near their own homes (10, 23, 28-30)? Who were the people who came from far away to help rebuild the wall (2, 5, 13, 16, 27)? Who were mentioned for their devoted participation in the rebuilding of the wall (13, 20, 21, 24, 27)?
4. Why are people of specific professions mentioned as participants in the rebuilding of the wall (8, 31-32)? Whose help did Shallum receive (12)? Why is it mentioned that Hanun was the sixth son of Zalaph (30)? Who is recorded as not participating in the rebuilding of the wall (5)?
5. Why did God record all these names and the work they did? Reflect on the importance of co-working to rebuild the broken walls. How do you want to participate in God’s work?

2025 Nehemiah Jan 26, 2025

BEAUTIFUL CO-WORK FOR REBUILDING THE WALL

Nehemiah 3:1-32

Today’s passage is quite long, isn’t it? Some of you might already feel drowsy while reading it. You may wonder why there are so many names in the text. Some might even question why God included such a tedious portion in the Bible. But the reason God recorded the names of over 40 people in the Bible is that every one of them is very precious to Him. These individuals were heroes who devoted their whole hearts and strength to rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem.

The wall of Jerusalem, rebuilt by Nehemiah, is estimated to have been about 2.5 miles long and 30 feet high. Nehemiah and his coworkers completed this construction in just 52 days. This speed would be difficult to achieve even with modern equipment and technology. It seems that nearly 1,000 people were involved in this effort. However, no matter how many people participated, if they hadn’t been placed in the right roles and managed in an organized way, the project wouldn’t have been successful. Nehemiah was a leader who prayed and acted. He sought God’s wisdom through prayer, and relying on God, he assigned roles to everyone involved.

If you look at this drawing, you can see the names of the gates and the names of the people responsible for their reconstruction. The list starts at the Sheep Gate, moves counterclockwise around the wall, and ends back at the Sheep Gate. The Sheep Gate was located on the northern part of the wall and provided direct access to the temple. Through this gate, the sheep used for sacrifices were brought in. The Sheep Gate, along with the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel, was directly connected to the temple. Because of this, Eliashib, the high priest, and his fellow priests, who were responsible for the temple, took charge of rebuilding this section. Although they were spiritual leaders, they also participated in the physical labor. The fact that their names were mentioned first reveals the importance of them setting a good example for others. When we try to rebuild God’s ministry, it is important for church leaders to lead by example. The pastor, elders, and the Fellowship leaders should step forward in serving, even in difficult tasks, to set a good example for others.

In God’s work, there is no distinction between honorable tasks and unhonorable tasks. God values and delights in all work done for Him. The Jews considered places closer to the temple to be more holy. Jerusalem was called the holy city because of the temple. Even within Jerusalem, areas farther from the temple were considered less holy. Since the temple was located in the northern part of Jerusalem, the southern part, which was farther away, was regarded as less holy.

If you look at the picture, you’ll see that at the very southern end of Jerusalem was the Dung Gate. The Dung Gate was the place where the city’s trash and waste were disposed of. It was, therefore, considered the dirtiest and least holy place in Jerusalem. However, it was also a very important place for public sanitation. Because people didn’t consider the Dung Gate and its surrounding area significant, the damage to the walls in that area was the most severe. This means that the Dung Gate and its surrounding walls were the most vulnerable to enemy attacks. It was also the area that required the most labor to rebuild.

Who was responsible for repairing the Dung Gate? Malkijah, the ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem, took charge of this task. Beth Hakkerem was located about 5 miles south of Jerusalem. The people of that region took responsibility for repairing the Dung Gate because they lived relatively close to it. If Malkijah had thought in human terms, he might have felt dissatisfied about being assigned to repair the Dung Gate. This task was extremely challenging and might not have seemed very significant. Some people could have felt that repairing a gate connected to the temple was a more honorable task while working on the gate to the city’s trash disposal area might have seemed like the lowest and most unimportant job. However, Malkijah led the people from his district and worked diligently to repair the Dung Gate.

When I was receiving shepherd training in Korea, I was assigned to clean the church bathroom for several months. It was a task that no one really wanted to do. The men’s urinals often had a strong smell of urine. I couldn’t understand why people would throw gum into the urinals. When the toilets got clogged, and I had to unclog them, I sometimes felt frustrated. I also questioned why I was assigned to clean the bathroom. However, through this experience, I learned the attitude of serving humbly. If the bathrooms are dirty or the toilets are clogged, it causes great inconvenience to many people and can even cause serious public health risks. That’s why someone has to take on the responsibility of cleaning the bathrooms. In our church, cleaning is done on a rotating basis by each Fellowship. And when problems arise, M. Enoch Seo usually takes care of the repairs.

Then, are there tasks that are more holy or less holy when serving God? The standard of holiness is the presence of God. Wherever God is, that place is holy. All work done for God is holy work. Preaching a message on Sunday, presiding the service, doing a representative prayer, or leading praise songs are all holy tasks before God. At the same time, cleaning the worship hall and the bathrooms to create a clean environment, managing the sound and video, or preparing delicious meals for the congregation are all holy tasks before God as well. What matters is that we serve God with a grateful and joyful heart.

Distance doesn’t seem to be a major issue when serving God. In today’s passage, we see that some people repaired sections of the wall near their own houses. Jedaiah made repairs opposite his house. Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house. Azariah made repairs beside his house. Meshullam made repairs opposite his living quarters. Rebuilding the sections of the wall close to their homes was an efficient approach. It saved travel time, allowing the reconstruction to progress more quickly. They could also take breaks at their homes whenever needed. Nehemiah efficiently assigned tasks to the people living near the wall, enabling them to rebuild the sections closest to them. This practical approach helped the project move forward effectively.

On the other hand, some people came from far away to participate in the rebuilding of the wall. Jericho is about 15 miles northeast of Jerusalem. The men of Jericho walked about 5 hours to travel from Jericho to Jerusalem and another 5 hours to return to their homes. Moreover, the journey was notoriously difficult and dangerous. Despite these hardships, the men of Jericho willingly endured the difficulties to participate in the reconstruction work. They faithfully completed the section they were assigned. Tekoa was another city, located about 11 miles south of Jerusalem. It would have taken the men of Tekoa about 4 hours to walk to Jerusalem. Not only did they complete the section they were assigned, but they also took on another section. This demonstrates how zealously they participated in the rebuilding effort. In addition to them, the residents of Zanoah, the men of Beth Zur, and the men from Gibeon and Mizpah also traveled long distances to join the work. These people worked faithfully to complete their tasks despite the challenges they faced.

It is not easy for people who live far away to participate in God’s work. However, those who love God and are passionate about serving Him overcome the challenges of distance. When I was serving in Caracas, Venezuela, there was a couple who lived in a town two hours away by car. They deeply encountered Jesus at our church and faithfully attended Sunday worship. One day, on their way home after the service, they were involved in an accident. It was a rainy day, and a tree had fallen across the road. As their car passed over it, the vehicle was damaged. When I heard the news, I called them and offered words of comfort. They responded by saying, “Pastor, no matter what happens, we won’t miss Sunday worship.” And they continued to faithfully attend every Sunday. They even rented a bus and brought over 30 people to attend the Christmas worship service. Later, they established a chapter in their city, Valles del Tuy, and pioneered The University of the Armed Forces. God sees our sincere hearts and faith, and He blesses the work we do for Him.

At that time, most Jews were farmers. They were somewhat familiar with construction work. In today’s terms, they were blue-collar workers. However, if you look closely at the people who participated in the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall, you’ll find some with specific professions like goldsmiths, perfume-makers, and merchants. These professions had little to do with construction. In today’s terms, they would be considered white-collar workers. They made a living with their hands. So, they had to avoid injuring their hands. Yet, they still joined in the work of rebuilding the wall. They didn’t say, “Construction isn’t my job.” Even though they were not familiar with construction work, they contributed wholeheartedly by doing what they could. When we have a heart to participate in God’s work, even if we’re not skilled or talented, we can still join wholeheartedly. God blesses this kind of willing heart to participate.

The rebuilding of the wall was primarily done by families. However, it seems that not all members of the family actively participated. In verse 30, it mentions that Hanun was the sixth son of Zalaph. In a society centered on the eldest son, the fact that the sixth son is mentioned might indicate that the first through fifth sons did not participate in this work. Hanun could have followed his brothers’ example and refused to join God’s work. But regardless of what his brothers did, he chose to participate in God’s work according to the desire God had placed in his heart.

Another group that draws our attention is Shallum and his daughters. Shallum was the ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, which indicates that he was a man of power and influence. However, it seems that he didn’t have any sons. As a result, he joined the work of rebuilding the wall with the help of his daughters. His daughters are the only women mentioned in this passage. Generally, women didn’t directly participate in the construction of the wall but supported the work in other ways, such as providing food, materials, or water. Yet Shallum’s daughters appear to have directly participated in the construction itself. Shallum could have used the excuse of not having sons to avoid the rebuilding project. However, he couldn’t bring himself to stay out of this significant work of God. So, he asked his daughters, “Would you be willing to help me?” And his daughters willingly stepped in to assist their father in rebuilding the wall. What a beautiful example this is!

In our church, the women co-workers play such an important role. Every Sunday, they serve us by preparing and providing a delicious lunch. Every Tuesday, they come together for the prayer meeting, supporting God’s work through prayers. They are also actively participating in campus ministry, taking a leading role in many ways. Our second generation, especially our daughters, are joining God’s work in various areas. We are deeply grateful to God for the precious women of faith among us. Let us continue to pray that God will raise more women leaders within our community to carry on His work.

Today’s passage records the beautiful history of co-working for the rebuilding of the wall. However, it also mentions those who did not participate in this work. Do you know who they were? Look at verse 5: “The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.” The Bible clearly states that the nobles of Tekoa did not join in this work of God. Why did they refuse to participate in this important work of God? It seems their pride did not let them work for God. They thought, as nobles, they could not do what they considered a lowly task like rebuilding the wall. They did not acknowledge Nehemiah’s leadership. They sought to protect their privileges by refusing to join. They wanted to be treated as nobles but did not want to fulfill their responsibilities as nobles. There is a saying, “Noblesse Oblige.” A noble should lead by example, fulfilling their duties first and foremost. However, these nobles failed to carry out their obligations.

God remembered their pride and irresponsibility and recorded them in the Bible. For thousands of years, those who have read the book of Nehemiah must have wondered, “What kind of people were the nobles of Tekoa?” By refusing to participate in God’s work, they have been remembered as proud and irresponsible people. God knows and remembers who participates in His work. Do you want to be recorded as someone who faithfully participated in God’s work? Or do you want to be remembered like the nobles of Tekoa, who refused to join?

Do you know the key terms that are repeated the most in today’s passage? The word “repair” appears 38 times, “next” 26 times, and “section” 16 times. As we read this passage, we frequently encounter phrases like “repaired the next section” or “the next section was repaired.” These phrases show us that the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall wasn’t accomplished by the effort of one person but through the co-working of many people. When many people came together with one heart and worked as one body, the rebuilding of the wall was completed at an incredible speed. God’s work is never the work of just one person. It is not something that the pastor carries alone. God’s work is the work of co-working. It is through the combined efforts of each and every person that God’s work is accomplished.

How do you want to participate in God’s work? We reorganized the Fellowships so that most members could belong to one. Each Fellowship has been building relationships centered on God’s word. For the past seven months, the Fellowship leaders have been serving wholeheartedly. Through this, a beautiful community of faith is being formed around the Fellowships. You can participate in building the walls of your Fellowship. By actively joining the Fellowship Bible studies and sharing loving fellowship, you can help rebuild the walls of this beautiful community of faith.

Our church also has various ministries. These include the Children’s Ministry (CBF, BBF), Youth Ministry (HBF), College Ministry, Young Adults Ministry, Orchestra Ministry, Praise & Worship Ministry, IT Ministry, and Women’s Prayer Ministry. I hope we can establish a Family Ministry for those in their 40s and 50s. We also need a Hospitality Ministry to serve those who visit our church and a Benevolence Ministry to find and help those in need. We are praying for our church to become a Multicultural Ministry. All these ministries need your participation and co-working.

We need to unite our hearts and strengths to rebuild the broken walls. I pray that we do not feel a heavy burden in participating in God’s work. Instead, I pray that we feel a holy burden, joining God’s work joyfully and willingly. When you actively participate in God’s work, you are not merely a guest in God’s history—you become a main actor in God’s ministry. God wants you to actively join His work as a main actor and steward of His ministry. I pray that we will seek God’s calling through prayer and voluntarily join God’s work. I earnestly pray that through all of our co-working, God will rebuild the broken walls of our church and expand His kingdom on earth. Amen.