Writing the Names

From: Messages of God's Love: 1940

Nehemiah 7

After the walls of Jerusalem were repaired and the gates set in place, the men were to take turns as watchmen on the walls, and some men were to be porters at the gates, which were to be kept shut while dark, that none could enter without being seen.

Nehemiah had promised to return to the king, so he could not be with the people all the time and his brother and another man were given charge of all necessary matters in the city.

There was also a record made of the names of the men and the family to which each belonged. Nehemiah had found a record which had been written before this, of the people who had come back to Jerusalem from Babylon, and it seems that a new record would start from that one, so he wrote out that record again.

There were many hard names in those records which we do not need to learn. Yet we can understand why It was so important for the Jewish people to keep careful records. Because, to have land, the men must prove from which family they were; those who cared for the temple were to be of the family of Levi; the singers in the temple were to be of a certain family, Asaph; no man could be a priest except he was from a son of Aaron; and no rightful king could rule except from the family of David.

At that time there was no such king, the king of another land ruled over theirs, but God had said a great King should come for them, so if no record were kept they could not prove a true claim. God had such records kept until Jesus came (Matt. 1).

How many porters were there to take turns keeping the gates of Jerusalem? (See Neh. 11:19¹⁹Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were an hundred seventy and two. (Nehemiah 11:19)).

Who had first told Nehemiah of the ruins in Jerusalem and what charge was he given in the city, and why was the man given such a charge? (Neh. 1:2, 3²That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. ³And 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. (Nehemiah 1:2‑3); Neh. 7:2²That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many. (Nehemiah 7:2)).

Was there room for more people in Jerusalem? (See Neh. 7:4⁴Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded. (Nehemiah 7:4)).

Had records of the men of Israel been kept before? (See 1 Chron. 9:1¹So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, who were carried away to Babylon for their transgression. (1 Chronicles 9:1)).

Who “put it in Nehemiah’s heart to make a record of the Jewish families?” (See Neh. 7:5⁵And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein, (Nehemiah 7:5)).

Since the Lord Jesus came to earth, God has not said a record of any family must be kept, but all who read God’s words may know if they belong to His family, which is the highest place possible.

“As many as received Him (Jesus) to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12¹²But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12).

ML 01/07/1940

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.