Not for the first time in this study, I am relying on the Lord to provide inspiration here, as we enter the building and builders of the Wall. I believe we can glean some lessons here both macro and micro, as we trace around the builders and their wall.
Neh 3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.
First thing I noted was that the High Priest started the rebuild. I think this is a direct reference to Christ, our High Priest, beginning our rebuild. Eliashib's name means, "God will restore": both indicate that the restoration begins with Jesus. This Sheep Gate was right near the Pool of Bethesda, which the angel stirred and where Jesus healed the paralytic. Rebuild/restore/heal then are the prayers that open our journey.
Neh 3:2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
One that gets a special note, for two reasons, is Tekoa, home of the prophet Amos:
Neh 3:5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.
Where other towns even had Nobles mentioned by name (or had sons of said nobles leading building projects), Tekoa is distinguished, in a bad light, by the refusal of their leaders to the task. The commentators know not why; but the phraseology could suggest that these leaders thought enough of themselves that they already considered themselves leaders of the area, resistant to making Jerusalem any more powerful. The common people, however, were among those doing double work...
Neh 3:27 After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.
These areas were directly across the city from each other. In essence, these men went all the way to the farthest spot from their home, and when done there, stopped at another spot on their way home. Tekoa, whose meaning if you chase it far enough is "to become bondsmen, by clasping of hands", were two sides of the coin: The common people with total commitment to their fellows, the rich with total commitment to themselves. Reminds us how close a divide we all have between those two.
Neh 3:4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired.
These two first mentioned, Meremoth and Meshullam, are the first individuals named to have worked in two spots. Meremoth would chip in again near the High Priest's house. Eliashib, himself, seems to not appear at the walls again; this fact seems to draw the ire of another who worked near his house:
Neh 3:20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired the other piece, from the corner to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
Noting that Baruch worked his section "earnestly", or in other translations "diligently", which sounds good. But dig into the actual meaning, and he was doing the work ANGRILY... I and I have to wonder if he wasn't wondering why the missing HP wasn't there. While the office of the High Priest may symbolize Jesus, Eliashib did not. He apparently, other than God's influence in it, only kicked things off in order to stay popular. In fact...
Neh 13:4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah,
Neh 13:5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.
On the side, Eliashib was loyal to Mr Lust-of-the-Flesh Tobiah, nor was he the only one. We'll deal with Eliashib later (when Nehemiah does); But another was in our same start off point:
Neh 6:17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.
Neh 6:18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife.
So our boy Meshullam was a co- Father-in-Law with Tobiah! The 'worm in the apple' had burrowed deep; and probably they were rationalizing their participation as 'negating' their dalliance with Tobiah. Curious that among the meanings drawn from Meshullam's name are 'allied', 'reciprocate', and 'make resitution'- all rationalizations for the sin that sought to hinder the building. Lesson- keep examining your nobles, that is, your MOTIVES.
Once again, Baruch and Meremoth are two sides of the coin; both might have had reason to curse the traitorous High Priest: none did, one merely did the job. Right before them, the son of Shecaniah named Shemiah worked; if this is the same Shecaniah, he is then described as a District ruler- and Tobiah was married to HIS daughter; no wonder 'the Worm' had so much influence! Instead of God being the uniter of peoples, they had replaced the God Jehovah with the god Sex. How very appropriate to my story.
As we move on, we see cities, tradesmen, merchants, priests, temple servants- all walks of life working together to rebuild, moved by the impassioned word of God's man Nehemiah. There is no part of the people- no part of ourselves- that don't have the benefit of building the wall of God's Word in our lives. So what else do we take from this?
Christ has to be the start of our task.
Rebuild/Restore/Heal is the task at hand.
We choose between total commitment and total self-interest. Anything between belongs to the Worm.
Keep examining your 'Nobles' and your motives. What are you rationalizing?
Finally, do you unite with God- or a replacement?
