Monday, August 4th

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Monday, August 4

Nehemiah 7:1-3
After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed. I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do. I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”

After leading the colonies to victory in the Revolutionary War and serving two terms as the first President of the United States of America, George Washington refused to serve a third term even though his election was certain. He refused for two main reasons; he wanted to return to his plantation in Mount Vernon and he simply believed it was better for the future of the nation that leadership not be focused on one man.

In many ways Nehemiah was a leader much like George Washington. He led the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem which also served to rebuild a people. He inspired a rag-tag group of downtrodden people to not only rebuild the walls and gates of their city, but to courageously fight off enemies who sought their destruction. Then, when he had accomplished so much, and could easily have laid claim to an enormous amount of control and power in the city he had rebuilt, he decided to entrust leadership to
two men named Hanani and Hanahiah.

After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed. I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.

In the first 6 chapters of the story we see Nehemiah’s extraordinary vision and leadership. In chapter 7 we see his extraordinary humility and wisdom. Think about it! Nehemiah is the one who risked his life and reputation by sharing his sadness over Jerusalem with King Artaxerxes. He is the one who put the entire plan together. He is the one who inspired the people with his vision of a restored Jerusalem. He is the one who endured the taunts and threats of a very real enemy. Now, just when you think he would be thinking about enjoying the position of respect and power that he would inevitably have had in a rebuilt Jerusalem, he hands leadership over to others.

He chooses Hanani because he was the one who brought the news of Jerusalem’s sad situation; and he chooses Hananiah because he is both a soldier and a man who fears God.

Then he gives them detailed instructions about how to keep the city safe now that the walls and gates have been rebuilt.

Why would Nehemiah choose to delegate authority and leadership instead of holding on to it as his right and privilege? We aren’t told Nehemiah’s reasons but I think we can make some guesses based on what we already know about the man.

We know that the whole project was never about Nehemiah; rather, it was always about God and his desire for his people. Nehemiah knew the city didn’t belong to him, but rather to God. We also know that Nehemiah’s vision was born in prayer before the God of heaven, so we can assume that just as he began the work in obedience to God, he also stepped back in that same obedience.

What can we learn from Nehemiah?

I think we can learn that it’s not about us! Whatever leadership role God has given you, whether it be as a parent, a Sunday School teacher or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, it’s not about you! God’s call on our lives is always about his will and the people he loves.

Pastor Brian Coffey