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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangey, and today we're in Nehemiah chapter seven,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the New English translation. When
Speaker 1: the wall had been rebuilt, and I had positioned the doors,
Speaker 1: and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed.
Speaker 1: I then put in charge over Jerusalem my brother Hannani
Speaker 1: and hann and Ayah, the chief of the citadel, for
Speaker 1: he was a faithful man and feared God more than
Speaker 1: many do. I said to them, the gates of Jerusalem
Speaker 1: must not be opened in the early morning until those
Speaker 1: who are standing guard closed the doors and lock them.
Speaker 1: Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard
Speaker 1: stations and some near their homes. Now the city was
Speaker 1: spread out and large, and there were not a lot
Speaker 1: of people in it. At that time. Houses had not
Speaker 1: been rebuilt. My God placed it on my heart to
Speaker 1: gather the leaders, the officials, and the ordinary people, so
Speaker 1: they could be enrolled on the basis of genealogy. I
Speaker 1: found the genealogical records of those who had formerly returned.
Speaker 1: Here is what I found written in that record. These
Speaker 1: are the people of the province who returned from the
Speaker 1: captivity of the exiles whom King Nebekinezer of Babylon had
Speaker 1: forced into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah,
Speaker 1: each to his own city. They came with Zorobabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Ramiah, Nehemani, Mordecai,
Speaker 1: Bill Shan, Mispereth, big Vi, Nahem, and Banah. The number
Speaker 1: of Israelite men was as follows, the descendants of Perish
Speaker 1: two thousand, one hundred seventy two, the descendants of Shefetaiah
Speaker 1: three hundred seventy two, the descendants of Era six hundred
Speaker 1: fifty two, the descendants of Pei hath Moab from the
Speaker 1: line of Jeshua and Joeab two thousand, eight hundred eighteen,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Elam one thousand, two hundred fifty four,
Speaker 1: the descendants of za II eight hundred forty five, the
Speaker 1: descendants of Zakai seven hundred sixty, the descendants of Benui
Speaker 1: six hundred forty eight, the descendants of Bibei six hundred
Speaker 1: twenty eight, the descendants of Asgad two thousand, three hundred
Speaker 1: twenty two, the descendants of Adonikam six hundred sixty seven,
Speaker 1: the descendants of big Vai two thousand sixty seven, the
Speaker 1: descendants of a Din six hundred fifty five, the descendants
Speaker 1: of Attur through Hezekiah ninety eight, the descendants of Hashum
Speaker 1: three hundred twenty eight, the descendants of Bezi three hundred
Speaker 1: twenty four, the descendants of Haref one hundred twelve, the
Speaker 1: descendants of Gibeon ninety five, the men of Bethlehem and
Speaker 1: Netephah one hundred eighty eight, the men of Anathoth one
Speaker 1: hundred twenty eight, the men of the family of Asthmaveth
Speaker 1: forty two, the men of Kiriath, Jerrem, Kefirah and Beiroth
Speaker 1: seven hundred forty three, the men of Ramah and Giba
Speaker 1: six hundred twenty one, the men of Micmash one hundred
Speaker 1: twenty two, the men of Bethel and Ai one hundred
Speaker 1: twenty three, the men of the Other Nebo fifty two,
Speaker 1: the descendants of the Other elam In two hundred fifty four,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Harem three hundred twenty the descendants of
Speaker 1: Jericho three hundred forty five, the descendants of laud Hadid
Speaker 1: and Anno seven hundred twenty one, the descendants of Sennah
Speaker 1: three thousand, nine hundred thirty, the priests, the descendants of
Speaker 1: Jediah through the family of Jeshua nine hundred seventy three,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Immer one thousand, fifty two, the descendants
Speaker 1: of Peshur one thousand, two hundred forty seven, the descendants
Speaker 1: of Harem one thousand seventeen, the Levites, the descendants of
Speaker 1: Jeshua through Cadmil through the line of Hodevayah seventy four.
Speaker 1: The Singers, the descendants of Asaf one hundred forty eight.
Speaker 1: The Gatekeepers, the descendants of Alum, the descendants of Attur,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Talman, the descendants of a Kub, the
Speaker 1: descendants of Hatita and the descendants of Shobai one hundred
Speaker 1: thirty eight. The temple servants, the descendants of Ziha, the
Speaker 1: descendants of Hasufa, the descendants of Tabayoth, the descendants of Kairos,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Sia, the descendants of Padan, the descendants
Speaker 1: of Lebanon, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Shalmi,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Hainan, the descendants of GADeL, the descendants
Speaker 1: of Gahar, the descendants of Riaya, the descendants of Resin,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Nakoda, the descendants of Gazam, the descendants
Speaker 1: of Uza, the descendants of Pasia, the descendants of Bisai,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Munim, the descendants of Nefusim, the descendants
Speaker 1: of Bakbak, the descendants of Hakeaphah, the descendants of Harjr,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Baslath, the descendants of Mahaida, the descendants
Speaker 1: of Harsha, the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Tima, the descendants of Nezia, the descendants
Speaker 1: of Hatifah, the descendants of the servants of Solomon, the
Speaker 1: descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sofireth, the descendants of Parida,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Jala, the descendants of Darkhan, the descendants
Speaker 1: of GADeL, the descendants of Shephetaiah, the descendants of Hatil,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Pokareth, has Abame, and the descendants of Amen,
Speaker 1: All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants
Speaker 1: of Solomon three hundred ninety two These are the ones
Speaker 1: who came up from Tell Malla, Telharsha, kerub Adan, and Emmer,
Speaker 1: although they were unable to certify their family connection or
Speaker 1: their ancestry as to whether they were really from Israel.
Speaker 1: The descendants of Delayah, the descendants of Tobia, and the
Speaker 1: descendants of Nakota six hundred forty two, and from among
Speaker 1: the priests, the descendants of Hobia, the descendants of Hakkaz,
Speaker 1: and the descendants of Barzelai, who had married a woman
Speaker 1: from the daughters of Barzilai the Gileadite, and was called
Speaker 1: by that name. They searched for their records in the
Speaker 1: genealogical materials, but none were found. They were therefore excluded
Speaker 1: from the priesthood. The governor instructed them not to eat
Speaker 1: any of the sacred food until there was a priest
Speaker 1: who could consult the Urim and thummim. The entire group
Speaker 1: numbered forty two thousand, three hundred sixty not counting their
Speaker 1: seven thousand, three hundred thirty seven male and female servants.
Speaker 1: They also had two hundred forty five male and female singers.
Speaker 1: They had seven hundred thirty six horses, two hundred forty
Speaker 1: five mules, four hundred thirty five camels and six thousand,
Speaker 1: seven hundred twenty donkeys. Some of the family leaders contributed
Speaker 1: to the work. The governor contributed to the treasury one
Speaker 1: thousand gold drakmas, fifty bulls, and five hundred thirty priestly garments.
Speaker 1: Some of the family leaders gave to the project treasury
Speaker 1: twenty thousand gold drakmas and two thousand, two hundred silver minas.
Speaker 1: What the rest of the people gave amounted to twenty
Speaker 1: thousand gold drakmas, two thousand silver minas, and sixty seven
Speaker 1: priestly garments. The priests, the levites, the gatekeepers, the singers,
Speaker 1: some of the people, the temple servants, and all the
Speaker 1: rest of Israel lived in their cities when the Seventh
Speaker 1: Month arrived and the Israelites were settled in their cities.
Speaker 1: Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and
Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege of being able to
Speaker 1: look at this portion of scripture today. And Lord, we
Speaker 1: thank you for this long listing of people who were
Speaker 1: able to return from their captivity. Lord, we know that
Speaker 1: these were people who had been exiles in Babylon, and
Speaker 1: they had the privilege to return back to their homeland
Speaker 1: and to establish their families there once again, and to
Speaker 1: live in the land that you had promised to their
Speaker 1: ancestor Abraham, where they could worship you, where they could
Speaker 1: serve you, where they could honor you as God, and
Speaker 1: live in the midst of a culture that did so
Speaker 1: as well. Lord, were grateful that the wall had been
Speaker 1: rebuilt by this time in the story of Nehemiah, and
Speaker 1: that you were raising up faithful people to help Nehemiah
Speaker 1: as he sought to lead. And Lord, as we look
Speaker 1: at this portion of scripture, were likewise grateful for the
Speaker 1: fact that we who were once exiles, who lived at
Speaker 1: a distant from you, who were living as your enemies,
Speaker 1: and people who are outside of your family, have been
Speaker 1: granted the privilege to become part of your family and
Speaker 1: to live in your presence in your city forever. We're grateful,
Speaker 1: Lord that that's our privilege through faith in your son
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. And we pray Lord that that would be
Speaker 1: something that you would bring to our hearts and bring
Speaker 1: to our minds daily, so that we would remember what
Speaker 1: a blessing that truly is. Lord, We love you. We're
Speaker 1: grateful for your presence with us today and We commit
Speaker 1: this day to your care and thank you for all
Speaker 1: of these things in Jesus' name. Amen.