SPEAKER_00: Good morning and welcome to your daily walk.
SPEAKER_00: This is Dan Stevens.
SPEAKER_00: Nehemiah 12 was the focus of last Sunday's message, and what a glorious chapter it was.
SPEAKER_00: In verses 31 through 43, we see a joyful celebration as the people gathered to dedicate the completion of the wall around Jerusalem.
SPEAKER_00: For the past several weeks, Pastor Aaron has been talking about this wall, including the challenges and roadblocks that faced Nehemiah and all the workers.
SPEAKER_00: But now it's time to celebrate.
SPEAKER_00: As part of the celebration, Nehemiah assigned two large choirs, along with some instrumentalists, to give thanks and walk in opposite directions along the top of the wall until they met up near the front of the temple and went in together to take their places in the house of God.
SPEAKER_00: It says in verse 43 that the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.
SPEAKER_00: And you know what?
SPEAKER_00: The people of God had every reason to celebrate.
SPEAKER_00: The temple had been restored decades earlier under Zerubbabel, and now the wall had been fully restored after only fifty-two days under the leadership of Nehemiah.
SPEAKER_00: A great number of Jews who had previously been exiled to Babylonia were now worshiping together at home in Jerusalem, once again in their temple.
SPEAKER_00: Those who once said, By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.
SPEAKER_00: And how shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land were now filled with joy.
SPEAKER_00: The application is simple.
SPEAKER_00: Just like the people of Judah were finally able to sing in the temple once again.
SPEAKER_00: Today there's just something about singing the songs of the church in church, right?
SPEAKER_00: Yes, we might enjoy singing while driving down the road, or maybe occasionally sing in small group settings, but when we are with all the other congregants at a Sunday morning gathering and the band is leading us in worship songs, you just can't help but sing praise to God.
SPEAKER_00: And with that, I hope to see you this Sunday.
SPEAKER_00: Have a great day.