Nehemiah 12:22

Nehemiah 12:22 says, The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.  The Levites were listed, even though they were not called to the same service as the priests.  Matthew Henry says they were listed as the chief fathers of Israel and were eminently serviceable to the interests of the church and that their service was not less acceptable to God or His people for them being Levites only.  We are not all called to be either preachers or teachers, but we are all called to share the gospel, no matter what our position in the church may be. 

Verse twenty-three adds, The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.  Nehemiah then said that the names of the chief of the Levites were written in the book of the chronicles up to a point, so the people didn’t just have to take his word for what he was saying.  If someone is preaching or teaching anything in the church today, we have the Bible to help us know if what they are preaching or teaching is God’s word or not.  Of course, this requires that we know what the bible actually says. 

Verse twenty-four continues, And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.   Nehemiah continues to list the chief of the Levites and adds that they gave praise and thanks to God, according to David’s commandment, which was really David giving them God’s commandment.  David could not give commandments just because of who he was but could only relate what God commanded.  We cannot give any commandments about what needs to be done in order to be saved but can only share the gospel of Christ and then look to the Bible under the leadership of the Holy Spirit in order to know what God’s commandments are. 

Verse twenty-five states, Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.  These Levites also served as porters keeping charge of the thresholds in the gate.  They would have basically decided who got into the temple I believe.  We are not called to determine who can come into the church, but we are called to determine if someone is proclaiming something other than God’s word in the church. 

Verse twenty-six adds, These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.  Nehemiah said that these were the chief Levites in the days of Joiakim and of himself and Ezra the scribe. 

Verse twenty-seven continues, And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.  Nehemiah said that after the wall of Jerusalem was completed, the Levites from throughout the country were gathered to keep the dedication of the wall focused on God and to sing praises and make music to Him.  When we gather as Christians today, we need to keep the focus on praising God for His mercy on us.

Verse twenty-eight says, And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi; 

Verse twenty-nine adds, Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem.  Nehemiah then said that the singers came from throughout the country and built villages around Jerusalem.   We have to assume that they thought this was what God called them to do.  Though we do need to gather together to worship, we do not need to congregate in only one place, but we need to go out into all the world to share the gospel.   

Verse thirty concludes, And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.  Just as Nehemiah said the priests and Levites purified themselves and the people as well as the gates and walls of Jerusalem, we must be purified through accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, and then we must do our best to allow God to purify everything we have and do in life.