Day 19

“After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed.” Nehemiah 7:1 
Having rebuilt the walls and gates, Nehemiah appoints gatekeepers, musicians and the Levites to guard the doors, to worship and to intercede for the people, respectively. Jerusalem is to be protected from the enemy and the gatekeepers are appointed to decide who may enter the city and who may not. The musicians are appointed to worship and praise God and are even placed on the wall during the dedication of the wall (see 12:31)! The Levites are to perform “the service of their God and the service of purification” for the people (see 12:45). The ministries of the gatekeepers, the musicians and the priests require discernment, devotion and dedication.
Once our spiritual walls are rebuilt, we need discernment, devotion and dedication to protect what God has restored in our lives. Discernment to know what is, and what is not of God, before we open the door to our lives. Devotion to God as we continue to worship Him, trust in Him and depend on Him to sustain what has been restored. Dedication to God, His people and His purposes as we live lives set apart as His holy priesthood. We must guard what God has rebuilt in our lives. We cannot afford to go back to old patterns, old ways of thinking and behaviour that caused the destruction of our walls in the first place. We must decide to “appoint” discernment, devotion and dedication in our lives if we are to protect the restored walls. Child of God, are you protecting your walls? Are you living as a gatekeeper, a worshipper, and a priest? “Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping” 1 Peter 5:8 (MSG). Child of God, protect your walls!

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„Und es geschah, als die Mauer gebaut war, da setzte ich die Türflügel ein; und die Torhüter, Sänger und Leviten wurden in den Dienst gestellt.“ Nehemiah 7,1

Nach dem Wiederaufbau der Mauern und Tore ernennt Nehemia Torhüter, Musiker und die Leviten, um die Tore zu bewachen, zu anbeten und für das Volk zu beten. Jerusalem soll vor dem Feind geschützt werden, und die Torhüter werden ernannt, um zu entscheiden, wer die Stadt betreten darf und wer nicht. Die Musiker werden ernannt, um Gott anzubeten und zu preisen und werden sogar während der Einweihung der Mauer auf die Mauer gestellt (siehe 12:31)! Die Leviten sollen "den Dienst ihres Gottes und den Dienst der Reinigung" für das Volk erfüllen (siehe 12:45). Die Dienste der Torhüter, der Musiker und der Priester erfordern Unterscheidung, Hingabe und Hinwendung.

Sobald unsere geistlichen Mauern wieder aufgebaut sind, brauchen wir Unterscheidung, Hingabe und Hinwendung, um zu schützen, was Gott in unserem Leben wiederhergestellt hat. Unterscheidungsvermögen, um zu wissen, was von Gott ist und was nicht, bevor wir die Tore zu unserem Leben öffnen. Hingabe an Gott, während wir Ihn weiterhin anbeten, auf Ihn vertrauen und auf Ihn angewiesen sind, um das wiederhergestellte zu erhalten. Die Hinwendung zu Gott, seinem Volk und seinen Zielen, indem wir als sein heiliges Priestertum leben. Wir müssen schützen, was Gott in unserem Leben wieder aufgebaut hat. Wir können es uns nicht leisten, auf alte Muster, alte Denk- und Verhaltensweisen zurückzukommen, die die Zerstörung unserer Mauern überhaupt erst verursacht haben. Wir müssen uns entscheiden, Urteilsvermögen, Hingabe und Hinwendung in unserem Leben zu "ernennen", wenn wir die restaurierten Mauern schützen wollen. Kind Gottes, beschützt du deine Mauern? Lebst du als Torhüter, Anbeter und Priester? "Behalte einen kühlen Kopf. Bleib wachsam. Der Teufel ist bereit anzugreifen und möchte nichts mehr, als dich beim Schlafen zu erwischen" 1. Petrus 5,8. Kind Gottes, beschütze deine Mauern!



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