Laboring in the Work - Nehemiah 4:21

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah told the people of Judah, “in what place therefore you hear the sound of the trumpet, resort you there unto us: our God shall fight for us”, and in chapter four and verse twenty-one of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “we labored in the work”, where we read,

So we labored in the work: 

and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.

The verse reads, “So we labored in the work:” Nehemiah began with the words, “so we labored” or “wherefore, therefore, then and on this account we, Nehemiah and the people of Judah, fashioned, accomplished and attended” “in the work” which means “within the business, occupation and workmanship”. Nehemiah shared how he and the people of Judah attended to the business of rebuilding the barrier wall surrounding Jerusalem. 

The verse continues, “and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.” Nehemiah added the words, “and half of them” or “and one half of the people of Judah” “held the spears” which means “grasped firmly and resolutely the lances and javelins especially equipped with iron” “from the rising of the morning” or “apart from the early morning light or dawn belonging to the start of a new day” “till the stars appeared” which means “until the stars in the nighttime sky came forth and arose”. Nehemiah shared how one half of the people of Judah who were rebuilding the barrier wall firmly grasped iron sharpened javelins or lances within their hands from dawn until the stars in the nighttime sky shined forth. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah how the people of Judah were resolved and purposed to continue in their effort to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Both he and they worked upon the wall while others took hold of iron sharpened lances within their hands from early morning until the stars came out in the nighttime sky. These people were obedient to the task before them even as we should be in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. God loves us, and He sent His Only Begotten Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross and to be raised from the dead three days afterward so all who put their faith and trust in Him will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and given the ability and resolve to work all their lives to share Him with others. From dawn to dusk let us be about the work of salvation from God to this world. 

Next time Nehemiah says, “let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".