In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate, and after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah, and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, and certain of the priests' sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, and his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them”, and in chapter twelve and verse thirty-seven of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared what happened “at the fountain gate” where we read,
And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.
The verse reads, “And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “and at the fountain gate” which means “and at the portal and entrance named for a spring or fountain as the eye of the landscape”, “which was over against them” or “that was conspicuous, in front, straight and in sight of the men with the instruments”, “they went up by the stairs” whose name means “they, the men with the instruments, ascended through the means of the rising steps” “of the city of David” or “pertaining to the guarded place of waking and town belonging to David whose name means beloved and was the son of Jesse and the second king of Israel”. Nehemiah shared how the men with the musical instruments went toward the “fountain” entrance opposite of the others on the wall and ascended the steps within “David's” guarded town which was Jerusalem.
The verse goes on to say, “... at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.” Nehemiah continued with the words, “at the going up” or “at the rising and incline” “of the wall” which means “belonging to the barrier wall”, “above the house of David” or “overseeing the habitation, abode and dwelling place belonging to David whose name means beloved and was the son of Jesse and the second king of Israel”, “even unto the water gate eastward” which means “as far and until it reached the entrance and portal known as the “east direction gate”. Nehemiah shared how the men with the instruments also ascended the barrier wall which was overseeing the dwelling place of “David” and continued toward the entrance known as the “eastern gate”.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah that there was a procession of the people who played instruments that were going to be part of the dedication of the barrier wall to Jerusalem. They went up the steps at the “Fountain Gate” toward the “city of David”, and they passed “David's” dwelling place and proceeded to the entrance known as the “Water Gate” which was in an eastward direction. All of these people were involved even as Nehemiah and Ezra directed them, and they were obedient to the worshiping and honoring of Jehovah God for bringing them back into their homeland. God wants all of us to be in His Kingdom, and when we believe and trust in His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead three days later as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and lead us by His Holy Spirit as to how we are to be involved in service to Him.
Next time Nehemiah shares about, “the other company of them that gave thanks”, 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".
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