尼希米的隊工
尼希米記三章1至6節
1那時,大祭司以利亞實和他的弟兄眾祭司起來建立羊門,分別為聖,安立門扇,又築城牆到哈米亞樓,直到哈楠業樓,分別為聖。
2其次是耶利哥人建造。其次是音利的兒子撒刻建造。
3哈西拿的子孫建立魚門,架橫梁、安門扇,和閂鎖。
4其次是哈哥斯的孫子、烏利亞的兒子米利末修造。其次是米示薩別的孫子、比利迦的兒子米書蘭修造。其次是巴拿的兒子撒督修造。
5其次是提哥亞人修造;但是他們的貴冑不用肩(原文是頸項)擔他們主的工作。
6巴西亞的兒子耶何耶大與比所玳的兒子米書蘭修造古門,架橫梁,安門扇和閂鎖。
信息分享
接著的名單,只列出了父輩的名字,因此我們並不知道實際參與工程者是誰。信徒參與神的工作豈不一樣?當我們將來進入榮耀的天家,便會看見許多忠僕的名字,他們都曾默默的為主作工,只是不為人所知罷了!
接著那長長的名單,便列出了參與工程者的不同背景,和各自所從事的職業。當中有銀匠和作香的;也有婦女;有負責管理聖殿的。無論他們從事甚麼工作,如今都同樣有事奉神的機會。
有些人修建城牆的那一部分,就是在自己房屋的旁邊(10節)。有許多房子可能是屬於舊有城牆的一部分,如今修建的新城牆便可同時保護他們的房子。這節經文提醒我們去反思一個問題:「我們會做些甚麼去保護自己的家,使它免受敵人的侵優?」許多時候,我們都將家庭的需要放得太後,但其實它需要我們更多的重視和關注。
當中有些人不用負責任何工作(5節)。經文沒有告訴我們是甚麼原因,但那些貴冑本身顯然是不想參與。他們是來自耶路撒冷以南的提哥亞,那正是先知阿摩司的家鄉。他們可能是富裕的牧羊人,因此,他們來到耶路撒冷,可能只是為了做買賣,他們對它並沒有深厚的感情。他們沒有參與神的工作,但同時卻失去了神的祝福。
禱告:
「主啊,求你讓我知道,我在你的工作中有何位份,求你助我能盡獻所能為你工作。」
NEHEMIAH'S WORKING BEE
Nehemiah 3:1-6
1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel.
2 Next to Eliashib the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
3 Also the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.
4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, made repairs. Next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok the son of Baana made repairs.
5 Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.
6 Moreover Jehoiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors, with its bolts and bars.
Message
Then there are men and women here whose names we don't know. In verse 3 for example the father is mentioned, but not the names of the sons who did the work. Isn't this true in the Lord's work? When we get home to glory we will find out the names of many, many people who have worked for Christ, but whose names we never knew.
There is a long list of men from all kinds of backgrounds and various occupations. There were men who worked with jewels. There were chemists. There were women. There were the servants from the temple. You could call them deacons and deaconesses. Whatever their occupation they found opportunity in the work of God.
There were those too who built the wall nearest their own homes (v.10). Many houses were actually built as part of the old walls and now the new wall would protect their homes. A good question to stop and think about would be, 'What are we doing to protect our homes from the attack of the enemy?'. The family needs to have a much larger place in our priorities than most of us give to it.
There were those who did not help in any way (v.5). Why? We aren't told, but obviously they didn't want to get involved. They came from the hills of Tekoa south of Jerusalem, the country where Amos the prophet came from. They were probably rich shepherds, so weren't interested in the city of Jerusalem except as a place to sell their sheep. They missed out on the work, but they missed out on the blessing too.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
'Lord help me see what part is mine in your work today, and help me to do it.'

