尼希米的队工
尼希米记三章1至6节
1那时,大祭司以利亚实和他的弟兄众祭司起来建立羊门,分别为圣,安立门扇,又筑城墙到哈米亚楼,直到哈楠业楼,分别为圣。
2其次是耶利哥人建造。其次是音利的儿子撒刻建造。
3哈西拿的子孙建立鱼门,架横梁、安门扇,和闩锁。
4其次是哈哥斯的孙子、乌利亚的儿子米利末修造。其次是米示萨别的孙子、比利迦的儿子米书兰修造。其次是巴拿的儿子撒督修造。
5其次是提哥亚人修造;但是他们的贵胄不用肩(原文是颈项)担他们主的工作。
6巴西亚的儿子耶何耶大与比所玳的儿子米书兰修造古门,架横梁,安门扇和闩锁。
信息分享
接着的名单,只列出了父辈的名字,因此我们并不知道实际参与工程者是谁。信徒参与神的工作岂不一样?当我们将来进入荣耀的天家,便会看见许多忠仆的名字,他们都曾默默的为主作工,只是不为人所知罢了!
接着那长长的名单,便列出了参与工程者的不同背景,和各自所从事的职业。当中有银匠和作香的;也有妇女;有负责管理圣殿的。无论他们从事甚么工作,如今都同样有事奉神的机会。
有些人修建城墙的那一部分,就是在自己房屋的旁边(10节)。有许多房子可能是属于旧有城墙的一部分,如今修建的新城墙便可同时保护他们的房子。这节经文提醒我们去反思一个问题:「我们会做些甚么去保护自己的家,使它免受敌人的侵优?」许多时候,我们都将家庭的需要放得太后,但其实它需要我们更多的重视和关注。
当中有些人不用负责任何工作(5节)。经文没有告诉我们是甚么原因,但那些贵胄本身显然是不想参与。他们是来自耶路撒冷以南的提哥亚,那正是先知阿摩司的家乡。他们可能是富裕的牧羊人,因此,他们来到耶路撒冷,可能只是为了做买卖,他们对它并没有深厚的感情。他们没有参与神的工作,但同时却失去了神的祝福。
祷告:
「主啊,求你让我知道,我在你的工作中有何位份,求你助我能尽献所能为你工作。」
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.'

