I. TO PROVIDE FOR THE SAFETY Of the city. There must always be the possibility of attack from without. Watch the walls and the gates. 1. The leading men of the Church should be faithful, and fearers of God above many. It is a terrible danger when prominent men are not examples of piety. Those who have a great charge should be above suspicion. 2. The gates must be specially watched, and their shutting and opening special matter of anxious care. When Churches are indifferent as to the admission of members they are doing incalculable harm to the cause of their religion. Wide and unwatched gates mean an unsafe city, an approaching ruin. 3. Let every one take part in the guardianship of Jerusalem. "Every one over against his own house." There are eminent men who occupy prominent posts, but the humblest believer has his part in the work of defending truth and guarding the spiritual prosperity of Zion. It was a good regulation which Nehemiah made: "Let not the gates be opened till the sun be hot." Do nothing in the dark. See the men who ask for admission in the clear daylight; know who they are, and what they mean. It is the multitudinousness of the Church which endangers it. If there be no light at the gates there will soon be enemies within the walls, traitors in the camp, and the safety of the Church will be undermined. II. Those who seek the welfare of Zion will desire INCREASE OF NUMBERS. The large city and the great walls are no honour to God without many people therein. "The houses not built" represent the lack of individual and family life. It is the living souls that are the city's glory. III. The TRUE METHOD OF ESTABLISHING THE PROSPERITY OF JERUSALEM IS TO LOOK WELL TO THE PURITY of its inhabitants. God put it into Nehemiah's heart to search for the genealogy, to distinguish the true Israel from the false. 1. The variety of office and degrees of honour quite consistent with unity of origin and community of spirit. It is better to have a place in the genealogy of God's people than to be high in this world's rank. 2. The preservation of the record was a help to subsequent generations to maintain the cause of Zion, and to tread in the footsteps of. the fathers. 3. The position of absolute, uncompromising purity and faithfulness to God is the only ground upon which discipline can be maintained. In the case of the priests, if the register could not be found "they were, as polluted, put from the priesthood." 4. The mere external purity of ritual is insufficient; the great requisite is direct intercourse with God. In all difficult cases the Urim and Thummim of immediate revelation must be sought. What is the mind of God? How little would the Church have erred if it had followed this rule: to suffer no caprice, no departure from principle, no compromise, but depend upon the word of God. - R.
For he was a faithful man, and feared God above many. I. CONSIDER THE MEANING OF FAITHFULNESS. It is the reverent and constant acceptance of those duties springing out of the relations in which I inevitably stand. Man is a being set in relations. When the ivy climbs up ruins and binds lovingly the fallen stones together, and wraps them in its green, it clambers and winds about and helps and beautifies because of the feelers it thrusts out, laying hold, by them, of the crumbling stones. It is the nature of the ivy to force these feelers out. So forth from every man there are shooting feelers of relations. They are part of his life-endowment.1. Man is bound into relation with God. God is Creator — Father — Providence and Sustainer — King and Judge. 2. Men and women are bound to each other in the relation of father and mother, and child and relative, and fellow-citizen, and so on endlessly. Springing out of these relations there are forced upon us certain duties. Faithfulness is accepting and steadily discharging them. II. FAITHFULNESS IS A CHANCE OPENING RIGHT AT THE FEET OF EVERY MAN FOR A NOBLE LIFE. III. FAITHFULNESS IS AN OPEN DOOR FOR A RIGHT AMBITION — to develop a noble character. Thus we may lift humdrum from our daily life. There is nothing so invigorating as the consciousness of recognising and accepting duty. The peace of a quiet conscience is in it. 1. Thus I am sure of setting a right example. 2. Thus I shall certainly make my life tell in all directions. IV. A REWARD OF FAITHFULNESS. Nehemiah gave Hananiah charge over Jerusalem because "he was a faithful man." V. THE REAL SOURCE AND INCITEMENT OF FAITHFULNESS. He "feared God." Think of Milton as holding himself "as ever in his great Taskmaster's eye." Policy, expediency, self-interest may seem to hold a man to duty in fair weather. The only lasting motive for faithfulness for all times is God. (Wayland Hoyt, D. D.) I. THAT THE FEAR OF GOD — real, Scriptural piety — IS THE SOLID FOUNDATION OF ALL FAITHFULNESS BETWEEN MAN AND MAN. II. THAT THE INDISPENSABLE EXPRESSION AND PROOF OF THE FEAR OF GOD IS TO BE FOUND IN A MAN'S FIDELITY AS TO THE AFFAIRS AND TRANSACTIONS WHICH TAKE PLACE BETWEEN HIM AND HIS FELLOWS. III. THAT PERSONS OF EMINENT PIETY AND GREAT FIDELITY WILL BE HONOURED BOTH BY GOD AND MAN. (J. Taylor.) II. CHARACTERISTICS OF EMINENT PIETY. 1. It consists in the habitual maintenance of a close walk with God. 2. It comprises a high and enlightened estimate of the character and work of Christ. 3. It is connected with an exquisite spiritual and moral sensibility. 4. It is always most powerfully swayed by spiritual motives and considerations. 5. These characteristics show the baselessness of the claims and pretensions to the possession of exalted religious attainments that are sometimes advanced. III. MOTIVES WHICH MAY LEAD CHRISTIANS TO ASPIRE AFTER EMINENCE OF PERSONAL PIETY. 1. The honour of religion. 2. It is a great preservative against apostasy. 3. Regard to personal enjoyment. 4. Its relation to usefulness. 5. Its bearing upon our future blessedness. 6. The enduring nature of the distinction it confers. 7. The adequate provision that has been made to aid in its attainment. (W. Hurd.) I. THE NATURE OF EMINENT PIETY.1. It involves a habit of serious reflection. 2. It is consistent and comprehensive. The man who exemplifies it believes the doctrines of revelation, is awed by its threatenings, animated by its promises, and controlled by its laws. He is at once sober, righteous, and godly. 3. It endures severe tests. It resembles a robust constitution, which can pass through all varieties of climate, while a sickly constitution demands careful restriction to one. 4. It is active and laborious. 5. It is piety that grows. II. CONSIDERATIONS THAT ENFORCE EMINENT PIETY. 1. The effects it produces on those who exemplify it. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) 2. The effects it produces on those who witness it.Conclusion : 1. Eminent piety is very rare 2. The means of acquiring and promoting eminent piety are invaluable. Intercourse with good men — attendance in a Christian sanctuary — reading, meditation, and prayer. 3. Real piety is indispensable. (Joseph Hughes.) 1. Is one that can be depended on, who performs all his promises, executes all trusts confided to him, one who is punctual and unwavering in all his engagements, and whose uprightness and integrity are transparent to all. 2. He is one who has been made the recipient of a gracious and Divine principle that is — (1) (2) (3) 3. He is a godlike man (2 Peter 1:4). II. THE CONDUCT WHICH HANANIAH SHOWED — he "feared God." The fear of God is — 1. A reverential awe of the majesty of God. 2. An implanted principle (Jeremiah 32:40). 3. A governing principle — Obadiah (1 Kings 18:12, 13); Nehemiah (Nehemiah 5:15). III. THE DISTINGUISHED POSITION ASSIGNED TO HANANIAH. (Francis Wills.) 1. By believing what God has revealed, on His testimony (2 Chronicles 20:20). To the exercise of this faith we are urged by the best example, as that of Abraham (Galatians 3:9; Romans 4:20), and that of Barnabas (Acts 11:24). Under the influence of this faith, we shall be led to seek God in the way He prescribes. 2. By conscientiously performing those duties which arise from our relations to God; as His servants, stewards, and soldiers. As His covenant-servants, we must devote ourselves to His service (Jeremiah 1:5; 1 Corinthians 4:19, 20). As His stewards, we must employ His gifts for His glory (1 Peter 4:10, 11). This faithfulness is required in stewards (1 Corinthians 4:2). As His soldiers, we must be valiant for His revealed truth (Jeremiah 9:8). We must be faithful — 3. By steadfast adherence to the required worship and service of God. Like the Church at Pergamos, we must not deny Christ through fear of suffering for righteousness' sake (Revelation 2:13; Revelation 17:14). 4. By seriously realising the invisible things of God (Hebrews 11:1). We should realise God's presence with us, as our Master, Helper, and Observer (Psalm 16:8; Psalm 46:1; Hebrews 11:27). We should realise the general judgment, when we must all appear before Christ (2 Corinthians 10:7, 9, 10). II. AND HE FEARED GOD ABOVE MANY. 1. By the fear of God, in this place, is meant the whole of personal religion, including the principles and practice, the dispositions and the conduct of its subject or possessor (Psalm 34:11; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 19:28; Ecclesiastes 8:12). 2. He feared God above many. This implies that there are different degrees of piety among those who truly fear God. This is intimated by our Lord, in His parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:8). It is admitted by St. Paul, in his doctrine of future rewards (2 Corinthians 9:6). This difference in pious attainments is also evident from the present state of the religious world. Of some eminent Christians, who are now the salt of the earth and the lights of the world, it may be said with great truth that they fear God above many. They acknowledge God more than many in their secular concerns (Proverbs 3:6; Philippians 4:6); they are more careful than many to allow themselves m those recreations only which are consistent with, and favour. able to, their advancement in holiness (1 Corinthians 10:81); they converse more spiritually and profitably than many (Ephesians 4:29); and they are more zealous than many, in employing all their talents for God's glory and the benefit of mankind (Acts 13:36). With respect to reputation; some have a good report from them that are without the Church, while the good that is in others is evil spoken of, through their indiscretions. With respect to usefulness; some are general blessings to their respective connections, while others are not visibly instrumental in bringing scarcely any souls with them to Christ and heaven. 3. The honourable mention of Hananiah's distinguished piety should excite us to imitate him, by endeavouring to excel in piety also. To excel in piety is —(1) Our privilege. This is incontestable from the prayers which the Holy Spirit has dictated for our adoption (Ephesians 3:14-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24; Hebrews 13:20, 21).(2) Our interest. For this will be conducive to — (a) (b) (c) (a) (b) (c) (Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons.) 1. In the first place, it would shut out atheists from the Legislature of the country. 2. It would exclude from power all immoral or ungodly persons. 3. Such recognition would show that the profession of religion is not incompatible with, nor a disqualification for, the duties of public life. 4. The appointment was on Scriptural lines. It was strikingly in accord with the advice of Jethro to Moses: "Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth hating covetousness, and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." (T. Robson.) (Sunday Companion.) (R. W. Emerson.) (John Hunter.) (Bp. Boyd Carpenter.) I. THE INDIVIDUAL DEALING OF GOD WITH US — "every one in his watch." We often resist the thought of having to do individually with God; it becomes too solemn, too oppressive, too terrible for a soul that is not reconciled to Him. This is partly at the root of the preference which many have for the Church life rather than the individual life, for the idea of the multitude in which we may hide rather than that of solitude in which we must be seen. There is much in which we can have no companionship. We are born alone ; every great disease or pain finds us in the deep places of a loneliness which none can share with us ; and it is in utter solitude that each of us dies. In all such cases it is individual dealing between the Lord and us. We never come right, we never come to the Pardoner of sin, or the trust of daily life, or real work for Christ, till we have had the individual dealing with God which brings us into the position of those whom God has accepted for Christ's sake, and for whom henceforth He will provide. II. The text is also UNIVERSAL IN ITS REACH. EVERY MAN means ALL MEN, which gives us the thought that there is a post for every man which God has appointed for him. III. THE WORK OF THE CHRISTIAN may be regarded as military service. In this aspect of life three things are required. 1. Strict discipline. 2. Instant obedience. 3. Perfect obedience. IV. THE PART OF MILITARY SERVICE WHICH FALLS TO US ALL IS SENTINEL DUTY. V. THE OBJECT OF THE WATCH WHICH IS LAID UPON EVERY CHRISTIAN. 1. It is a watch against attack. 2. It is a watch for reinforcement and succour. (T. Elder Cumming.) And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah The Strait Gate; Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories Ezra-Nehemiah |
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