EXTRACTS

Well now in Nehemiah’s time, the privileges of Jerusalem were laid hold of, so that it says in this chapter (Nehemiah 11), verse 1, “the rulers of the people dwelt” there. Thank God for that! Surely they shall give a lead, for the leaders amongst the people of God are not merely marked by intelligence and strength, but feeling and affection and appreciation of divine things. Therefore these leaders are to be emulated, they dwell in Jerusalem. Then there is the principle of one in ten dwelling in Jerusalem, the other nine went out into other cities. It is evidently recorded here to show the state of things that existed. Are we content to be one of those nine that are willing to stay out of Jerusalem? You can do it by putting your home and family and business first. Whereas the dweller in Jerusalem puts the interests of Christ first, he is at every meeting of the saints possible, he never willingly misses one. Anna would never miss a meeting, she was day and night in the temple, she would not think lightly of staying away from a meeting. One has often pictured the saints at Jerusalem. Peter and six others went off fishing one night. If you had asked Mary Magdalene where Peter and the sons of Zebedee were that day, if she knew she would tell you regretfully, she would feel their absence. Can we afford to come under that opprobrium? To be absent, like Thomas, when such great things are happening? Anna would never be absent. She dwelt in Jerusalem, and not only was she in the temple but she spoke of the Lord to all them that looked for redemption in Israel. How Jerusalem would come into her mind, how she would convey that to those to whom she spoke! It is a somewhat wholesome thing to take account of the progress of persons nominally dwelling in Jerusalem. Who are the persons at the prayer meeting? See how many of them are there. Those who are habitually absent are not really inhabitants of Jerusalem, not characteristically such.

Then it goes on to say (Nehemiah 11: 2), “And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem”. They blessed them. You sometimes hear it said, Miss So and So is never absent, she is always at the meeting. Such persons come into peculiar blessing, they have a unique place in the affections of the saints. “If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning”, that is, if I forget the brethren, forget the assembly. How many prefer the night school to the meetings—not that I would make little of one qualifying to earn a living, but “If I forget thee O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning”, Psalm 137: 5. I may become a great man in this world but of what value is that if I have forgotten Jerusalem? We cannot afford to do that, no one can afford to acquire anything at the expense of Jerusalem. So it says here, “The people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell in Jerusalem”. I love that blessing, the people blessed them.

J. Taylor (Vol. 38, pp.285–287)

How many of us, I wonder, are accustomed to look to the Lord for direction in all the details of life? We are so accustomed to look to man that we do not easily come under the moral sway of grace; we are very apt to act for reasons of advantage or convenience, and that proves that one knows very little about the kingdom.

F. E. Raven (Vol. 12, p.28)

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