There’s some lovely references in today’s chapter about people who helped in the rebuilding work: Neh 3:8 – both the goldsmiths and the apothecaries would have delicate hands, to be able to do their work. But they still got down to building. Neh 3:12 – Shallum persuaded his daughters to help. And Neh 3:20 says that Baruch “earnestly repaired”. He was keen.

3:2 The workers on the wall were all from different backgrounds. Some would have some wall building skills, others would not. However they were all ‘next unto’ their neighbour. Notice the repeated use of the phrase in this chapter. Despite their different skills they were all working together in fellowship building the wall.

3:1 Whilst Eliashib started off well we see at the end of the book of Nehemiah that he has associated himself with the enemies of God – Neh 13:21

3:23 In that the area that the goldsmiths repaired was to the sheep gate means that this chapter has taken us right round the city walls for we started at the sheep gate - 3:1 – with Eliashib.

3:6 We should be aware that this Nehemiah is not the governor for his father has a different name. The Nehemiah of the book’s father was called ‘Hachaliah’ Neh 1:1

V.1 Eliashib was the grandson of Jeshua, the first post-captivity high priest.  The sheep gate was where the sheep for sacrifice passed en route to the temple.

We shall see, later, that the good work that Eliashib did in building up the sheep gate was overshadowed by some negativity.

V.5 There was no class or occupation that was too great to serve Yahweh in the work of re-building.  And yet, the nobles of Tekoa thought they were above helping.

Tekoa was a city of Judah, 12 miles (19 km) south of Jerusalem.  It was the birthplace of Amos (Amos 1:1).

Vs.9,11 Rephaiah  and Shallum were rulers of Jerusalem. Why the division? Clarke conjectures: Probably the city was divided into two parts; one for Judah, and the other for Benjamin, each having its proper governor.

Did Shallum’s daughters physically work on the wall? Or did they contribute money for the expenses of repairing the wall?

V.26 Ophel was a mound on the southern slope of the temple mount, which lead to the Valley of Hinnom.

3:20-21 It would appear that the area where Eliashib’s lived was repaired by others. We should not be selfish in our services in the ecclesia. We should be willing to help others even if we think that they could do the work themselves

Neh 3:1 - "Eliashib" [(475) means "God will restore, God restores"] "the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests" - this perhaps reminds us of a future time when the risen Christ, the first fruits of the new creation (1Cor 15:20-23), will soon return to earth (Acts 1:9-11) and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will rise some to everlasting life (Dan 12:2), his true brethren (Matt 12:50) will be kings and priests (Rev 1:6;5:10) on earth (Matt 5:5) and the word of the Lord will go forth from a restored new Jerusalem (Isa 2:1-4;Zech 12:10-14;Rev 21:2-5).

Neh 3:12 - is this Shallum, ruler of half of Jerusalem, working with his daughters in repairing, the same Shallum who had to give up his wife (Ezra 10:24)?

Neh 3:14 - "Bethhakkerem" [(1021) means "house of the vineyard"] so it would seem Malkijah was perhaps son of a different Recab than the Recabites mentioned elsewhere who were nomads living in tents never drinking wine or planting vineyards (Jer 35:1-9).

13:1 offended in Baal 2 Kings 17:16
13:4 from Egypt no God but me Exodus 20:2 - 3
13:5 wilderness, ... land of great drought Deuteronomy 8:15
13:14 O Death ... thy destruction 1 Corinthians 15:54
13:16 they shall fall by the sword Amos 7:17

13:16 'Samaria will become desolate' is both a statement of fact about what would happen to the North and a warning to Judah in the South. By this time it was too late for a change of heart regarding the North. The only hope was that Judah would see how her 'treacherous sister' had been treated for her rebelliousness and repent. In fact typically, if there was repentance in Judah, the repentance was seen in the king and the people followed sheep like but their heart was not with the king.

V.2 A kiss is a sign of affection, acceptance, and respect.  It was used liberally in the Near East in biblical times, and still is today in that part of the world.  But the object of the kissing is either acceptable or not acceptable in the eyes of Yahweh.  

Members of the early ecclesia, for example, were encouraged to greet one another with a kiss (Rom 16:16; 1Cor 16:20; 2Cor 13:12; 1Thess 5:26).  This was desirable.  On the other hand, the practice of kissing idols was abhorrent to Yahweh (1Kin 19:18).  

Motivation is important in all things, and in kissing it was as important as the object being kissed.  Joab kissed Amasa as an act of betrayal (2Sam 20:9,10); and Judas kissed the Lord to betray Him to the authorities (Mark 14:44,45). 

Let us make sure that the objects of our kissing (either literal or figurative) are acceptable to Yahweh, and that our motivation is correct.

13:10  ‘I will be thy king’ is more accurately rendered ‘Where is now thy king …’ as Hoshea is now in captivity.

13:14 deliverance from ‘the power of the grave’ echoes Psa 49:15 and seems to form the basis of the comment in Heb 2:14, power of death.

13:5 The ‘wilderness of great drought’ reminded Israel – if only they could remember God’s dealings with them – of their deliverance in the wilderness when they left Egypt – Deut 8:15

1:5 'what manner of men we were' - could we appeal to our example of living as a basis for arguing the truth of the gospel, or as a basis that should be imitated?

2:3 'not of deceit' contrasts the approach of the 'unbelieving Jews' in Thessalonica Acts 17:5 - 8.

2:6 The apostle was not 'burdensome' when he was in Thessalonica because of the generosity of the brethren and sisters at Philippi Philippians 4:16

1:4 Are we sure of our 'election' - do we think on the fact that we have been chosen by God and hat our involvement in the purpose of God is not an haphazard affair? Such a realisation - that we are part of God's elect - should both humble and encourage us.

2:18 The 'Satan' referred to here is the constraint laid upon the brethren in Acts 17:9-10

1:6 In setting his life along side that of Jesus as a pattern to follow Paul is setting himself a very high standard. Can we speak of our lifestyle as similar to Jesus' or Paul's? We should be able to do so.

2:9 The 'labouring night and day' Paul speaks of must have been tentmaking as this was his craft. (Acts 18:3)

1:10 Waiting for His son will be realised when the words of  Isa 25:9 are fulfilled.

2:17  When Paul speaks of 'being taken from you' he is speaking of the injunction that they should not visit Thessalonica again (Acts 17:9-10)

1:1 Paul wrote his two letters to the ecclesia at Thessalonica, in Macedonia (modern Greece) in about 51 AD from Corinth. 

Paul, Silvanus (Latin form of the Greek name Silas), and Timothy were missionaries to Thessalonica.  They greatly disturbed the Jewish leaders there because, through their preaching activities, many synagogue members left to join the ecclesia. 

The Jews took Paul's host Jason hostage and kept him until the missionaries left the area. 

1:10  John Baptist warned the Pharisees and Sadducees to flee the ‘wrath to come’ – Matt 3:7. The brethren and sisters in Thessalonica were, ‘in Christ’ and had by implication heeded the warning of John by being baptized into Christ.

2:14 So, it seems, brethren were persecuted by gentiles ‘your own countrymen’ as well as Jewish brethren being persecuted by Jews.

WHY 2 LETTERS?

* The 1st letter insists that the day of the Lord will come like a "thief in the night", and urges watchfulness 1Thess 5:2

* The 2nd letter clears up a misconception about the 2nd coming and explains what signs must first come 2Thess 2:3-12

If Christ were to return today - how would he find you living? Are you ready to meet him today? Live each day prepared to welcome him.

2:13 ‘Without ceasing’ does not mean every moment of every day. Rather Paul is saying that the brethren and sisters are never forgotten by him.

2:9       So we conclude that Paul preached and helped his brethren and sisters in the day time and when they had gone to bed he would work to support himself. We tend to work in the day time and then get involved in ecclesial work in the evening or at the weekend. We cannot really change that but we can consider how closely to Paul’s commitment is ours.

1:7 That the Thessalonian believers were an ‘ensample’ to all in ‘Macedonia and Achaia’ indicates the power of example and the way that people notice how we behave. Probably the ones who saw how the Thessalonians carried themselves were all their fellow believers in those regions. Do we think how others might view Christ when they reflect on our behaviour?

2:11 This is the second caring metaphor that Paul has used. The first being ‘nurse in verse :7.

THESSALONIANS ARE INSPIRING

Paul makes me want to go and visit the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica. From what he says, I know I will be encouraged by them and will be able to learn and grow from the example of Christian living that they show.

Unfortunately the believers that were in Thessalonica at the time have all gone, and all we have left to inspire us from them are the letters Paul and his friends wrote to them. One of the things I find so inspiring about the believers in Thessalonica is this: "You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia - your faith in God has become known everywhere." (1Thess 1:6-8)

The Thessalonians were living examples of Jesus, Paul, Timothy and Silas. They were a joyful, vibrant group of believers whose love for God spread out far beyond themselves to anyone who heard about them. They were an encouragement to other believers, the source of truth, and an example to follow for those needing to hear about Jesus.

Let us pick up on their example and make it our own: be filled with joy and let God's word spread from us as an encouragement and a witness.