Nehemiah 11:3-24 tell us that some of those who returned from exile were chosen by lots to live in Jerusalem. There were also those who had volunteered to dwell. They were mainly leaders. Whether chosen by lots or by volunteering, they made sacrifices to live there. Now in the last 11 verses, we see a list of villages in Judea occupied by the returnees.
Many
of the sons of Judah were said to dwell in seventeen villages in the south of the
valley of Hinnom. Fifteen other villages there were occupied by the sons of Benjamin.
Although some of the villages such as
Kiriath-arbe and Beersheba were not within the purview of the Persian authority
in the province of Judea, some Jews were permitted to stay there. They
probably had in mind to reclaim these territories as well for they were once their
possession.
Like
the early church which started in Jerusalem but mushroomed and spread throughout
Judea, Samaria, and other parts of the earth to witness to Christ, the church
must also be a witness everywhere. How will Christians be effective witnesses
if they don’t spread out and go everywhere to share Christ? How will remote
cities all over the world be evangelized if we are not missionary minded? Remember
the Gospel of the Kingdom must be preached everywhere and then shall the end
come. Let’s be willing to go wherever we are sent.
No comments:
Post a Comment