1 Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. 2 Next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built. 3 Now the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. (Nehemiah 3:1–3)
Chapter 3 of Nehemiah gives an account of what was built, repaired, or restored under Nehemiah’s leadership. His plan was uncanny. He assigned groups who lived inside or outside of the wall to gates or sections of the project closest to them, or with the most strategic importance to their callings. There was also connectivity or proximity to each other, with the words, “next to them,” or “after them” used many times. Also implied were engagements by people with things in common, such as ethnic groups, family members, friends, priests, temple servants, perfumers, and goldsmiths. Some like the Tekoites, worked on multiple sections. As the Hebrew word in Nehemiah 3:27 implies, they grabbed “a second portion.”
This plan is a really good example of how we should operate our churches. However, I’ve sadly observed on occasion church leaders trying to force groups to cohabitate, tinkering with what was previously working fine, stubbornly continuing to work an unrealistic plan, or over-administrating by creating unnecessary and unbiblical qualifications for involvement in a particular service ministry. Here you get the sense of a living organism at work. Built in was all the motivation and accountability needed to achieve the objective.
As Nehemiah inspected what was underway, it had to be quite pleasing to him to witness the industry of the people. The practical outworking of the wisdom and spirit of God is a winning combination.
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