God's Heart for the City

But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die." And the Lord said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"- Jonah 4:9‭-‬11 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Called To Reorder

We see how God shows mercy to Nineveh because of their repentance. Jonah was throwing a fit because of this. God grows a plant to shade Jonah. And Jonah is happy. Then God sends a worm to kill the plant. Jonah is hot and on top of it, God sends a scorching wind. Jonah is so upset now that he wants to die. Jonah is so worked up over this. God confronts him on this.

God talks about how Jonah is so worked up over this plant that grew up and died in one day that Jonah did not nurture or help to grow. God says he's worked up over this city of 120,000 people. A city of souls created in God's image with eternal consequence. God is confronting Jonah's priorities. How can Jonah be so worked up over these plants and care not for these people? And if not even the people, how about the cattle? Yes, some holy sarcasm.

So the book ends on this question. A question that confronts Jonah. But not only him, but also us, the readers. Are our emotions not also so misdirected? Do we not get all worked up over  such mundane things? How much consideration and care do we take with people, with souls? Should we not care enormously about their eternal destination?

Called To Respond

Jonah was angry because he wanted God to be like Jonah. Jonah wanted his enemies dead. He wanted God to agree with him. But we know that is not how it should be. We should become more like God! Jonah had pity on the plant. But God he had pity on Nineveh. Some translations use the word compassion or grieving. God had compassion on these people. God was weeping over these people. This warring and aggressive nation was not good, but God did not respond with just anger. God was grieved. This is what Jonah was struggling with... the complexity of God's response to sinners.

God says that these people do not know their right from their left. This is not a question of their intelligence. This is pointing out a lack of or disordered moral compass. They are ignorant of their lack of morality. God is not excusing their sin. But God has compassion. They are not foolish, but they are ignorant.

We see this complexity in Jesus. He hates sin, but he has compassion on the sinner. Jonah left the city seething. Jesus left the city to cover over the sins of those in the city.

Christians are called to love those who disagree with them. Not only that, but also love those who hate them, because that is what it means to follow Jesus. Jesus never considered sinners ignorant fools, but rather he had compassion. We are called to humility knowing our sinfulness, but also bold pursuit of souls to call them to the heavenly kingdom.

Called To Remember

We are called both individually and corporately to serve the city of Philadelphia. But we need to remember that we are first and foremost citizens of heaven. The kingdom of God is for the glory of God rather than man. It stands in stark contrast to the cities of men.

We are not serving for our fame or glory. God had already bestowed more glory than we can possibly gather in our lifetime in Jesus. We are not here for our comfort, our personal goals and dreams. We have more than we could ever need in Jesus. We are to remember our true home, heaven... and in doing so, we will better serve and contribute to wherever God has called us to.

Something better than anger

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord , is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord , please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." And the Lord said, "Do you do well to be angry?" Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, "It is better for me to die than to live." But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die." And the Lord said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"- Jonah 4:1‭-‬11 ESV

Rev. Travis Drake

Something better than anger

Opening argument (v1-4)

Jonah's complaint was that he was exceedingly displeased. He saw this as a great evil. He was very angry in his prayer to God. He was very unhappy about the repentance of Nineveh. A world in which God even forgives Israel's enemies is not one that Jonah wants to live in. This is why Jonah wants to die. Jonah does not want to serve a God that forgives more than just Israel.

In this culture, justice was crucial. One must pay for their crimes. Jonah felt that they deserved judgement and punishment. This was revolutionary in that time and age. Jonah felt angry about how these evil people repented in one moment and God forgave.

God asked Jonah if it was good for him to be angry. Jonah wanted to see the city burned to the ground. He wanted retribution. He wanted payback. Justice is restitution and restoration. Retribution simply desires destruction. But for true justice to be served a debt must be absorbed. Jonah didn't want God, he wanted something from God. God wanted good for Jonah. God wanted more than retribution for Jonah; He wanted justice.

Dramatic intermission  (v5-8)

Jonah runs away again, but he doesn't go as far this time. He goes just outside the city. The entire city of Nineveh has just repented and the only person who knows what is going on is outside the city. It is the same issue as before. Jonah is the same prophet who will not go. He is still struggling with the same issue as before the storm and the fish.

Why doesn't God just move on? Pick another prophet? Fulfill the death wish of this prophet? Because God sees progress. Jonah prays about his anger. Jonah doesn't run as far as before. God wants good for Jonah. God shelters Jonah from the sun with a plant. This is vitally important in a desert. But Jonah needs more than shade. So God sends a worm to attack the plant. Then the sun and hot wind attack Jonah.

Jonah is waiting to see if God will attack the city. But instead God sends a worm to attack the plant. God sends the sun and the hot wind to attack him. This is ironic. Then God uses words.

Closing argument

God asks why he is so angry over this plant. God asks if it is good for Jonah. Jonah replies to God in anger. He says he is so angry that he wishes for death. And it would be anger that killed him. Anger is what controls him. Jonah is experiencing tunnel vision from anger and the desire for retribution. Jonah is not free, he is a slave. Jonah needs to forgive them.

God finally closes the scene. He says, You, you pity this plant that grew in one day and perished in the next. But I, I care for this city. God is contrasting himself with Jonah. God cares for this city of 120,000. But where is God? God is outside talking to this one prophet. Why? Because the city has repented, but the prophet has not. Jonah is blinded by his anger. The people in the city don't know their left from their right. But Jonah is even more blind in his anger about Nineveh. He is the lost sheep and God is calling him back. Jonah doesn't know the way home even if he was shown it.

More than being told and shown the way, we need a rescuer. God has to save us, even from ourselves. God places difficult people and difficult circumstance in our lives for our good.

Application
Don't be trapped by your anger. (forgive, cancel the debt)
Don't be discouraged by your incremental progress

Do ask yourself, is your anger good for you?
Do remember that God was willing to go after one little sheep.

Turning

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you." So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord . Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, "By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish." When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.- Jonah 3:1‭-‬10 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Jonah turns (v1-3)

Jonah had just been through a life threatening storm. He had nearly died of drowning and spent time in the belly of a big 🐟. He probably still smells of fish guts. God calls Jonah again. Not only did God save Jonah, but God gave him a second chance at his calling as a prophet. God could've rightly sent his call to another person. Jonah knew how foolish it was to run from God. Jonah now knew that God would have his way. But Jonah reacts differently. Jonah goes to the city of Nineveh.

The city turns (v4-9)

Jonah goes into a three-day city. Bible schools debate what that means. Is it three days walk across? Does it take three days to see the whole city? Jonah gets there and one day in, likely at the outskirts of the city, Jonah gives God's message. It means Jonah was no longer rebelling or dilly-dallying. He was doing what God asked. Immediately, the entire city from the king down to the animals repent. They all turn from their sin from the highest to the lowest of the cattle. The bloodthirsty enemies of Israel repent from a five word sermon.

This was meant as a foil to the nation of Israel. But these evil pagan Assyrians, they met the first prophet of God, of Yaweh. They had no biblical basis or knowledge. But Israel has the word of God and prophet after prophet. And their repentance, turning to God and away from evil things is so so shallow. And not only the nation of Israel, but does this not convict us? We have the entire Bible, the full revelation of the gospel, the understanding of the fullness of God's promise. Our repentance is so partial, so shallow. We likely need to repent of our repentance.

Repentance is a lifestyle, not an event. The life of the Christian is one of continual turning from sin and to God. Our status as a child of God is secured by the life and death of Jesus. But if we will not repent and turn from our sins, it was affect our relationship with God. God will not cut us off, but our experience of God is impacted. Our joy in God and our intimacy with God.

God turns (v10)

The city repents without knowing what God would do. Jonah only preached of righteous judgement. The assyrian had no idea if their repentance would alter the coming judgement. They did not know what would happen. There was no word spoken of grace or love.

But the Christian has the guarantee of Jesus. They know of the mind-blowing grace of God. They know the story of the gospel. But we hear the gospel every Sunday. At some point it can become background noise. That's a dangerous place to be. So how do we avoid this danger? The text here is clear. We must repent. We must confront the sin in our lives and then look at the grace of God we have in Jesus. The gospel is only awesome and awe inspiring when we see how big our sins are... Grace becomes the driver of our lives.

Salvation Belongs to the Lord

And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, "I called out to the Lord , out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, 'I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.' The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord , and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord !" And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land. - Jonah 1:17-2:‬10 ESV

Rev. Charles Han

Is this story a historical fact or is it a myth? Or is it a metaphorical story? Is it a story of Jonah's recovery from sickness at sea at an inn called "The Fish"? Let's take in the details. This story has no embellishment. It is told in a matter of fact manner. Jesus even refers to this story in literal fashion. If you disbelieve this story, then all your faith is questionable. The question here is not how believable this story is. The question is whether we have a purely naturalistic perspective. The Christian worldview is supernatural. How so? The major foundation is based on a supernatural event, the resurrection of Jesus. No naturalistic explanations suffice.

Down in the depths

Jonah went and ran from God when called to go to Nineveh. He said he was in Sheol. Even though the sailors had thrown him in, Jonah attributed his state to God. God had brought Jonah to the depths of despair. This drive Jonah to prayer and to cry out for salvation. This was not severe punishment. This was severe grace. God needed to wake him up. During the height of the storm, Jonah alone did not cry out.. All the pagan sailors were calling upon their gods, but not Jonah, he was asleep. Jonah was in spiritual slumber and stupefaction. God brought him to the depths of the sea to cause Jonah to awaken and turn to God for salvation. For some, God must bring us to the utter depths before we turn to God.

Down in the fish's belly

Jonah's prayer is not a cry for salvation. What was it then? It was a cry of thankfulness. It was a cry of praise and exhortation. Jonah knew the fish was God's salvation. Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days. Jonah knew that he deserved punishment for his actions. He knew that he deserved death. But God heard Jonah and saved him. Jonah recognized the grace of God. He recognized that God was granting rescue to a sinner in the throes of rebellion. Jonah knew that he would not be entirely cut off from God. Jonah's troubles are a sign that point to Jesus. Jesus was cast into the depths of Sheol. He was dead for three days and then came back to life, like Jonah was in the tomb of the fish's belly and then spit out to life.

Salvation is free. But humanity refuses to accept it. Why? Vain idols. They can be literal false gods or other things that we hope will save us. Our talents, our dreams... These idols require so much of us, we forget God's everlasting love, security, and life. Nothing else can give this to us. God gives us hope, grace, and life by bringing us into desperation and deliverance. This is the way of following Christ till we see Him again.

Out onto the dry land

God was devoted to Jonah. He could have been left in that fish. God gave the prophet a second chance, a new life. God had not given up on Jonah. Jonah still had more to learn. God was not finished with Jonah. God could've just marked Jonah as unreliable and moved onto a new prophet. Jonah had failed, but God was not done. God had more kingdom work for Jonah. So it is with us, God will use us weak sinners. Take heart, stand up, and get back into the work of the Lord.

He rose and He ran

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me." But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord . He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord . But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. So the captain came and said to him, "What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish." And they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us." So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Then they said to him, "Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?" And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord , the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land." Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, "What is this that you have done!" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord , because he had told them. Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. He said to them, "Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you." Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. Therefore they called out to the Lord , "O Lord , let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord , have done as it pleased you." So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.- Jonah 1:1‭-‬16 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Jonah's Rebellion

Jonah's a prophet of God. This book starts much like many other books. God commands his prophet to go to Nineveh. Jonah goes and flees in the opposite direction. He runs away from the presence of the Lord. This is an overt act of rebellion. He isn't simply lost; he is purposefully moving in the opposite direction as God has commanded.

The assyrian people were violent and a threat to Israel. Jonah want interested in holding out salvation to these people. He was called to give a warning to the enemies of the people of Israel. This warning meant that there was a chance they might repent... And God might relent and withhold judgement. For Jonah, it made no sense. Jonah saw no reason for God to be gracious to these enemies. Jonah wanted to do what he felt was right. So he rebelled in overt fashion and went in the other direction.

For some, rebellion is covert. We live virtuous lives and do all the right things, but our heart is far from God. We do good things simply so that God will bless us. It is revealed that we are in rebellion when things don't go our way. When God brings trouble, we grumble and call God callous, unkind, ungracious, stingy. We feel that God owes us something for what we do. God is not Lord over our lives. We want control over our own lives. Our lives look okay from the outside, but our hearts are far from God.

Results of Jonah's Rebellion

Jonah runs... Down to Joppa. Down into the ship.  Down into the inner parts of the ship. When we run from God, it may seem great at first, but over time, it will only become a downward spiral. The first act of rebellion may be refreshing and feels freeing. But over time, it will only hurt us more and more.

We become less and less what God made us to be. Jonah is supposed to be God's ambassador to the pagans. But the captain of the ship rouses the prophet to pray for divine intervention! The pagan calls the prophet. Jonah tells them to throw him overboard. The pagan refuses from a tender heart. But being unable to fight the storm, they relent. And throwing him overboard to find the storm calmed. Many commentators believe that the pagans likely were shocked. They likely would have stopped and offered sacrifices to this fearsome and awesome God. Many believe the sailors likely became believers.

Inner rebellion has outward consequences. Do not be fooled. There is no hidden sin that will not affect your life and slowly but surely destroy your life and the lives of those around you.

God's Response

God knew what Jonah was doing. God hurled a great storm upon the seas. God didn't send a storm to destroy Jonah. He sent one to save Jonah from himself. God can and will send trouble and trials to bring us back to himself. God rouses himself from his throne, not to smite Jonah, but to restore him.

Jesus rose from his dwelling on heaven to come for us. Jesus came to earth to chase after those who run from God. Jesus endured the storm of the crucifixion for us to bring us life and peace. He was smitten with the full wrath of God the Father. This is how we know God loves us and is for us. God is trustworthy.

Moving forward ... Into the city

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" And he said, "No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord . Now I have come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, "What does my Lord say to his servant?" And the commander of the Lord 's army said to Joshua, "Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him." So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord ." And he said to the people, "Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord ." And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. But Joshua commanded the people, "You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout." So he caused the ark of the Lord to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp. Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord . And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the Lord , while the trumpets blew continually. And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days. On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.
Joshua 5:13‭-6:17 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

We need open eyes

Moses had died and Joshua was near Jericho. He was there to gather intel for the coming battle. Joshua meets an armed man. He asks who's army this man belongs to. The man answers that this man belongs to neither army. Joshua's experience mirrors Moses' experience on the mountain. Joshua now knows that there is an invisible battle happening. Why else would God's army be present, if not for battle?

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.- Ephesians 6:12 ESV

The mantle of power is passed on from Moses to Joshua. The parting of the red Sea mirrors the parting of the Jordan. The mantle of power passes from Jesus to the disciples by the coming of the Holy Spirit. This is the movement of the kingdom. We are not in physical battle, but spiritually battling for souls. We are here to win over people to Christ. Satan will oppose every move. As the church moves to launch this new campus, the session and leaders of our church have found themselves afflicted with physical ills, family crises, etc. It seems like too much of a coincidence for this to all happen just now.

We need open hands

Jericho was shut in. Why? These people had heard of this God who had done great things for the Israelites. The Israelites were not experienced in siege warfare. They did not have the right equipment. So Joshua encounters the commander from God's army. And when Joshua asks what the plan is, he gets the most ridiculous response. Joshua was told to bring trumpets... to a battle. March for six days. And then just march and yell on the seventh day. The walls collapse. How? Many have tried to explain it. But consider that this is simply to show the supernatural aspect. God brought them down. It may be now accurate to say that Joshua accepted the city from God's hand.

So it should go with us. The church growth and success comes from God. We cannot bring people to God. We cannot bring conviction to hearts. The kingdom does not advance because of our work. Lives can only be changed in the hands of God.

I would like to ask the formal members of this church to pray for the month of September for the church. At every meal, please pray for God to bring life change and kingdom advancement.

We need open arms

Does God support genocide? Joshua and the Israelite army went into that city and killed everyone there. When Moses was shown the promised land, he was told that the full wickedness of the Ammorites had not yet come to fruition. God had been patient with these people and then he executed judgement on the people for their sins. God must punish evil and wickedness. But there is also the picture of grace, Rehab, the prostitute, running a brothel was spared. We consider ourselves good, but we must know that we have wickedness within. Pride, greed, wrath, etc. God must punish for those sins as well. God's judgement is coming for everyone. But for the Christian, Jesus has won the battle for us. By faith, the city is open and the kingdom welcomes us in. So now, our commander, Jesus sends us with open arms to welcome others into the kingdom. Rehab is the most unlikely of coverts:a polytheistic worshipper, cannanite prostitute, who ran a brothel... came to saving faith. May we welcome those who make us uncomfortable, who are unlike us, who we see as impossible to come to God... towards the kingdom.

The joy of the city of God

Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. These are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the towns of Judah everyone lived on his property in their towns: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants. And in Jerusalem lived certain of the sons of Judah and of the sons of Benjamin. Of the sons of Judah: Athaiah the son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, of the sons of Perez; and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, son of the Shilonite. All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468 valiant men. And these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah, and his brothers, men of valor, 928. Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city. Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin, Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, ruler of the house of God, and their brothers who did the work of the house, 822; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah, and his brothers, heads of fathers' houses, 242; and Amashsai, the son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer, and their brothers, mighty men of valor, 128; their overseer was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim. And of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who were over the outside work of the house of God; and Mattaniah the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, who was the leader of the praise, who gave thanks, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. All the Levites in the holy city were 284. The gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their brothers, who kept watch at the gates, were 172. And the rest of Israel, and of the priests and the Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, every one in his inheritance. But the temple servants lived on Ophel; and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants. The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the work of the house of God. For there was a command from the king concerning them, and a fixed provision for the singers, as every day required. And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king's side in all matters concerning the people. And as for the villages, with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its villages, and in Dibon and its villages, and in Jekabzeel and its villages, and in Jeshua and in Moladah and Beth-pelet, in Hazar-shual, in Beersheba and its villages, in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, in En-rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its villages. So they encamped from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom. The people of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages, Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen. And certain divisions of the Levites in Judah were assigned to Benjamin.

These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua. And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. And Bakbukiah and Unni and their brothers stood opposite them in the service. And Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua. And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers' houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel. In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the Levites were recorded as heads of fathers' houses; so too were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. As for the sons of Levi, their heads of fathers' houses were written in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers who stood opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch by watch. Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storehouses of the gates. These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra, the priest and scribe. And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall. Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate. And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, and certain of the priests' sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph; and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. At the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east. The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall, and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Gate of Yeshanah, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me; and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away. On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.
- Nehemiah 11-12 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Populating the city with purpose

The city was populated in the following way. People drew lots so that one of every hundred would be appointed to move to this city. This city was empty and barren. People had already looted anything of worth. This was not a good neighborhood to move to. Drawing lots was considered a reasonable way to decide the will of God. Now we have the full revelation of God so we no longer depend upon the casting of lots.  Those who moved to the mostly empty city of Jerusalem went with the understanding that they were to move there as the will and desire of God. Regardless of personal feelings and preferences, they moved and repopulated the city with God's divine purpose. We can be here in Philadelphia because we have a heart for the city. We believe that God called you here. Or maybe you felt like someone else cast lots and here you are in this city. Either way, we believe God is in control. He has bright you here with a divine purpose. If you don't know, then ask God to bring back the call of God back into your heart. To remind you of what God desires of you in light of your talents, experiences, and strengths...

This ministry field is temporary

The new Jerusalem is a city built by God. Anything we lose out on by moving to some place whether it be a lower salary, lower status, and any number of creature comforts will be more than compensated by heaven, the home that God has prepared for us. Heaven will make the greatest and most awe inspiring places here look like a dump.

Serving steadily in ordinary ways

We go from joy and celebration to the appointment of men to handle mundane tasks. Collecting offering, organizing storage closets. These are ordinary people taking care of ordinary things. This is how God works in furthering the kingdom. Ordinary people doing inconspicuous tasks. The vast majority of God's work is mundane tasks done diligently and faithfully. This mirrors the mundane circumstances of Jesus: born to a teenaged couple, mundane in appearance, in a backwater no name town, followed by some insignificant fishermen, left to die alone on a cross. On the surface, such an insignificant life... But what kingdom purposes were being accomplished though his life and death!