The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God;
so did I, together with half the officials, as well as the priests —
Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets —
and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer.
Nehemiah 12:40-42a
Last time we saw Nehemiah following our second choir around the opposite direction of the city gate, thankful for how He covers and blesses, ready to let go of what needs left behind, and watching the group stop the procession. Today we’ll see them begin to take their places in Temple.
Took their places here is amad again, meaning “to take one’s stand.” And they are doing this in the House of God – Bethel.
The phrase “here I stand” is often used these days, sometimes in jest.
“[My football team] is the greatest of all time. Here I stand.”
“I do not like chips and salsa. Here I stand.”
And yet, when taking our places in the House of God, there’s only one place any of us stand. Somewhere we are completely level, as all other ground is sinking sand.
I appreciate Nehemiah’s next phrase, “and so did I.” The pronoun here is ani which means “alone, myself.” And aren’t there other places no one else can stand with us? Areas in which God calls us, whether others join us or not?
The other thing this makes me think of is how justice chooses sides. I do not love this as it is less comfortable than seeing both points of view. But when injustice is prevalent, what matters is not comfort but the vulnerable. “Backing up the river” and fixing broken systems. Refusing to get used to mass shootings, toddlers suddenly orphaned, or unarmed black men shot by police.
We can take our stand where we’re called. We can refuse to live only by scripted narratives. And we can be grateful if others join us, like Nehemiah had.
He took his stand together with half the officials (sagan – prefect, ruler, official, to superintend). To be reminded that those with authority are to use it for others’ benefit always comforts and challenges me. But there’s no other way to see it when in God’s house, no possible way to interpret leadership as prideful position when the One with all surrendered everything.
The priests also joined in Temple, and Nehemiah lists them. Since we’ve recently seen many of these names, we’ll only highlight a handful, starting with Eliakim. It means “God sets up” from el and qum – to arise, stand up, accomplish, brighter, build, confirm, endure, establish, fulfill, grown, prepared, raised, restore, rouse, strengthen, surely take stand, abide.
Doesn’t this make you think of the phrase “set up for success?” It does me. I consider how God will rouse and restore, establish and build His children, but that success will look so much different than the world. When His goal is making us more like His Son, when His purposes involve kneading into our being certain attributes from His Spirit, we can remind ourselves we’re not being set up for fame, fortune, popularity or praise. But service, sacrifice, and purpose? Indeed.
Elioenai is the next priest we’ll point out, as His name means “toward Yah are my eyes.” Do you not love it? Not only do unnecessary things become strangely dim, but our elevated vision can keep us much more motivated than simple positive thinking or to-do lists. When I am reminded who I’m becoming here now will matter there and for eternity, pettiness looks petty, worthiness tastes like it, and opinions can roll off with greater ease.
It also seems worth noting Nehemiah points out these priests were “with their trumpets.” I quickly Googled uses for trumpets in the Bible, and found they’re used for assembling the people, in anointing kings, in wartime, dedication and worship, in taking Jericho, and for the Day or Atonement and Year of Jubilee. So Nehemiah having the priests use them as they dedicated Jerusalem’s new city wall makes sense.
Elam is the next priest we’ll highlight, whose name comes from alam – to conceal, blind, disregard, neglect, pay no attention, shuts, melts, secret. Makes me think of “turning a blind eye” and the innate privilege associated with it. If we’re able to pay no attention to injustice, it simply means it’s not directly affecting our daily life. Which means two things:
1. We have to listen to those affected if we ever hope to understand
and
2. We must put things in front of our faces regularly to remind us that, because we’re not directly affected, it means we’re in a position of social power and ought to seek to influence change.
May we never be okay neglecting things Yahweh takes personally, shut out those for whom He died, or choose to be blind to the needs of others.
Ezer is the final priest we’ll highlight. His name, of course, means “to help.” I am impressed this morning that its root word azar can also mean comfort. It’s just so rough out there, and we have access to worldwide issues daily at our fingertips. Not only do we get to comfort one another that this will all be set right one day, we can lean into the God of all comfort Who cares.
He cares for every individual involved, even the ones we don’t like or disagree with. And His help in this world looks like a Kingdom which spreads organically like yeast, not top down power. Not force or manipulation, but a new kind of vision. Not one type of evil over another, but a completely other, third way of Truth and righteousness and forgiveness and Spirit-empowered grace.
May we help others live in that kind of Kingdom as we take our places in the House of God.