Even a City on a Hill will not prosper without a Wall and Gate
What I have been meditating on…
The reason this keeps coming to mind is because Leslie and I have had an exhausting last 30 days. Lot’s of emotions. We just got home from a vacation, but we still feel tired.
Honestly, I’m surprised that we don’t feel more rested but recent events have been emotional. Our oldest son just got engaged to a wonderful girl. We are so happy for them. However, I just found out that my mom has Stage 4 stomach cancer. The weight and emotional roller coaster has taken a toll I believe.
Therefore, this has led me to thinking about boundaries, walls, and filters in our lives. Leslie and I need rest. I expect that many of you need rest. So, it’s in that context, that I want to share with you this evening.
The book of Nehemiah starts with Nehemiah in the king’s court in Susa, asking his friend, Hanani, about the condition of the people in Jerusalem.
Hanani described the “great trouble and shame” of the people, which plunged Nehemiah into mourning over the condition of the people that had gone back to Israel.
I have read Nehemiah numerous times in the past and every time I have glossed right over the next truth I am about to point out.
By the time of Nehemiah, there were at least two groups of Israelite exiles that had already returned to Jerusalem. One came with Zerubbel to rebuild the Temple about 70 years before and another came with Ezra to re-institute the Law of the Lord about 40 years before.
So, exiles had been resettling Jerusalem for decades with the re-instituted law, the re-built Temple, and even celebrating holidays and sacrifices. So often, we forget this when we read Nehemiah.
Yet, the Israelites who had “survived the exile” were in horrible shape and not prosperous.
When I realized this, I thought…
Wait a minute,…Zerubabbel and Ezra led efforts to rebuild the Temple. So they had the Temple for praise, worship, and sacrifices. They had the Law to follow.
There was the Mosaic Covenant which was conditional on them keeping the Law, and, by all accounts, they were doing this. But yet, they still struggled.
What was happening?
The answer is,
“The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” (Neh. 1: 3)
The problem was that they were open to every influence and demand on their time, resources, and taskmasters. They had no boundary. No protection. No filters. Anyone or anything that wanted to get to the Israelites of Jerusalem could, and this kept them from prospering.
Does this sound familiar?
Husbands tapping on your shoulder asking for dinner. Children yanking at your dress to get your attention. Picking up your phone and doomscrolling all night. Fox News blaring in our living rooms. Televisions invading our bedrooms.
Sleeping late so we rush past the devotion time we mapped out. No exercise. Missing Sunday night and Wednesday night church because we are too tired.
We are anxious with worry at the things we haven’t gotten done. The children are growing and we are running out of time. In-laws and influencers telling us what they think we should do.
We are open. On a hill. Exposed. No boundaries. No filters. No peace. Open to The roaring lion seeking who he may devour. (I Peter 5:8) And, in many cases we invite this roaring lion right into our home to sit at our table and devour until he is full.
A wall is a filter.
A wall allows for control. It has gates. You can schedule access and close the wall when a city wanted to shutdown. Shutting down could be for repairs or rest or simply waiting until the city is ready. The city is in control, not the visitors.
For many of us, we allow a lot of unwanted visitors in.
A wall provides focus. Ancient cities would grow right up to the wall and would limit spreading out beyond the walls. In some cases, the city would grow up inside the walls.
There is a truth here that I have never noticed before. Prospering depends on walls. Structure. Discipline. Filters.
We can have the best knowledge. Deep prayers. Stellar theology. Have sections of Scripture memorized. But, without walls we don’t grow in the Lord and gain traction in his service.
Instead we suffer.
A wall is about control of influence. Not being reactionary to everything.
For a person, a wall could be discipline and habits. Accountability to keep you on path. Routines so you are always moving forward. Systems to make things happen. Standards to shield your senses from influences you don’t want. And, being careful who you spend the most time with and listen to.
A wall can also be a retreat of rest when you need it. Renewal. Recovery. Revival.
Without walls, we are a city on a hill that is open to every influence, opinion, criticism, and accusation. Everything has access at all times.
We don’t worry about self-care. We eat what we want. Do what we want. Look at what we want. Hear what we want. Everything and everyone has access.
And then we wonder why we don’t have strength to do anything. To stand for anything. To represent what it means to follow Christ.
So it was for the Israelites in Jerusalem in the days of Nehemiah.
They had the Law. They had instituted observance of holiday and sacrifices and sabbaths.
They worked hard for purity. Even to the extremity of breaking up families at the end of Ezra. They studied the Scriptures. Yet, they had no Walls.
Therefore, they did not prosper.
