The Bible Study Podcast, episode 627.

Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of the book of Nehemiah with Chapter 7.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast.

We continue on with Chapter 7, which is one of my favorite

chapters, because it has a lot of lists, and you know how I love those. But first it says this.

After the wall had been built and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians,

and the Levites were appointed. I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the citadel,

because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.

I said to them, the gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot.

While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them.

Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts, and some near their own houses.

And so we see that even though the wall has been finished, you still have to man the wall.

You still have to do all the work that it takes to defend yourself.

And remember that Nehemiah has to return to the king.

He's the cup bearer for the king and he's been given leave to come.

But the king's question was, when are you coming back?

So he's getting ready to leave.

And so he puts his brother in charge along with someone else who is a man of integrity.

And that is also what we should always look for in terms of leaders is somebody who is doing

this for the right reasons, someone who has integrity.

Their loyalty can't be purchased.

They say what they mean. They mean what they say.

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