All the men who volunteered (Nehemiah 11:1-2)

 All the men who volunteered

 

 

 

[Nehemiah 11:1-2]

 

 

Do you know where the term "volunteer" originated?  In the Western world, it started being used to refer to support soldiers who volunteered for military service during World War I, and from there, the term evolved to encompass modern volunteerism.  Today, it not only pertains to activities in social welfare but has spread to various areas including transportation, environment, crime, and community issues.  Therefore, when we say "volunteers," we refer to people who willingly take action to create a better community.  Volunteerism possesses three key characteristics (Internet):

 

(1)    The first characteristic is "voluntarism": "How can I not do this?"

 

Voluntarism emphasizes taking action based on individual free will and agency.  Especially in today's highly specialized society, it requires individuals to proactively address the suffering of neighbors or communal crises and societal issues without turning a blind eye.  It's the determination to step forward voluntarily when faced with situations where someone must take action, thinking, "How can I not do this?"  Anyone can think of doing something good, but the crucial question is, 'Who will take voluntary action first?'

 

(2)    The second characteristic is "publicness": It's not just about cleaning in front of my own house.

 

Even if one has voluntarism in abundance, if they lack a sense of welfare or public spirit, their actions cannot be considered volunteer work.  For example, someone immersing themselves in hobbies like playing board games or fishing out of personal preference cannot be classified as volunteer work.  Even in cleaning, it's not just about cleaning in front of one's own house or a close friend's house; it's about cleaning the entire neighborhood.  Volunteerism is a societal activity for the prosperity of the community we live in together.  It means taking responsibility as a member of the community, considering the problems of neighbors as one's own, and working together with neighbors to lead a blessed life.

 

(3)    The final third characteristic is "unpaid": What's the reward?

 

Volunteer work stems from a genuine desire to help society, others, or the environment, not from a desire for personal gain.  It's not about seeking any material reward.  There are occasionally places that provide minimal expenses like transportation or meals.  But from the volunteer's perspective, expecting and participating in activities for such rewards is not the intention.  Volunteer work is a civic duty that one naturally undertakes as a citizen.  Above all, engaging in volunteer work leads to personal happiness.

 

    Today, in Nehemiah 11:2, the phrase "volunteered" is mentioned.  After the reconstruction of the walls and gates of Jerusalem, there was a need for people to live there.  In other words, now that the walls and gates of Jerusalem had all been restored, it was important for Jews to live there and for the population to grow in the central city.  Additionally, while living there, the Jews had the responsibility to protect and guard Jerusalem.  The reason being that they never knew when enemies might launch an attack.  Of course, Jews would have been safer living somewhere other than Jerusalem.  However, despite the risks, someone had to step up to protect this city of Jerusalem.  Therefore, today, focusing on Nehemiah 11:1-2, under the title of "All the men who volunteered," I would like to reflect on who volunteered to stay in Jerusalem, considering the two groups of volunteers, and receive the lesson that God wants to impart to us.

 

The first group of volunteers who chose to stay in Jerusalem were the leaders.

 

Looking at Nehemiah 11:1a - "Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, …."  Another expression of dedication shown by the Israelites who experienced the revival at the Water Gate was the leaders of the people relocating their homes to Jerusalem (Packer).  Their determination was to live a life centered around the Jerusalem temple.  The leaders of the people set an example in this matter.

 

I'll share an experience I had while I was in Korea.  There was a couple in our church who were helping with the church website.  They used to live in Sanggye-dong, but they moved to Seogyo-dong (near Hongdae), which is close to our church.  The reason was that both of them wanted to be more dedicated to their faith and actively involved.  So now, since the church is nearby, they even participate in the early morning prayer meetings and pray for both me and our church.  The revival of the Word experienced by the saints is about living a church-centered life.  In the community of Korean immigrants who have lived in the U.S., there has always been a church, regardless of where or when.  This was especially prominent in the first generation of the Korean community.  This phenomenon was also true for immigrant groups from Europe.  Immigrant groups from the UK and Scandinavia generally established Protestant churches, including the Anglican Church.  Irish and Italian communities centered their lives around the Catholic Church.  Russian, Jewish, and Eastern European communities focused on the Russian Orthodox Church (or Eastern Orthodox Church).  However, among immigrants from Northeast Asia, only Koreans consistently formed church-centered communities.  This was because Korean immigration to the Americas began with referrals from American pastors, and church congregations were at the center of recruitment, so there were already many church members from the start.  Among the 7,200 people who came to Hawaii between 1903 and 1905, 40 percent were church members.  Several factors contributed to the church becoming the most central organization in the Korean community.  However, the most crucial factor was the strong religious sentiment of the Korean people, coupled with the stimulus of losing independence in their homeland due to Japan's invasion.  This led to a determination to contribute to independence in any way possible, and it opened the eyes of the first and second generations to life and history through Bible study.  They were also urged to raise their educational levels by learning Korean and social life.  Living abroad as a subject of a lost nation heightened their affection for their language and culture.  The Chinese immigrant group, traditionally based on strong family values, came to the U.S. and still sought out extended family and engaged in activities centered around lineage associations.  They established many temples and were particular about their origins within Japan.  However, Koreans uniquely developed their social lives around churches, fostering a sense of community.  Enjoying cultural activities and organizing their social lives around the church played a significant role in this development.  It's worth noting that this factor, which cannot be underestimated, also contributed to the growing sense of community (Internet).

 

So, the purpose of the leaders of the Israelite people moving to Jerusalem and dedicating themselves to a life centered around the Jerusalem Temple was what?  They moved not for their own sake, but for the sake of Jerusalem.  Their purpose was to exalt the glory of God and to truly elevate Him by creating a strong community (Packer).  Is this realistically possible?  Can one voluntarily move closer to the church for geographical proximity?  We must serve with an affectionate attachment, loving the temple of God.  The expression of this love is not only the ability to move closer to the church, but also to frequently come and go, cherishing and serving the church while engaging in word and prayer life at the temple.  Nowadays, one aspect of the church holds regional (cell) gatherings.  We often gather together with saints in the local area to exalt the glory of God and aim to create a strong (healthy) community.

 

Is our church community growing into a strong (healthy) community that exalts the glory of God?  How can we know this?  If we list three characteristics of our body's cells, the first is specialization, the second is diversity, and the third is unity (Internet):

 

(1)   Specialization: First, let's take a look at how specialized the organs that make up our body are.

 

Our eyes are composed of over 100 million cone cells and 7 million rod cells, allowing us to distinguish very small light and subtle colors.  We can appreciate abstract paintings like Picasso's or works with countless dots like those by Seurat.  What about our ears?  Through the outer antennas, they can pick up sounds even from several kilometers away, and when answering the phone, they are specialized enough to recognize the voice of a loved one.  The thin eardrum, which is less than 1mm thick, can detect numerous sounds at once, and the three small bones in our ears vibrate about 300 times per second when a piano key is pressed, allowing us to discern the sound.

 

(2)   Diversity: Our body is composed of a wide variety of cells in terms of function and form, which has led to the human body being referred to as five organs, six parts, four limbs since ancient times.

 

God does not desire uniformity; rather, He delights in creating marvelous diversity.  Just look at the universe He created.  He made thousands of species of insects, including over 300,000 types of beetles alone.  Everything that flies in the sky, crawls on the ground, or swims in the water is made diverse.  While our body is composed of various parts, none of them are superfluous.  In fact, some parts that may seem weak and apparently useless are often crucial and frequently serve vital functions.  For instance, the paralysis of a few weak nerve cells can lead to blindness and rotting of the limbs.  When a seemingly inconspicuous nerve cell on the sole of the foot is paralyzed, the sensation in the foot dulls.  Unaware that the ondol (heated floor) is scalding hot, a person may unknowingly rest their foot on it, leading to an infection and eventual decay, necessitating amputation. The church, like the body, is diverse, but there is no member that is without value.

 

(3)   Unity: Thirdly, based on the principle of unity, all the cells in our body, though different in nature, possess the same genetic factor.  By examining this genetic code, one can easily determine to which organ each cell belongs.

 

This is what DNA is. In the church, it represents the Spirit of Jesus Christ.  In every cell's nucleus lies a chromosome, which, like DNA, is composed of these genetic codes.  Similarly, the church should be a congregation of saints who carry Jesus Christ in the center of their hearts.  This should be the only criterion that proves they are one body.

 

When we look at these three characteristics of our body, I believe we can examine whether our church is growing into a strong (healthy) community: (1) Is our church preserving specialization? In other words, is each person serving according to the given gift or talent?  (2) Is our church pursuing diversity?  I believe we can answer "yes" (e.g., the three ministry).  (3) Is our church upholding unity?  Is it effectively maintaining the oneness that already exists within the body of Christ?

 

Our church, particularly in this diversity, must transform into a church that upholds unity.  In this process, each of us should discover and develop the gifts and talents given to us, and willingly participate in God's work of establishing His church, which is the body of the Lord.  Especially church leaders should serve with a heart of volunteering, dedicating their gifts and talents for the body of the Lord, while engaging in a faith-centered life centered around the church. 

 

The second and last group of volunteers who chose to stay in Jerusalem consisted of one-tenth of the remaining people aside from the leaders.

 

Let's look at Nehemiah 11:1b – “...  and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, ...."  After the reconstruction of the walls and gates of Jerusalem, apart from the leaders who volunteered to live there, one-tenth of the remaining people were chosen by casting lots to dwell in the holy city of Jerusalem.  Similar to what we contemplated in Nehemiah 10:37-38, where the Israelite people dedicated themselves not to forsake the house of God and vowed to bring their tithes, Nehemiah also directed one-tenth of the Israelite population to move from other cities to Jerusalem by casting lots.  In Nehemiah 7:4, the Bible states, "Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt."  In other words, living in Jerusalem was not particularly desirable due to the less favorable conditions, which made many Jews hesitant to relocate there.  Who would willingly choose to live in uncomfortable and less developed neighborhoods or houses?  If we were to suggest to our church members to move closer to the church in order to build the body of Christ and serve the Lord's work, what might happen?

 

From this, I can learn two lessons:

 

(1)   One thing is that it seems that just being there can be considered ministry.

 

Therefore, we must not underestimate the significance of being where God desires us to be.  While we may not receive a demand for an impressive ministry, the fact that we are present itself constitutes ministry.  Both leaders and the remaining one-tenth of the people, men, women, and children, who resolved and obeyed in faith to immigrate to Jerusalem, served God, His kingdom, and future generations by their presence in the city.

 

(2)   One more thing is that within the community, leaders and the 10% of the saints may lead the entire congregation.

 

I'm reminded of something Pastor John Maxwell, an expert in leadership, once said in his book: '20% of the congregation leads 80% ....   Here, we can consider two principles:

 

(a)    The Pareto Principle.

 

It's the 80/20 rule, named after the famous Italian economist Pareto.  He sometimes observed that the value of small items quantitatively was much more significant than that of larger items.  He analyzed this phenomenon and created a simple diagram, signifying that with only 20% of the input, 80% of the output is achieved.  In other words, it's a fact that "20% of the population owns 80% of the wealth, 20% of the core staff does 80% of the work, 20% of the customers contribute 80% of the revenue, and 20% of the core products bring in 80% of the profits," among other things (Internet).

 

(b)   The second principle is the 2.6.2 rule.

 

An ecologist closely observed ants at work.  Although all the ants seemed to be working hard, it turned out not to be the case.  It's estimated that about 20% belong to the "hardworking group," around 60% are in the "middle," and about 20% belong to the "lazy" group.  Among the 20% hardworking group, there's another division: 20% are "very hardworking," 60% are "moderately hardworking," and 20% are "less hardworking."  So, he named this phenomenon the 2.6.2 rule and claimed that this rule also applies to the human world.

 

When we associate these two principles with the 10% of the Israelite population who migrated to Jerusalem in today's passage, we can think that a small group, which constitutes 1/10 of the Israelite population, can lead the remaining 90%.  However, what matters is which "one-tenth small group" it is.  Let's consider three possible scenarios for the "one-tenth small group" of the Israelite population:

 

(1)   Obedient Individuals or Volunteers:

 

Among the Israelite people who immigrated to Jerusalem, there were not only those who were chosen by casting lots (11:1), but also individuals who voluntarily relocated (Park).  These two groups of people can be described as obedient individuals or volunteers.  I believe that these individuals, who have the ability to influence the remaining 90% of the Israelite people, can be considered leader types.

 

(2)   Dedicated Individuals:

 

Finding "dedicated individuals" nowadays has become challenging even within the church. If those who shy away from dedication become the leaders, constituting 10% of the church, they will not be able to lead the remaining 90% of the congregation properly.  However, the small group of people, one-tenth of the Israelite population, who immigrated to Jerusalem, showed a level of dedication that was not easy.  Whether through obedience or voluntary action, relocating to the holy city of Jerusalem was itself a demonstration of profound dedication.  In a way, it was moving to a danger zone, taking one's wife and children to Jerusalem, a city under constant threat of attack by foreigners.  This was not a typical form of dedication.  Dedication always comes with a cost.  To choose something, something else must be relinquished.  However, the key to a joyful and victorious Christian life lies in living a life of costly dedication.

 

(3)   People with a sense of mission:

 

If the small group, constituting one-tenth of the Israelite population, who immigrated to Jerusalem lacked a sense of mission, would they have relocated to Jerusalem so resolutely?  I believe they were individuals fervently committed to the sense of mission to increase the population in the holy city of Jerusalem, alongside the leaders, and to support the city for God's purpose.  Without such fervent sense of mission, they would not have left other cities, which were peaceful and posed less risk, to migrate to Jerusalem, a city with significant risks.  In a way, these one-tenth of the Israelite population, who were fervently committed to their mission, can be described as 'Risk-takers.'  They understood the value of their own mission and were faithful to it, allowing them to take on even greater responsibilities.  In the parable of talents, it is also said, "Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities" (Mt. 25:23).  It is most beautiful when one is in the position they are meant to be.  Knowing what one's duty is, understanding the mission given to them, is a shortcut to living a wise and fulfilling life.

 

                During yesterday's leadership Bible study, as we studied the Good Shepherd in John 10, I gained a new insight.  As a shepherd, the function of a king can be broadly categorized into two main roles.  One is to govern the people with righteousness and love (Ps. 45, 72), and the other is to go to war, defeating and annihilating the enemies of the people (1 Chron. 28:3; Ps. 18:34; 78:72).  However, after King David, no king could live up to this ideal.  Ultimately, as prophesied by the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek. 34:12-15, 23-24), God sent a divine shepherd to the Davidic lineage, and this promised new shepherd is none other than the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, mentioned in John 10.  What's astonishing is that in John 10, when Jesus introduces Himself as the Good Shepherd, He reveals a new fact that has never been seen in the history of Old Testament Israel. That is, in the Old Testament, there was never an example of a king dying in battle for the salvation and life of His people (us).  Yet, Jesus declares that He will willingly die for His people (us), not because He is powerless and unjustly condemned, but because He voluntarily chooses to do so according to the authority given to Him by God.  Why did Jesus willingly die on the cross?  It was to save you and me.  Those of us who have received the grace of this salvation, what should we do?  We should, with a willing heart, offer everything we have to fulfill God's will.