• Read Nehemiah 12.27-47.

The dedication of the wall shows the importance of this structure in God's economy and the importance of recognizing Him, even in the setting of temporal things. For a great celebration it is important to make extensive preparations.

1. Preparations for the Dedication — Nehemiah 12.27-30
   1. What is the purpose of such an elaborate dedication ceremony for a wall?
   2. Why was purification of the people necessary for a dedication ceremony?
   3. How, and why, do you purify gates and walls? (cf. Deuteronomy 23.14, Leviticus 14.34-53, 16.16.
2. Practices in the Dedication — Nehemiah 12.31-43
   1. A lot of effort went into the dedication of the wall. Was this simply an Old Testament times practice, or are there implications for us today?
   2. Why, do you suppose, was there such great joy on this occasion? (v43)
3. Procedures for the Temple — Nehemiah 12.44-47
   1. Nehemiah moved quickly to set up procedures for temple worship. These obviously fit within the Old Testament order, but are there “procedures” or practices that are given for worship in the New Testament?