Final thoughts from my Nehemiah study
The book of Nehemiah, as do all of the books of the Old Testament, points to the future Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Levitical priests, the worship, the atoning for sins, the temple itself all point to what Jesus would do for us 400 years later. For the Jews, their temple was the place where God dwelt. And He did. He promised to be with them there. He resided in Jerusalem and was their God. When Jesus arrived, He brought the New Covenant. Now, thankfully, all were, and still are, welcome to receive and know God. The way was now open for Gentiles to enter in the gates of thanksgiving and the courts of praise. Now, as miraculous as it is, God resides in the hearts of His followers. Jesus left us the gift of the Holy Spirit to come and live inside of our hearts. Because of this, though Jerusalem and God's temple in Israel will always be God's territory, we now have the privilege of His Presence in our very souls, our hearts, too. If we stop and think about how holy and sacred