Nehemiah 12:45
And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son. And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.
The verse stands in the book written by Nehemiah, a governor appointed by the Lord and given the burden of restoring Jerusalem. It belongs to the period of about 446-408, the last reform carried out on his return to Jerusalem. It describes the purification and singing service belonging to the great thanksgiving day at the dedication of the restored walls of Jerusalem after the return from the Babylonian captivity.
That dedication was kept with gladness, thanksgiving, and singing with cymbals, psalteries, and harps. The priests and Levites purified themselves and purified the people, and great sacrifices were offered in rejoicing because God had made them rejoice. Wives and children joined, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off. The singers and gatekeepers faithfully carried out their duties in God's service and maintained the required purification, in keeping with the commands given by David and Solomon.
In this setting Nehemiah worked always with the highest good of Jerusalem in mind, impatient toward the people because of their slackness in doing the work of God. He was indignant toward those sinning against God by uniting with the heathen peoples, even bringing them into the very temple itself. His manner as a zealous reformer is not always one to copy, yet with all the circumstances surrounding him he is not to be condemned. For he was there for God, the city was the Lord's city, and the people were the Lord's people.
The book records the ups and downs, battles and conflicts, defeats and victories of the Jews at Jerusalem under the last reformation. It is typical of God's work in other ages, especially in the last days, where adversaries put forth every effort to hinder the work. The answer is that one is doing a great work and therefore cannot come down, and God carries the work to glorious success notwithstanding all efforts to hinder it. The last reform Nehemiah undertakes is upon the better observance of the Sabbath. Material giving in sacrifices and offerings is the practical feature inseparably connected with thanksgiving in the verse, giving a model for a Thanksgiving program.