Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 11:1-2)
It is a curious thing that they had to cast lots to determine who would live in “the holy city”! (Cf. Rev. 21:1) Ninety percent of the people preferred to live elsewhere! Some volunteered to live in Jerusalem: “And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
Living in Jerusalem presented dangers from the enemies who
were determined to stop the building of the wall. In a similar way, those who
have come to “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews
12:22), make sacrifices and face dangers in this life. And most people prefer
to live where life is more comfortable and—they think—safe.
Identifying oneself as a Christian, a citizen of heaven
(Philippians 3:20) has its risks. “Indeed," Apostle Paul warned Timothy,
"all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted .
. .” (2 Timothy 3:12)
Nevertheless, God promises great blessings and eternal
rewards for those who come to live in the “the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews 12:22), which is “the Church of the living God” (1
Timothy 3:15).
