Staying in the comforts of home vs. moving toward God - Nehemiah 11-13

Read the first three verses of this section in Nehemiah again:

Nehemiah 11:1-3

Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine- tenths remained in the other cities. And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

Now these are the heads of the provinces who lived in Jerusalem, but in the cities of Judah each lived on his own property in their cities —the Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants.

Here we have the re-habitation of Jerusalem.  Nehemiah, on his first trip back from captivity, had made sure the walls were built.  On his second trip back he wanted to make sure the city was filled.   Neglect would only lead to more ruin.   This was Jerusalem, the Holy City, the place God put His name and His temple.   Yet, the people were not rushing to dwell in the restored and honored dwelling place.   We can see in this description of the residence that the "leaders" of the people lived there.   And that they should.   This is where the leaders belonged.  But, where were the rest of the people?  Why the hesitation?  It would be normal to fear living in Jerusalem.   The foreign countries that took them all captive, first and foremost, destroyed Jerusalem.  The city was hated by other countries.   But, perhaps there is another reason.   Ezra tells us that the people wouldn't rebuild the temple because they "lived in panel houses" of their own.   Perhaps Paul, latter in his letter to the Church at Phillipi, gives us the real reason they wouldn't inhabit the city:

Philippians 2:21

For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.

The people were comfortable.  They had become entranced in their own cities.   There should have been a rush to fill the city.  Instead they resorted to a lottery system to put Jerusalem back where it should be in occupancy.   Like our empty churches today, seeking the place of holiness is just not on our agendas.   We prefer the comfort of our surroundings than to put ourselves at risk in the place of holiness, hated by the world.