Nehemiah 7 is a clear teaching about distinction and qualification. The walls were now complete and it was time to populate and occupy the city of Jerusalem. Not just anyone could live inside this city. It was clear that Nehemiah was going to reconcile the names of those wanting to live in the city with those who were registered and qualified as legitimate Jews. God will not let just anyone into heaven; the blood of Jesus Christ must have redeemed them at their salvation. They must have received the gift of salvation and stand complete in Christ. In chapter 8, Nehemiah addresses how the Jewish people could make a difference in their world. They needed a hunger for the word of God (vs. 1-5), a hankering for the worth of God (vs. 6-7), a harvest of the wisdom of God (vs. 8), and holiness toward the work of God (vs. 9-18). May we realize that these same qualifications are necessary if we are going to make a difference in our nation.