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Nehemiah Chapter 13
Nehemiah's Final Reforms
- Nehemiah 13:1 On
that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the
people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the
Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
- 2 Because they met
not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired
Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God
turned the curse into a blessing.
This was a serious sin. Instead of
helping them they wanted them cursed. Since God would not allow them
to be cursed, Balaam and the king of Moab thought of a plan to lure
the daughters of Moab to entice the men of Israel by sending their
women into the camp of Israel, and allure them to uncleanness, and
so draw them into idolatry.
The book of Revelation mentions this in
the letter to the church in Pergamum.
- Revelation 2:12
And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things
saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
- 13 I know thy
works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and
thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in
those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain
among you, where Satan dwelleth.
- 14 But I have a
few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold
the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a
stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Idolatry is a huge insult to our God
who created us and has given us many good things, even sacrificed
His own Son Jesus by allowing Him to become human, live among us and
be crucified for our sins when He did no sin. His death counts as a
payment for sin for all who would receive Him as savior and lord.
Since He had no sin, the transfer could be made. Sin can be forgiven
and we who receive Jesus can be cleansed from sin and it not be held
against us thereby granting us eternal life in God's coming kingdom.
This is a snare to all of us. When as
believers in Jesus, we marry someone who does not believe, it causes
trouble in the home. We are not to divorce and leave them under the
new way through Jesus, but it is not good to mix unbelievers with
believers especially if unbelievers have a religion that omits Jesus and
practices idolatry. How would one raise their children? Idolatry is
a doctrine of devils. It is dangerous. People were so deceived they
believed it was okay to sacrifice live children in fire before those
idols. That is why God wiped many nations out by the flood, and by
conquest.
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Nehemiah 13:4 And before
this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber
of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:
This was not good. Tobiah was a friend
of Sanballat that tried hard to hinder the rebuilding of the walls
and had a conspiracy against Nehemiah by trying to stop the work of
building the wall, even by writing letters to the king of Persia.
Eliashib was a high priest and should have known better.
-
Nehemiah 13:5 And he had
prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the
meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the
tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was
commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the
porters; and the offerings of the priests.
Eliashib even prepared a place for
Tobiah to live and partake of that which was only for the priests,
Levites, singers and porters.
- Nehemiah 13:6 But in
all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and
thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the
king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:
- 7 And I came to
Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for
Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of
God.
- 8 And it grieved me
sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah
out of the chamber.
Nehemiah was not at Jerusalem when this
happened. When he returned he was very grieved and threw everything
out that belonged to Tobiah.
- Nehemiah 13:9 Then I
commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I
again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering
and the frankincense.
- 10 And I perceived
that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for
the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every
one to his field.
He discovered that Tobiah had been
given what was supposed to be for the Levites and those that
ministered for the Lord.
- Nehemiah 13:11 Then
contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God
forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their
place.
- 12 Then brought all
Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto
the treasuries.
- 13 And I made
treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok
the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was
Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were
counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their
brethren.
He made sure to restore and cleanse
everything and put over faithful people to oversee everything
according to the way that was right. We see here how trouble comes
both from without by Sanballat and Tobiah and within by the priest
Eliashib.
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Nehemiah 13:14 Remember me,
O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I
have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.
Nehemiah went to the Lord and asked
that He would not hold this sin against him. It was done in his
absence and He wanted God to remember the good he did for the house
of God.
- Nehemiah 13:15 In
those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the
sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also
wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they
brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified
against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
- 16 There dwelt men
of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of
ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in
Jerusalem.
- 17 Then I contended
with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is
this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
Nehemiah had boldness to stand up
against the grievious sin of breaking the Sabbath which was another
insult against God since God made the Sabbath for a day of rest from
labors. If He would not have given them that day, slaves and
servants would never get any rest. They would have to work 7 days a
week and never get a day off.
- Nehemiah 13:18 Did
not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil
upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel
by profaning the sabbath.
- 19 And it came to
pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before
the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and
charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath:
and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no
burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
- 20 So the merchants
and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or
twice.
- 21 Then I testified
against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall?
if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth
came they no more on the sabbath.
- 22 And I commanded
the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they
should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me
according to the greatness of thy mercy.
He seemed to be afraid God would hold
these sins of the people against him, perhaps because he was in the
leadership position and felt responsible.
- Nehemiah 13:23 In
those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of
Ammon, and of Moab:
- 24 And their
children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak
in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each
people.
- 25 And I contended
with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and
plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye
shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their
daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.
Nehemiah stood up strongly against
mixed marriages with those who believed in God and those that
worshiped idols.
- Nehemiah 13:26 Did
not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many
nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God,
and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did
outlandish women cause to sin.
- 27 Shall we then
hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress
against our God in marrying strange wives?
- 28 And one of the
sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in
law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.
- 29 Remember them, O
my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the
covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.
- 30 Thus cleansed I
them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests
and the Levites, every one in his business;
- 31 And for the wood
offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember
me, O my God, for good.
I'm sure our God would remember His
faithfulness in all these things. Nehemiah was faithful and stood up
against anyone that came against the law of Moses. God would have
seen that for sure. Nehemiah saw through the evil of Sanballat and
Tobiah from the get go. He never once allowed them to hinder the
work of God to restore and rebuild after the captivity of Babylon
was over and it was time for a new beginning.
Nehemiah knew of Solomon's reign and
how strange women enticed even Solomon into the sin of idolatry. The
bible is written for us to learn from their mistakes and
shortcomings. DC
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2Timothy 3:16 All scripture
is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
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17 That the man of God may
be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
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