Nehemiah: Chapter 13

Nehemiah: Chapter 13

What is the catalyst that exposes the problems they people are having? God’s Word! (v. 1-3)

Specifically, Deuteronomy 23:3
“No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, shall ever enter the assembly of the LORD…”

The problem of wayward hearts. (v. 4-14)

The Problem: (v. 4-7), (v. 10)
“4 Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being related to Tobiah, 5 had prepared a large room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. 6 But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem and learned about the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, by preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God.” … “10 I also discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had gone away, each to his own field.”

Notice they were neglecting to keep the covenant they made in Chapter 10 and on top of that Tobiah was moved into the temple. ** What have you allowed to take up residence in your life that shouldn’t be there? What have you brought into your life at the expense of pushing God out?

The solution: (v. 8-14)
“8 It was very displeasing to me, so I threw all of Tobiah's household goods out of the room. 9 Then I gave an order and they cleansed the rooms; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense … 11 So I reprimanded the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts. 12 All Judah then brought the tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the storehouses. 13 In charge of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered reliable, and it was their task to distribute to their kinsmen. 14 Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services.”

(v. 8) reminds me of Jesus overturning the tables…
The problem of wayward huger. (v. 15-22)

The Problem: (v. 15-16)
“15 In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. 16 Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem.

*They gave into to their appetites. Even though there is nothing wrong with food, they allowed something that would normally be good to lead them to do something bad. They obeyed their hunger over the word of God and profaned the Sabbath… How is your hunger for things in this world causing you problems?

The solution: (v. 17-22)
“17 Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? 18 "Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath." 19 It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 Then I warned them and said to them, "Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you." From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.”

He spoke the truth in love, confronted the sin (v. 17-18) and set up accountability measures to help the people stay on track (v. 19, 22) and ran the foxes out of the hen house. (v. 21)

The problem of wayward homes. (v .23-31)

The Problem: (v. 23-31)
“23 In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. 24 As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people.”

They were certainly not obeying a critical command of God: Deuteronomy 6:6-9
“6 "These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 "You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”And we know this because of (v. 24)

And the reason the home was wayward was because was because Dad was wayward. Btw, it is the same way today! If the home is not right, the overwhelming majority of the time it is because Dad is not right or Dad is not there. (v. 23) “I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab…”

This wasn’t about racism or nationalism, it was about ensuring that People followed the one true God. A Gentile or foreigner that abandoned their false gods and turned to the God of Israel was always welcomed. Women like Rahab and Ruth come to mind. But here, these people were unequally yoked together with unbelievers and men were not being spiritual leaders, and as a result, the family suffered. It was the problem of the wayward home.

In what ways have things under your roof gotten out of alignment? In what ways are you living in a wayward home? It is time for us to repent and get it right. Look now at how Nehemiah went about it…
The Solution: (v. 15-31)
“25 So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 "Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin. 27 "Do we then hear about you that you have committed all this great evil by acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?" 28 Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. 30 Thus I purified them from everything foreign and appointed duties for the priests and the Levites, each in his task, 31 and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.”

Notice how Nehemiah points to the biblical narrative of King Solomon for illustration and application (v. 26)

What was the root cause of this problem? (v. 28)

And (v. 30) holds the key… either purify or drive away.