Sometimes godly reforms can be quite harsh. Today we see Nehemiah getting quite physical with the people as he comes back to Jerusalem to restore order. Let’s keep seeking our God, as we know judgement begins with us.
Nehemiah 13: Nehemiah's Final Reforms
1 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them---yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah,
5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.
6 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king
7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber.
9 Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.
10 I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field.
11 So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.
12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses.
13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers.
14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.
15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food.
16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself!
17 Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?
18 Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."
19 As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day.
20 Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.
21 But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.
22 Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.
23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people.
25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take oath in the name of God, saying, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.
26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin.
27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?"
28 And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me.
29 Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work;
31 and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
Things to think about…
1. Nehemiah has returned after 12 years, Neh 13:6, after the wall had been built. The people have not obeyed the law of Moses. How do you think Nehemiah would have felt after giving his heart and soul to the restoration of the wall and the welfare of Jerusalem, only to see the people ignoring God’s laws again. The very things that sent them into captivity to start with. He would have been gutted, I am sure. People let you down. I wonder if Nehemiah had felt that perhaps God had let him down by not giving the people more unction to follow His Spirit after so great a blessing as seeing the wall built and the conviction of sin that he saw among the people at the preaching of the word in Neh 8. Just a thought.
2. Eliashib the Priest had been looking after the foreigner Tobiah, even giving him a place to stay in the temple. But the singers and Levites had to return to their fields because the tithes and offerings were not being brought in. Nehemiah throws Tobiah’s stuff out of the temple. Was this too harsh a reaction? Certainly not. He is lucky he didn’t kill him I think considering their past. Remember Tobiah was actively working to stop the wall from being built. When the world is in the church and sin is in the camp God cannot bless the people.
3. In Neh 13:9-13 Nehemiah restores order and reforms. He reinstitutes the practises of tithing, offerings and priest led temple worship. Over time poor practises creep into the church in a similar manner. Reform in the other direction is often slow and very painful, but necessary in order that God’s blessing would be poured out.
4. In Neh 13:15-24 we see the Sabbath has been desecrated. There was trading going on and the city gates were open to anyone to come in and buy and sell in Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Yet the Sabbath was meant to be holy to the Lord and dedicated to Him. Nehemiah threatens physical violence to those who continued to come on the Sabbath to sell their wares. They no longer return. Christ is our Sabbath. How do you see His name being dishonoured (modern day Sabbath breaking) within the church? How do we rectify the situation? God will rectify all the wrongs done in His name, he starts with the church. He will do all His holy will.
5. Finally in Neh 13:23-31 we see Nehemiah getting very angry and dealing with the scourge of the curse of intermarriage that was polluting the right worship of God especially amongst the leaders and the Priests. Sanballat, another of Nehemiah’s old enemies, was still having an influence through marriage relations among the priests, vs 28. Therefore Nehemiah chased this son in law of Sanballat away, vs 28. Nehemiah’s cause is for the honour of God. He prays that he is remembered for his good, vs 31 and that his enemies are remembered for their evil, vs 29. This was a righteous prayer. Yet in the NT we are called to love our enemies. How should we define love? Love without truth is not true love, it is merely sentiment.
Vision Point for cell groups – Cell groups on break over the school holidays
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Cell groups on break over School holidays
Prayer Points
1. Pray for people as they settle into life at CBC.
2. Over 400 flood victims in South Africa. These people are in great poverty as well.
3. Pray for peace to cover Ukraine and for Russia to retreat. Pray the gospel reigns in this situation.
4. Upcoming Australian elections
5. Continue to pray for the flood clean-up as well as the money donated to help.
6. Folk sick with Covid – relief and healing.
7. Pray for other building projects – café roof, the repair of the house roof.
8. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. Praise the Lord for a wonderful Easter and visitors over the Easter period.
2. Pray the Kremlin are held accountable for war crimes.
3. Visitors to CBC over Easter weekend – new folk added to the church.
4. God’s word affecting people for Christ
5. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
6. Flood cleanup is restoring communities around Ipswich and Brisbane.
Announcements
1. Kidz@Church back on this Sunday.
2. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
3. Tune in again this week on our youtube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism question for April...
Q. 2. Where is Christ now? A. In heaven, interceding for sinners and sitting at the right hand of God the Father.
