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“Didn't We Almost Have It All?” • 3.3.19
• Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
Text
• Nehemiah 11:1-4a : "Now the leaders of the people dwelt at
Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in
Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities. And
the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at
Jerusalem. These are
the heads of the province who dwelt in Jerusalem. (But in the cities of Judah
everyone dwelt in his own possession in their cities—Israelites, priests,
Levites, Nethinim, and descendants of Solomon’s servants.) Also in Jerusalem dwelt some of the
children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin." : For those of you who remember,
Nehemiah began to address the issue of properly populating Jerusalem in chapter
7.
- At that time, he discovered a
registry which revealed the names of the people that actually had the right to
dwell in Jerusalem. That was an effective beginning, but it hadn't solved the
problem.
- This time they cast lots, a
mechanism that was used in the Old Testament, akin to throwing dice. Unlike the
lady luck philosophy of dice, God's people did not look at this as random
chance.
- They saw the result as an act of
providence according to Proverbs 16:33. This is why the people blessed
the men who willingly offered to dwell there.
- This was more of a sacrifice
then, especially for those that preferred rural living! Living in Jerusalem
wasn't a coveted concept back in this time.
- The next 20 verses detail
their number. All together, this group of people came out to nearly 2,000 who
lived and worked in the city. These were all productive, active citizens.
- Pethahiah for example, was chosen
from among them to be the King's "right hand." (v.24)
- The rest of chapter 11
deals with the settlement of Judah and Benjamin in the villages surrounding
Jerusalem. Chapter 12
• Nehemiah 12:1 : "Now these
are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of
Shealtiel, and Jeshua" :
Our author harkens back to the first wave of repatriots that came up from
Persia over 100 years earlier.
- Verses 2-21 detail three
generations of Priests who faithfully served the post-exilic community. Their
names are recorded because God wanted them remembered.
- The gaps that the people of
Israel had in the official priestly records were filled in by King Darius'
administration, which leads us to the present time. Verse 27 brings us a
beautiful dedication.
• Nehemiah 12:27-31a : "Now at the dedication of the wall
of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to
Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings
and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps. And the sons of the singers
gathered together from the countryside around Jerusalem, from the villages of
the Netophathites, from the house of Gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and
Azmaveth; for the singers had built themselves villages all around Jerusalem. Then the priests and Levites
purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall. So I brought the leaders of Judah up
on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs." : Now that the city is fully occupied,
a celebration of the work that had been completed was in order.
- The Levites were called in from the
surrounding areas to provide the worship music. It was to be a time of joy
marked with music and speeches reflecting their gratitude to God.
- Remember that they completed the wall under
considerable duress in just 52 days! Consequently, their celebration was meant
to commemorate God's work through them!
- When the Levites came into the city, they
"purified," made themselves, the people, the gates and the walls, ceremonially
clean. Verses 32-39 detail the route that the choirs took.
- Nehemiah led one choir in one direction on
the wall and Ezra led the other choir in the opposite direction. We don't know
how many people were in the choir.
- What we do know is that they were bigger than
foxes, which God's enemies said could bring the wall of Jerusalem down! Just
months later, two choirs could make it around the city. Verse 40.
• Nehemiah 12:40-43 : "So the two thanksgiving choirs
stood in the house of God, likewise I and the half of the rulers with me; and the priests, (he names them
through verse 42...) The singers sang loudly with Jezrahiah the director. Also that day they offered great
sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the
women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard
afar off." : The
dedication is marked with loud singing and holy rejoicing!
- There is no more pure joy upon the earth than
when the people of God offer their heartfelt praise to the Lord. What a
contrast to the beginning of the book!
- Only in Christ can a place that once
represented fear and chaos, be turned into joyful praise!
- The fact that the women and the children also
joined in was significant of the security that now marked their city! They were
free to worship the Lord openly, without reservation.
- The noise of their praise could be heard for
miles all around! Can you imagine what the enemies of God's people, Sanballat,
Tobiah, et all, thought?
- For all of their energy and all of their
plotting, God had won the day and His people were living before the Lord with
no fear of reprisal. What a rebuke to the enemies of God!
- There is no enemy on earth that will have the
final say over what happens with God's people! All will be made to stand
helpless on the sideline, while His people rejoice.
- You also have to wonder though at those that
were not enemies of the people of Israel, but that were curious members of
other nations.
- I can't help but think that this praise
service beckoned to them! Don't you think that they would have wanted a part in
this party!? Don't you think that they wished themselves to be Jews?
- I would suggest your health in Christ and
freedom to worship the Lord carries similar results in the hearts of people
today!
- The noise that emanates from your life of
praise will be heard afar off, much farther than you think or imagine! Verse 44.
• Nehemiah 12:44-47 : "And at the same time some were
appointed over the rooms of the storehouse for the offerings, the firstfruits,
and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions
specified by the Law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the
priests and Levites who ministered. Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their
God and the charge of the purification, according to the command of David and
Solomon his son. For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of
the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. In the days of Zerubbabel and in
the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the portions for the singers and the
gatekeepers, a portion for each day. They also consecrated holy things for the
Levites, and the Levites consecrated them for the children of Aaron." : At the time of the parade, God's
people chose the priests that would be in charge of collecting tithes and
offerings throughout the land for the storehouses in Jerusalem.
- This wasn't a burden to them. The people were
joyful in the ministry of the priests and Levites. They "rejoiced"
over them. The word is widely translated.
- The NIV says that the people were
"pleased." The CSB renders the word "grateful" and the NET
uses the word "delighted." Each one gives the sense of excitement.
- God's ministers were doing what they were
supposed to do and the people thought that this was wonderful! Nehemiah had set
the people of God up for continual success.
- They have their security, their priests and
their house of God to worship in. Everything seems to be going along
beautifully, until we come to chapter 13.
• Nehemiah 13:1-5 : "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 come into the assembly of God, because they had not met the
children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse
them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. So it was, when they had heard the
Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel. Now before this, Eliashib the
priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was
allied with Tobiah. And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they
had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of
grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded to be given to the Levites
and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests." : This section takes us back a little
bit. They had read from Deuteronomy 23:3-5 that their enemies from these
nations would not be allowed into the Lord's assembly.
- Numbers 22-24 details the hiring of Balaam
for the sake of a curse. No matter what Balaam tried, God would not let him. In
fact, He gives Balaam a vision of Israel's ultimate victor, the Messiah!
- The Lord turned their wicked plot around on
them. That point is worth an arrow in your Bible!
- God's people took their cue and separated
from the various foreigners that had mixed in among the faithful. Prior to
reading this, Eliashib the Priest, broke God's command.
- We discover him making room for Tobiah, an
Ammonite, who had been a particular enemy of Nehemiah in one of the storerooms
of the Temple! This might have been an office of sorts.
- Tobiah had buttered up the nobles of Judah
and was considered a good man for his many deeds, but, at the same time, he
wrote letters of intimidation to Nehemiah! (Nehemiah 6:17,18)
- Here he is hanging out in one of the storerooms
that had been dedicated to supply the people that ministered for the Lord! This
is outrageous! How did this villain get in there?
- He had pulled the wool over the eyes of the
nobles and verse 6 details another reason.
• Nehemiah 13:6-9 : "But during all this I was not in
Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had
returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king, and I came to Jerusalem and
discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing a room for
him in the courts of the house of God. And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household
goods of Tobiah out of the room. Then I commanded them to cleanse the rooms; and I brought back
into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the
frankincense." : Nehemiah
had begun his tenure in Jerusalem in the 20th year of Artaxerxes. At the 12
year mark, he returned to report to the King.
- Some believe that he was there answering the
false allegations that had been spread about him via Sanballat and Tobiah.
Others believe this to be the time Artaxerxes had set for him.
- In any event, he was there long enough for
this breach to occur in earnest. When he returned and discovered this, it
understandably "grieved him bitterly."
- The word is related to trembling, the tense
of the verb is repeated. As he discovered this, as he thought about it, it
troubled him that one of his own people could be so foolish!
- I've experienced this on many occasions with
members of the body of Christ, who despite being well taught, opted to make
room for the enemy in their lives by their foolish choices.
- It didn't take long for him to reverse what
had been done. He tossed out Tobiah's stuff and returned the space to it's
proper use.
- This is a very interesting point that should
govern our examination. It was pure disobedience that allowed Tobiah to be in
this storeroom. But consider what should have been there?
- This room was for the articles of the house
of God, the grain offering and the frankencense. When we open the door to the
enemy, we are not just disobeying!
- We are giving space to something far inferior
to what God intends the space to have! That is worth considering, especially as
we see the consequence of that choice in verse 10.
• Nehemiah 13:10-14 : "I also realized that the portions
for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the
singers who did the work had gone back to his field. So I contended with the rulers, and
said, 'Why is the house of God forsaken?' And I gathered them together and set
them in their place. Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine
and the oil to the storehouse. And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse 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 considered
faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren. 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 its services!" : Not only had God's people forsaken the law regarding foreign
access, they had forsaken their duties to those that they had promised to
support!
- The ministers of God's house had to go back
out into the workforce to bring food to the table! The people had vowed not to
neglect the house of God!
- Nehemiah didn't just let this slide. He
called a meeting and contended with the leaders!
- During his absence, there had not been
treasurers who were holding down the fort, pointing to how little these men had
to account for!
- Nehemiah made sure that there were faithful
men that could collect and then distribute to the ministers of the house of
God!
- In one of his famous prayers, Nehemiah asks
the Lord to keep his actions in mind. I believe we can translate this thought
like this: "God, you see what I'm trying to do!"
- Nehemiah had not failed in providing the
infrastructure for the people to worship. That being the case, he was not
getting any support from the people. He's frustrated, so he prays! Verse 15.
• Nehemiah 13:15,16 : "In those days I saw people in Judah
treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading
donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought
into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which
they were selling provisions. Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds
of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in
Jerusalem." Nehemiah's
nightmare continues as he discovers the people of God violating the Sabbath!
- They were working on their wine, bundling
their harvested wheat and not allowing their animals to rest, but making them
climb into Jerusalem on the Sabbath!
- Nehemiah warned them, reminding them that
they were trying to sell on the Sabbath. That is about as gentle as he will be.
Unfortunately, It fell on deaf ears.
- Then, their patterns of behavior became so
prevalent that the neighboring nations began to camp out with their wares on
the Sabbath!
- They knew that the people of God were not as
zealous as they once said they would be.
- It was profitable enough for the men of Tyre
to hang around! That is exactly how the enemy proceeds when he sees you are not
that serious.
- He'll hang around on the perimeter, just
waiting to see if your soft resolve will break.
- Folks, get a clue: The enemy is always
camping right outside your door waiting to profit!
- For these merchants, they knew at this time
that most Sabbath days would issue in a veritable windfall. Verse 17.
• Nehemiah 13:17-22 : "Then I contended with the nobles of
Judah, and said to them, 'What evil thing is this that you do, by which you
profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this
disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by
profaning the Sabbath.' So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark
before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that
they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my
servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath
day. Now the
merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or
twice. Then I
warned them, and said to them, 'Why do you spend the night around the wall? If
you do so again, I will lay hands on you!' From that time on they came no more
on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites
that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the
gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember
me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of
Your mercy!" : Notice
that Nehemiah doesn't deal with the men of Tyre. He deals with the leaders of
the people of God first and he doesn't mince words.
- He tells them they they are doing evil by profaning
the Sabbath. The idea of making something profane is to make it equal to
anything else. The Sabbath was just like any other day!
- This isn't a minor concern. They are inviting
disaster upon the rest of the people of God by doing this! These people had
specific knowledge which made their sin that much more egregious!
- The nations were doing what they were
expected to do. Israel deserved her rebuke and so does anyone that doesn't send
a clear message with their life!
- Nehemiah didn't simply trust the people to
obey. He restored the policies that governed the gates. The gates would be
closed for the entirety of the Sabbath.
- Of course, the merchants hung around to see
how serious they were and that's when Nehemiah threatened to personally arrest
them. They got the message pretty quickly!
- To insure continued compliance, Nehemiah
brought in an extra group of Levites to make sure that his reforms were held.
Verse 23.
• Nehemiah 13:23,24 : "In those days I also saw Jews who
had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke
the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke
according to the language of one or the other people." : The people's final failure was their
intermarriage with their heathen neighbors, yet another promise denied.
- This was a tragedy to Nehemiah, as the seed
of Israel was now mixed with Philistine, Ammonite and Moabite influence. What
was the result? The same as it will be today!
- Half the kids were fluent in the language of
the world, but had no idea of how to speak in their own national tongue! That
is what influence will do!
- When a believer yokes themselves to an
unbeliever, their children will naturally assume the tendencies of the
unbeliever. They'll talk like them, act like them and value what they value!
- Soon, they'll be your children, but they will
talk like they are not! Verse 25.
• Nehemiah 13:25-27 : "So I contended with them and cursed
them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by
God, saying, 'You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor
take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin
by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was
beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan
women caused even him to sin. Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil,
transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?'" : Nehemiah didn't hold back. He kept
confronting the ones that had sinned in this way by cursing them.
- This doesn't mean that he cussed or used
profane language. He invoked the curses of God that are preserved in scripture!
Then, he struck some of them and pulled out their hair!
- We can't really speak to this, except to say
that Nehemiah was overtaken by zeal for the Lord. This isn't an example for us
to follow, but I pray that we would all feel just as strong!
- We need men and women to be clear in their
rejection of principles and practices that are clearly not Biblical when we see
them in each other! This was and never is an isolated action!
- King Solomon was a single person whose life
choices brought an entire nation down! Where did the people find this license
to suddenly act this way? Have a look at verse 28.
• Nehemiah 13:28-31 : "And one of the sons of Joiada, the
son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite;
therefore I drove him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood
and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned
duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service, and to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at
appointed times. Remember me, O my God, for
good!" : Eliashib
was not only a good friend to Tobiah, but he, as a priest, gave his son to Sanballat's
daughter in marriage!
- There is a little question as to who Nehemiah
drove from him. Was it the married son that he drove from him or was it
Eliashib? I'd venture to guess that this was the end of Eliashib's ministry!
- Eliashib's name means "God
restores." What an irony!? Perhaps he believed it to mean that God
restored through him, relationships of the ungodly to the godly! Wow, was he
mistaken!
- Elisahib muddied the ministry that God had
blessed him with. Nehemiah prays to the Lord, noting how disappointed and
grieved he was at their blatant disregard for the Lord's priesthood!
- The Priest was charged with guarding the
house of God, honoring the principles that were set up in the Word and
restoring God's people to a right place of worship. Eliashib failed miserably!
- With all that Nehemiah endured, you'd think
that he might have just given up and walked away into the sunset.
Disillusionment often drives us to just such actions.
- That's not Nehemiah's way and that shouldn't
be our way! Disillusionment will come because of people and circumstances, but
God will never fail us when we set our sights upon Him!
- He cleansed everything in sight that was not
of the Lord and he appointed duties to other priests and Levites for all the
actions necessary for the worship.
- At the end of this book, he leaves it with a
call to the Lord to keep a record of all the good that he did. Frankly, most
that lived with him did not enjoy his ministry.
- He likely did not enjoy his ministry, but it
was necessary and it was toward the Lord! It's best to be remembered by Him
than to be loved by all!
Conclusion
- The end of
Nehemiah teaches us that despite having a wall, a city, a Temple and a template
for success, the people still fail to live righteously because the King of
righteousness is not yet there!
- The picture
isn't complete without the King of Righteousness taking His rightful place!