[:en]SCRIPTURE: NEHEMIAH 13
“Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services” (Nehemiah 13:14)
“Remember me for this, O my God and show only to me according to your great love” (Nehemiah 13:22)
“Remember them, O my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites” (Nehemiah 13:29)
“Remember me with favor, O my God” (Nehemiah 13:31)
NEHEMIAH’S FINAL REFORM (vs. 1-30)
After the celebration, Nehemiah went back to serve King Artaxerxes. During his absence, the Jews gradually stopped keeping the covenant they had with God. When Nehemiah returned, the people were terribly backslidden. What did Nehemiah find out?
- The people had mixed with the pagans and intermarried with each other.
- Eliashib the priest who was in charge of the storeroom of the house of God gave Tobiah, who was closely related to him, a room in the courts of the house of God and provided him from the temple store that belonged to the priests and Levites.
- The people were not faithful in bringing the required tithes and offerings to support the temple ministry. They failed to support their spiritual servants, the priests and the Levites.
- Some people were doing business during Sabbath day. They did not honor the Lord’s Day.
- One of he sons of Joiada, son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. So he drove him away.
NEHEMIAH’S FINAL REFORMS ARE:
- He told the people be excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.
- He threw out Tobiah and his goods and had the temple sanctified.
- He reproached the people and set up a dependable system for the priest to follow. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their brothers.
- He warned them against selling food on the Sabbath day and ordered the doors to be shut and not to be opened until the Sabbath was over. He stationed some men to guard the gate.
- He drove the son-in-law of Eliashib away and purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign. He assigned them duties each to his own task and made promises for the contribution of wood at designated times, and for the first fruit.
THINGS TO REMEMBER:
- Believers should separate themselves from the world and live a holy life.
- The servants of God should not compromise with the enemies of God.
- Decrease in offering to God is a sign of diminished spiritual vitality. Do not rob God of what belongs to Him.
- Keep the Sabbath day a day of worship to the Lord.
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