Nehemiah Series #16

When The Enemy Gives You Sand, Give God A Pearl

Text: Nehemiah 13

Introduction

Have you ever considered the evolution of our language regarding to how old we are/going to be or how things were when we were younger? For example, kids under 10 will use fractions, “I’m almost 16,” you have become 21, you have “turned” 30, “pushing” 40, “reached” 50, made it to 60, you hit 70, you are simply “in your 80’s,” I was just 92 or I was 95 last year. At each age there are aspirations and expectations.

At this point, Nehemiah had reached an age of 75. Often times at this age (especially all that he had recently committed his life to) it was now time to return to a easier life with his accomplishments remaining on display behind him.

However, what we witness in this chapter is simply a 180 degree turn away from the covenant made back in chapter 10. You would think such a story that has unfolded up to this point would conclude with a happy ending. What we actually find is it ending in a tone of realism.

Here is the flow: There is a terrible discovery & swift action taken.

1) A Terrible Discovery

If you pick up on the chronology here, you will understand that Nehemiah had returned to serve as King Artaxerxes’ cup bearer in the palace.

A. First of all, by some means, Nehemiah learns the terrible truth that his arch enemy is now at work inside the city wall.

Remember how Tobiah had been unsuccessful outside the city walls.

What is learned here is actually hard to believe based on the recent covenantal revival that took place.

Access to inside the Temple was given by none other than Eliashib the high priest.

Some believe that Eliashib and Sanballat were related. Sanballat and Tobiah were friends.

The city and God’s house was being compromised.

This reality could be equivalent to inviting a fox to live in a chicken coop.

Quote: “Satan does not always fight churches; sometimes he simply joins them” (unknown)

B. Secondly, the Levites and singers had returned to the field due to a lack of financial support.

These groups were to live off of the people’s tithes and offerings.

This would also means that worship had plummeted.

This was something the people had sworn NOT TO DO.

C. Thirdly, God’s people were no longer keeping the Sabbath holy.

“treading wine”

Those who sold different goods were allowed in the city on the Sabbath day.

The fault lie with the leaders “nobles.”

Nehemiah explained they were “rekindling God’s anger against Israel.”

D. Fourthly, Jews were marrying foreign Gentile women.

Half their children could no longer speak Hebrew.

2) Swift Correction With Truth

A. Nehemiah kicked out the enemy (v8)

He handled this situation the same way he handled the previous compromise in chapter 4 and 6; IMMEDIATELY!

No committee or date set for democracy!

My mind goes to: 1 Corinthians 3:16 “16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (and) 1 Corinthians 6:19 “19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

Do you currently have a room reserved for a familiar sin?

Do you happen to leave the side door or window unlocked for it?

This sin could be anything like: lust, pride, arrogance, dishonesty, etc.....

Kick it out and don’t even let it leave it‘s toothbrush.

B. Nehemiah corrects their selfishness (v10)

Illustration: Have you ever been told a story and before you can gather your thoughts and respond, you are told, “Just wait, it gets worse?”

Just think about all the details that played back in his mind.

Like watching the people signing a declaration to never withhold financial resources from the temple.

This was one of those discoveries that rips your heart into.

Think about the paths he could have taken after learning this.

He could have ran away from the situation.

Pine away for the earlier days.

Is it worth addressing the same things again???

NOT NEHEMIAH! He is in it for the long haul!!!

Notice what he did:

He reprimand the leaders for allowing this to continue.

But he does not just reprimand the leaders, he reinstructs the people and then restores them to their original occupations of service. Stephen Davey, Nehemiah, ed. Lalanne Barber, Wisdom Commentary Series (Apex, NC: Charity House Publishers, 2012), 179.

Nehemiah pleas with the Lord (v14):

This is going to be very agonizing! Please let this be the last time I have to walk this path with these people!

DON’T MISS the fact he doesn’t pray before he obeys!

C. Nehemiah corrects their materialism (v15-22)

What Nehemiah does here is something for us all to take notes on. There are three forms of action he takes:

He reproves and rebukes the people of not keeping the Sabbath day holy and rekindling God’s anger toward them.

He removes the very temptation buy and sell on the Sabbath.

The Levites were to continue doing their regular jobs, but on the Sabbath, they were to become gatekeepers.

They simply in charge of keeping anything away from every family that had potential to tempt them.

When we think about ourselves, we should also view ourselves as gatekeepers for our families!

Example: Andie and I have discussed many times how you can’t even trust that the commercials are safe for you kids to see.

Other examples: billboards, radio, television, magazines, INTERNET.

Our children are up against the biggest battles of their life.

This is not a job you clock in and clock out.....it is 24/7.

D. Nehemiah corrects lack of purity (v23)

Children were not being taught to read the national language.

Nehemiah knew that they would soon not be able to read God’s law.

That would lead to a life of disobedience!!!

In short, it would lead the next generation right back to where they were before rebuilding the walls; OUT OF GOD’S WILL.

Notice how quickly someone can move away from God in a few years!!!

Nehemiah reminded them of the great mistake of king Solomon.

E. Nehemiah cuts all ties with any possible temptations

Notice verse 28!!!

Nehemiah The Sin of Disobedience

Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, informs us that this grandson of Eliashib was named Manasseh. When Nehemiah kicked him out of Jerusalem, he immediately went to live with his father-in-law Sanballat in Samaria, and there established a false system of worship on Mount Gerezim. This was the same false system for those people known as Samaritans. Therefore, the compromise that Nehemiah removed from Jerusalem eventually took root nearby.

Does this not tell you how relentless the enemy is to get near you and crumble your progress in being obedient to God?!

Conclusion

I want to leave you with a quote from William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. He said, “I want you to always bear in mind that it is the nature of a fire to go out; you must keep it stirred and fed and the ashes continually removed for the fire to keep burning.”

To say it another way would be to say this: You can’t just simply resign from life’s troubles or go back to the “simpler life.”

Illustration: Now, how do oysters create pearls you ask? It all begins with an intruder inside of an oyster’s shell. When a grain of sand, or a tiny piece of food becomes trapped between the oyster’s shell and the protective later that covers the oyster’s organs, known as the mantle, the oyster goes into protection mode.

In order to protect itself from irritation, the oyster will begin covering the intruder with layers of nacre. Nacre, also known as mother-of-pearl, is the mineral substance that makes up the inside of an oyster’s shell. Over time, these layers wall off the irritant from the oyster’s organs, and in turn create a pearl. Although this process seems simple, it can take years to form a decent sized pearl.

Although pearls form naturally, it is also possible to cultivate them as well. A cultured pearl is one that forms when a pearl farmer purposefully embeds a grain of sand into their oysters.

We find it so fascinating that a grain of sand can turn into something so magnificent!

(TITLE LINK) Like the oyster, when an intruder places a grain of sand in your life, take what you have learned from Nehemiah and turn it into a pearl for the glory of God.

When we tackle life daily and remove the sin with it’s temptation, you can guarantee that God will answer the prayer, “Remember me, O my God, for good” Neh. 13:31