Nehemiah: Reform and Reevaluation

Review

Appointments for the Continuing Work (Ne 12:44-47)

And they are taken care of as they were instructed

The Levites receive the tithe, and then pass along the portion due the Sons of Aaron

Previous Commitments (Ne Ch 10)

We won't give our daughters in marriage to foreigners (Ne 10:30)

We will Keep the Sabbath, rest the land, nor buy and sell on the Sabbath (Ne 10:31)

We will give the tithe to care for the temple and those who keep it (Ne 10:32-39)

Nehemiah Returns to Jerusalem

After having returned to his duties to the King

Cup bearer - Ne 1:11b

His appointment was for a time

Nehemiah 2:6 NASB95

Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.

Many of the details are unknown concerning Why - but what he found when he returned is certain

Ne 2:1 - And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that

Ne 13:6a - 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.

Ne 13:6b-7a - After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, and I came to Jerusalem and learned (discovered, understood)

He discovers the sin of the people - especially the leadership (Ne 13:7b

Foreigners in the Temple

The Tithe

The Sabath

Intermarriage

Pattern of dealing with the sin

Discovery/Identification of Sin

Repentance - Demonstrated

A Solution looking toward the future

Foreigners (Ne 13:4-9)

Sin Discovered

Eliashib has given Tobiah space in the Temple

The spaced used to store the tithe

Repentance Demonstrated

Tobiah's belongings thrown out

Solution

Rooms Cleansed and returned to service

APPLICATION

Are there people you have given room to in your life that need to be cast out?

Tithe (Ne 13:10-14)

Sin Discovered

Levites had not been given their portion

So they returned Home to work

No place to store the tithe in any case

Repentance Demonstrated

Leadership Scolded

Solution

Tithe restored - people placed in charge of the storehouses

APPLICATION

Give to God what is His due

Snow ball effect - Eliashib gives room to his father-in-law - people stop giving - levites don't get their portion - they leave the work to care for their families

Sabbath (Ne 13:15-22)

Sin Discovered

The do not keep the Sabbath or let the Land rest, they let Foreigners sell on the Sabbath

Repentance Demonstrated

Shut the Gates! (19)

Threaten violence to those who wait outside the gates

Solution

Levites Cleansed and set as gate-keepers

APPLICATION

Take the action necessary to get rid of sin -whatever it takes - just don't tolerate it

Inter-marriages with Foreigners (Ne 13:23-28)

Sin Discovered

Some had married foreigners

the children were raised more as foreigners than Jew

Repentance Demonstrated

Confrontation

Cursed them

Pulled out hair

Shown the lesson of Solomon

Even the great King sinned in this way

Solution

Note: Even the High Priests family inter-married with Sanballat

He is driven away

APPLICATION

Are there people you have given room to in your life that need to be cast out?