Restore, Rebuild, Rededicate (Nehemiah 11, 12,13)

No Compromise

Restore, Rebuild, Rededicate (Nehemiah 11, 12,13)

We are ending our series, on the book of Nehemiah

This series is about Restoration, Rebuilding and rededicating

The message for this morning is

No compromise.

The story of restoring, rebuilding and rededicating of Jerusalem begins in the book of Ezra also written by Nehemiah.

God raised Cyrus

Cyrus the Great, Persian King, He was the monarch who ended the Babylonian captivity. He reigned from 559-530 BC He was also known as Cyrus II.

150 years before Cyrus was born Isaiah the prophet, prophecy about him by name. Later Jeremiah also prophesied about Cyrus,

In the first year of his reign God led Cyrus to decree that the Temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt

They began the work, and took their time rebuilding Jerusalem,

Several years later; Nehemiah receives news that the walls of Jerusalem were broken and the gates were burned the people were under distress.

Nehemiah went before the Lord, he took responsibility, repented for his sins and of his forefathers, received God’s forgiveness, and favor then Nehemiah received the blessings and the materials he needed from King Artaxerxes, he went back to Jerusalem to encourage the people to finish the work they had begun.

They began the good work, in unity everyone, high priest, priest, merchants, they were all working in some part of the wall and gates, the women were also included, some began repairing their own homes.

The message for this morning is

No compromise.

Now we are in chapter 11, 12,13

In the book of Nehemiah, the two consistent themes remained to the end, the favor of God, and the harassment of the enemy.

God’s favor, they rebuild the wall, they got the job done, the people were moving in unity, the enemy began to fear them.

Harassment

Their enemy continue to harass them in every way they could, they did not stop.

Let’s Pray

On

Chapter 11 — The rulers cast lots to see who is to dwell in Jerusalem and who is to live elsewhere in the land. Chapter 12

vv. 1-42 — Roster of priests and Levites who had returned with Zerubbabel. vv. 43-47 — Restoration of sacrifices and temple worship. (Notice the joy of the people.)

Neh 12:43 Also on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy; the women and children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from far away.

Chapter 13 — Nehemiah, who had returned to Persia, comes again to Jerusalem and institutes reforms.

vv. 1-5 — The reading of the law leads to separation

1 We need to know who our friends are?

Neh 13:1 On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses so that the people could hear [its words], and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite could ever enter the assembly of God,

Neh 13:2 because they did not meet the Israelites with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. Yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. [Num_22:3-11; Deu_23:5-6]

Neh 13:3 When the Jews heard the law, they separated from Israel all who were of foreign descent.

The Lord had clearly told the people to love the strangers the foreigners, the problem here is, allowing people and their ungodly values to influence your life and values.

Deu 10:19 Therefore, show your love for the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

There is nothing to do with being a nationalist

a person who strongly identifies with their own nation and vigorously supports its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations.

Or a loyalist

a person who remains loyal to the established ruler or government, especially in the face of a revolt.

Our Heavenly Father and Jesus are always about loving people.

Mat 25:34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Mat 25:35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

Mat 25:36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'

Mat 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?

Mat 25:38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?

Mat 25:39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'

Mat 25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

We always need to have in mind who we are associating with, not to reject them and put them down, but we need to be the influence, if you are the follower and someone is leading you away from God is time for you to reevaluate your friendship.

vv. 6-9 — Nehemiah puts Tobiah out of the room he had been given in the temple.

2 Who are we welcoming in our temple?

Neh 13:4 Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and was related to Tobiah [our adversary],

Neh 13:5 had prepared for Tobiah a large room (chamber) where previously they had put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and [olive] oil which were given by commandment for the Levites, the singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

Tobiah was one of the rats who brought so much trouble, and made so difficult for them to complete the wall the work of the Lord. Eliashib was the priest appointed over the chambers of the house of God and he was related to Tobiah.

Just like Nehemiah dealt with Tobiah, we need to be aggressive with the enemy of our soul, giving him no room. Through him out.

I remember a few years after I had given my heart to the Lord, there were things that I could not shake off I had no victory over, addictions, condemnation, always being reminded of some mistake or something I didn’t preform well, the end message was always the same “how can you be so stupid? ”

By the grace of God, working with counseling schools, it became very clear to me that I had open the door to my enemy, the enemy of my soul and gave him a room in my temple.

The Apostle Paul tell us

1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

1Co 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

The enemy never asks permission to seat at your table or move into a room in your temple,

When we give him a room and permission to be there, we move from temptation, to give the enemy authority over us, we become slaves.

The only way to break that authority is to throw him out, with his things, did you give him a couch a chair, a bed? Throw it out.

Ask the Lord what you need to throw out, what belongs to the enemy that is in your temple.

Some were objects that I chose to throw out

I got ready of pictures, books, music cds, jewelry, anything the enemy had claim on it.

Do you have anything that the enemy is using to connect you with your sinful past, things that are not pleasing to the Lord ? some we resist because costed us money? I had friends who refused to get ready of things because cost them a good amount of money.

May be time for you to get ready of it.

I have seen people getting ready of expensive Jewelry or paintings, clothing collections because they want to be free of the power of the enemy in their lives.

I can’t tell you what you need to throw away, but if you ask the Lord He will tell you.

I personally don’t want to have anything from the enemy in my temple, heart, or my house,

3 Keep giving your tithes and offerings

One of the consequences of giving a room to the enemy was that the Levites were not being paid. The rooms for offerings was given to the enemy, now those who were serving the Lord had to go back to their fields.

Are you contributing to those who are ministering to you? Are they being paid from your offerings?

Or is that room taken away?

vv. 10-14 — The Levites had not been paid. Nehemiah forces the rulers to see that the Levites receive their portion. Is important that we are faithful with our tithes and offerings are part of our worship is our expression of gratitude for all the Lord provide for us.

Mal 3:10 Bring all the tithes (the tenth) into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you [so great] a blessing until there is no more room to receive it. [Mal_2:2]

Mal 3:11 Then I will rebuke the devourer (insects, plague) for your sake and he will not destroy the fruits of the ground, nor will your vine in the field drop its grapes [before harvest]," says the LORD of hosts.

4 Observe the Sabbath. They had neglect the Sabbath

Alleviating muscle pain and soreness: During rest days, the body has a chance to remove excess lactate from the muscles. This helps to alleviate muscle pain and soreness.

Repairing and building muscles: Exercise creates microscopic tears in muscle tissue. During rest days, cells called fibroblasts repair and build up the muscle tissue.

Replenishing the body’s energy stores: Glycogen is a form of energy stored in muscles. Exercise depletes glycogen levels, which leads to muscle fatigue. ...

Preventing injury: Overexercising puts repetitive stress and strain on the muscles, increasing the risk of injury.

Allowing the mind to rest: Overexercising can tire the mind as well as the body. ...

Reference: www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/rest-day

vv. 15-22 — The Sabbath day is observed. Men of Tyre bring fish to sell in Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. Nehemiah forces them to leave and orders the gates of Jerusalem to be closed on the Sabbath. This is specially for those who are not married yet.

5 Marry someone who can share your faith and values.

vv. 23-31 — Intermarriage among the heathen is still practiced.

Even Solomon in all his wisdom and knowledge was brought down by marrying women who had other gods and introduced him to their pagan worship. Marriage is a blessing, family is a gift from the Lord, marrying someone who worships a different God, is a nightmare.

1Ki 11:1 But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites—

1Ki 11:2 from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, "You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love.

1Ki 11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.

1Ki 11:4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.

1Ki 11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

Astarte goddess, is also known as Ashtoreth and the queen of heaven. She was the ancient Phoenician great goddess of fertility, motherhood, and war. The name astarte means the queen of stars.

Milcon, god of the Ammonites whose cult Solomon introduced in Jerusalem.

1Ki 11:6 Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not fully follow the LORD, as did his father David.

1Ki 11:7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon.

Moloch (also known as Molek or Molech), was the name of an Ammonite god to whom human sacrifices were made.

1Ki 11:8 And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

The wisest men on earth did not follow the Lord His God, after all his goodness and blessings over him.

His final words Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the duty of all mankind.

Nehemiah was able to finish his assignment from the Lord to restore the walls and gates of Jerusalem and bring his people into a fresh relationship with Lord.

Restore, Rebuild, Rededicate

To accomplish this his message was clear,

No compromise

1 We need to know who our friends are?

2 Who are we welcoming in our temple?

3 keep giving our tithes and offerings

4 Keep the Sabbath

5 Marrying the right person

All was done as they rejoice in the Lord, in the middle of a great celebration, more we rejoice in the Lord more revelation He will give us.

All this is possible when we make Jesus the Lord of our lives

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Joh 3:16

To receive Jesus we need to accept Him as God’s son, repent from our sins and a life of selfishness, asking Him to be your Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.

If this is your desire today, please repeat this prayer after me?

Heavenly Father I’m sinner,

I’m sorry for my sins,

I’m willing to turn away from my sins.

I receive Christ as my savior,

I confess him as Lord

from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,

in the fellowship of his church,

In Jesus name. Amen!

1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:25 In the same manner Healso took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

1Co 11:27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Heb 9:14 dead works, acts, sins

E mau aku ka loko maika’i o ka Haku, Iesu Kristo; me ke aloha a ke Akua, a me ka launa pu ‘ana mai o ka Uhane Hemolele ia ‘olua, a me makou apau. Amene.