Accidents Are Imaginary

Big Idea: God is intentional; therefore you must be intentional in honoring Him.

God is always intentional nothing He does is on accident or by chance. There is a purpose, a reason for everything that is outlined on the pages of Scripture. Therefore, we must be intentional as we walk with God. We aren’t accidently going start following God. In fact I’d say it is far more likely for you to accidently start falling away from God. We must remain vigilent in our lives otherwise we let things slip in or out that are not of God (AKA sin).

Nehemiah 13:1-3

1 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 enter the assembly of God, 2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

Verse 1 “One that day...”

Quick summary of 12:27-47 (Commentators don’t seem to agree here)

This is the same day that the Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem was taking place. They were celebrating, singing, praising God, making offerings to God, and distributing the offerings according to the Law.

One that day they also read from the Law of Moses. Specifically from the book of Deutronomy 23:3-5.

Refer to Verse 1b-2

The Ammonites and Moabites have a long history of disrupting, corrupting, and destroying God’s people.

Time and time again these nations along with the other surrounding nations really caused a lot obstacles for the Israelites to overcome. Granted it was their own fault. God gave them the law they chose not to follow it. Often choosing to follow false gods and idols.

As you can see in verse 2, Instead of welcoming Isreal they tried to curse them using the prophet Balaam.

Briefly retell the story of Balaam. Numbers 22-24

So, because of the way that these nations have treated Israel (God’s choosen people) He proclaimed that they should not be in the assembly of the Israelites.

So, now knowing this, What did they do?

Refer to Verse 3

The were wise and heeded the instruction that God had given them. They separated the foreigners from the Israelites.

First Fill-In-The-Blank: Ignorance of sin is not an excuse.

Think about the Israelites here most of them recently returned from exile. Where while they were in exile they were getting harassed to stop worshiping God. Look at the stories in Daniel. Multiple times under multiple rulers the punishment for not worshipping an idol was death. Then fast-forward a generation or two, and here they are. I imagine many of them had not heard the law before. I don’t know this I’m just assuming. However, even though they were ignorant of the law that doesn’t exuse them from violating it. A sin’s sentence doens’t change if you didn’t know it was a sin. Death is still what you deserve. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Nehemiah 13:4-9

4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, 5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. 6 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king 7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

Verse 4, “Now before this,”

So, at some point prior to the the Dedication of the Wall of Jerusalem this incident occured.

Verse 4-5

The priest Eliashib and relative to Tobiah (who was one of the main offenders to the major conflict at the beginning of the Nehemiah) gave Tobiah a chamber, or a place to sleep where the offerings and vessels for the temple works was supposed to be stored.

Sidenote: I would like you all to know that Tobiah not only was causing a lot of trouble for Nehemiah he is also not an Israelite in fact he is an Ammonite. A man from one of the two nations that are not supposed to be in the assembly of the Israelites.

Eliashib was essentially letting Tobiah squat in the temple storehouses.

Which let me be clear is not okay. God had specific intentions for that chamber, and Eliashib was allowing it to be misused.

Verse 6

Nehemiah was not in town while these poor decisions were taking place. He needed to go back to fulfill his duty to the king like he had promised. However, after some time he requested to head back to Jerusalem.

Verse 7-9

Upon his return he found out about Tobiah residing in the storehouses. Then Nehemiah goes into a fury. Eliashib was disrespecting the House of God, and this image reminds me of Jesus flipping tables in temple.

While the actions were different the reasons were the same. They were not respecting God’s Temple. Sin was allowed to enter a place that is supposed to holy.

So, Nehemiah kicks him out throws all of his stuff out. Then cleanses the room and restores it to the function that God had intended it to have. To store the portion of the offereings that were supposed to go to those who worked within the temple.

As we look at this section, Eliashib was the priest incharge of the chambers of the House of God. He knew what this room was intended to be used for. However, he chose to ignore the intentions of God, and granted a favor to a person who was a known troublemaker and shouldn’t even be among the Israelites let alone the House of God. Eliashib intentally went against the God’s design for the Temple. This led to even more unfavorable outcomes that you will see here shortly.

Second Fill-In-The-Blank: Doing something that you know is wrong on purpose is choosing to intentionally sin against God.

Even though Eliashib knew what that room should have been used for he blatently went against God’s intentions. He had a moment where he let his good idea trump God’s intentions. Wisdom is having the ability to discern what is sinful or not. Wisdom is having the ability to understand your good idea, good intention, or good deed if not what God wants from you is a sin. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

If you take two minutes to think back I’m sure you can come up with an example where you leaned on your own understanding instead of the wisdom of God.

Lack of patience at work with colleges and gossip.

Nehemiah 3:10-14

10 I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. 11 So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. 14 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 his service.

Verse 10

Not only did Nehemiah find that the Tobiah was squatting in the Temple storehouse. He also learns that the portions of the offerings that were supposed to be set back for the Levites and singers weren’t being given to them.

So, they were forced to go work in order to survive. Which took them away from what they were supposed to be doing, serving in the temple.

Verse 11-12

Seeing this lack obedience from the Israelites caused Nehemiah to jump into action.

Calling out those in charge.

Reestablishing the proper order for the Temple.

Reminding the people what needs to be taking place.

Verse 13-14

Nehemiah appoints reliable people as treasures within the Temple to ensure that the Levites were given their proper portion.

He did this to ensure that God’s design for the Temple and the Levites remained intact.

He chose only those who had previously proven themselves to be reliable (notice Eliashib was not one of them).

Then He pleads to God to remember him, and his good deeds that he has preformed. He doesn’t do this as if to brag to God. Instead he is seeking gratification from God specifically, and not others.

Third Fill-In-The-Blank: Be reliable, serve God humbly, and look for gratification from Him alone.

We are all called to serve God in some form or fashion. However, what is our motivation? Are we serving God to honor and glorify Him? Or Are we serving God for attention and to glorify ourselves? We as believers must ensure that all we do is intentionally honoring God. We will fail, but we must be on our toes. Satan will grab ahold of whatever he can to drag you down, and away from God. So, always be on the lookout for sin in your life.

Illustration: Within this congregation there are many humble servants of God. They do so much for His kingdom, and you would never know unless someone told you. They fly under our radar, but not under God’s

Remember God is intentional, therefore we must be intentional.

If you have not made the decision to surrender your life to follow God I urge you to make that decision today.

If you realized that there are some things in your life that you need to change, because you haven’t been living they way you know you should.

If you have just been going through the motions of life, and really not even trying to live for God.

If you have intentionally been choosing to sin.

Come rededicate your life to God, ask God forgiveness, ask God for strength to overcome your sin.