After 12 years as governor in Jerusalem, Nehemiah was recalled
to the court of Artaxerxes (v.6). We’re not told how long he stayed in Persia,
but at some later point he was given permission to return to Jerusalem (v.7).
Upon his return he found that the leadership had allowed the spiritual community
to disintegrate over time and he set himself to correct them.
The abuses Nehemiah discovered were; 1) Tobiah the Ammonite, was
being housed inside the very temple of God, 2) The Levites, instead of being
able to devote their whole time to the service of the Temple, had to earn their
living, because the tithes were not being paid, 3) The Sabbath was being violated,
and 4) The people had again been making mixed marriages.
Nehemiah responded to each of these violations in kind; 1) He
forcefully removed Tobiah and all his possessions and ordered the rooms to be
purified again (vv.8-9), 2) He installed new leadership to ensure that the
house of God and its service would be provided for and respected (v.13), 3) He
restored the divine order of the Sabbath by closing the gates, posting a guard,
and warned the merchants that they would be removed by force (vv. 9-23), and 4)
Nehemiah, with unsparing force, dealt with the issue of marriage to pagan women
(vv. 25-28).
Many churches today are compromising on spiritual issues as well and
watering down God’s Word - caring more about what others think, how others feel,
or where others might go. And as a result, they are totally ignoring the facts of
scripture and allowing compromise to creep in. Nehemiah knew the facts, he knew God’s Law, and did not compromise
nor waver in his application of the truth. His passion for God's Word and his willingness to defend, implement and follow it, is a great example for all of us.
The Truth
“The law
of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The
testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The
statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment
of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear
of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The
judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to
be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than
much fine gold;
Sweeter
also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover
by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is
great reward.” (Psalm 19:7-11)
