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Nehemiah 13

Good Morning “Those committed God, NOT just the leader.”  

Today we wrap up the book of Nehemiah with chapter 13.

Nehemiah served in Jerusalem 12 years, then returned back to the king according to his promise.  About a year has passed and he returns to The Holy City to see how things are going.  The wheels are falling off the bus.  What has happened in just a years time?

- Tobiah, a foreigner, who would not be allowed to live in the city as such (Deuteronomy 23:3-5) is instead living in a storage room in The Temple.

- They have ceased giving those who serve in the Temple their portion of the Tithes, so out of necessity they have returned to their own lands - to farm them etc.  Even Priests gotta eat.  It’s even more than that though… (Numbers 18:21)

- The people were working on the Sabbath. (Exodus 20:8-11)

- The people were intermarrying once again.  (Deuteronomy 7:3)

Nehemiah cleans house, literally, and rebukes them.  They seemingly get back in line.  Great, but how did they end up there so quickly?

“On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people…”Nehemiah‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

“On THAT day”… it appears that public reading of The Law had ceased to be a regular thing over the last year.  This chapter begins as if that is unusual. Let’s work backward from the sins I mentioned.

They were consumed by the world around them, once again compromising and intermarrying those who were Pagan - and like Deut 7:3 says they will turn you away from your God.

As they conformed to the world around them, the Sabbath (devoted time with God) became less important.  With that, other requirements of The Law went by the wayside also.  

With Nehemiah (their accountability) gone, when they drifted from The Word of God - the snow ball started rolling.  It seems perhaps their covenant with God was incentivized by Nehemiah.  

We must be people committed to following God, not man!  No matter how solid, moving, or charismatic our Pastors are… they are simply servants of The One True God!  Follow Him, by knowing and obeying His Word.  It must be paramount to our living.  It doesn’t take long to drift away.

Love you all!  Dig in!