Nehemiah 13 gives us an interesting look at what happen when we fall away from regular reading of God’s Word. As the chapter begins, we learn that Nehemiah had gone back to Babylon for a time to serve the king. When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem he found the people had not been diligent in keeping their promises. The chapter begins with “On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people“. Notice, Nehemiah did not have to scold the people, he simply read God’s Word aloud and the people reacted to it. “There it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God… When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent“. It is important to remember the people of Jerusalem were will and open to honoring God and they changed readily. Lots of people today are not open to hearing God’s truth, but I believe the promise in Isaiah 55:11, conserving the Word of God: “It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it“. Change is the work of His Holy Spirit.
The chapter continues with Nehemiah reviewing the status of the leadership. It is important to point out that God really does hold the pastors and teachers to a higher standard. “Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah“. Remember this guy was a constant tormentor of Nehemiah and it turns out the priest “had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles“. I think it is very easy to simply substitute other things for true worship. Here was the result “the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them” forcing them to go back to their own fields. Nehemiah asked, “Why is the house of God neglected?” Is there something you have substituted for true worship?
Next Nehemiah saw the people had ignored the Sabbath and begun treating it just like every other day. Nehemiah asked, “What is this wicked thing you are doing desecrating the Sabbath day?” Judging by the tone of his words, he was ticked off! “I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over… If you do this again, I will lay hands on you“. Maybe this is a good reminder that there are some things that we should get passionate about. Those who deny God are quick to point to “Judge not” but they ignore the “go and sin no more”. Unrepentant sin has no place in the church or any other position of authority. The book ends on a positive note, “So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task“. The Bible teaches in a number of places that Jesus Himself will return for His church.John 14:2-3“In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am“. Multiple times we are exhorted to live with the joyful expectancy. Luke 12:40 “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him”. Are you ready for the Lord’s return?