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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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NEHEMIAH’S REFORMS: SABBATH AND MIXED MARRIAGES Nehemiah
13:15-31 10/03/10 Grace
Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor
Daryl Hilbert I. INTRODUCTION A. This next section begins
with the similar phrase, “in those days,” so again Nehemiah is referring to
his return to Jerusalem after twelve more years of service to King
Artaxerxes. B. He not only observed that foreigners had
been permitted in the temple court and the priesthood was being neglected,
but now he observed that Israel was violating the Sabbath and that they had
been practicing intermarriage with foreign women. C. Nehemiah begins what is
his final reforms, at least in what he has recorded in his book. II. NEHEMIAH REFORMS UNLAWFUL
SABBATH PRACTICES (13:15-22) A. [Ne 13:15-16] - What
Nehemiah observed was that some in Judah were laboring and making wine on the
Sabbath. Others were bringing in loads of grain, olives, and various produce
and merchandise. In other words, in spite of the Law regarding Sabbath restrictions,
commerce and business was continuing as usual. 1. Nehemiah
“admonished” (ud - repeat or remind)
the foreign merchants reminding them of the rules of the city based on the
Law of Moses. 2. Though it may have been neglected and
forgotten, Nehemiah had settled the issue of selling goods on the Sabbath
before he left for Persia (cp. Ne 10:31). 3. The men of Tyre are mentioned in that
they were importing fish (most likely through the Fish Gate [Ne 3:3; 12:39])
as well as other merchandise. This was happening all over Judah as well as
Jerusalem. It was not only the fault of the merchants, but also the Jews who
were buying these things on the Sabbath. B. [Ne 13:17-18] -
Nehemiah’s response was to “reprimand” (rib - strive or contend) the
nobles of Judah in a stronger way than he admonished the merchants. It is
because the nobles were allowing the merchants to come in and thereby tempt
the Jewish people to violate the Sabbath. 1. His
words were just as true as they were penetrating. He reprimanded them for this
evil thing for which they were responsible. They were “profaning” (chalal - religiously pollute or defile) the
Sabbath and the people of God. For Nehemiah, it was not just a violation
against a city ordinance, but rather a religious violation of the ordinances
of God. 2. They were reminded of the sins of their
forefathers (Eze 20:13) and the chastisement they brought upon Israel and the
city. Nehemiah expressed that they were adding to wrath of God and so
starting the cycle of disobedience and punishment all over again. 3. The Sabbath was to be a day of
worshipping the Creator (Ge 2:3; Ex 16:27) by setting aside man’s labors (Ex
20:9-11) in order to give God his due honor on at least one day of the week
(Is 58:13). C. [Ne 13:19-22] - Nehemiah
understood that the propensity of the merchants as well as the sons of Israel
was to not particularly remove their business practices on the Sabbath. So
Nehemiah took precautions by commanding the doors be shut the entire duration
of the Sabbath. Nehemiah obviously did not trust the original gatekeepers who
were part of the problem and not the solution, so he had some of his servants
make sure the gates were kept closed. 1. On one
or two occasions, merchants would attempt to bring in their wares but since
the gates were shut had to spend the evening outside the city (19). 2. This also presented a problem because
enemies could pose as merchants and gain an advance at the gate. In addition,
the sons of Israel could go outside the city and buy goods on the Sabbath. So
Nehemiah demanded that if the merchants continued to come at all near the
city on the Sabbath, force would be used to remove them. After that, they did
not return (20-21). 3. The Levites were asked to purify
themselves and then watch the gates. To Nehemiah this was first and foremost
a religious duty (22). 4. Nehemiah prayed a fourth time with this
type of remembrance prayer. There were six altogether (Ne 5:19; 6:14; 13:14,
22, 29, 31). Ne 13:14 was a prayer asking for God’s blessing on all the labor
Nehemiah had done. Here in Ne 13:22 Nehemiah prayed for God’s blessing based
on God’s covenantal love (“loving-kindness” chesed).
III. NEHEMIAH REFORMS UNLAWFUL
MARRIAGE PRACTICES (13:23-31) A. [Ne 13:23-29] - Again “in
those days” after Nehemiah’s returned, he observed that the Jews had gone
back (cp. Ne 10:30) to their unlawful practice of intermarrying foreign women
(Ex 34:15, 16; De 7:3; cp. Mal 2:10-16), particularly from Ashdod, Ammon, and
Moab (fiercest enemies). 1. He
noticed that the children were speaking the language of other cultures and
not Hebrew (23-24). 2. Therefore, incensed that everything that
was sacred to God and particular to God’s people was vanishing. He not only
contended with them but he prayed religious curses down upon the violators.
Furthermore, Nehemiah pulled out their hair (probably they beards) as was the
custom for various punishments and public humiliation (cp. Is 50:6, also a
prophecy of the Messiah). In addition, he made them
swear an oath before God never to give their sons or daughters to foreigners
(25). 3. Nehemiah, acquainted with the Scriptures,
drew from Solomon’s horrible example of allowing foreign women to influence
even this great man of wisdom (1Ki 11:3) (26). 4. If God did not spare chastisement on
Solomon, would he then spare these post-exilic Jews (27)? 5. To add insult to injury, the grandson
(unnamed and therefore not Jonathan, cp. Ne 12:11) of the Eliashib the high
priest, not only married a foreign women, but married a daughter of
Sanballat, Nehemiah’s arch-enemy (Ne 2:10, 19; 4:1, 7; 6:1, 2, 5, 12, 14).
Nehemiah’s response should not be surprising nor considered errant, for he
drove and expelled Eliashib’s grandson from the community. If there was any
doubt as to Eliashib’s participation in the neglect of the priesthood, this
certainly argued for it (28). 6. Nehemiah records his fifth prayer of
remembrance. It was a prayer asking for God’s blessing to Nehemiah for his
reestablishing the priesthood (29). B. [Ne 13:30-31] - Nehemiah
summarizes his final reforms. Nehemiah was not a priest, but he realized that
everything that was done inside the city was a by-product of a relationship
(or lack thereof) with the living God. 1. During
his official and unofficial administration, Nehemiah purified the people of
God from everything foreign, including foreigners in the temple (Ne 13:1-9),
foreigners selling on the Sabbath (Ne 13:15-28), and foreigners married to
Israelites (Ne 13:23-29). 2. In addition, Nehemiah was responsible for
the reestablishment of tithing (Ne 13:10-14), the reestablishment of the
priesthood (Ne 13:11), and the reestablishment of priesthood duties, tasks,
and provisions (Ne 13:30-31). 3. Nehemiah ends with a final remembrance
prayer. He asks for God’s blessings for good. The good would encompass
himself, Israel, Israel’s continuance, and the coming Messiah. IV. OBSERVATIONS AND
APPLICATIONS A. Leadership trusts in God
to sovereignly take care of all things (Ne 13:6). B. Leadership understands that reforms must
be checked periodically (Ne 13:10-11; 15, 23). C. Leadership understands all things are
by-product of one’s relationship with the Lord (Ne 13:30-31). D. Leadership understands that stern measures
are necessary at times (Ne 13:8, 17, 25). E. Leadership never loses its passion for the
Lord, His Word, His people, and His service (Ne 13). |
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