Nehemiah 11 - 13
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Chapter 11 - 13 Review
Chapter 11 - 13 Review
Chapter 11
Life outside the city was different than in the walled city. Most lived beyond the walls and pursued farming so lots were drawn to determine who would return. Does the Lord want us to use lots to discern His will?
Chapter 12
The wall is finally dedicated and the people celebrate. Nehemiah’s work is complete.
Chapter 13
Some twenty years have passed since Nehemiah built the wall and was governor of Jerusalem. Nehemiah has returned to serve the king and during this this time the people resort to their old habits of marrying foreign women and disregarding the sabbath. The book of Malachi records this period for us
Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Read and Summarize
Overview
Life outside the city was different than in the walled city. Most lived beyond the walls and pursued farming so lots were drawn to determine who would return. Does the Lord want us to use lots to discern His will?
Casting Lots
1 Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities.
Q: Why cast lots?
Hardship, no money to be made in the city
— Easy life outside the city
— All seek their own (Phil 2:21)
Casting Lots Casting Lots and God’s will (Neh 10:34; Esther 3:7; Neh 11:1; Ps 22:18; Matt 27:35)
Governors Governors (Zech 12:5)
5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts, their God.’
Priests & Levites They worked in the city; brought things to the temple
— Work outside is just as important as work inside
Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Read and Summarize
Overview
The wall is finally dedicated and the people celebrate. Nehemiah’s work is complete.
Dedication of the wall
27 Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals and stringed instruments and harps.
Q:How did they celebrate?
Devoted They devoted not just the wall but the entire city, the homes and everything in them
— All our cities must be devoted to the Lord and His holiness
30 Then the priests and Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
Be pure Purify others; they themselves must be pure
— How different than the Catholic Church teaches
31 So I brought the leaders of Judah up on the wall, and appointed two large thanksgiving choirs. One went to the right hand on the wall toward the Refuse Gate.
Q: How did they celebrate?
Two Companies They walked in two companies
— opposite directions, singing and playing instruments
— (12:40) meet at the temple
Q: Besides thanking God for what He had done might there be another purpose?
To tell others That they might be able to tell other generations of God’s justice (Ps 48:11-14)
11 Let Mount Zion rejoice, Let the daughters of Judah be glad, Because of Your judgments. 12 Walk about Zion, And go all around her. Count her towers; 13 Mark well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces; That you may tell it to the generation following. 14 For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.
43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.
Q: Do you bring joy to those you lead?
(12:44-47) Misc temple duties
(12:44c) for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who ministered
— People saw how diligent the ministers worked
— They rejoiced
44 And at the same time some were appointed over the rooms of the storehouse for the offerings, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who ministered.
Careless People Careless people would not bring their tithes
— Someone had to go to them
47 In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the portions for the singers and the gatekeepers, a portion for each day. They also consecrated holy things for the Levites, and the Levites consecrated them for the children of Aaron.
Above and beyond Some gave above and beyond what was required
— worthy of double honor (1 Tim 5:17-18)
17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Read and Summarize
Overview
Some twenty years have passed since Nehemiah built the wall and was governor of Jerusalem. Nehemiah has returned to serve the king and during this this time the people resort to their old habits of marrying foreign women and disregarding the sabbath. The book of Malachi records this period for us
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 come into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
(13:1-3) The benefits of public reading
6 But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king,
Summary Gone for 20 years
— Returns to the King’s service
— While he is gone the people return to their former sinful ways lead by the high priest Eliashib
(13:1-3) Turned away Moabites and Ammonites
What Nehemiah did when he returned
(13:4-9) Expelled Tobiah
(13:10-14) Secured money for the ministers
(13:17-18) Confronted the nobles about profaning the Sabbath
(13:15-22) Restored the Sabbath
Malachi While Nehemiah was gone the book of Malachi was written (Mal 1:6-8)
6 “A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’ 7 “You offer defiled food on My altar, But say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of the Lord is contemptible.’ 8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?” Says the Lord of hosts.
Unholy Priests The priests despised God
— Only going through the motions
— Brought the worse offerings to God
— Not even fit for the governor
11 For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,” Says the Lord of hosts. 12 “But you profane it, In that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’
— Israel had failed to be a light to the nations (Gen 12:1-2)
— Christ will bring the light to the nations (Isa 49:6; Luke 2:32; Acts 13:46-47)
7 “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. 8 But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” Says the Lord of hosts.
16 “For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, For it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the Lord of hosts. Therefore take heed to your spirit, That you do not deal treacherously.”
— Divorcing Jewish wives to marry foreign women (Neh 13:23-27)
17 You have wearied the Lord with your words; “Yet you say, “In what way have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil Is good in the sight of the Lord, And He delights in them,” Or, “Where is the God of justice?”
— Priests had this all backwards
— God doesn’t care about the righteous; He rewards the wicked, so why live righteously?
— God favors the wicked
Compromising Companionship
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with Tobiah. 5 And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests.
Eliashib High Priest who was allied with the enemy
— His grandson married Sanballat’s daughter
— Another member married into Tobias’s family
— Josephus - grandson was Manasseh, expelled; Sanballat build him a temple on Mt Gerizim (Jn 4:20)
— Nehemiah made sure that Sanballat never got into the city but Eliashib gave him a room in the temple which he desecrated (Mal 2:8)
8 But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” Says the Lord of hosts.
Financial Fiasco
10 I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field. 11 So I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their place. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse. 13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren. 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 its services!
Not paid Levites and singers not paid, return to the farm
— Take action
— Not that they were not collected, rather not distributed!
— The work is neglected because the workman are neglected
— Rulers (magistrates) are obliged to make sure ministers do their job; Nehemiah laid the blame at the ruler’s feet
— Let men be tried first than trusted (trust but verify)
Selling and buying on the sabbath (13:17,19)
17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day?
19 So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day.
— Said that they would not buy or sell on the Sabbath or holy days (10:31)
— Went against their previous oath
— Violated the 4th commandment
— Made our Father’s day a day of merchandise
— Our actions must not be swayed by public opinion
— (13:19) A leader must be able to trust his men
31 and to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times. Remember me, O my God, for good!
Closes in Prayer 3rd time that he says remember me
— God’s thoughts towards me are precious (Ps 40:5)
22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!
Q: Do you want to share how you applied a leadership principle this week?
#1 (1:1-4) A Leader has a clear recognition of needs
#2 (1:5) A leader first goes to God
#3 (1:6) A leader recognizes his part of the problem
#4 (Neh 2) A leader takes initiative (cf. Acts 27:1-12)
#5 (2:4) A leader is prepared for questions
#6 (Neh 3) A leader delegates work & responsibility
#7 (3:1) A good leader leads by example
#8 (4:6) Critics demoralize but leaders encourage
#9 (4:10) Leaders grapple with the fears of their own men as well as of the enemy
#10 (4:9-16) Leaders take action and have a contingency plan