Nehemiah 12:27-13:6
Nehemiah 5:14-19
Nehemiah 13:7-31
Malachi 1:1-2:9
The completed wall of Jerusalem was dedicated with singing and
celebration, “for God had given the people cause for great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). Nehemiah had
accomplished his assigned task — rebuilding the wall — and, thus, returned to
his position as the king’s cup-bearer.
Though he had left Jerusalem and the Temple in good condition,
organized and honoring to God, in Nehemiah’s absence, things began to unravel,
primarily because of a crooked priest named Eliashib. Here is where we were
introduced to the prophet Malachi, who was sent by God to warn the priests of
God’s displeasure. “A son honors his father and a servant respects his master.
I am your Father and your Master, but where are the honor and respect I
deserve? You have despised My name! ...You have left God’s paths. Your guidance
has caused many to stumble into sin” (1:6; 2:8).
When Nehemiah heard the news of what was happening, he asked the king
to return to Jerusalem and correct the problems. It is Nehemiah’s second trip
to Jerusalem that closes the Old Testament chronologically. Though in the traditional
order of our Bibles, the book of Malachi is the last in the Old Testament, Nehemiah covers the final
recorded events.
While I am certainly impressed with Nehemiah’s leadership during his
first visit to Jerusalem, in rebuilding the city walls, I am more impressed
with what he does in his second visit. Consider the following activities.
First, Eliashib the priest had desecrated the Temple (probably for profit) by
allowing Tobiah, an enemy of God, to have one of the storage rooms. Nehemiah
threw Tobiah out of the Temple, along with all of his belongings, and had the
room purified for sacred use instead (13:4-9).
Second, Eliashib and other leaders had allowed people to stop bringing
tithes and offerings to the Levites, which meant that they did not have food
and could not survive; they, in turn, left the Temple to work in the fields,
and, therefore, the Temple was neglected. Nehemiah called all the Levites back
and restored them to their duties; he rebuked the leaders and restarted the
tithes and offerings (13:10-14).
Third, Nehemiah confronted merchants who were selling their wares on
the Sabbath Day. He kicked them out of the city and closed the gates on the
weekends (13:15-22). Fourth, he
discovered that many of the people, including leaders, had married foreign
wives; he chastised them for breaking God’s covenant (13:23-31). Finally,
Nehemiah did not abuse the people with taxes, nor did he take advantage of his
food allowance, and he required his staff to work alongside the people instead
of lord their authority over them.
Daily Reflection
The more I read about Nehemiah, the more I respect this man. No wonder
he was a cupbearer to the king. He was a man of great character and integrity;
he was honest and trustworthy. He was zealous for the Lord, wanting
nothing more than for Him to be honored. He could not be bought or swayed, and, he displayed tremendous courage in confronting sin.
How do you respond to the sin around you, to those who dishonor God by
their actions?
Do you care enough about God’s honor to confront your sin
and the sins of others?
BiAY.org | Day 265 — 100 Days to Go
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