Nehemiah Pt. 18: Continual Restoration

Nehemiah 13:1-15 (ESV)
08/25/24

13 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 enter the assembly of God, 2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, 5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

6 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king 7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. 11 So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.

12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers.

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 his service.

Summary points:
Recognize your sin
Let God’s word bring you to action
Leaders are not perfect
If God calls you, listen
Sin spreads easily

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Nehemiah Pt. 17: And The Rocks Were Silent

Nehemiah 12:27-47 (ESV)

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate….with trumpets…..with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. At the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east. 

Then the other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens….and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half the officials with me; and the priests….with trumpets…..and the singers sang…..And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and the children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.

Summary Points:

-Prepare/purify yourself for the gatherings of God’s people

-Your labor in the Lord will never be in vain (I Cor 15:58)

-Rejoice in the Lord. It is a gift (Rom 15:13), a fruit (Gal 5:22-23), a command (Phil 4:4), and a privilege (Ps 122:1)

-Pray for renewal/revival in the church and the nation

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Nehemiah Pt. 16: Remembering From Where We Came

Nehemiah 12:1-26

8/4/2024

The text today shows how different people have different roles to play. There are certain people who are supposed to be priests, others high priests. Some Levites were called to sing, others to stand watch and keep the gates. 

We see how God is faithful in keeping his promises. 

This passage is meant to memorialize the people to whom the ancient Israelites owed, through God’s providence, the “happy revival and re-establishment of their religion among them”. – Matthew Henry

Hebrews 13:7
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

12 These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: [22 men]. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua.

• Right away we see that this is a complicated passage. I’m going to do my best to walk us through the names and the players and not overwhelm. 

• Nehemiah is remembering the leaders who contributed to the restoration of Gods people.

8 And the Levites: Jeshua [and 5 others], who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9 And [two men] and their brothers stood opposite them in the service. 10 And Jeshua was the [great-great-great grand] father of Jaddua.

• This is the record of the renewal of the ancient practices of God’s people. David had set apart groups of people who were to minister at the temple by singing praises. You can read about this in 1 Chronicles 24 and 25.

• All of this shows that God was watchful over them in their time in exile. He preserved the line of Aaron to make sure there could be a high priest. He saved Levites who could serve as priests in the temple.

12-21 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ houses: [of the 20 Levites, 20 sons]

• We’re now getting a run down on the second generation. Joiakim is HP2.

• This is something truly miraculous. 20 fathers left behind 20 good sons who would be good priests for the people. Only one or two are left out from the previous list, people disagree about how to interpret the list.

• But these men are recorded because they were faithful in serving God’s people. God was faithful in providing this young, newly restored nation good leaders to get them off to a healthy start.

22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua (four generations of high priests: from the building of the wall to the time this was written), the Levites were recorded as heads of fathers’ houses; so too were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 As for the sons of Levi, their heads of fathers’ houses were written in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan [HP4] the son of Eliashib [HP3]. 

• v22 begins to tell us about the leaders from the third generation onward. The Levites and the priests are mentioned, implying they too were holding fast to their duties.

24 And the chiefs of the Levites: [three men], with their brothers who stood opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch by watch. 25 [6 men] were gatekeepers standing guard at the storehouses of the gates. 26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra, the priest and scribe.

• Reminder, there are a few roles the Levites can have. The whole tribe was set apart for God. They didn’t get their own land and they had religious duties they were expected to do, things like singing, serving as guards or carrying the holy items. 

o Next step up, a group of the Levites were priests. They offered the sacrifices at the temple, taught the people and maintained the temple.

o Lastly is the high priest, and that was always passed down to the oldest living son upon death all the way down the line of Aaron, the brother of Moses.

o “The work of God shall never fail for want of instruments”

These people who were on fire for the Lord, who built the wall, had only one avenue to express their gratitude. Those people could only be thankful for their ancestors who were the remnant of Israel, remaining faithful in a foreign land under persecution. They could only memorialize their ancestors who came before them to rebuild the temple.

Hebrews 6:12 commands us to pay close attention to the leaders of the past

“[be] imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Takeaways

Remember your spiritual ancestors

• We cannot repay the debt; we can only pay it forward. Likewise, we are to go out and make disciples. 

God’s work cannot fail. 

• God told his people how he was to be worshiped. He sets the rules, but he’ll also see to it that it’s fulfilled

The heart of man is away from God

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