May 17, 2020
In Nehemiah 12 and 13 we see the climax of the narrative which begins in the book of Ezra. In chapter 12 the names of the Levites who had returned from exile are listed, and the author describes the dedication of the newly completed wall. It is a scene of rejoicing and thanksgiving before the Lord!
However, we see in chapter 13 that the devotion to the Lord, inspired by Ezra and Nehemiah’s ministry and leadership, did not last long. The book ends with a description of the unfaithfulness of the people to every part of the covenant with God that they had just committed in chapter 10 to uphold.
They have not honored the House of God as they had sworn (13:4-14), they had not observed the Sabbath (13:15-22), and they had not separated themselves from the peoples around them (13:23-29) Nehemiah attempts to force them into compliance, at times quite violently (13:25), but in the end his ministry in attempting to get the people to obey the Law actually fails, in spite of his best efforts.
The ending of the Ezra-Nehemiah narrative demonstrates that the restoration of the right way of worship in the Temple, the restoration of security through the rebuilding of the wall, and the renewal of devotion to obeying the Lord is not able to bring about actual covenant faithfulness. The problem of sin goes deeper than having the right system, being in the right circumstances and performing the right behaviors; the real issue of sin is an issue of the heart, and without that issue being addressed, true and lasting obedience can never take place.
Nehemiah 12 & 13
Priests and Levites
12 These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, 5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua.
8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 9 And Bakbukiah and Unni and their brothers stood opposite them in the service. 10 And Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada,11 Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.
12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers’ houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;14 of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, 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 the son of Eliashib. 24 And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, 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 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub 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.
Dedication of the Wall
27 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. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; 29 also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem.30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.
31 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.32 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, 33 and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph; 36 and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 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.
38 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, to the Broad Wall, 39 and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Gate of Yeshanah, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. 40 So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me;41 and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader.43 And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.
Service at the Temple
44 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. 45 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. 46 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. 47 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.
Nehemiah’s Final Reforms
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.
15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food. 16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! 17 Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
19 As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21 But I warned them and said to them, “Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.
23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people.25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”
28 And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me.29 Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; 31 and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits.
Remember me, O my God, for good.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Without the transformation of heart that only God is able to perform, not even the forceful attempts of well-intentioned and God-fearing men like Nehemiah can achieve genuine obedience in people. The message of Nehemiah is that we don’t need another religious system, the right set of circumstances, or to do all the right things in order to get it right. What we need, rather, is a heart that has been transformed by the power and the grace of God! Only that will make us finally able to truly obey God, and that is exactly what God has made available to us in Christ.
Cry out to God for that newness of heart today!
I think of the New Testament scripture – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. This is the gift you died to give, Christ Jesus. Let me remember this in each word I speak today, and in each decision I make. Amen.
God I am so sorry we turn our backs on You. I don’t understand how you can put up with us.
I thank you for not giving up on us. You are an amazing God!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving me and for another day that I have to love and worship you. I have seen in my own family just from being a mother, that our own children do not obey us at all times. Despite our best efforts, they go astray. Yet, we keep trying over and over to direct them in the right paths. It makes us very sad and it is so very displeasing to You. It is the desire of my heart to trust and obey You. Please help those who have gone their own way to come back to You. For You are the only way , the truth and the life. I will not stop loving You or professing Your righteous and holy name and I will continue to lead others to You. Please soften the hearts of those who are living apart from You so they will have a change of heart. For it is in the gracious and holy name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Amen!
Thank you Lord for making a way for us to you, through Jesus. Without him, I would be lost. Thank you for saving me and placing me in a right position you, to worship, obey you and lead others to you.
thank you Father for choosing leaders to right the path in our life and to bring us back to our first love.amen
Thank you Dear God for blessing us daily. Your guidance keeps us on the right path. When we go astray, you nudge us back on track. Thank you for your touch. In Jesus name above all names! Amen and Amen.
God thank you for transforming my heart through your son Jesus Christ .
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Thank You, Jesus, that Your blood has made me righteous and pure. Amen.
Father, you are the creator of heaven and earth. You desire praise and worship. Forgive my stubborn and contrite heart. May I walk in your ways and be not a hindrance for others to see and to know you. Father, send a Holy Ghost revival to our land. Blot out the transgressions of our leaders and each of us. May we stand anew, refreshed and filled with you spirit to accomplish your will through us this day. May we be your servants on earth today and forever. Amen
Amen & Amen!
Change my heart oh God, make it ever true; change my heart oh God, may I be like you. You are the potter, I am the clay; mold me & make me, this is what I pray. Change my heart oh God, may I be like you. In Jesus Name Amen!
Remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Thy lovingkindness. Remember me, O my God, for good.
I’m always amazed at the lessons in the scriptures, plus how the Daily Devotionals have been great to learn more what God has in store for our lives. What ever we are facing, he walks with us through it all as He is doing right now with the pandemic crisis.
While reading the devotional today in Nehemiah 38:43 he experiences ‘great sacrifices’. What was he implying. Sometimes, I paused to interpret and fall short to understand.
I would appreciate your feedback.
God bless
Carolyn
I have read about people that were Christians and now they are atheists and having a problem understanding this until I realized that it is a heart issue. I also question if they were true believers. We are all going to sin but if we have our hearts aligned and are true believers in Christ we will repent and return to Chris.
Heavenly Father,
I pray for those that said they were once believers, worked in the ministry and now have lost their way that you would bring them back if they were true believers in you. My heart hurts for all that have walked away but only you know the true believers. Thank you for loving us when we are unlovable. Thank you for forgiveness. In Jesus name. Amen
Dear Lord,
My “heart” is Yours! — “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139: 23-24 (NLT)
In Your name I pray. Amen.
God rested on the 7th day. Not because He needed it, but as an example. He tells us to rest. We need to honor a day of rest, otherwise we are not obeying His command.
❤❤❤
“The problem of sin goes deeper than having the right system, being in the right circumstances and performing the right behaviors; the real issue of sin is an issue of the heart, and without that issue being addressed, true and lasting obedience can never take place.“ so true!!