It easy to make promises, but to keep them is another matter altogether.
• You may be passionate and sincere when you make a stand, but to stay on course requires much, much more.
William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, say this: “It is in the nature of a fire to go out, you must keep it stirred and fed and the ashes removed.”
• He is talking about the passion for God. You need to keep it burning and alive, and get rid of anything that can possibly quench it.
• I will share on these 2 pointers: MAKE THE EFFORT (against complacency) and MAKE THE CHOICE (against compromise).
After 12 longs years as the motivator and leader of the people, having rebuilt the wall and rebuilt the faith of the people, Nehemiah went back to Persia.
• We do not know how long he was gone, probably a few years.
• But while he was away, the people began to slide back to their old ways and went back on their commitments, made in Chapter 10.
Chapter 13 records what Nehemiah discovered when he returns:
• (1) the priests had become corrupt, (2) the tithes were ignored, (3) the Sabbath was not observed, and (4) the people had intermarried with foreigners.
• Let’s read what happen from the account in Chapter 13.
(1) Corrupt priesthood – 13:4-9 - the priest abused his authority; what was meant for God’s work was taken for personal gain.
(2) Tithing ignored – 13:10-11 - the Levites and singers had to leave the Temple and work in the fields to survive. The house of God was neglected, which was what they had vowed would not happen (last line of Chapter 10).
Malachi (a contemporary of Nehemiah) records in Malachi 3 that the people were “robbing God” by failing to give to the work of God’s house. Mal 3:10-11 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
(3) Sabbath was not honoured – 13:15-22 - they were more concerned about doing business than worshipping God. The Puritans called Sunday “the market-day of the soul”, when the soul’s business was to be done, with that taking precedence over all other business.
(4) Intermarried with foreigners – 13:23-27 – in fact, yesterday’s enemies (Ammonites and men of Ashdod, 4:7-8) had become today’s marriage partners.
This law was given to prevent the influence of idolatry (Deut 7:3-4). God’s issue is not mixed-race marriages, but mixed-faith marriages.
Now if the children know only the foreign language, they will have a difficulty time understanding God’s Law.
(1) MAKE THE EFFORT to set things right
Nehemiah got into the act and set things right. He reprimanded the wrongdoers and showed them what to do to make changes.
• See what he did to get the people to observe Sabbath and worship God:
He reprimanded the people for doing business on the Sabbath
He rebuked the nobles for allowing it.
He locked the gates to the city, so no merchandise can come in, and he got rid of the overnight campers who were trying to beat the system or finding ways to get around the restrictions.
He set Levites to guard the gates.
• He set up people and systems to make sure that God’s Laws are heeded and God’s ways are followed.
It’s never too late to do what is right.
• Even though God’s people had messed up pretty badly, it did not disqualify them from serving God or having a good relationship with Him.
• Don’t let your past keep you from doing what is right. It really doesn’t matter what you’ve done.
• What matters is that you begin right now to renew your walk with God.
Everyone fails in one way or another.
• Abraham attempted to deceive the King about his wife; Jacob cheated and gained his father’s blessing; Moses lost his temper, broke God’s tablets and hit the rock twice; David committed adultery and murder; Peter lied 3 times.
• What is important is to have the wisdom to know you’ve failed and the courage to admit it, and then take the steps to renew your walk with God.
(2) MAKE THE CHOICE to honour God above all else – the power is in your hand.
The people had reached a “spiritual high” in Chapter 10-12, but that does not automatically translate to a lifetime of faithful commitment to God.
Nehemiah and the people faced the same environment, issues and temptations.
• They had the same enemies, the same obstacles, and the same difficulties. They worship the same God, read the same Law, and had to abide by the same rules.
• But why was Nehemiah able to honour God, remained faithful and stayed on course? While the others failed?
• He was able to remain steadfast because he MADE THAT CHOICE to honour God.
You see this attitude through his many short prayers – we see 3 here in Chapter 13.
13:14 Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.
13:22 Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.
13:31 Remember me with favour, O my God.
These prayers reveal an attitude toward life.
• He has chosen to DEPEND fully on God.
• Nehemiah could have built a monument to himself. He could have written this inscription on the wall: “Built by Nehemiah the Great.”
• He could have looked back at his life and been proud of his own accomplishments. In fact, frankly, he has done really well.
• Yet these were not his concerns. He was concerned about God’s glory. He has CHOSEN the path of honouring God and obeying Him.
It was the same old, ancient challenge that Joshua gave to the people, when they first entered this land.
• “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…” (Josh 24:15)
• “… But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
• You’ve got to CHOOSE for yourselves. I can do that for you. Your parents cannot do that for you. No one can.
Ultimately, it’s your choice. Make that choice, again and again.
• Each time you are confronted with an option – to honour God or do your own thing – you’ve got to choose.
• Ultimately, you are what you choose. Your life is a result of all your choices, coming together.
But God is going to guide you. When you make that choice, He will enable you.
• The same way He enables Nehemiah… and Moses, and David, and Esther, and Daniel, and Paul… to do the same – to remain steadfast and faithful to the end.
• God will give us the strength to do it right, but that choice is still in our hands.
• Don’t compromise. Stick to the promises you’ve made before God.
DON’T COMPROMISE – FUR COAT
A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear. When he was about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft soothing voice, "Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? What do you want? Let’s negotiate the matter."
Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, "I want your fur coat."
"Good," said the bear, "that is a negotiable item. I only want a full stomach, so let us sit down and negotiate a compromise."
They sat down to negotiate and after a time the bear walked away, alone.
The negotiations had been successful. The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat!
Compromise does not pay; it’s never worth it.
God never demands anything from us that is not for our own good. So NO command is a chore.
• Why does God want to burden us, when He tells us not to carry any burdens and desire to give us rest?
• Jesus: “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:30)
We are missing out on a lot, if we are not doing it God’s way.
So let’s heed the word from Romans 12:9 “Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”
Phil 2:12-13 "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."
When we are serious about "working out our salvation", God grants us the strength to do it, for He is the One who "who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."
From this chapter, this is what we will honour:
o honour God,
o honour God’s house,
o honour the Lord’s day, and
o honour our marriage.
