REFORMATION
OBSERVATION: NEHEMIAH WAS A JEWISH CUPBEARER TO A PERSIAN KING, ARTAXZERXES. THIS KING PERMITTED NEHEMIAH TO RETURN TO JERUSALEM TO DO RESTORATION ON THE TEMPLE AND THE WALLS AROUND JERUSALEM. EZRA WAS A JEWISH PRIEST WHO HAD RETURNED FOURTEEN YEARS EARLIER. EZRA EFFECTIVELY RESTORED RELIGIOUS ORDER TO THE JEWS.
INTERPRETATION: NEHEMIAH 10:28 (NKJV) NOW THE REST OF THE PEOPLE-THE PRIESTS, THE LEVITES, THE GATEKEEPERS, THE SINGERS, THE NETHINIM (TEMPLE SERVANTS) AND ALL THOSE WHO HAD SEPARATED THEMSELVES FROM THE PEOPLES OF THE LANDS TO THE LAW OF GOD, THEIR WIVES, THEIR SONS, AND THEIR DAUGHTERS, EVERYONE WHO HAD KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING.
POINTS TO PONDER:
EZRA TAUGHT FROM THE PENTATEUCH (GENESIS, EXODUS, LEVITICUS NUMBERS AND DEUTERONOMY) THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES.
EXTREME HOUSECLEANING WAS MANDATED. MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN SIGNED A COVENANT TO RESTORE RELIGIOUS ORDER. THEY COVENANTED TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM PAGAN INFLUENCES THEY EMBRACED. THEY STOOD FIRMLY IN AGREEMENT WITH EZRA, NEHEMIAH AND OTHERS IN UNITY. A PUBLIC COMMITMENT MEANT ACCOUNTABILITY!
YOU LIKELY DID NOT PRAY FOR GOD TO CURSE YOU IF YOU DISOBEYED HIM. THE QUESTION IS DID YOU PRAY I WANT TO OBEY AND FOLLOW YOU? YOU CAN SUBDUE YOUR DEFECTS AND UNDERESTIMATE YOUR SPIRITUAL SHORTCOMINGS. REAL EVIDENCE OF OBEDIENCE PURIFIES AND REFORMS YOU. TRUE REPENTANCE RECTIFIES YOUR SPIRITUAL DEFECTS!
APPLICATION: SPIRITUAL REFORMATION DEMANDS ABSOLUTE DEVOTION TO THE LORD!
