KEEPING THE STANDARD
Nehemiah 13:1-31
S: Courage
Th: Brave Hearts
Pr: WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO EXPECT RIGHTEOUSNESS.
?: What? What should we be expecting and what
should we be watching out for?
KW: Compromises
TS: We will find in our study of Nehemiah 13:1-31 four
compromises that get in the way of righteousness.
The _____ compromise is…
I. DEFILING THE HOLY
II. NEGLECTING THE HELP
III. IGNORING THE RHYTHM
IV. BREAKING THE PROMISE
Version: ESV
RMBC 06 Apr 03 AM
INTRODUCTION:
ILL Notebook: Standards (she smokes)
Nancy Campgana was waiting for a Manhattan sub-way when her attention was diverted by two men in their 20s engrossed in conversation just a few feet away. One was dressed in a torn heavy-metal T--shirt and had stringy black hair, two skull tattoos on his left calf and a ring through his bottom lip.
The other had greasy blond hair tied in a ponytail, six earrings, and a four-inch snake tattoo on his left forearm. "Hey, I finally went out with Kathy last night," the first man said.
"Well, how did it go, dude?" asked his friend, his hand clutching an open beer in a paper bag.
"Awesome!" came the reply. "She is one hot babe who really knows how to party!"
"So are you going to see her again?"
"Nah, man," the first guy answered, his exuberance suddenly subdued. "She smokes."
Well, at least he has some standards.
Do you have standards?
Are there things in your life that you know to be right and wrong?
As we come to our text today, we are going to see that Nehemiah as a very keen sense of right and wrong that puts him into motion.
You see, Nehemiah acts on what he believes.
This is a dynamic that we have observed all along in our study of this man.
1. In our study of Nehemiah, we have observed…
1.1 The rebuilding of the wall.
While serving King Artaxerxes, God laid on the heart of Nehemiah the fact the Jerusalem was in bad shape.
While the temple had been rebuilt years earlier, the wall was in ruins and the people were discouraged.
The king graciously gave Nehemiah permission to return to his homeland and rebuild the wall.
Nehemiah successfully completed this task.
It was, what we called, a holy ambition that was accomplished in the midst of criticism and threats.
But the rebuilding of the wall was not the only responsibility of Nehemiah.
Though he was, in reality, a political leader, he was also there for…
1.2 The rebuilding of their faith.
Nehemiah made sure that the people separated themselves from the foreign elements in their midst.
They had to humbly come before God and confess their sins.
Then they made concrete promises.
They committed themselves to Sabbath, to the support of God’s work and to purity in their marriages.
In so doing, they successfully rebuilt their faith.
Now, Nehemiah has returned to Susa, to serve King Artaxerxes.
We are not sure how long the time period is that he is in Persia, but it does seem to be a considerable amount of time.
As we come to our text today, our final study of Nehemiah, we see that Nehemiah is returning to Jerusalem.
And what he discovers is that, “While the cat’s away, the mice will play!”
The promises the people have made under Nehemiah’s supervision are compromised.
Their spiritual life, at best, is suspect.
It has been said…
2. “Faith is like a fire; it needs to be stirred and fed to keep it going.”
Our faith is meant to be active and practiced.
Faith in God is not designed to be sedentary.
We are to feed on God’s Word, and enabled by the Spirit of God, we are to make a difference in our world.
ILL Notebook: Holy Spirit (Campolo – fill me Lord)
Tony Campolo tells of an experience he had in a church that was of a Pentecostal bent.
There was a man who, in the throes of spiritual involvement, began to call out in a loud voice, “Fill me, Lord! Fill me, Lord! Fill me, Lord!”
To which an older woman in the congregation, who could control herself no longer replied, in a loud voice, “Don’t do it, Lord; he leaks!”
Well…
3. We need to recognize that we can get lazy about our faith.
There is no doubt that we must be vigilant.
We need to be careful about our faith, because something that seems insignificant can become a critical issue.
Like a slow leak in a tire.
Eventually, the car won’t be able to go.
Or how about a chunk of insulation?
Apparently, the damage it caused was able to destroy the space shuttle Columbia.
As we come to our study today, we need to recognize that the world system is like gravity to us.
Spiritually, it pulls us down as we press upward.
Recognizing this…
4. We will find in our study of Nehemiah 13:1-31 four compromises that get in the way of righteousness.
OUR STUDY:
I. The first compromise is DEFILING THE HOLY (1-9).
[1] 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.
The first three verses are really the conclusion to this chapter.
It is interesting that they are here first.
They give us the needed result to what now comes from Nehemiah’s journal.
[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.
Here, we learn that…
1. When we cultivate wrong relationships, we set ourselves up for an infiltration of sin.
I hope that as you heard the text read that it struck you that there was “a fox in the hen house.”
The very nemesis of Nehemiah was now living in the temple.
This was a man that had opposed the rebuilding of the wall, and thus, the work of the kingdom of God.
Nehemiah had worked hard to keep him out of Jerusalem and out of power.
Sometime though, after he had left, an unholy alliance was developed between Eliashib the priest and Tobiah.
We need to be hard on Eliashib here, for he has misused his office.
He has frustrated God’s work.
The temple was no place for Tobiah.
Just being in the temple was a holy privilege, and it was not to be used for an unholy purpose.
So Nehemiah shows us that…
2. When sin gets in to the house, its time for a spring-cleaning.
Simply, Nehemiah gives Tobiah an eviction notice.
It happened quite simply.
The furniture is on the front lawn.
And he cleans up the place.
Nehemiah has good company in this spring-cleaning.
In a few hundred years later, Jesus is going to do the same thing at the temple.
We need to take note of both the reaction of Nehemiah and Jesus.
It is a reminder to us of how infrequently we express outrage over evil.
There are times that evil must be confronted
Too often though, we allow sin to fester and grow.
But, we must see it as it is…a compromise of our faith.
II. The second compromise is NEGLECTING THE HELP (10-14).
[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.
At the end of Nehemiah 10, we find this statement made by the people, “We will not neglect the house of God.”
Now note again, verse 11, “Why is the house of God forsaken?”
Clearly, it is a promise that the people failed.
It is here we need to be reminded that…
1. Sin is never an isolated incident; it always has implications that reach beyond one’s self.
The sin of Eliashib had many implications.
The Levites were dependent on the faithful support of the people, but when Tobiah moved in, the support dwindled.
The grain, oil, and incense the Levites needed were thrown out, and thus they had no supplies to work with, nor were there salaries paid.
Since they were not adequately supported, they had to go to work in the fields to earn a living for themselves.
The Levites were despondent and singers were silenced.
The spiritual life of the nation was is in a shambles.
You see…
2. When we become indifferent to God’s Word, we become secularized.
It was the responsibility of the Levites to make sure that worship happened.
They were the ones that studied God’s Word, read it, and taught it.
But Tobiah’s presence had brought an end to it.
It is a warning to us.
For when we allow the study of the Bible and prayer to disappear, we begin to live like the world around us.
Materialism becomes our new god and everybody works to please themselves.
Again, Nehemiah takes deliberate action to change the picture.
Worship is too important to ignore.
The spiritual leaders must get back to Jerusalem and the tempke.
So Nehemiah gathers four different men to properly collect, count and disburse the offerings.
Nehemiah does this because giving is an accurate indicator of our faith.
When God gets a hold of our hearts, it makes a difference in the offering plate.
Our giving is generous and cheerful.
Now we come to…
III. The third compromise is IGNORING THE RHYTHM (15-22).
[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.
1. God gave us rest so that we would remember Creation and Redemption.
These concepts are so important to us as people of faith that God calls on us to stop.
We are to remember who has created us.
We are to remember who has saved us.
We are to stop and remember.
You see, faith is neither convenient, nor instant.
And we make a big mistake when we think that we have given plenty of time to God when we have been here one to two hours.
Nehemiah handles the issue by slamming the door to the city.
There was going to be no more business on the Sabbath.
If people camped outside the walls, Nehemiah let them know that the meaning of that to be that was looking for a way to get around the restrictions.
So Nehemiah let’s them know, “I’ll take you on and it won’t be pretty.”
Nehemiah is serious about the Sabbath, and in turn, so should we when it comes to the concept of rest.
For…
2. We take time out so that we don’t lose our perspective or our witness.
It was apparent that the people of Judah had lost their perspective.
You see, when money becomes an idol, you can ill afford to take a day off.
Thus the concept of the Sabbath becomes an inconvenience and out it goes.
The people of Judah also lost their witness.
In part, the Sabbath made them unique.
It was there visible weekly emblem of loyalty and witness.
And now they were abandoning it.
But this has not been the end of the compromise…
IV. The fourth compromise is BREAKING THE PROMISE (23-31).
[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 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 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.
1. We are to remember the lessons of history and keep our promises to God.
It is interesting (and sad) that the purity issue continues to keep coming up.
Again, the fathers were giving their children, and in this case, their sons, to be married to foreign daughters.
And Nehemiah makes it plain.
It is an act of treachery.
It is offensive to God.
Their history had been plain enough.
Solomon was a great king, but when he disobeyed in this area, his faith suffered.
But, yet his sin was being repeated.
Again, just years earlier, it was the Ammonites and the Ashdodites that were lined outside the walls of Jerusalem opposing its rebuilding.
Now they were married to the people of Judah.
It does not appear that Nehemiah is too kind to these that have done this.
He pulls on the beards of these fathers, and I am sure that it hurt.
But Nehemiah does not want them to miss how important this is.
Though they may have made these decisions based on security and economics, these were secondary issues compared to faith.
Nehemiah says, “What in the world are you thinking?”
You do not provide security for our children by inviting the presence of idols into our homes.
It is the undermining of faith, and it never fails to be that.
You see….
2. We are responsible to keep the faith.
This was really an issue of discipleship.
Nehemiah is stunned that the children are not even being taught Hebrew (it was at least being taught to the children back in Persia).
So when the kids are at service, they are counting the lights in the chandeliers, because they don’t understand what is being said.
And how are they going to grow in their faith if this is the best that they can do.
I know that I that this is a repetition of what has been said before, but it is too important to ignore.
When you date an unbeliever, it clouds your judgment.
It overrides your common sense and your witness is compromised.
I hope you did notice in this study, that the very promises that the people of Judah made, those concrete promises, every one of them was compromised years later.
They committed themselves to Sabbath, to the support of God’s work and to purity in their marriages.
And when Nehemiah returned, they had broken each one.
APPLICATION:
ILL Notebook: Compromise (fur coat)
A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear. When 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 a 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!
Well, that goes to show that compromise is not always ideal, right?
As we have studied this text, today, I hope you will come to this same conclusion, that…
WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO CONFRONT COMPROMISE AND EXPECT RIGHTEOUSNESS.
We cannot ignore wrongdoing in our midst.
We must confront our own compromising and our own tolerance of “anything goes”.
For when “anything goes’, what goes is the church.
We head straight into oblivion and uselessness.
Let us be a people today that have a greater sensitivity to sin.
It must be our conviction that we will not negotiate with sin.
We will not let the ugly thing be tolerated.
Nor will we allow it to be viewed useful, permissible, and thus attractive.
We will keep our standards!
We will have a holy ambition that demonstrates an exclusive commitment to God and an undeniable consistent lifestyle that is pleasing to Him.
May we have that kind of courage!
BENEDICTION: [Counselors are ]
Confront Compromise…do not let sin go unchallenged in your life; see it for what it really is – an offense to our holy God.
Expect Righteousness…do not be lazy about your faith, but rather, keep the faith and live the standards that have been given.
Have a Holy Ambition…be what God has called you to be, and do what God has called you to do; be known for a brave heart that will confront compromise and expect righteousness, for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now may the God of peace equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
