Nehemiah
When the Cat is Away…
Nehemiah 13
September 28, 2003
Intro:
A. [Illustration]
Many of us can remember when we were in grade school how whenever the teacher had to leave the classroom for some reason, she would always tell the class to, “Be quiet and study!” However we also remember that as soon as she left the room, the paper wads would begin to fly! Erasers would be flung across the room while someone would draw caricatures of the teacher on the blackboard.
And then, she would return. There was always that last minute adjustment as we scurried back to our seats and pretended nothing had been going on.
In the book of Exodus we find Moses was called by God to go up into Mount Sinai. While he was away, the Israelites grew restless. Looking for something to entertain them, they melted down their gold, formed a golden calf as an idol and danced around it in worship.
As long as Moses was around, they were doing fine, but as soon as he “left the room,” things changed! They had forgotten all the marvelous things God had done for them, how He had delivered them, and how they were supposed to behave!
Do you recall what the people said when Moses asked about the calf (it sounds just like kids in the classroom when the teacher returns!)?
Exodus 32:21-24 (NIV), He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?" 22 "Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron answered. "You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, ’Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ 24 So I told them, ’Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!"
B. A similar thing happened in Nehemiah 13…
Nehemiah 13:6-7 (NIV), But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission 7 and came back to Jerusalem.
C. So what happened in Nehemiah 13 while the cat was away?
I. False teachers were given a say!
Nehemiah 13:1-3 (NIV), On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) 3 When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.
A. Now the timeline of events is somewhat confusing here…
1. In verse one, Nehemiah says, “on that day…” Presumably that took place the same day as the dedication of the wall, which is recorded in chapter 12.
2. However in verse 4, Nehemiah says, “Before this…”
3. So what happens in the remainder of chapter 13 took place before the dedication of the wall in chapter 12 and the first three verse of chapter 13.
4. Verses 1-3 tell us that they cut their ties with the Ammonites and Moabites.
5. So if we turn back the clock on verses one to three and turn it back to the time of “Before this” in verse 4, we can say “Before this, the people had inappropriate relationships with the Ammonites and Moabites.”
B. So what would have been inappropriate about having relationships with these foreigners?
1. Was it because their skin colors were different? No, they all had the same dark skin.
2. So what was inappropriate about this relationship?
3. The inappropriateness was in the fact that they worshipped other gods.
4. They believed in and worshipped other gods and we know from the very first of the 10 Commandments that God is a jealous God, Exodus 20:3 (NIV), "You shall have no other gods before me.”
5. Nehemiah said in the first verse, On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God,
6. So the inappropriateness of this was that the people were admitting people of other religions into their temple to teach what they believed.
6. It is called syncretism and it is the religion of today.
7. Syncretism is being pushed everywhere in the world.
8. Syncretism is the blending of Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, the so-called “New Age Movement.”
9. Syncretism will be the worldwide religion of the last days in which the antichrist will be worshipped as a savior.
10. The Israelites were allowing other false teachers to come into the temple of God and they were blending the Word of God with other teachings.
B. While the cat was away, false teachers were given a say!
C. So what would cause God’s people to let this happen while Nehemiah was away?
II. The enemy came to stay!
Nehemiah 13:4-9 (NIV), Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah, 5 and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests. 6 But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission 7 and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. 8 I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. 9 I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.
A. The fist thing that Nehemiah mentions that he saw when he returned from Babylon was that Tobiah was living in the temple!
1. Absolutely incredible!
2. Twelve years ago when Nehemiah first left Babylon and came to Jerusalem, actually before Nehemiah had even left…Nehemiah writes in 2:10, When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about [Nehemiah’s coming to Jerusalem], they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
3. Nehemiah 2:19 (NIV), But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. "What is this you are doing?" they asked. "Are you rebelling against the king?"
4. Nehemiah 4:3 (NIV), Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, "What they are building--if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!"
5. Nehemiah 4:7-8 (NIV), But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.
6. Nehemiah 6:1-2 (NIV), When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it--though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates-- 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." But they were scheming to harm me;
7. Nehemiah 6:10-13 (NIV), One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you--by night they are coming to kill you." 11 But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!" 12 I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.
8. Nehemiah 6:17 (NIV), Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them.
9. Nehemiah 6:19 (NIV), Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
10.Nehemiah 13:4-5 (NIV), Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah, 5 and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.
11.Absolutely unbelievable!
B. When the cat was away, the enemy came to stay!
1. The enemy literally moved right into the temple! Absolutely unbelievable!
2. Eliashib the priest removed the incense, the temple articles, the grain, the new wine, the oil, and the donations to the priests from the storeroom.
3. Eliashib gave Tobiah a large room in the temple!
4. Absolutely unbelievable!
5. Tobiah had opposed Nehemiah and the work of God for the past twelve years and the priest let him move into the temple!
C. So what would cause God’s people to let this happen while Nehemiah was away?
III. Lack of giving drove leaders away!
Nehemiah 13:10-14 (NIV), I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and singers responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. 11 So I rebuked the officials and asked them, "Why is the house of God neglected?" Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts. 12 All Judah brought the tithes of grain, new wine and oil into the storerooms. 13 I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because these men were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their brothers. 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.
A. The second thing that Nehemiah says that he saw when he returned from Babylon was that people had stopped giving.
1. Nehemiah learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them and all of those responsible for the worship services had left the temple and gone to work in order to support themselves.
2. They were not being paid as they were supposed to be according to the word of God, and they had to return to the fields to try to earn a living.
3. Notice that Nehemiah didn’t see this as a people problem, but a God problem.
4. Nehemiah asked, “Why is the house of God neglected?”
5. Nehemiah didn’t ask, “Why are these people not being paid?” he asked, “Why is the house of God neglected?”
6. Nehemiah didn’t see this as a simply a money issue, but that it was a God issue.
7. It wasn’t a matter of people falling down on their responsibility to one another, but a falling down of their responsibility towards God.
8. Nehemiah saw the lack of giving to the people who lead the worship services, as a lack of giving to God.
B. When the cat was away, the lack of giving drove the worship leaders away.
1. The worship leaders were driven away from their duties in the temple, back into their fields in order to earn a living.
2. Because the people had not fulfilled their responsibility, the priests and worship leaders were unable to perform their responsibility.
3. When the cat was away, the lack of giving drove away.
C. So what would cause God’s people to let this happen while Nehemiah was away?
IV. Sabbath violations caused disarray!
Nehemiah 13:15-22 (NIV), In those days I saw men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. 16 Men from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. 17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this wicked thing you are doing--desecrating the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath." 19 When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 But I warned them and said, "Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.
A. The next thing Nehemiah saw was inappropriate things happening on the Sabbath.
1. The Sabbath is on Saturday and the Law of Moses instructed the Israelites to observe that day as a day of rest and worship.
2. The Israelites were to worship, do no work, and make no purchases on the Sabbath.
3. However Nehemiah saw men treading grapes in winepress on the Sabbath.
4. He saw men bring in grain and loading it on donkeys.
5. He also saw men loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and other kinds of loads.
6. There were foreigners coming in and selling fish and other things and the people of Judah were buying them.
B. While the cat was away, Sabbath violations caused disarray.
1. Nehemiah rebuked and asked them why they were desecrating the Sabbath.
2. Nehemiah said they hadn’t learned not to do this from their relatives.
3. Nehemiah said even the priests were involved and they needed to purify themselves.
C. So what would cause God’s people to let this happen while Nehemiah was away?
V. Interfaith marriages incited dismay!
Nehemiah 13:23-31 (NIV), Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah. 25 I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said: "You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. 27 Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?" 28 One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites. 30 So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task. 31 I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me with favor, O my God.
A. Now this is somewhat related to the problem in the first three verses.
1. Like the first one, it had to do with inappropriate relationships with other faiths.
2. This time it had to do with marrying people of other faiths.
3. Again, God doesn’t have a problem with people who have different skin colors—God created all skin colors.
4. This has to do with the serious spiritual problems that can arise from two people being married who have different religions.
5. Now religions is not denominations…
a. Denominations are Baptist, Methodist, Pentecost, Christian, etc.
b. Religions are Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, etc.
c. God does have a problem with Christians who marry Buddhists, Muslims, or even unbelievers.
6. Deuteronomy 7:3-4 (NIV), Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4 for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.
7. And in the NT 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (NIV), Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
B. While Nehemiah was away, interfaith marriages incited dismay.
1. Nehemiah said that they were getting so caught up with the other people that their children didn’t even know how to speak Hebrew.
2. So if the children couldn’t even speak Hebrew, you know that weren’t taught much about God.
3. They had gotten so tangled up in these other cultures that the children couldn’t even speak Hebrew.
4. Nehemiah said this was King Solomon’s downfall as well: the marrying of foreign women who lead him into idolatry.
C. So what would cause God’s people to let this happen while Nehemiah was away?
Conclusion:
A. Luke 12:35-48
Luke 12:35-48 (NIV), "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." 41 Peter asked, "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?" 42 The Lord answered, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ’My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. 47 "That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
1. The reason Nehemiah’s people acted like this when the cat was away was because they never grew up and realized that they had to start living whole-heartedly even when their leader was away.
2. There are many today who are living like Jesus has gone away and they can live halfway and still have time to straighten up, just like we did when the teacher left the room.
3. But Jesus said we must remain ready.
4. We must grow up and finally start acting like we’re supposed to even when the Teacher has left the room.
B. And we must realize that we are always in His presence because His Spirit is always with us!
1. Listen to the words of David in Psalms 139:7-12 (NIV), can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
2. David realized that there was nowhere that he could go that the Teacher was not with him!
3. But notice also that David realized that this Teacher was not a cosmic killjoy, but this Teacher knew everything there was to know about him and still loved him!
4. Psalms 139:13-18 (NIV), For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
5. Do you see that God LOVES you!
6. Do you understand that God loves you and wants you to be ready when Christ returns!
7. Do you see that God does not want to punish you, but wants to love you and reward you?
8. Do you see that His Spirit has been in the room the whole time and even the Spirit has been in the room the whole time and seen all of the horse play that you’ve been involved in, He still LOVES you and wants you to spend eternity with him?
9. Psalms 139:17 (NIV), How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
10.So listen to David’s response to what God has shown him…Psalms 139:23-24 (NIV), Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
11.We all need to pray that prayer everyday to keep ourselves ready until His return!
