Reformation. Nehemiah 11-13

 

Nehemiah 11-13 Reformation

 

The people cast lots. One out of every ten persons would stay in Jerusalem. The other nine would move to other cities. Those who were willing to stay in Jerusalem praised God.

They brought together all the musicians and had a great music festival. They met together to dedicate the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah brought people from all over the land to this dedication because Jerusalem was the city where the temple was. The priests were all there.

Nehemiah had returned to his post with the king and later returned to Jerusalem. He discovered the people were not keeping the separation that they should have. The high priest himself had disobeyed God in this important matter of separation. God had strictly forbidden intermarriage with the heathen.

The believer and the non-believer should not be yoked together.

The priest had turned over the temple storage room to Tobiah. They no longer brought the offerings to the people to the storage place. All this had happened when Nehemiah was away. When he returned he went to the temple, got Tobiah’s belongings, and threw it out of the temple. Then he had the temple cleansed.

The Levites who served in the temple had not been supported, so they had to work in the fields. God’s service had been neglected. Nehemiah tells them “You are going to bring in the tithe that belongs here and see that these men are taken care of who are in the service of God.

He also discovered they were breaking the Sabbath day. Merchants brought in fish and the nobles permitted it. Just before the Sabbath, at sunset, Nehemiah commanded that the gates be shut and told the merchants to go away and no longer return.

Nehemiah pronounced a curse upon those who intermarried and made them swear that they would not intermarry again. All foreigners were removed from positions of honor and responsibility, and the priests and Levites were given back their occupations. The offerings for the temple were resumed.

God remembered Nehemiah for the good he did.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible. Nelsons Quick Reference Commentary.