“Forsaking the House of God”
(Nehemiah 13:1-14)
Series: REBUILD
Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD
Henderson’s First Baptist Church, Henderson
- Take your Bibles and join me in Chapter 13 of Nehemiah, the last chapter of Nehemiah.
Our series is entitled “REBUILD” and we have noted that the Book of Nehemiah breaks down roughly into two categories:
Chapters 1-6; Physical Rebuild, where we read of the Rebuilt Wall and
Chapters 7-13; Spiritual Rebuild, where we read of the Rebuilt People.
What we have in Chapter 13 is what many scholars believe to be the last portion of the Old Testament written. It doesn’t appear that way to us as the book is in its canonical order rather than its chronological order. It is placed along the other books of Old Testament history, but the contents concern the last events of God’s people in the history of he Old Testament.
Now the chapter begins with the phrase, “On that day,” which is probably better translated as “At that time” as the Christian Standard Bible has it, “At that time,” as the Hebrew is not specific as to a particular day, but describes other reforms the people undertook as they followed God’s Word.
Then, beginning at verse 4 Nehemiah says, “Now before this,” and that opening phrase tips us off to the fact that Nehemiah then tells us about some things that happened while he was actually away from Jerusalem, things that happened while he had gone back to Persia for awhile.
See that at verse 6 where he says, “But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king—verse 7—and I came to Jerusalem…”
We’ll talk more about that in a moment. I just wanted you to note there’s a bit of time change here in Chapter 13 as we read this passage.
- Please stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word.
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 come into the assembly of God,
2 because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with Tobiah.
5 And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests.
6 But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king,
7 and I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God.
8 And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room.
9 Then I commanded them to cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.
10 I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field.
11 So I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their place.
12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse.
13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren.
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 its services!
- Pray: “Father, we bow before the authority of Your Word. We have read Your Word and we now endeavor to study Your Word together. As we do, help us by way the Holy Spirit to learn both what this passage teaches us and how we are to live in light of what we learn. Help us see our selves, our sin, and our Savior, in Whose name we pray, the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
Chapter 13 is something of a paradox to me. It can be seen as both discouraging and encouraging. It is discouraging in that it shows us that much of what Nehemiah led the people to do was soon forgotten. The great covenant they had made with God back in Chapter 10, a chapter that concludes with the phrase, “We will not neglect the house of God (10:39),” is a covenant largely broken by chapter 13. The people neglected the house of God as indicated by Nehemiah’s statement in Chapter 13, verse 11: “So I contended with the rulers and said, ‘Why is the house of God forsaken?’” Discouraging.
The Book of Nehemiah is often hailed as a great book on leadership, yet by popular metrics of success, it would seem Nehemiah failed. After all, he led the people to reform, but while he was away, the people fell back into old habits and old ways; they fell into sin. So much for Nehemiah’s great leadership!
Maybe Nehemiah could have related to the statement that “the conference room is the place where everybody talks, nobody listens, and afterwards, everyone disagrees.”
Fortunately, the Book of Nehemiah is not primarily a book about leadership, but a book about God and how God relates to His people. And this leads us to the encouragement of Chapter 13.
While much of what we study here can be discouraging—the people fall back into old sinful habits—the fact is that God will not abandon His people. He had made a promise to them as far back as Genesis 12 to be their God and to never forsaken them. That fact holds true for God’s people today. He will not finally abandon us when we fall into old sinful habits. The cross still stands to cleanse us from our sin.
Now I have a teaching outline that may help us journey through the passage together. It is a descriptive outline, merely describing the events of the passage as we read through the text. It shows how the people of God had neglected the house of God:
**What God’s People Neglected:
Three areas; first from the opening verses, verses 1-3, we see that God’s people had fallen into sin by neglecting previous teaching.
- Previous Teaching (1-3)
One of the positive marks of the people of God is that as they read the Word they responded rightly to it. While they had neglected previous teaching in the Word, in the Scriptures, they immediately seek to correct it. Look at verse 1:
1 On that day (or at that time) 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 come into the assembly of God,
2 because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.
3 So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
So the people were reading the Word or hearing the Word read aloud and they said, “Hey, there’s something we’ve neglected. The Bible says we’re not to have Ammonites or Moabites with us inside the city of Jerusalem and we’ve allowed them to intermingle with us. We’ve got to change that!” So they did.
A bit of context is helpful here. Were we to go back and read the portion of Old Testament Law that was read aloud to them, we would go back to Deuteronomy 23 verses 3-6. And there we would read this very specific prohibition: No Ammonites or Moabites allowed to be among you! Why? Well, verse 2, “because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them.”
When God delivered His people out of slavery and bondage to the Egyptians and led them on a journey to the Promised Land, it was the Ammonites and Moabites who stood against them. When God’s people were famished and thirsty, the Ammonites and Moabites refused to give them bread and water. These folks did not follow the One True and Living God. They were rebellious idolaters. And verse 2 reminds us that they had once even hired a prophet to prophesy doom against God’s people, but it didn’t work.
You can read about that later in the Book of Numbers 22-24 where they hired this guy named Balaam to curse God’s people. But every time Balaam opened his mouth to curse God’s people, God turned his cursing into blessing. And all he could do was speak good things upon God’s people. Remember, God had made a promise, a promise of blessing upon His children as far back as Genesis 12 so Balaam couldn’t change that blessing into cursing.
So the people are reading from the Book and they realize they had neglected this previous teaching about separating themselves from the Ammonites and Moabites and the say in verse 3, “We need to change that,” and they do, “they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.”
Now remember, we’ve covered this ground before. The problem with the Ammonites and Moabites was not a racial problem, but a religious problem. It wasn’t that the Ammonites and Moabites were of a different race and God’s people were of a superior race. You’ll never find a single verse in all the Bible to support racism. That is not what’s going on here. The prohibition against intermarrying and intermingling with the Ammonites and Moabites was due to their being unrepentant followers of false gods. They would not follow the one true and living God—so to intermingle with them was to compromise one’s convictions and open up the possibility of falling into sin by falling away from God and turning towards false gods.
If, however, an Ammonite or Moabite were to confess and repent and turn from the false gods of the pagan lands, they would be welcome among God’s people. Remember Naomi the Moabitess, a woman from Moab. Remember what she said to her mother-in-law Ruth? She said, “Your God will be my God and your people my people,” and she turned from the false gods of the Moabites and was welcome into the fold of the people of God. The doors remain open today for anyone to enter into a relationship with God if coming in repentance, breaking with sin and entering into true worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So first area of neglect: the people had neglected previous teaching. Second area of neglect, God’s people neglected:
- Purity of the Temple (4-9)
As we look again at verses 4 and following we enter into some events that occurred while Nehemiah was away. By the way, “When the cat’s away,” what happens?! When the cat’s away, the mice will play. Remember when Moses went up on the mountain to be with God and get the 10 Commandments and then he comes down to find the people in sin? When the cat’s away the mice will play. That’s what’s going on in verses 4 and following; Nehemiah was away, having gone back to Susa, the capital city of Persia, and while he was away what happened? Verse 4 now:
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with Tobiah.
5 And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests.
So this guy, Eliashib the priest allows Tobiah to move into one of the storerooms of the temple! Can you believe it?! Like, just clear out all of this other stuff and let’s let Tobiah move in to the storeroom, and actually it may be more like a suite of storerooms. Right there in the temple.
Now a couple things. First, this is that same Tobiah who taunted Nehemiah and the Israelites back when they were rebuilding the wall. He’s the guy who was like, “You’ll never do it! That wall won’t even support a small animal if it were to try to climb upon it. You guys are losers!” That same Tobiah! Tobiah who was—incidentally—an Ammonite! One of the people we just read about it in the previous verses, a pagan follower of false gods. That’s the guy who was allowed to live in one of the storerooms of the temple!!
This fella Eliashib in verse 4 allowed it. He was a priest there at the temple and because he was “allied with Tobiah,” a relative of Tobiah, he had allowed him to live in the temple storerooms. Now Nehemiah did not know this. He was away in Persia. He tells us that in verse 6:
6 But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king (433 BC). Then after certain days (or after quite some time) I obtained leave from the king,
So quick timeline: Nehemiah had been governing in Jerusalem, leading the people in the rebuilt city of Jerusalem for some twelve years, from 445 to 433. Then, he went back up to King Artaxerxes, thousand miles away, back to the Persian Capital of Susa. Remember, he had a job there as the king’s cupbearer. So he was back in Susa for awhile maybe 2-3 years, no one knows for certain how long, but after some time, he obtained leave from the king, asked for permission to go back and see how things were going in Jerusalem, and he comes back to Jerusalem. And what does he discover? Verse 7:
7 and I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God.
He describes it as evil. The temple was sullied with the presence of the unbelieving thug, Tobiah! How did you feel about that, Nehemiah? He tells us in verse 8:
8 And it grieved me bitterly; (what did you do, Nehemiah?) therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room.
9 Then I commanded them to cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.
I just love this! Nehemiah is a man’s man, isn’t he?! We’re going to be reading more of his righteous indignation in future study of this chapter where he gets even more brutal. He’s quite a contrast to his contemporary Ezra. In the book of Ezra when God’s people fall into sin it causes Ezra to pull his hair out. Later in this chapter we’ll see that when God’s people fall into sin it causes Nehemiah to pull their hair out!
Nehemiah discovers this little runt Tobiah is living in one of the temple storerooms—defiling the purity of the temple—So Nehemiah comes over and knocks on the door (knock, knock). And he’s like, “Room service!”
And Nehemiah does a thorough spring house cleaning. Get this stuff outta here! Throwing things around; the purity of the temple had been neglected.
Nehemiah foreshadows another housecleaning event doesn’t he? Hard to read this passage without thinking about a future housecleaning of the temple five centuries later when our Lord Jesus would knock over the tables of the money changes in righteous anger and clean house (Matthew 21:12ff).
Remember: anger itself is not a sin. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and sin not.” Righteous indignation is not a sin.
So Nehemiah kicks out the Ammonite Tobiah and—verse 9—he “commanded them to cleanse the rooms,” like, “I don’t even want to smell the smell of Tobiah in this place!” So they’re fumigating and spraying Febreeze everywhere. And they bring back into the storerooms “the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.”
Now this mention of grain offerings leads to the third thing the people had neglected. God’s people had neglected previous teaching, the purity of the temple, and thirdly, the:
- Practice of Tithing (10-14)
10 I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field.
God’s people were to support the Levites through tithing. You’ll recall that from last time. They were to bring in grain offerings and tithes to support the ministry of those who ministered at the temple. But the Levites were not being supported. There were no storerooms full of tithes because the dimwitted Tobiah was living in the storerooms. So the Levites—who were supposed to be financially supported by God’s people—had to leave the temple and go work the fields to support themselves. So what did you do about that Nehemiah? Verse 11:
11 So I contended (rebuked) with the rulers, and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their place.
So Nehemiah got things in order and the people began tithing again. Verse 12:
12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse.
13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse (so, “Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen again!” Nehemiah puts leaders in place) Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren.
Then this little “arrow prayer” shot upwards to God, Nehemiah prays in verse 14:
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 its services!
“Remember what I’ve done, Lord, in restoring to order the temple and its services.”
Speaking of reminders, I’d like to leave you with three reminders by way of application. How can we rightly apply this passage to our daily lives? Three things to remember. First:
**Three (3) Reminders:
- The Duty of Confrontation
When Nehemiah discovered that God’s people had fallen into sin, he called them out on it. He confronted them. It is a lie that we should avoid confronting people out of love. That’s just wrong. It is unloving to leave them in their sin. Let me say that again: it is unloving to leave a brother or sister in sin.
Paul says in Galatians 6:1-2:
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
The Book of James ends with these words:
19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,
20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins (James 5:19-20).
If you love me you’ll want to save my should from death and lovingly lead me to Christ whose atonement covers a multitude of sins.
Jesus teaches in Matthew 18 that when your brother or sister sins you are go go and tell them their fault between you and them alone (Matthew 18:15ff). We have a duty to confront sin. Deal with it.
Remember the Duty of Confrontation. Second Reminder, number two, Remember:
- The Danger of Compromise
Chapter 13 is full of compromise. The people of God compromised their faith and trust in the One True and Living God. They allowed sin to creep into their lives, creeping into their community, and into their temple. Tobiah the ungodly Ammonite was allowed to come in among them!
Have you compromised, by allowing an ungodly Ammonite to take up residence in the storeroom of your temple, your body? Is there an evil Tobiah who lives inside your heart?
What are you going to do about it? Nehemiah took quick, decisive action. He didn’t stop to pray about it. It was evil. He already knew what to do. He kicked it out.
You who have compromised your faith by allowing little Tobiah’s into your lives, you must “clean house” this morning. Confess those sins and repent from those sins.
Do you have any unhealthy associations? I don’t mean, “Do you have lost friends.” I hope you do have lost friends. Many of them. You are talking regularly with lost neighbors, and you have lost friends and co-workers. You are praying for them and witnessing to them.
But are there unhealthy and unhelpful relationships causing you to compromise your faith in Christ? That man, that lady, who doesn’t follow Jesus and you’re in a relationship with them—and they are drawing you away from the Lord.
Did you know that Lottie Moon, the famed Baptist Missionary Woman we remember at Christmastime, did you know she was once engaged to Southern Seminary Professor Crawford Toy? She broke off the marriage engagement once she learned that he had changed his theology and no longer believed as she believed. So though she loved that man, she loved Jesus more. She knew the danger of compromise.
When I was a parole officer I used to have a sign on the wall next to my desk in plain view of every parolee who came to visit:
Proverbs 13:20: “He who walks with the wise becomes wise but a companion of fools suffers harm.”
It was a visual reminder that if we allow unhealthy and unhelpful associations into our lives—like a Tobiah in the storeroom of our hearts—we will very likely and very soon go astray.
You cannot follow God with a compromised heart. You can’t expect to have any influence if you compromise your Christian convictions. Someone said, “The world will never be evangelized by Christians who compromise.”
Remember the Duty of Confrontation, the Danger of Compromise, and thirdly, Remember:
- The Delight of the Cross
We said at the outset that Chapter 13 is at once discouraging and encouraging. It’s awful easy to read of the compromise of God’s people in Nehemiah’s day and shake our heads in disbelief. But as I reflect upon this chapter, I sense God often shaking His head over me.
How often have I sinned by behaving no differently? The people had said during the covenant they made with God in Chapter 10, “We will not neglect the house of God!” But here they are just three chapters later neglecting and forsaking God’s house.
What commitments did you make to God in the “few chapters earlier” of your life? God, I promise I will no longer do that. I promise that I will do this. I promise I will tithe. I promise I will share the gospel today. How many broken promises? How many sins?
Aren’t you glad, Christian, aren’t you glad that when you sin, the cross still stands to meet your needs? God convicts you of your sin and you confess immediately, repent, and turn back to Him. Thank God for that Holy Spirit conviction to point out sinful compromise!
As one commentator writes: “Be encouraged by the evidence of grace in the ongoing impulse to repent (James Hamilton).” I like that. Be encouraged, Christian, by the evidence of grace in the ongoing impulse to repent. And repent today. Turn from sin and turn to the Savior. The cross still stands to meet our needs.
- Let’s pray.
Heads bowed and eyes closed. Let me say this first: if you are not a Christian, you’re not a believer, you’ve never placed your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, listen: the cross still stands. Right now. Turn away from your sin and believe in the One who has made a way for you to be saved from eternal hell and suffering in the final judgment. The only way to escape that fiery judgment is to turn away from sin and turn to Christ. Believe that Jesus is who he said he is. He lived for you and died in your place to bear the punishment you deserved. On the third day he rose from the grave to grant life to all who believe. Turn to Him today and follow Him in baptism, getting connected to the church and growing.
Those of you who are Christians, as we sing our response song, remember the duty to confront, the danger of compromise, and the delight of the cross.
“Our Father, thank You for Jesus Christ, a better Leader than Nehemiah. The One we endeavor to follow every step of our journey. We love you Lord as we sing in His name, amen.”
Now stand and respond however you need to respond.
RESPONSE:
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow,
Tho’ none go with me I still will follow,
Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
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