Holiness: Separation to the LORD

Nehemiah 13:1-14

   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!

Holiness is what God calls His people to, not cheap grace.  Here the people of God had allowed unbelievers into the assembly, and ones which were mentioned specifically in God’s word as ones who cursed them instead of helping with food and water when asked (Deuteronomy 23:3-4).  Fortunately, when they heard God’s word they took it as a command repented with immediate change of action and attitude, removing them from the gathering of Israel.  This would be roughly equivalent to allowing unbelievers to serve in the church today as members and other workers, though many had been atheists or antagonistic to Christians in the past.  Holiness is the purity of God’s people; not the twisted segregation of racial hatred as some apply this, but in the spiritual makeup of the local body of Christ with the requisite of conversion, of regeneration, as the glue binding members and those who serve to influence others in the body.  Those in Nehemiah’s time realized their sin in allowing ungodly influence to be part of makeup of the assembly, and stopped it when they understood God’s Book.  Then we see the misuse of the house of the LORD, carving out a personal room for one not a priest who ministered, but a friend who worked out of there apart from the holy services of God in the temple.   This is equivalent today with allowing a non-member OT other unbeliever, even a church member who is not serving, to set up an apartment or business in the walls of a local church building.  In other words, someone profiting personally while misusing God’s house in an unholy or non-dedicated manner.  Nehemiah was grieved and then rectified this, ejecting the offender and cleansing the room for proper use again.  Finally in this passage, we find that the servants of God, the Levites, had not been getting paid for their service; they left their positions and had to be brought back in with proper support from the leaders and faithful men to ensure there was oversight.  Do we ever neglect to give the due wages and honor to those elders and pastors who lead us today?  May it not be, for we are told by God to do this in the church now as well (1 Corinthians 9:10-11, 14).  In the end, Nehemiah prayed that his efforts to serve God acceptably and with reverent fear in obedience would be remembered by the LORD (notice, it was not to be recognized by others as to his piety and works), for all he had done willingly and obediently out of reverential worship.  May we serve Christ and His church with the same motives of the heart and soul.  This is true holiness, separated to the Lord Christ and His work according to His word.  Amen.