Remembrance of Righteousness

Nehemiah 13:15-31

    15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. 16 Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

    17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, "What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."

    19 So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.

    21 Then I warned them, and said to them, "Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!" From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day.

    Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!

    23 In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people.

    25 So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, "You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. 27 Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?"

    28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me.

    29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

    30 Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service, 31 and to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times.

    Remember me, O my God, for good!

Nehemiah had a remembrance of righteousness in doing right before God and man (Proverbs 3:4, Romans 14:17-18), which example was shown fully in Jesus Christ later according to Luke2:52.  He pointed out the corruption of God’s law and directed that the people returned to doing according to God’s word.  This meant taking measures to ensure the Law was kept by keeping those unbelievers from doing business with His children by shutting the gate doors.  It was not just an edict given, but also an action taken.  This was also done with God’s children intermarrying with unbelievers from the local area where they lived.  Nehemiah made them swear they would stop doing this, reminding them of how it brought mighty and wise king Solomon to ruin.  He faced them with the evil of yoking themselves to strange oxen of other gods instead of the sacrifices of righteousness and obedience to God’s will according to His Book.  Even the priests had corrupted themselves!  Nehemiah cleansed them of all pagan practices and gave them righteous duties to do for the LORD.  He then asked several times for God to take notice and remember that he had done his best to admonish his fellow followers of the LORD to follow Him in holy obedience as he followed, just as the apostle Paul called us to do (1 Corinthians 11:1).  We do not do exactly as Nehemiah did of course, but in principle we do accordingly in following Christ according to the scriptures, and then calling others to repent when they fail and to encourage them when they do well (Hebrews 10:24-25, 2 Corinthians 5:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 11).  Let us then have a collective remembrance of righteousness and holiness in our calling, putting action to words in helping each other follow and finish well in the Lord.