Nehemiah 13:1-14 - Separation from Sin and Temptation

Nehemiah 13:1-14

Principles of Separation (Numbers 22:1—24:25)

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.

The Reforms of Nehemiah

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!

Upon reading the scriptures, when they had heard the Law, they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel who were snares and temptations (Exodus 23:32-33, Joshua 23:11-12, 13) to the pure worship of God, a picture of the later command for those in Christ to avoid being unequally yoked in marriage (2 Corinthians 6:14-15, 16, 7:1) to unbelievers.  These examples both point to purity in devotion of worship in covenant promise relationships by not allowing the idolatry and immorality of the world to taint the holiness of God among His people, that we might offer unadulterated worship to Him alone as the first moral commandment (Exodus 20:3-4, 34:14-15, 16) still tells us plainly.  Those in Ezra’s time heard God’s word and obeyed, even though it was difficult; we are told to avoid this now, but not to automatically end such mixed marriages (1 Corinthians 7:13-14, 15-16) as we show grace for the children and honor the marriage covenant as far as we are able in such an unbalanced union.  Ezra the priest also saw the house of God being used as private lodging and cleared out the one staying there, restoring it as a place of honor and worship to the LORD.  He made certain that the Levitical priests were paid for their services and restored the tithes to support the house of worship.  After all this, Ezra asked God to remember him for his own faithfulness in setting things right in the house of the LORD and not forget his good deeds to restore the services there to Him.  We in Christ are to minister as priests to our Lord (1 Peter 2:5, 9, Revelation 1:6, 5:10), especially those appointed in leadership, that the house of God is maintained in purity of service and worship (1 Corinthians 6:19), untainted by worldly pursuits and associations that pull individuals and the body as a whole away from Him in all the good we do for His name and the sake (1 Peter 4:14, 16-17, 19) of the gospel we bear witness to in word and deed.  We begin by separating from sin and temptation (James 1:12-13, 14-15, 21) by hearing and sincerely following the word of God in our devotions, reading, and hearing as we follow how we are to live, not as the society around us tells us what is acceptable or expected to fit in.  We walk by faith in living and showing grace in all these things.  We walk by faith in living and showing grace in all these things that demonstrate the pattern for Separation from Sin and Temptation without the harshness in demonstrated grace for purity in the love and worship due to our Lord.