1 On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) 3 When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.
Historically On the day the Book the Law was read, it was discovered that Ammonites and Moabites are not to readmitted into the assembly of God (that is, the Jewish Nation). This is because of their opposition to Moses and the Israelites during the years they were in the desert (Deuteronomy 23:3-6). The Israelites are part of the assembly by birth.
Spiritually When we begin to understand the word of God, we become aware of God’s standards. We may not always agree with God’s commands or the way He does things, but we become aware of what He sees valuable.
4 Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah, 5 and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.
Historically Eliashib, the head priest (we first met him in Chapter 3, when he was taking charge of building the Sheep Gate), is put in charge of the storerooms. These are the rooms that will hold the provisions set aside for the Levites, Priests and singers. This provision is set aside because these classes of people serve the Lord only. They do not make a living any other way. So the provisions are important for their lives. But Eliashib has an issue. He is associated with Tobiah (2:10, 4:3, 6:12). Tobiah is associated with Sanballat, who has been a major oppositional force to Israel. Eliashib provided him a large room attached to the temple.
Spiritually When we have ties to things outside the walls (in the world), those ties have the ability to corrupt us on the inside.
6 But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission 7 and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. 8 I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. 9 I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.
Historically Nehemiah did not know these things were going on. He did his job, got Israel going in the right directions, then went back to serve the king. He didn’t stay in Jerusalem to be a king himself. But when he returns, he finds Tobiah there and throws him out of the room.
Spiritually When our ties to the outside become normalized, we can become blind to them. Sometimes it takes an outside source to remind us of the truth.
10 I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. 11 So I rebuked the officials and asked them, “Why is the house of God neglected?” Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts. 12 All Judah brought the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms. 13 I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites. 14 Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services. Historically Nehemiah discovers that the portions that were supposed to be given to the Levites hadn’t been given to them. The singers haven’t been cared for. Nehemiah asks the question “Why hasn’t the house of God been cared for?” If we head back to 10:39, we saw that the people declared they would do this very thing. So Nehemiah sets out to bring Israel backing alignment with God.
Spiritually After we have had a great revival in our life, there is also a great call to stay alert. We can easily backslide into pseudo-religious lifestyles without really connecting with God. This can look great on the surface (as Eliashib and Isreal may have looked), but under the surface we have erosion in out walk (the provisions haven’t been dispersed).
15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. 16 People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. 17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.” 19 When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.
Historically The people had slid into not complying with the Sabbath. Vendors are allowed inside the gates and the people are allowing it. But Nehemiah rebukes the nobles. Why? Because the leadership if Israel is ultimately responsible for guiding Israel properly. Nehemiah, again, must make this change for Israel. First, he locks the doors on the Sabbath, thus excluding the vendors. He stations his own men at the gate (implying either no one was guarding the gate or those who were weren’t diligent). Third, the Levites must once again purify themselves.
Spiritually If we have backslidden, then we must take action to restore our relationship with God. Our spiritual backsliding sometimes is because of the example we have. But, we can also cause others to backslide because of our example. The continual work of purification is important. The diligence of being a gatekeeper in our life and the life of others is crucial.
23 Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah. 25 I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. 27 Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?” 28 One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me. 29 Remember them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites. 30 So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task. 31 I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me with favor, my God.
Historically Lastly, Nehemiah finds that there had been men marrying women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. Ammon and Moab are both places that God strictly forbid the Israelites to associate with, let alone let into the assembly of God. Ashdod is also a problem. It was one of the five major cities of the Philistines.
Nehemiah’s response is harsh. He beats some of the men and pulls out some hair as well. But why is his response so extreme? Because this sin truly has the ability to ruin Israel. As he notes the story of Solomon, he’s calling to the end of Solomon’s story, when his heart was turned away from God by the women he had in his life. These were women from other nations, who introduced him to other gods, until he ultimately was worshipping them.
Eliashib’s grandson is also married to Sanballat’s daughter. Another connection that should not be. Nehemiah’s response it to completely disconnect from that relationship. Ultimately, Nehemiah must reform Israel through purification.
Spiritually When our hearts are divided, it takes attention away from God. We can’t then have an authentic relationship. The purification must be continuous. Our work must be diligent, it must continue in the face of opposition and even in inner turmoil. We must re-purify many times in our life to get back to where we should be with God .