Restoring the Portion to the Levites
Nehemiah 13:10-14, “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. 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. Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse. 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.”
Despite the oath they took and swore to inNehemiah 9:38;Nehemiah 10,the Levites and Priests were being neglected. Complacency was running rampant with the people. They were not receiving the tithes as God had commanded. As a result, they were forced to work in the fields to live. Nehemiah found out and “contended” with the rulers. He set out to reform the peoples neglect.
That word “contended” is a strong legal term. It’s Strong’sH7377, riyb. It means to strive – with words; to conduct a legal case or law suit; to sue. He asked them “Why is the house of God forsaken?” verse 11.
Nehemiah acted as a lawyer and took the rulers and people to court about the oath they made. He restored the tithes to the Levites and priests and ensured the people continued in the oath they made.
The Church is the Royal Priesthood
Today, Jesus has made all those who choose to follow Him kings and priests (Revelation 1:5-6).1 Peter 2:9says that we “… are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation”.
Malachi 3:8-12, tells us that the people were robbing God because they were not tithing to fill His house. Remember, today, in Christ, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are God’s temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). The people of God are the storehouse mention in Malachi 3.
Once the tithes were meant for the Levites, the Priests, and the service of the temple; today, I believe those tithes and offerings are for the people who are the temple. Reform needs to come.
How does that look in our modern day? With complacency being a norm for the Church, I’m not sure we have any modern day version of what I believe God wanted for the Church when it came to giving and living. I believe we have tried to keep it as it was in the Old Testament days; a hierarchy of people who live off of the layman.
What should it look like?
Acts 4:32-35, “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”
Restoring the Holiness of the Sabbath
Nehemiah 13:15-16, “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.”
Again, the people’s complacency with the oath they swore to obey the law of God shows through. The people were treading wine and oil presses, and foreign merchants were coming and selling and buying on the Sabbath.
Nehemiah 13:17-18, again Nehemiah “contends” with the rulers as he did in verse 11.
There’s a lot of controversy going around today about the Sabbath and whether or not the Church should be observing the Law of Moses. In my humble opinion, it’s a religious spirit trying desperately to tie people back into slavery to the law. Jesus came to set us free. To reform and fulfill the law. He is our rest and we are to rest in His finished work continually.
In Nehemiah 13:19-22, Nehemiah’s reform included ordering the gates shut during the Sabbath hours and told the merchants to leave. Today the Church needs to have the same zeal and conviction when people and things come and try to remove us from the rest Christ gave to us.
Reform of the Mixture of Marriage
Nehemiah 13:23-24, “In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 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.”
Again, in their complacency, the Israelites mingled and mixed with the foreigners of the land. In doing so, their children were not learning the language or the culture of the Israelite people. Within just a few generations the people of Israel would be weaker in their faith and their lives.
Again, Nehemiah “contended” with them and cursed them for their folly. He struck some of them he was so angry at their foolishness. He moved to reform the practice and cleansed the people.
The Church today is continually mixing itself with foreign peoples. Satan is infiltrating the true and pure religion with mixture to corrupt it and reduce its power and effectiveness. Remember, the Church is called to be holy and separate from the world.
2 Corinthians 6:17, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.”
Unfortunately, the Church today is rife with new age and occultist practices. Complacency seems to be the new in thing. They diminish the power and glory of God while encouraging the worship of the natural and self. Such practices are Not preaching the Gospel, Crystal Idolatry, Praying to angels, manifesting/law of attraction/name it and claim it, Reiki and energy healing, Astrology and Horoscopes, and the Enneagram to name a few.
Anything that does not rely purely on the power of God is rebellion to God, and as we know…
1 Samuel 15:23, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”
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