PURIFY THE CHURCH

Passage: Nehemiah 13:1-14

Key verse: 9

NIV

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

13 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,(A) because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam(B) to call a curse down on them.(C) (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)(D) When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.(E)

Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms(F) of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,(G) 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(H) of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.

But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes(I) king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib(J) had done in providing Tobiah(K) a room in the courts of the house of God. I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.(L) I gave orders to purify the rooms,(M) and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.(N)

10 I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them,(O) and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.(P) 11 So I rebuked the officials and asked them, “Why is the house of God neglected?”(Q) Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.

12 All Judah brought the tithes(R) of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms.(S) 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.(T)

14 Remember(U) 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.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Nehemiah's Final Reforms

13 On that day (A)they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written (B)that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. As soon as the people heard the law, (C)they separated from Israel all (D)those of foreign descent.

Now before this, (E)Eliashib the priest, who (F)was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to (G)Tobiah, prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, (H)which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for (I)in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes (J)king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, (K)preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I gave orders, and they (L)cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that (M)the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each (N)to his field. 11 (O)So I confronted the officials and said, (P)“Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought (Q)the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And (R)I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, (S)for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. 14 (T)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 his service.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The Israelites went on to read the book of Moses and tried to abide by the Law and instructions. Unfortunately, they could not keep up with their decisions for long.

Nehemiah had been called back to Babylon after his term as a governor of Judea. When he returned to Jerusalem after some years, he saw that the priest in charge of the temple storeroom let Tobiah, who opposed the restoration work (2:1

), take a personal space in the storeroom (5). People had stopped giving tithes and firstfruits as offering to support the house of God. As a result, the temple workers were not being provided for and forced to scatter to provide their living (11).

Nehemiah threw out all of Tobiah's belongings and ordered all rooms in the temple to be purified (9). The tithes and grain offerings were restored (12). We cannot depend on our feelings of goodwill to live a life of faith and worship God. We need to trust God's grace and provision and have the discipline to purify our hearts before him and practice giving an offering. What is in your heart that needs to be cleared to put God in the center?

Prayer: Father, you are my LORD, and I worship you with all my heart. Please help me to have the strength to purify my heart to be right before you and serve you without hindrance.

One Word: We need God's grace to keep pure hearts.