INTRO:

• Chapters 1-6 focuses on God’s work through Nehemiah and the people to rebuild the Jerusalem walls.
• Chapters 7-13 focuses on the work of God in the hearts of the people.

RECAP:

• Nehemiah was called to restore a community of people whose hearts were given over to Yahweh living in the land… loving and obeying and worshipping the Lord… demonstrating and declaring God’s goodness to the nations around them… waiting expectantly for the promise of the return of the Messiah.

The enemy goes after the church in two primary ways…

(1) FROM THE OUTSIDE (Attacks the church)

(2) FROM THE INSIDE (Causes Confusion & Division)

Nehemiah 6:17-19 ESV

Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.

• From Chapter 1-6, they primarily attacked from the outside. From Chapter 7-13, they primarily attacked from the inside.

• From a Revival that leads to holiness & generosity… To a Reputation of holiness & generosity… To a Regression from holiness & generosity.

#1) THE EXCLUSION (13:1-3)

Nehemiah 13:1-3 ESV

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 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, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

#2) THE EXPULSION (13:4-9)

Nehemiah 13:8-9 ESV

And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

• Fake people doesn’t discredit the Bible and our Faith… it validates it…

2 Peter 2:1-3 ESV

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

#3) THE EXTRACTION (13:10-14)

A) A Worker Extraction

Nehemiah 13:11-12 ESV

So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses.

B) A Financial Extraction

• The desire for God is that the people— the church of God— would maintain His House.
• You invest in what and who you love, because your heart is there.

Matthew 6:19-21 ESV

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

#4) THE OBSERVANCE (13:15-22)

Colossians 2:16-17 ESV

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

Matthew 12:8 ESV

For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

Hebrews 4:9-11 ESV

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

• Are you in sin if you don’t practice the Sabbath? It depends on your reason.

Mark 2:27-28 ESV

And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Nehemiah 13:21 ESV

But I warned them and said to them, “Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.

• lay = cast away, send away, put away.

#5) THE REBUKE (13:23-29)

• The Kingdom culture is being affected by the mixed marriages to the women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. The language is being lost.

Nehemiah 13:25 ESV

And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

CONCLUSION

#6) THE REFORM (13:30-31)

Nehemiah 13:30-31 ESV

Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

• cleansed = purify, purge, clean morally.

• So what can we learn from Nehemiah Chapter 13? Importance of Restoring His Righteousness & His House.

Four times, Nehemiah asked God to ‘remember’…

(1) V. 14 — House of God

Nehemiah 13:14 ESV

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.

(2) V. 22b — Sabbath

Nehemiah 13:22b ESV

…Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

(3) V. 29 — Contamination of Kingdom Culture (Lack of fear of God)

Nehemiah 13:29 ESV

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

(4) V. 31 — The Purge

Nehemiah 13:31 ESV

Remember me, O my God, for good.

• What can we learn from the story of Nehemiah?

God is calling us back to Him. God is calling us to rebuild our faith in Him. God is calling us to rebuild His House & His Righteousness, so we can be witnesses to the only true God that restores, saves, heals, purifies. Let’s get back to the mission… rebuilding God’s House & rebuilding our Faith.