Nehemiah 13 – What’s the Issue? ?A Mandate for Robust Church Discipline And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room. v8 Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” v21 So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God... v25 Therefore I drove him from me. v28

Nehemiah 13 – What’s the Issue? ? A Model for Social Relationships Keep away from foreigners. v1-3, c.f. 9:2. Avoid mixed marriages. v 23-25, 28, c.f. 10:30

Nehemiah 13 – What’s the Issue? ?A manifesto for Sunday Observance Close the shops. V19-21 Lock up the swings Ban recreational activities Specify religious activities

A Key to Interpretation 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! V14 ... concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy! v22 ... for good! v30

What had Nehemiah done? Sanctified the Sabbath in honour of God. v22 Restored and purified the worship of God. v14 Sanctified the Sabbath in honour of God. v22 Saved the nation from return to paganism. V26, 30

Nehemiah did what was appropriate to his stage in the Flow of Salvation History

Nehemiah 13 – What’s the Issue? HOLINESS! It still is  ... as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1Pet. 1:15-16

Three dimensions of Holiness 1. Sacred space A place with prescribed boundaries  The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. Gen. 2:8 (c.f. 3:23-24)

Sacred Space within Boundaries Israel Sacred Space within Boundaries Land/Temple “... a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year”. Deut. 11:12 “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it”. Psalm 132:14

Nehemiah reset the Boundaries in Space 1) He expelled the invaders Eliashib the priest was allied with Tobiah.   ... 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.  And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room. 13:4-8

What does it mean for us? Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought with a price ... 1Cor. 6:19 ... have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. Eph. 5:11 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?   I hate them with a perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. Psalm 139:21-22

Do you have any unholy alliances? Holiness involves honesty Secret Sins Ungodly Habits/Addictions Compromise with the World Preferring human opinions Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties;  And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 Holiness involves honesty

Nehemiah reset the Boundaries in Space 2) He Cleansed the Temple   ... then I commanded them to cleanse the rooms. 13:9. And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me.  Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.  Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. 13:28-30

God cleanses our hearts and commands us to cleanse our behaviour What does it mean for us?  ... if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1:7-9 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2Cor. 7:1. God cleanses our hearts and commands us to cleanse our behaviour

We need vision for our lives and for our destiny  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honour and some for dishonour.  Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honour, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 2Tim. 2:20-21 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1John 3:2-3 We need vision for our lives and for our destiny

Nehemiah reset the Boundaries in Space 3) He Filled the Vacated Rooms ... and I brought back into the rooms the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense. ... And I gathered them together and set them in their place ... 13:9-13

An empty space is a dangerous place What does it mean for us?  “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’  And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” Luke 11:24-26 An empty space is a dangerous place

Holiness comes through living in relationship with the Holy Spirit What does it mean for us? ... do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit ... Eph. 5:18   I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh ... Now the works of the flesh are evident ... but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace ...  and those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Gal. 5:16-25 Holiness comes through living in relationship with the Holy Spirit

I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Rom. 12:1-2 Keep your heart with all vigilance  for from it flow the springs of life. Prov. 4:23

  Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.  The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Phil. 4:8-9 Keep your heart with all vigilance  for from it flow the springs of life. Prov. 4:23

Three dimensions of Holiness 2. Sacred Time Time that speaks of eternity And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.  Gen. 2:2-3

Israel Sacred Time Intersecting with Eternity Sabbath Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8.  “And it shall be, if you heed Me carefully,” says the Lord, “to bring no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work in it,  then ... this city shall remain forever.” Jer. 17:24-25

It Signified Relationship Sabbath - God’s special Gift to Israel It Signified Relationship Creator ... For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth ... Exodus 20:11. Redeemer the Lord your God brought you out ... therefore the ...Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. Deut 5:15. King  ... now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Exodus 19:18 This was reflected in the three great Pilgrim Festivals

Nehemiah reset the Boundaries in Time In those days I saw people in Judah treading wine presses 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. ... Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day?  Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.” 13:15-18

... I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. ...  Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.  Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath.  And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. 13:19-22

Relationship or Restriction? Delight or irksome Duty? It was designed to reveal the Heart Relationship or Restriction? Delight or irksome Duty? “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honourable, And shall honour Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words,  Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14

What reveals YOUR spiritual temperature? “Jewish” Sabbath does not apply to us Jesus’ Sabbath is the answer for us Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.   For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matt. 11:29-30  “Kingdom Life” is following a single agenda – His!

Three dimensions of Holiness 3. Relationships Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. Gen. 2:21 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.  And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Gen. 2:24-25 What therefore God has joined, let not man put asunder. Mark 10:9

3) Sacred Covenant Relationships Israel 3) Sacred Covenant Relationships Marriage “You shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14 ... nor shall you make marriages with (the nations). You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son.  For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods. Deut.7:3-4

The issue was Paganism not Racism  ... Nor shall you make marriages with them ...  For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly.   But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars ... and burn their carved images with fire. “ For you are a holy people to the Lord your God ...” Deut. 7:3-6 “The LORD your God is a Jealous God” (A Passionate Lover)

Holiness is an Invitation not an Imposition “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Deut. 6:4-5 For your Maker is your Husband, The Lord of Hosts is His name. Isaiah 54:5 Regulations gave concrete expression to Relationship

Nehemiah re-set boundaries for Relationships  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.  So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons for yourselves”.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things  Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin.  Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?” And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me. 13:23-28

Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man ... diseases desperate grown by desperate appliance are relieved, or not at all. Hamlet; Wm. Shakespeare For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. John 18:37

Should we follow Nehemiah’s example? No – He was a man of his era with a particular calling Yes – He was a man of passionate faith and radical obedience The sons of Issachar had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do ... 1Chron. 12:32  Never forget your leaders, who first spoke to you the Word of God. Remember how they lived, and imitate their faith. Heb. 13:7

Another Box, containing a whole world

Freedom within Boundaries From outside it looks small and confining

Freedom within Boundaries It all depends on your point of view   From Inside it looks Huge and Expanding It all depends on your point of view

Enclosed and Restless Sheep

They are unaware that still there are boundaries Free at Last! They are unaware that still there are boundaries

The Kingdom of God True Freedom From being a “Cosmic Orphan” From responsibility of being God From being a “Cosmic Orphan” From the Tyranny of Self From the Power of Satan

The rules of the Kingdom Stay close to the Shepherd Listen to the Shepherd Follow the Shepherd ...“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.  Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”