Be true and steadfast

Nehemiah 13:1-14


1 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, 2 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 turned the curse into blessing. 3 As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent. 4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, 5 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, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. 6 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. 7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 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. 10 I also found out that the portions of the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field . 11 So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. 13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute t their brothers. 14 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.



Thinking and understanding

The descendants of Israel must live a distinguished life(1-3). While Nehemiah was away from Jerusalem, the priest Eliashib gave the chamber used for storing the goods offered to the priests as their portion to his relative Tobiah. When Nehemiah returned from Jerusalem and heard about this, he became angry and threw our all of Tobiah's belongings and returned to the chamber the objects it was designed to store(4-9). He also called back the Levites, who had departed from the temple for the sake of making a living due to the reduction in their portion, and set them again to work in the temple(10-11). Nehemiah appointed honest people to handle the responsibilities and prayed for God to remember his concern for the temple(12-14).



Who is God?

God desires for his people to be distinguished. As soon as the People, who had lived among the Moabites and Ammonites and towered their way of life, read from the Book of Moses, they realized their sins and immediately cast out the Ammonites and Moabites from the assembly. Are we not tolerating things within us which do not belong to God?

God requires steadfast devotion. Sometimes we grow weary or disheartened while doing good. what do we want to give up on because we have grown weary and disheartened? if these works are for the sake of God's kingdom , please try again to be strong.
(Daily Bible, 3,4/2019)