After this Nehemiah had to return to the king as his time was up. But about twelve years later he obtained another leave of absence and came back to Jerusalem. A sorrowful state of things confronted him, for the enemy had been at work while he was away. Eliashib the high priest had allied himself to Tobiah, the Ammonite, and had even prepared for him a great chamber in the courts of the house of God. There was nothing so serious as this when Nehemiah came the first time. It is sad when the Lord having sent his people a revival with much blessing, that through lack of watchfulness, and because of unfaithfulness, declension comes in. In the parable of the tares the Lord Jesus told how that while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat. (Matt. 13.)
The word of the Lord in Deut. 23:33An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever: (Deuteronomy 23:3) was that “the Ammonite... shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord.” Eliashib was like one of those dignitaries in Christendom today who put themselves above the Scriptures. But to Nehemiah, Eliashib was nothing when the Word of God spoke, so he cast out all Tobiah’s household stuff and ordered the chamber cleansed.
Nehemiah also learned that the Levites had been neglected, so that they had to work in the fields for a living. We ought not to forget those whom the Lord has sent forth to labor in His harvest. Others were profaning the Sabbath, and merchants of Tyre were allowed to sell their goods to the people on this holy day. Then, sad to say, there were some who still were marrying among the heathen round about. It must have been a bitter trial to Nehemiah. Still his resource was in God.
Three times in this chapter we find him crying to God about these evils. Then with fresh energy and purpose of heaven amid opposition and reproach, he was seen still seeking the Lord’s honor to the end, and setting things right among his people.
We have now come to the end of what are called the historical books of the Old Testament. There is but one other book of later date and that is Malachi. The declension which Nehemiah bore witness to with such sorrowful spirit continued, but the Lord in His grace preserved a remnant until He came. This has its parallel in the history of the church. The apostasy is hastening on with rapid strides, but the Lord will preserve a remnant until He comes to take the Church, His bride, out of this scene to be with Himself forever.
The prophet Malachi in his day bore testimony to the evil he saw coming in, but he also tells us: “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to ather: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” Thus when the Messiah came, He found a little remnant waiting for the consolation of Irsael (Luke 2:2525And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. (Luke 2:25)). And now may our blessed Lord when He comes again, find us waiting and watching for Him, who is to our hearts the heavenly Bridroom, the bright and Morning Star. (Rev. 22: 16.)
ML 10/11/1959