Nehemiah 13
It was about twelve years that Nehemiah stayed as governor over the land of Judah, directing, the building. up of the walls and houses of Jerusalem, making it again a pleasant city. Then the time came for him to return to the king, as he had promised; so he left the charge to others and the people said they would remember to keep all God’s laws to their (Neh. 3:6 and 5:14).
After some time, we are not told how long, the king gave Nehemiah leave to go again to Jerusalem. The people there had said they would not buy or sell or do any work on the Sabbath or feast days, but would keep them to honor the Lord as He had said (Neh. 10:29-31). But when Nehemiah came back to Jerusalem, he saw men working in the gardens and others carrying loads of fruit and grain into the city on the Sabbath Day; while others were buying articles from the merchants at the gates.
The Lord had given that land to the Jewish nation, and had made the grain and fruit grow, (as He still does for all the world). They could work for themselves six days each week; was it too much to obey and honor the Lord of all the earth one day? No, surely not, and Nehemiah again gave orders for the city gates to be kept shut so nothing could he brought in on the Sabbath, which began at sunset on the sixth day of the week, and ended at sunset on the seventh day. They did not reckon the days from mid-night as we do.
The people had also said they would not choose friends of their neighbors who refused to honor God; yet Nehemiah found that the leader in the temple, who was called the high priest, had made a special friend of one of the evil men who had tried to stop the work on the walls, and had fitted up a guest room for him in the temple where the food for the singers and the workers should have been kept; so no food was brought to them; and they left the work of God’s house to get food. The furniture for the guest room may have been handsome; but it crowded out the food of those who served God, so they could not work or sing. The Words of God are called “food” for His people, and they may soon be crowded out by many things, as untrue books, foolish pictures, or songs, so God’s people cannot sing or work for Him.
There were others also who had done wrong by taking into their families those who served idols. God has always blessed any who wished to know Him: those people knew of His great works, but would not honor Him; so Nehemiah sent them away front the temple.
How do you suppose the evil neighbors got into the city so easily? Perhaps because the priests had made no locks and bars for the gate they built, as other men had made for the other gates (See Nehemiah 3:1, 13, 14, 15).
We do not have stone walls and locked gates to keep evil away from us, and evil can come to us also by bad companions. But God’s Words will be like walls and locks to keep out evil, if we remember them,.
When on earth Jesus spoke to those who believed in Him of meeting together to praise God (John 1:23, 24).
And in Acts 20:7, we find that the disciples came together 011 The first day of the week (Sunday) to break bread—to remember the Lord.
“This do in remembrance of Me.” Luke 22:19.
ML 02/04/1940