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Speaker 1: You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible. I'm John Stanghy,
Speaker 1: and today we're in Nehemiah chapter thirteen, and we'll be
Speaker 1: reading from the English Standard version. On that day they
Speaker 1: read from the Book of Moses and the hearing of
Speaker 1: the people, and it was found written that no Ammonite
Speaker 1: or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, for
Speaker 1: they did not meet the people of Israel with bread
Speaker 1: and water, but hired balem against them to curse them.
Speaker 1: Yet Our God turned the curse into a blessing. As
Speaker 1: soon as the people heard the law, they separated from
Speaker 1: Israel all those of foreign descent. Now before this, Eliashib,
Speaker 1: the priest who was appointed over the chamber of the
Speaker 1: House of Our God and who was related to Tobiah,
Speaker 1: prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously
Speaker 1: put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels and the
Speaker 1: tithes of grain, wine and oil, which were given by
Speaker 1: commandment to the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, and the contributions
Speaker 1: for the priests. While this was taking place. I was
Speaker 1: not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty second year of Artaxerxes,
Speaker 1: King of Babylon. I went to the king, and after
Speaker 1: some time I asked leave of the king and came
Speaker 1: to Jerusalem. And I then discovered the evil that Eliashib
Speaker 1: had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in
Speaker 1: the courts of the House of God. And I was
Speaker 1: very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of
Speaker 1: Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I gave orders, and
Speaker 1: they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the
Speaker 1: vessels of the House of God with the grain offering
Speaker 1: and the frankincense. I also found out that the portions
Speaker 1: of the Levites had not been given to them, so
Speaker 1: that the levites and the singers who did the work
Speaker 1: had fled each to his field. So I confronted the
Speaker 1: officials and said, why is the House of God forsaken?
Speaker 1: And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.
Speaker 1: Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine
Speaker 1: and oil into the storehouses, and I appointed as treasurers
Speaker 1: over the storehouses. Schellemaiah, the priest Zadok the scribe and
Speaker 1: pediah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hainan, the
Speaker 1: son of Zakor son of Madanayah. For they were considered
Speaker 1: reliable and their duty was to distribute to their brothers.
Speaker 1: Remember me, oh, my God, concerning this, and do not
Speaker 1: wipe out my good deeds that I have done for
Speaker 1: the house of my God and for his service. In
Speaker 1: those days, I saw in Judah people treading wine presses
Speaker 1: on the Sabbath and bringing in heaps of grain and
Speaker 1: loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and
Speaker 1: all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on
Speaker 1: the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day
Speaker 1: when they sold food. Tyrians also who lived in the city,
Speaker 1: brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold
Speaker 1: them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in
Speaker 1: Jerusalem itself. Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and
Speaker 1: said to them, what is this evil thing that you
Speaker 1: are doing profaning the Sabbath day. Did not your fathers
Speaker 1: act in this way, and did not our God bring
Speaker 1: all this disaster on us and on this city. Now
Speaker 1: you are bringing more wrath on Israel. By profaning the Sabbath.
Speaker 1: As soon as it began to grow dark. At the
Speaker 1: gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the
Speaker 1: doors should be shut and gave orders that they should
Speaker 1: not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed
Speaker 1: some of my servants at the gates that no load
Speaker 1: might be brought in on the Sabbath day. Then the
Speaker 1: merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside
Speaker 1: Jerusalem once or twice. But I warned them and said
Speaker 1: to them, why do you lodge outside the wall. If
Speaker 1: you do so again, I will lay hands on you.
Speaker 1: From that time on, they did not come on the Sabbath.
Speaker 1: Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves
Speaker 1: and come and guard the gates to keep the Sabbath
Speaker 1: day holy. Remember this also in my favor, oh my God,
Speaker 1: and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.
Speaker 1: In those days also I saw the Jews who had
Speaker 1: married women of Ashdod, Ammon and Moab, and half of
Speaker 1: their children's spoke the language of Ashtod, and they could
Speaker 1: not speak the language of Judah, but only the language
Speaker 1: of each people. And I confronted them and cursed them,
Speaker 1: and beat some of them and pulled out their hair.
Speaker 1: And I made them take an oath in the name
Speaker 1: of God, saying you shall not give your daughters to
Speaker 1: their sons, or take their daughters for your sons, or
Speaker 1: for yourselves. Did not Solomon, King of Israel sin on
Speaker 1: account of such women? Among the many nations. There was
Speaker 1: no king like him, and he was beloved by his God,
Speaker 1: and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign
Speaker 1: women made even him to sin. Shall we then listen
Speaker 1: to you and do all this great evil and act
Speaker 1: treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women. And one
Speaker 1: of the sons of Jehoiida, the son of Eliashib, the
Speaker 1: High Priest, was the son in law of Sanballat the Horonite.
Speaker 1: Therefore I chased him from me. Remember them, oh, my God,
Speaker 1: because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of
Speaker 1: the priesthood and the Levites. Thus I cleanse them from
Speaker 1: everything foreign. And I established the duties of the priests
Speaker 1: and levites, each in his work. And I provided for
Speaker 1: the wood offering at appointed times and for the first fruits.
Speaker 1: Remember me, oh my God, for good let's pray. Lord,
Speaker 1: we thank you for your word, and we thank you
Speaker 1: for the privilege of being able to look at it
Speaker 1: together today. And Lord, as we look at this last
Speaker 1: chapter of the Book of Nehemiah, we're grateful for the
Speaker 1: things that it contains. Lord. It's encouraging and motivating to
Speaker 1: see how sincere Nehemiah's commitment to you happened to be.
Speaker 1: He was devoted to you, and he wanted to make
Speaker 1: sure that Jerusalem was a place where your holiness was honored,
Speaker 1: where your name was revered, and where the people obeyed
Speaker 1: your word. Lord, you inspired him to take decisive action,
Speaker 1: and it's clear that his zeal for you was strong. Lord,
Speaker 1: we know that when we look at this, we're given
Speaker 1: a picture of your son, Jesus Christ, and as the
Speaker 1: scripture says that zeal for your house would consume him, Lord,
Speaker 1: we know that we can see a foretaste of that
Speaker 1: in this passage. And we're grateful, Lord for the fact
Speaker 1: that through faith in your son Jesus Christ, we have
Speaker 1: the privilege to be cleansed and made right with you.
Speaker 1: We're cleansed of our sin, we're made holy in your sight,
Speaker 1: and you refer to us as blameless, You justify us,
Speaker 1: you declare us righteous, You make us brand new creations
Speaker 1: in your son, Jesus Christ. We're grateful, Lord that you
Speaker 1: accomplished this. We're thankful for the privilege of being part
Speaker 1: of your family, and we commit this day to your care. Lord.
Speaker 1: We thank you for your presence with us, and we
Speaker 1: pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.