Day 229

Nehemiah 12:27–13:31; 1 Corinthians 11:1-16; Psalm 35:1-16; Proverbs 21:17-18

WE CONCLUDED THE book of Nehemiah today with the dedication of the wall around Jerusalem. As two choirs processed their way in opposite directions atop the newly completed walls, Nehemiah must have seen it as a moment of divine satisfaction. Rebuilding the wall had been a very challenging task, opposed on all sides, but they had endured, God had been faithful, and with His guidance, they had completed the mission.

Nehemiah returned to Babylon to serve King Artaxerxes afterward but was later granted permission to go back to Jerusalem. Upon arrival, he discovered how quickly the people had begun to drift away from all they had vowed before God.

Eliashib (the supervisor of the Temple’s storerooms) allowed Tobiah —one of the chief instigators of intimidation and discouragement during the building of the wall —access to a large storeroom within the Temple to use as he pleased, because Eliashib and Tobiah were related. Additionally, the Levites and singers weren’t receiving their prescribed portions of food, forcing them to leave their sacred jobs to work their fields so they could provide for themselves and their families. This negatively affected the prescribed worship at the Temple —which was already being neglected. Also, the people began to ignore the Sabbath in favor of trade and commerce, which horrified and infuriated Nehemiah. And finally, the people once again began to intermarry with the surrounding nations.

In the face of this discouragement, Nehemiah turned to God as he restored order. He asked God to remember all that Nehemiah had done out of a true heart on behalf of His people. Nehemiah’s reliance on God here is another important example of leadership. In the end, we cannot always influence people to do the right thing. But we can follow God’s leadership by stewarding ourselves and taking responsibility for what He has entrusted to us. If we do this with a pure heart, we can also pray the final words of Nehemiah: “Remember this in my favor, O my God” (Nehemiah 13:31).

MEDITATION:

I will rejoice in the LORD. I will be glad because he rescues me. With every bone in my body I will praise him: “LORD, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?” Psalm 35:9-10