Nehemiah chapter 13 will be our
concluding message in our study through the book of Nehemiah.
I'm entitling the message from what we read in this last chapter,
Nehemiah 13. At least three times in this
chapter, Nehemiah prayed for the Lord to remember him. Look at verse 14. Nehemiah 13,
14. Remember me, O My God, remember me. And then again, down in verse
22, the middle part of the verse, remember me, oh my God, concerning
this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. Is not, not our prayer. Again
in verse 31, he's concluding in last word, in the last verse. of the last chapter of Nehemiah.
Remember me, oh, you're my God. Remember me. Remember me. Now, back in chapter 5 of Nehemiah,
he prayed something similar. Think upon me, my God, for good
according to all that I have done for this people. Think upon
me, remember me, and bless me. Remember me and spare me. He
doesn't say or he doesn't pray, Lord, remember me and reward
me, nor enrich me, but remember me
in mercy. Have mercy upon me. That's our prayer, is it not?
I thought of another prayer over in Habakkuk. Chapter 3, verse
2. Don't turn, I've got it written
down here. Habakkuk 3, 2. O Lord, I have heard thy speech
and was afraid. O Lord, revive thy work in the
midst of years. In the midst of years make known
in wrath, remember mercy. Lord, in your wrath, God is a
God of wrath. He's holy. Must punish sin. The
Lord remember mercy. Show mercy. He said, I will be
merciful to whom I will be merciful. Now, that's our prayer, is it
not? Like the dying thief. You remember
what he said? Lord, remember me when you come
into your kingdom. And I thought of another prayer
very similar to that. The publican in the temple, you
remember what he prayed? Lord, have mercy upon me, the
sinner. Saying the same thing, is he
not? Lord, remember me, have mercy upon me. Now in this closing chapter of
Nehemiah chapter 13, we find that Nehemiah for a time went
back to Babylon as he told Artaxerxes, do you remember he was a cup
bearer in the house? And he told Artaxerxes that he
had a desire to go to Jerusalem and the king gave him leave but
he also made promise that he would come back. Now notice if you will verse
6 and verse 7, but in all this time was not I at Jerusalem For
in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon,
came I unto the king. He had served twelve years as
the governor there in Jerusalem, and at the time that he had set,
he went back to visit or to give the report to his king. And after
that certain days I obtained leave of the king, he came back,
and I came to Jerusalem and understood of the evil that Elisha did for
Tobiah in preparing him a chamber in the court in the house of
God, and it grieved me sore. Therefore, I cast forth all the
household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber." Now, how long
Nehemiah was gone, we don't know because it's not given, probably
a year, maybe longer. Some speculate both ways, but
while he was gone, while he was away, things in Jerusalem went
downhill rather quickly. Quickly. The people reverted
back to their old sinful ways of not observing the Sabbath
day, intermarrying with the pagans in the land, and not providing
for the priest. Why was it so important to provide
for the priest? The wood, the sacrifice that
they might worship around, worship the Lord around the sacrifice. They were truly at that time,
as the Old Testament often refers to the people, as a backslidden
people. Now we don't use that term in
reference to believers today. But in that day, it was a term
that Jeremiah and others, the prophets, used quite often. You
remember before in chapter 10 we studied, they made a covenant
and said, we will not forsake the house of the Lord. Turn over
there, Nehemiah 10, 39. Nehemiah 10, 39. We will not. They made all these
covenant promises. And they said, Nehemiah 10, verse
39, the last part of verse 39, We will not forsake the house
of our God. Now it's a good thing never to
forsake the house of the Lord. We are told to forsake not the
assembling of ourselves together. But when Nehemiah returns, he
sees things going on And he hears the things that were going on,
the abuses going on, and he intervened sharply and sharply rebukes all
the offenders, especially the chief offender who should have
never been involved in such a scandalous thing. Eliashib the great high
priest, the high priest of God who was among the chief abusers
in giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Notice verse 4, and
before this Eliashib the priest having oversight of the chamber
of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah. Tobiah was an Ammonite, and he
had prepared for him a great chamber whereof, where aforetime
they laid the meat offering, the frankincense, the vessels,
and the tithes, and the corn, and the new wine, and the oil
which is commanded to be given to the Levites, singers and the
porters and offerings. He shoved all that stuff out
that was for the maintenance of the priesthood, and he moved
in this enemy of the Lord. This man was the high priest,
and he was unfaithful to his office. Now, Nehemiah asked this
question in verse 11. It's an all-important question.
Nehemiah 13, verse 11. Then contended I with the rulers
and said, Why is the house of God forsaken?" Why is the house
of God forsaken? Boy, he had a point, didn't he?
He caught them up in it. They were guilty. They were guilty
of doing the very thing they said they would not do. The only reason they had forsaken
the house of God, The one and only reason, they had forsaken
God. They had forsaken God. They turned
their back on God and refused to hear His Word, refused to
obey His Word. The very thing they said they
would not do is exactly what they were doing when Brother
Nehemiah came back to town. Three things, mainly not providing
for the priest of God. They had forsaken their office.
The priest of God were forced to go out into the field to provide
for their own food. Did you notice that in verse
10? And I perceived that the portion of the Levites had not
been given them. For the Levites and the singers
that did work, they were fled everyone. They were out in the
field. going out to the farm to try
to bring in the crops to feed and to take care of their family
so they could minister about the things of God. Instead of
being provided, they had to forsake the ministry to go out and work
to take care of their family. Second thing, they had also forsaken
to observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy. They were to do
no work at all. Notice verse 15. In those days
saw I and Judas some treading wine, presses on the Sabbath,
bringing in sheaves, lading asses, also wine and grapes and figs,
all manner of burden which they brought into Jerusalem on the
Sabbath day, and I testified against them in the day wherein
they sold all their goods. Now, why does the scripture in
Nehemiah's day and Ezra's day and all the other prophets. Why
does the scripture make such a big important thing about violating
the Sabbath day? They were to honor the Sabbath
day and to keep it holy for a day of rest and a day of worship.
And the reason the scripture makes such a big deal about that
is this very fact. that that Sabbath represents
salvation by the grace of God alone, and they were to do no
work at all. And when they were working about
the Sabbath day instead of resting, they were actually saying that
they thought salvation was by what they did, that work, instead
of resting in Christ. In other words, they were saying
that Christ was not enough. They just couldn't sit still
and rest in Christ. They had to add something to
it, bring something to it. And Nehemiah rebuked them sorely. It says in Leviticus 16, 29,
on that Sabbath day, they were to do no work at all. Salvation is all of grace, not
of works, lest any man should boast. The third thing they were
doing, and the scriptures, the Lord, when they came out of Egyptian
bondage and went into the land of Judea and Jerusalem, the land
of Canaan, that land of Canaan was occupied with heathens. the
Malachites, the Hamarites, the Philistines, all these different
ites. And God forbid his people to intermarry with those people
because of the fact that it would draw their heart, their mind
away from God back into their idolatry. And that's exactly
what happened. And God prevented them and commanded
them not to do it. But you remember when Ezra prayed
unto God? Same problem. And when Nehemiah
came back to town, he saw the same problem in those days also. Verse 23, I saw the Jews that
had married wives of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And they were
forbidden to do so to prevent idolatry. And it gives that example
down there of Solomon the king in verse 26. Solomon was a wise
man. He was God's king. He was beloved
of God. Yet those women drug him right
down in a pit of idolatry. They had a great influence upon
him. Now, if Solomon couldn't withstand that, where does it
leave us? Where does it leave them? It
would drag our heart right down in the gutter of false religion
and idolatry. Nehemiah reminds them of the
trouble that Solomon brought about. Nehemiah reminds them
of the trouble that this brought with Solomon. Solomon, in all
of his wisdom, was reduced to idolatry, which caused the kingdom
of God, remember, back in 1 Kings 11? God said, I'm going to split
the kingdom. I won't do it in David's day,
but I'm going to split the kingdom. Judah and Benjamin, the ten northern
tribes, they were just destroyed and dispersed. God rent the kingdom
away from Solomon because of his idolatry. God did take notice,
did he not? Now, it reminds me of this. When I would do good, evil is
present with me. The things that I would not,
that's what I do. How weak is our sinful, depraved
flesh? Didn't we learn that from Roman
chapter 7? They could not keep the law. They could not keep
the Sabbath day. They could not do what God commanded. Nor can we. Nor can we. All that the law of God demands,
we cannot honor. They violated the law of God
and we have too. We have all sinned and come short
of the glory of God. It makes you glad for the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ, how the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ declared that God justifies us in Christ. He honored the
law of God for us. We studied that through the book
of Romans, haven't we? Justified freely by His grace
to the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. This man
that Nehemiah points out in the Word of God exposes, the Word
of God exposes this man Eliashib. Eliashib gave aid to the enemy. and became a friend of a sworn
enemy of the Lord. Tobiah and Sanballat did all
they could to stop the building of the temple, and did all they
could to stop the building of the wall. Remember, turn back
to chapter 2. Let's remind and refresh our
mind for just a moment on what they said. In Nehemiah 2 verse
10, when Sanballat the Hornite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite,
heard of it, that is, Nehemiah coming to rebuild the wall. It grieved them exceedingly that
there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of
Israel. This man, Tobiah, was no friend of God, nor the people
of God. Look right across the page, verse
19, Nehemiah 2, 19. When Sanballat, the Hornite,
and Tobiah, the servant, the Ammonite, Gishem, the Arabian,
heard it, That is, Nehemiah said, we're going to rise and build
the wall. They laughed at the scorn, despised us, and said,
what is this thing that you will do? Will you rebel against the
king, against Artaxerxes? Then answered I them, and said
unto them, God, the God of heaven. He will prosper us, therefore
we his servant will rise and build, but you have no portion,
no right, nor a memorial in Jerusalem." They didn't have right and title
to have a special built apartment in the house of God by the priest
of God. What compromise What a terrible
thing that Elisha did. Nehemiah dealt very harshly with
Tobiah as he should have. And then in verse 28 of Nehemiah
13, one of the sons or grandsons of Tobiah married one of the
daughters of Sanballat and Nehemiah expelled him from the priesthood. As it says in the end of verse
28, therefore I chased him from me. That is, he ran him out of
town. He put him out of business. Banished him from the priesthood. Now watch this. Look at verse
29. D&I 13, 29. Now, three times
D&I says, Lord, remember me. Lord, remember me. But down in
verse 25, he said, Lord, remember them. Remember them, oh my God,
because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of
the priesthood and of the Levites. Nehemiah prayed to the Lord to remember them in the judgment
of God that is coming. Reminds me of another back in the days of Samuel. Remember? Reminds me of the priest of God,
his name was, you remember his name? Eli. Eli. Remember he had those two sons,
Hophni and Thinius, who abused their office sorely and took
money from the people and put it in their pocket? You remember the Lord revealed
to Samuel what He was going to do with those two boys? He was
going to remember them in judgment. And God killed both those boys.
You remember what Eli said when that happened? Samuel told him
every wit, and he hid nothing from him. And he said, Samuel
told him, God's going to take your two sons, He's going to
kill them. And he said, it's the Lord. Let him do what seems
good in his sight. Now, Hophni and Phinehas were
unfaithful in their office. This man Eliashib was unfaithful
in his office as a priest. But now think for a minute. upon
the blessing we have received from our faithful and great high
priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. Aren't you glad we have a great
high priest who cannot fail? who is faithful unto God in all
of his office, not only as a priest, but as a prophet, as a king,
as a prophet to reveal God to us, as a priest to represent
us to God, and as a king to reign over us. We have a great high
priest. That was a lesson all the way
through the book of Hebrews, wasn't it? You want to find out
about the priesthood of Christ, turn to the book of Hebrews.
All through the book of Hebrews, we've studied through it I know
at least two times, maybe three, I'm not sure, over the last 24
years. But the book of Hebrews has a
lot to say about the priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Hebrews chapter 2, if we look
at verse 17, Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be
made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and
faithful high priest, in thanks pertaining to God, to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people. He's our faithful Great High
Priest who makes reconciliation for us. Turn one page, Hebrews
4 verse 14, seeing then that we have, Hebrews 4, 14, seeing
that we have a Great High Priest that is passed into the heavens,
the Lord Jesus, Son of God, let us hold fast our profession,
seeing that we have a Great High Priest. We have not a priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities,
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, find grace
to help in our time of need. In Christ our Lord, turn to Hebrews
7, Hebrews 7, verse 25. This man continueth ever, he
has an unchangeable priesthood, Verse 25, Hebrews 7, Wherefore
he is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by
him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us, For
such a high priest became us, who was holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners, made higher than the heavens." Oh, thank
God for this high priest. I'm glad Elias should stop representing
me. That we have the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 8, 1, Now of the things which we have spoken, this is
the sum. We have such a high priest, who is set on the right
hand of the throne of the majesties in the heavens. And then Hebrews
9 verse 11, but Christ being come a high priest of good things
to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with
hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the
blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in
once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for
us. Oh, what a great high priest we have, who put away sin by
the sacrifice of himself. One more reading, Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10 verse 10, by the which
way we are sanctified to the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all. Every priest standeth daily ministering,
offering often times the same sacrifices, which could never
take away sin. Old Testament priest. But this
man, after he'd offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on
the right hand of God from henceforth expecting until his enemies be
made his footstool, for by one offering, He perfected forever
them that are sanctified. Oh, what a great high priest
we have. Now, in closing, I want to consider Nehemiah's request
in his prayer unto the Lord. He asked not for great wealth,
nor for great fame, or for prestige, or for reputation, or for reward. He asked the Lord to remember
him. But rather he asked to be blessed
according to the Lord's goodness. Look at verse Nehemiah 13. The last part of verse 22. Remember
me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according
to the greatness of thy mercy. Now, that's our prayer, is it
not? Spare me according to the multitude
of thy tender mercy. Now, Moses prayed that way, didn't
he? Lord, show me your glory. Have
mercy upon me. Show me your glory. And the Lord
said, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. He will have mercy. Show me your
glory. I will have mercy. God's glory
is my great need. I need mercy. Now, I'll have
you turn to this one, find Psalm 51. David prayed that way, didn't
he? Remember Psalm 51? Verse 1, have mercy upon me,
O God, according to thy lovingkindness, according to the multitude of
thy tender mercy, blot out my transgression. That's our prayer,
isn't it? I want to pray just like David
prays. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, cleanse me from
my sin, I acknowledge my transgression, my sin is ever before me. Against
thee and thee only have I sinned and done this evil, and I sought
that thou mightest be justified when you speak and clear when
you judge. Look at verse 7, Psalm 51. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall
be clean. Wash me, and I'll be whiter than
the snow. Have mercy upon me, O God. Now, turn to one another. I thought
of this prayer. You find the book of Isaiah,
Jeremiah, and then that little book right after Jeremiah, we
call that the Lamentations of Jeremiah, chapter 3. Lamentations chapter 3. Lamentation 3 verse 22, it is
of the Lord's mercies. that we are not consumed, because
his compassions fail not. There are new every morning,
great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith
my soul. Therefore will I hope in him.
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that
seeketh him. It is good that a man should
both hope and quietly wait for the salvation that is of the
Lord. It's of his mercies that we are
not consumed. Habakkuk prayed, Lord in wrath,
remember mercy. And as I've already mentioned,
the publican cried, Lord, be merciful to me, the sinner. And then the dying thief said,
Lord, Remember me when you enter into the kingdom." And the Lord
said, this day you'll be with me in glory. But I want you to turn to Titus,
the book of Titus chapter 3. And we see the Apostle Paul declares
the same thing. Have mercy upon me, O God. Titus
chapter 3 verse 3, for we ourselves also were sometimes foolish,
disobedient, deceived, serving divers lust and pleasure, living
in malice, envy, hateful, hating one another but God. But after
the kindness and love of our God, love of God our Savior toward
man appeared. Remember me, Lord, for your mercy's
sake. Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us. by the washing of regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Ghost which He shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Savior that being justified by His grace
which we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal
life. Mercy is the Lord not giving
us what we do deserve. What do we deserve? His wrath,
His judgment, the wage of sin, His death, but the gift of God
is eternal life. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable,
unspeakable gift. Now, whatever happened to Nehemiah,
we don't have any more record of what happened to Nehemiah.
How long he stayed in Jerusalem, all the events of the closing
part of his life. Don't know anything about him.
We don't have any record of it. Josephus, the old Jewish historian,
may have written some history about Nehemiah. We don't know
how many more years Nehemiah lived or how long he stayed in
Jerusalem, but we can be sure of this, he died in faith. He died in faith, looking to
the Lord Jesus Christ for all of his salvation. When he said,
Lord, remember me for your mercy, he sang, Lord, remember me for
Christ's sake. That was his hope. You remember
in the book of Hebrews chapter 11, it brings a great list of
what we call the Hall of Faith. Abraham, Moses, David, all these
different ones. And it says of them, Abraham,
these all died in faith, not having received the promises,
that is the fulfillment of them, but having seen them afar off,
and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on this earth. They
all, Nehemiah, brother Nehemiah, where's he at now? He's with
the Lord. We bid farewell to Brother Nehemiah
for a while. Maybe one day we'll see him again
in glory. He'll be Nehemiah, and you'll
be you, and Nehemiah be Nehemiah. We bid farewell to Brother Nehemiah
for a while, a faithful servant of the Lord. I pray for grace
that we might imitate His loyalty and faithfulness to the Lord.
Amidst all opposition, He never wavered. He never relented. He was steadfast, zealous to
the cause of God and His truth, and was true to the Word of the
Lord, always contending for the faith once delivered to the saints. May God give us grace to do so
in our day. in our day, to contend for the
faith once delivered unto the faith, to stand fast, to stand
fast. Let me read one more verse and
I'll let you go. The Apostle Paul, Philippians
chapter one, only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel
of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent,
I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one mind, Stand
fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the
faith of the gospel, and in nothing terrified by your adversaries,
which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation
and that of God. For unto you it is given in the
behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer
for his namesake." Stand fast. in the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ.