[Brother V]

Nehemiah 10-13

Today we get:

• The people who signed the seal
• The people who moved to Jerusalem
• Nehemiah as quite possibly the most self-righteous individual in the Bible (and that's saying quite a bit)

Nehemiah 10

1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,

I thought Nehemiah was the Tirshatha? Oh he is, he's just letting everyone know who he is. The first name sealed was Nehemiah, who is the Tirshatha, who is the son of Hachaliah and the son of Zidkijah.

Oddly enough, Ezra the priest, the scribe wasn't listed in the sealed people.

28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

There's a couple thousand people living in/around Israel at this time, some people got their names listed, everyone else winds up in verse 28. It's like the introductions at a football game.

At QB from Mississippi, BRET FAVRE!!!
At RB from notre dame, Ryan Grant...

Head Coach of the packers is Mike McCarthy

AND THE REST OF THE GREEN BAY PACKERS

(for example) That's verse 28. It's not that everyone else is less important, it's just that they were introducing the starting offense that day.

If you look in that verse, you see Levites and Nethinims capitalized, but no other people. We know what a Levite is, but what is a Nethinim?

The Nethinim (not the thin mints) were assistants in the temple. Their job was to prepare the sacrifices for being slaughtered. They would shear the sheep, wash down the cows, and pour the wine. They were not Levites. The Nethinim were not taxed, they received no wages, their life was serving in the temple. They were temple slaves. They were not allowed to marry Israelites, they may have originally been war captives, and their job just kind of stuck. Israel was carried away, people lost their heritage, jews had to cast lots to determine their family heritage. But two things remained constant, 1. The offspring of Aaron kept their lineage pure. 2. the temple slaves were still stuck as temple slaves.

Remember that a bastard couldn't enter the congregation for 10 generations. Nethinim could never join the congregation, even though they were needed for worship. These people were probably the lowest class of people in Israel. Thank goodness the lowest of the low were helpful in the temple.

29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;

Yes, we know what the newest covenant was.

30 And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, not take their daughters for our sons:

Didn't Ezra just end all the mixed marriages?

31 And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

So the main parts of the covenant were no mixed marriages and no working (or buying things) on the sabbath, and to tithe.

35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:

Which that covenant is a good one for any True Christian ™ to follow.

1. Don't marry anyone who isn't a True Christian™.
2. Don't work on the day that you worship the LORD.
3. Tithe!

Nehemiah 11

1 And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.

I'm not sure if living in Jerusalem was winning or losing.

2 And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.

It sounds as though living in Jerusalem was a burden. Why would people need to be blessed if you said "fine, I'll live there"?

18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and four.

284 Levites were forced (or chose) to live in Jerusalem.

21 But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims.

The Nethinims weren't even allowed to live inside the city; where they would be protected by the city walls. Nope this lowest class of people was unprotected.

Nehemiah 12

1 Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

Why are we getting a retelling of Ezra 2?

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

Did the Levites want to be left alone and were dragged back to working at the temple, or were they happy to go back? Were they like Matt "Guitar" Murphy or like Mr. Fabulous when they were told the band was getting back together?

31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:

Looks like we're back to reading ME-hemiah again.

38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall;


So half the people was on the right, and half on the other side.

43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.


This was probably still the mixed couples rejoicing with great joy. They haven't quite gotten to the part where they send away their strange wives.

Nehemiah 13

1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

Here we are retold about why we are to hate Ammonites and Moabites.

2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

None of this would have happened if the Ammonites and the Moabites had let the Jews go through their land to get to where they were going.

3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

Wouldn't revival in our times be great if we could get all the people of mixed marriages to send away their mulatto children from their negro wives?

7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

It's one thing to tell a story in the first person, it's another thing to ensure that the story revolves around you. It's still another thing all together to have that be in the greatest book ever written.

9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.

You sure did Nehemiah.

12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

One man got everyone tithing again. Everyone probably did it to stop hearing Nehemiah bitch at them.

14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

I'm familiar with the prosperity gospel that is being shoved down our throats on TBN these days (is there a praise-a-thon going on now? if so, you should sow your seed) but this prayer from Nehemiah is about the most selfish thing in the Bible (kjv1611).

15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.

Is spying on the sabbath an acceptable behaviour?

17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

Nehemiah was like the prayer police. You know the brother at the kitchen table who tells your parents that you didn't have your eyes closed during grace before dinner. "Mom, V didn't have his eyes closed when you were praying" "Well how did you know? were your eyes opened? you are such a tattletale armyguy!"

21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.

Nehemiah didn't see the people selling stuff by the wall, he actually send his servants to do that work. So Nehemiah had his people do the work instead of him actually doing it himself.

23 In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

Both Nehemiah and Ezra wouldn't allow David into Jerusalem.

25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

Nehemiah is quite the jerk.

26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

Sure he mentions that Solomon was caused to sin by strange women, but he doesn't mention that Solomon would be one of these halfbreed children.

30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

Nehemiah and Ezra, the great ethnic cleansers!

Nehemiah gets the Moab out!

So what have we learned today.

1. Mixed marriages are one of the worst things that can happen to a country. God may hate fags, but he really hates it when whites marry negros.

2. The bottom of the totem pole in Israel is the Nethinim. (There really shouldn't be an s at the end). These people had so few rights that they weren't even allowed to be taxed.

3. Nehemiah was the Tirshatha, which is quite close to being the tirshithead.

YIC
V

[Pastor Billy-Reuben]

Originally Posted by Brother V

The first name sealed was Nehemiah, who is the Tirshatha

I am not surprised that Nehemiah signed it first. I bet he signed his name really big right in the middle, like John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence.

Originally Posted by Brother V

Oddly enough, Ezra the priest, the scribe wasn't listed in the sealed people.

Neither was Eliashib the High Priest.

Originally Posted by Brother V

So the main parts of the covenant were no mixed marriages and no working (or buying things) on the sabbath, and to tithe.

Other parts of the covenent were:

Nehemiah 10:32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;

Apparently they thought they were too poor now to pay the 1/2 shekel per person required in Ex 30:11-16. They jooed God out of a sixth of a shekel, down to 1/3.

34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law:

There is no "wood offering" under the law. The law referred to is in Lev 6:12-13, that the fire upon the altar had to be kept going at all times. Back during the time of Kings, the Gileadites were the official hewers of wood and drawers of water, so it was their job to make sure there was enough wood to keep the altar fire going.

Since they exiled everyone who was not a pure-blood Israelite, there weren't any Gileadites around to fetch wood for the altar fire. So they decided that each noble family would take turns fetching and cutting the wood for the altar, and cast lots to determine the order.

The people also promised to give the firstfruits of the trees, the first born of their cattle, herds, and flocks, and their firstborn children to the Levites.

39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

They promised never to let the temple fall into disrepair again. How did that turn out? Isn't there a Muslim mosque on that site today?

Originally Posted by Brother V

1 And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots...

Nehemiah 11:3 Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants.

People who had a legitimate claim to land in one of the other cities didn't have to draw lots. Since the province in question is only Judah, not Israel, these people could only be of the tribes of Judah or Benjamin.

Once and Future Levites
Notice what happens here. Nehemiah is giving a list of all of the Levites, but then he goes on and says...

Nehemiah 12:22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian.
23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

Nehemiah just listed the future High Priests, starting with the current one, then going through the next three generations! Once again we have proof that scripture was divinely inspired and that God told the authors what to write. In chapter 3, we learned that Eliashib was the High Priest in Nehemiah's time. Eliashib was followed by Joiada, then by Johanan, then by Jaddua. Jaddua was the High Priest during the time of Alexander the Great, 100 years after Nehemiah's time. Josephus wrote about the time Jaddua greeted Alexander on his way to conquer Persia, and showed Alexander the prophecy concerning himself written centuries earlier in the Book of Daniel. "Darius the Persian" is Darius III, the last king of Persia who was conquered by Alexander, as prophesied in the book of Daniel (chapter 11 if you feel like skipping ahead).

Some people try to discount the miracle in the text by claiming that that the Darius mentioned in this verse was really Darius II, and the Jaddua mentioned is just some other Levite with the same name as the one who met Alexander. However, that doesn't make any sense. Nehemiah correctly listed the next three high priests in order. He had no way to know that unless God was telling him what to write.

The God-hating secular "historians" and "linguists" think that verses 22-23 were later inserted by some anonymous author, and that the book of Daniel was actually written a century and a half after Alexander's conquest of Persia. But that's nothing but the Devil's lies.

After that little bit of prophecy, he goes back to the present and starts talking about the current Levites again.

24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward.

These fellows' sole job was to praise and give thanks. Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua would stand on one side of the congregation, and their brothers would stand on the other side, and they would shout praise and respond to each other, like the cheerleaders at the high school football games -- "We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, how 'bout you?" That's what "ward over against ward" means.

Nehemiah's Prayer of Remembrance
I love Nehemiah's prayer at the end of his book.

Nehemiah 13:29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

Hey God! It's Nehemiah again! Don't forget how bad those preists were! Especially by comparison with moi.

30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

Yoohoo, God! I'm the one who kicked out all the foreigners and put the priests and Levites back to work. I invented the wood offering! Wasn't that good of me! Don't forget me, God! I'm Nehemiah!!!

Pastor Billy-Reuben

[SUV]

Ooh! Ooh! It's Nehemiah! NEHEMIAH!!!

Brother V, do you need any help with this one?