Turn to the Old Testament book of Nehemiah.
While you're doing that, I'm going to hydrate.
Yesterday morning I went hunting.
It was opening day,
and it was really cold.
I wasn't at all prepared for the weather.
And so when I got up this morning,
I thought it would be a good idea to wear a sweater today.
I don't think so, but...
If you see me perspiring, it's because of passion.
It has nothing to do with this sweater.
So this will be our last Sunday,
in the book of Nehemiah.
I hope, I know that many of you weren't here
for our entire study of it.
You can, of course, go to the website
and go back and listen to those things
if you would like to.
But I hope for at least the part
that you've been present for,
it's been a blessing to you,
as it's been a blessing to me
to get to study it and to preach it.
It's spoken to my life in many different ways,
and I hope the same for you.
And I just wanted to extend appreciation to you
for even being able to do this.
It's a gift to me to get to study
study and preach.
So I want to thank you for that.
Just as a brief summary,
we are, in the book of Nehemiah,
seeing the people of God
having returned from Babylonian exile.
They were sent into Babylonian exile
as a result of their sin for 70 years.
We've now seen three movements of people
back to the land.
This is some 90 years later
that we're looking at this.
Nehemiah is serving as cupbearer
to the king Artaxerxes.
Now Persia rules the area,
King Artaxerxes is the king of Persia.
He hears news of what's going on,
that the wall has yet to be rebuilt.
People have not yet occupied Jerusalem.
The temple's been rebuilt,
but it's kind of in a shambles.
And he grieves over this
because the glory of God
is being shamed in this way.
The people of God are not in a good state,
and God moves his heart in prayer
to go back and to lead
the rebuilding of the wall.
So we see the rebuilding of the wall,
and we see revival come upon these people.
They begin to reestablish the Word of God
as the ultimate authority in their lives,
and they turn from their sin,
and they turn back to God.
We saw in chapter 10
that they made a covenant
for some specific things
that they had been incredibly sinful about.
They committed to God
that they would not do these things anymore.
We saw a general covenant or promise
to keep the law,
and then three specific things happened.
And last week we saw in verse 12
a dedication service to the wall,
and we talked about
what proper musical worship looks like.
And then we come to the last chapter,
and I really wish that this story
ended on a high note.
At this point in redemptive history, though,
it does not.
The people of God are still incredibly fickle
in their service to God,
and it doesn't go quite the way
we like to see it happen.
Now, it's apparent that Nehemiah
served as governor over Jerusalem,
over Israel,
for 12 years,
and then left for a while.
He went back,
as he had promised in chapter 1
to King Artaxerxes.
He returned back to the king,
and then he comes back.
And we don't know exactly
how much time has passed
from his leaving
and going back to the king
and then coming back here.
We don't exactly know what's happened,
but you'll see the record
that he wasn't present,
and then he returns,
and we'll see what happens here
in just a moment.
So, join me with me in reading.
We're going to read
all of chapter 13 together.
On that day,
they read from the book of Moses
in the hearing of the people,
and it was found written
that no Ammonite or Moabite
should ever enter the assembly of God,
for they did not meet the people of Israel
with bread and water,
but hired Balaam against them
to curse them.
Yet our God turned the curse
into a blessing.
There's a little history for you there.
Verse 3,
As soon as the people heard the law,
they separated Israel
from all those of foreign descent.
Now, before this,
Eliashib the priest,
who was appointed over the chambers
of the house of our God
and who was related to Tobiah,
prepared for Tobiah a large chamber
where they had previously put
the grain offering,
the frankincense,
the vessels,
and the tithes of grain,
wine, and oil,
which were given by commandment
to the Levites,
singers, and gatekeepers,
and the contributions for the priests.
While this was taking place,
I was not in Jerusalem.
For in the 32nd year
of Artaxerxes,
king of Babylon,
I went to the king,
and after some time,
I asked leave of the king
and came to Jerusalem.
And I then discovered
the evil that Eliashib
had done for Tobiah,
preparing for him a chamber
in the courts
of the house of God.
And I was very angry,
and I threw all the household furniture
of Tobiah out of the chamber.
Then I gave orders,
and they cleansed the chambers,
and I brought back their vessels
of the house of God
with the grain offering
and the frankincense.
I also found out
that the portions of the Levites
had not been given to them,
so that the Levites
and the singers
who did the work
had fled each to his field.
So I confronted the officials
and said,
Why is the house of God forsaken?
And I gathered them together
and set them in their stations.
Then all Judah brought the tithe
of the grain,
wine, and oil
into the storehouses.
And I appointed as treasures
over the storehouses
Shalamiah the priest,
Zadok the scribe,
and Padaiah of the Levites.
And as their assistant,
Hanan the son of Zachar,
son of Mataniah,
for they were considered reliable,
and their duty was to distribute
to their brothers.
Remember me,
O my God,
concerning this,
and do not wipe out
my good deeds
that I have done
for the house of my God
and for his service.
In those days,
I saw in Judah
people treading wine presses
on the Sabbath
and bringing in heaps of grain
and loading them on donkeys
and also wine,
grapes,
figs,
and all kinds of loads,
which they brought into Jerusalem
on the Sabbath day.
And I warned them
on the day
when they sold food.
Tyrians also,
who lived in the city,
brought in fish
and all kinds of goods
and sold them on the Sabbath
to the people of Judah
in Jerusalem itself.
Then I confronted
the nobles of Judah
and said to them,
What is this evil thing
that you are doing
profaning the Sabbath day?
Did not your fathers
act in this way
and did not our God
bring all this disaster
on us
and on this city?
Now you are bringing
more wrath on Israel
by profaning the Sabbath.
As soon as it began
to grow dark
at the gates of Jerusalem
before the Sabbath,
I commanded that the door
should be shut
and gave orders
that they should not be opened
until after the Sabbath.
And I stationed
some of my servants
at the gates
that no load might be brought in
on the Sabbath day.
Then the merchants
and sellers
of all kinds of wares
lodged outside Jerusalem
once or twice.
But I warned them
and said to them,
Why do you lodge
outside the wall?
If you do so again,
I will lay hands on you.
From that time on,
they did not come
on the Sabbath.
Then I commanded the Levites
that they should purify themselves
and come and guard the gates
to keep the Sabbath day holy.
Remember this also
in my favor,
O my God,
and spare me
according to the greatness
of your steadfast love.
In those days also
I saw the Jews
who had married women
of Ashdod,
Ammon,
and Moab,
and half of their children
spoke the language
of Ashdod,
and they could not speak
the language of Judah,
but only the language
of each people.
And I confronted them
and cursed them
and beat some of them
and pulled out their hair.
And I made them take oath
in the name of God,
saying,
You shall not give
your daughters to their sons
or take their daughters
for your sons
or for yourselves.
Did not Solomon,
king of Israel,
sin on account of such women?
Among the many nations
there was no king like him
and he was beloved
by his God
and God made him king
over all Israel.
Nevertheless,
foreign women
made even him to sin.
Shall we then listen to you
and do all this great evil
and act treacherously
against our God
by marrying foreign women?
And one of the sons
of Jehoiada,
the son of Eliashib,
the high priest,
was the son-in-law
of Sambalot,
the Horonite.
Therefore I chased him
from me.
Remember them,
O my God,
because they have
desecrated the priesthood
and the covenant
of the priesthood
and the Levites.
Thus I cleansed them
from everything foreign
and I established
the duties of the priests
and Levites,
each in his work,
and I provided
for the wood offering
at appointed times
and for the first fruits.
Remember me,
O my God,
for good.
Let's pray together.
Father,
we thank you
for the blessing
of your word
and I thank you
that every detail of it
is important
and it matters to us
this day.
That you have
an intention with us
this morning,
that you want to speak
to our hearts
and therefore change
our actions.
You want us to grow up
into Christ's likeness
and I pray,
Father,
you will accomplish that
this day
by the speaking of your word.
We pray this in Christ's name.
Amen.
Alright,
one more hydration.
And then off we go.
Let me say to you,
I love Nehemiah.
What a man.
What a wonderful,
wonderful man.
And we see,
throughout the Bible,
we see many great
historical characters.
Characters that we would
tend to want to emulate.
Often,
many of us grew up
in church
being taught
little moral lessons
by the example
of some of these men.
And that's not all bad,
but we almost always
get some record,
some account
of their fallenness.
Right?
David is a wonderful
example of that.
Or,
um,
Abraham,
who you may or may not
know this,
but twice,
he gave his wife away
to avoid his own death.
Right?
These are not necessarily
righteous acts
just because they're
recorded in the Bible.
You'll sometimes hear
that argument
and talk about the
horrible things people did
that God approved of.
Not necessarily,
just because it's
a historical account
of what happened.
So I've been looking
for Nehemiah's flaw.
And maybe we found it.
Let me say that to you.
Maybe we found it.
Maybe he overreacted
a little bit,
especially when we get
to verse 25
and he's beating people
and pulling out their hair.
However,
maybe not.
Maybe it was perfectly
appropriate
for him to respond
in this way.
There is a
such thing
as righteous
anger.
I want you to have
two questions as mine.
As Nehemiah returns,
apparently to govern
once again,
he couldn't have gotten
all these things accomplished.
He appoints,
he orders,
he does all these things.
So he's apparently
in charge once again.
And as he approaches
the sinfulness
of the people,
I want you to have
two questions in your mind.
Firstly,
how should we feel
about sin
as those who have
been delivered from it,
as those who have
experienced grace
that abounds
all of our sin,
right,
in Christ,
all of those things
have been taken care of,
but how should we still
feel about sin
generally,
and how should we react
to both our sin
and the sins
of others?
What's the proper
response
to sinfulness?
Let me say to you,
the person who is
zealous for God,
who wants to serve,
wants to be devoted
to him in every respect,
will defend
the holiness of God
and the holiness
of God's people.
This is going to be
a natural reaction.
And at times,
this calls
for a righteous anger.
Let's look together
at an example,
the perfect example,
Jesus.
Right?
You can turn here
if you like.
If not,
just hear me read.
John chapter 2,
verses 13 through 17.
The Passover of the Jews
was at hand,
and Jesus went up
to Jerusalem.
In the temple
he found those
who were selling
oxen and sheep
and pigeons
and the money changers
sitting there
and making a whip
of cords,
a whip of cords,
he drove them all
out of the temple
with the sheep
and oxen
and he poured out
the coins
and the money changers
and overturned
their tables
and he told those
who sold the pigeons,
take these things away,
do not make my father's house
a house of trade.
His disciples remembered
that it was written,
zeal for your house
will consume me.
Jesus,
righteous,
perfect in any way,
without sin,
got angry.
He saw something
that was offensive
to God's holiness
and to the holiness
of his people
and he rectified it
in a radical way.
So we see
that righteous anger
is a possibility.
Another example,
turn with me please
to this one,
Numbers chapter 25.
Chris McKean
pointed this one out
to me today.
I had another example
while you're turning there.
Moses goes up
onto Mount Sinai,
receives the Ten Commandments,
comes down
and the people
have already turned
from God.
They're worshipping
the golden calf
and what does Moses do?
He breaks the tablets.
He's never reprimanded
for this
and he has thousands.
The Levites go
and kill thousands
of people as punishment
for that
because that was the example
I was going to read to you
but this is better.
Numbers chapter 25
we'll read
verses 1 through 13 together.
While Israel lived
in Shittim,
the people began
to whore
with the daughters of Moab.
Now again,
see this is another sin.
This is the same thing
we're going to deal with here
in chapter 13 of Nehemiah.
These invited the people
to the sacrifice
of their gods
and the people ate
and bowed down
to their gods.
So Israel yoked himself
to Baal of Peor
and the anger of the Lord
was kindled against Israel.
And the Lord said to Moses,
Take all the chiefs
of the people
and hang them in the sun
before the Lord
that the fierce anger
of the Lord
may turn away from Israel.
And Moses said
to the judges of Israel,
Each of you
kill those of his men
who have yoked themselves
to Baal of Peor.
And behold,
one of the people of Israel
came and brought
a Midianite woman
to his family
in the sight of Moses
and the sight of the whole congregation
of the people of Israel
while they were weeping
in the entrance
of the tent of meeting.
When Phinehas,
the son of Eleazar,
son of Aaron the priest,
saw it,
he rose and left
the congregation
and took a spear
in his hand
and went after
the man of Israel
into the chamber
and pierced both of them,
the man of Israel
and the woman
through her belly.
Thus the plague
on the people of Israel
was stopped.
Nevertheless,
those who died
by the plague
were 24,000.
Now we don't see
exactly what this plague was,
but because of this sin,
this breaking
of the commandment of God,
this compromise
of the holiness
of God's people,
God brought a curse
upon them.
And what brings the curse
to an end?
Righteous anger.
Right?
We see this man Phinehas
go and spear
both of them
and kill
this particular couple.
How do we know
this is good?
Because as I've said before,
maybe you stop here
and you go,
but was that the right
thing to do?
We see record there
that the plague
of Israel was stopped
and then look at verse 10.
And the Lord said to Moses,
Phinehas,
the son of Aazar,
the son of Aaron the priest,
has turned back my wrath
from the people of Israel
in that he was jealous
with my jealousy
among them
so that I did not consume
the people of Israel
in my jealousy.
Therefore say,
behold,
I give to him
my covenant of peace
and it shall be to him
and to his descendants
after him
the covenant
of a perpetual priesthood
because he was jealous
for his God
and made atonement
for the people of Israel.
God applauds him
for the action.
So,
righteous anger
at times
may seem
a little extreme
but is exactly
what is called for.
No time today
to observe
David
and Amos
and Malachi,
John the Baptist,
Apostle Paul,
there are countless
examples
of people
who got
properly angry
when folks
offended
the holiness
of God.
Now hear me.
We're going to talk
at length about this
and I don't have time
today
to tell you
and warn you
about when anger
looks improper.
I think you know
already.
We can't quite
get into the depths
of that.
I am not suggesting
that any of you
rip out people's hair
and beat them.
I think you'll know
if God leads you
to something like that,
that kind of anger.
But the question again,
how should we feel
about sin
and how should we react
to sin
and the sins
of others?
Because if
righteous anger
is a reality,
we've observed it
to be true,
we've seen it now
multiple times,
we've seen it in our
very Lord,
Jesus Christ,
if it's a reality
then it follows
that there are times
when not being angry
is sinful.
Just going along,
peace,
kumbaya,
let's just get along
together,
that that in fact
could be sin
in your life.
So consider carefully
these questions.
I want to show you
in chapter 13
the three offenses,
the three sins
committed against God
and then their
corresponding covenant
promise.
You remember chapter 10
I mentioned to you,
we studied that.
We studied a covenant,
a written document
that the people
signed together,
a commitment
that they had made
not too many years
earlier
and they break it
here at every
single point.
They broke it
generally as they
made a general promise
to keep the law of God
and they broke
every one
of the specific
covenants
that they made
with God.
So,
firstly,
remember
the intensity
that they
entered into
that covenant with.
Chapter 10
verse 29
says we enter
into a curse
and an oath
in this covenant.
They are asking
God,
if we break
this covenant
with you,
bring punishment
upon us.
Guess how God
brought it?
Nehemiah.
Nehemiah is the curse
that they asked for
as they made
this covenant
commitment together.
So,
let's look at the first one.
In verses 4-14,
we see the offense
that they did not
preserve
the holiness
of the house
of God.
Right off the back,
we see the high priest.
It would have been
the high priest
because he was given
order over keeping
the storehouses,
keeping the proper
things needed
for the worship
of God
in place.
So,
Eliashib is the
high priest
and he clears out
one of these rooms
that has been
specifically commanded
by God to be set apart
for the storing
of these goods
and turns it into
a home for
who but
Tobiah.
Do you remember
Tobiah?
The man that
mocked Nehemiah
that plotted
to kill him?
We see later on
in relation to
the high priest
allowed his son
to marry
Sambalot's daughter.
Sambalot and Tobiah
were the major
antagonists
in the story.
Right?
They tried to raise up
an army
to at very least
threaten
the building of the wall
at most
to actually attack
the city.
Remember when they
were building
they had to carry
stones in one hand
and a sword in the other?
There was a plot
against Nehemiah's
life by these
two men
and Eliashib
the high priest
allows one of them
to live
in the house
of God.
Right?
This would be like
a priest in the
Catholic church
hanging a picture
of Martin Luther
in the Vatican.
Right?
Really,
really
offensive.
Can you imagine
coming back
to this scene
and seeing this?
This man
is living
in this place
and I love
that he just
goes and he
throws all
of his stuff
out.
I would have
loved to have
been a fly
on the wall
and see
Tobias' face
as his stuff
is being hurled
out the door.
And he goes
beyond that
to give orders
to cleanse
not just
that chamber
but all
the chambers.
There's a big
cleaning up
of the house
of God
as a result
of what
Eliashib
has done here.
Secondly,
they're neglecting
the provision
for the Levites
and the singers.
This very storehouse
would have stored
the goods
for them
to be able
to do their
jobs,
to be at the temple
and do temple
service.
They needed
food to eat.
They needed
provision.
And you see here
that they fled
to their fields
meaning they
couldn't stay
in the city
and do the work
at the house
of God
so they had
to go out
to their outlying
lands
so that they
could eat.
And we saw
a commitment
back in chapter 10.
They made a promise
not to neglect
the house of God.
Right?
But chapter 10
verse 39
we will not
neglect
the house
of our God.
That's the way
that very covenant
summed up.
And here we see
Nehemiah asking
the question
in verse 11
why is the house
of God
forsaken
or neglected?
It could be
read that way.
Malachi
who came along
during this time
as a prophet
sent by God
in Malachi
chapter 3
verses 8
through 12
says to the people
will man
rob God
yet you
are robbing me
but you say
how have we robbed you
in your tithes
and contributions
you are cursed
with a curse
for you are robbing me
the whole nation
of you
bring the full tithe
into the storehouse
that there may be
food in my house
and thereby
put me to the test
as the Lord of hosts
if I will not
open up the windows
of heaven for you
and pour down
for you a blessing
until there is
no more need
I will rebuke
the devourer for you
so that it will not
destroy the fruits
of your soil
and your vine
in the field
shall not fail
to bear
says the Lord of hosts
then all nations
will call you blessed
for you will be
a land of delight
says the Lord of hosts
this is when Malachi
is prophesying to them
this very thing
Tobiah is living
in the house of God
and they are neglecting
the contributions
that are necessary
for the temple service
so there is the broken
covenant promise
chapter 10
verse 39
why did it matter
I said to you before
we can make some kind
of drastic leap
and certainly
it's a lesser truth
contained in this
that we somehow
ought to be giving
tons and tons of money
to improve this property
and improve this building
and Lord knows
we need some improving
to go on around here
however that's not
primarily what's being
taught here
that's not the greater
thing
should we be
contributing to the needs
of a church
absolutely
but that is not
why this was so
offensive
is offensive
because of the
prefigurative meaning
of the house of God
remember that the house
of God was the place
the one place
that God came
and met
with man
met with
one man
one time a year
in the Holy of Holies
this is a very
important
thing
the activity
that surrounded it
mattered
a lot
because it was meant
to show us
that someday
God would come
and dwell
with man
fully
without any
obstruction
forever
right
Revelation 21 3
and I heard a loud voice
from the throne
saying
behold
the dwelling place
of God
is with man
he will dwell
with them
and they will be
his people
and God himself
will be with them
as their God
and they're talking
here in this chapter
of Revelation
of the new Jerusalem
which comes down
out of heaven
as a cube
and the other place
we see a cube
is the Holy of Holies
shaped as a cube
it mattered
the way
the people of God
in this day
treated the house
of God
so that's the first
broken covenantal promise
the fact that they did not
preserve the holiness
of the house of God
Nehemiah's anger
was proper
and measured
for that
the second offense
found in verses 15
through 22
they did not preserve
the holiness
of the Sabbath
the seventh day
of the week
that God had commanded
them to keep holy
to set aside
to not work on
this was meant
to be
for them
again
something prefigurative
it was a day
that they rested
every seven years
they gave debtors
rest
and they let fields
rest
why?
it was because
God just didn't want
them to work themselves
to death
they just didn't want
them to have
too many calluses
he knew they
needed rest
no
not at all
it was prefigurative
it was meant to show us
a greater thing
a full and final rest
that we'll have
in Christ
right?
the Sabbath
was the covenant sign
one of them
between
God
and men
we see that in Exodus
chapter 31
12 and 13
and the Lord said
to Moses
you are to speak
to the people
of Israel
and say
above all
you shall keep
my Sabbath
for this is a sign
between me and you
a sign
a covenantal sign
but throughout
the generations
that you may know
that I
the Lord
sanctify you
it was like
a wedding ring
in that way
and so for the people
to not keep
the Sabbath
would be for those
of us
who are married
in this room
to take off
our rings
and not just
take them off
to wash our hands
but take them off
and throw them away
to say to the world
yeah I'm married
but I don't want to be
right
it's exactly
what the people
of God
were doing here
as they traded
as they allowed
people to come
into the city
and trade
on the Sabbath
chapter 10
verse 31
they made a promise
and if the peoples
of the land
bring in goods
or any grain
on the Sabbath day
to sell
we will not buy
from them
on the Sabbath
or on a holy day
and we will forgo
the crops
of the seventh year
and the exaction
of every debt
notice the careful
record
that there were
foreigners
coming into Jerusalem
to trade
right
carefully recorded
the covenant
that you guys
made together
to keep the law
of God
you are breaking it
in every single way
this was incredibly
important
look at the inspired
commentary
I know I did a lot
of this a couple
of weeks ago
but got to make
the point again
Colossians 2
16 and 17
let no one pass
judgment on you
in question of food
or drink
or with regards
to a festival
or a new moon
or a Sabbath
these are a shadow
of the things
to come
but the substance
belongs to Christ
and the writers
of Hebrew
gives it to us
Hebrews gives it
to us a little
more clearly
chapter 4
verse 9 and 10
so then there
remains a Sabbath
rest for the people
of God
there remains
not because we're
meant to have
a Sabbath now
this isn't about
Sunday
or Saturday
let's get into
a massive debate
the big religious
debate down in
Nicaragua
when Daniel and I
went down there
was about what day
you were supposed
to worship God on
there's a bunch
of seventh day
Adventists down there
and a bunch
of Sunday
keepers
as they called
themselves
and this is the
major conflict
that was happening
in the area
not doctrinal
in any way
whatsoever
because this was
supposed to show
us this final
thing
a Sabbath rest
for the people
of God
verse 10
for whoever
has entered
God's rest
has also
rested from
his works
as God
did
from his
this is why
the Sabbath
was so
important
and meant
to be
kept holy
and so Nehemiah
responds properly
to that
he hasn't
locked the gates
he takes real
measure
to stop
what was going
on
stop what you're
doing
I'm shutting
the gates
foreign people
can't even
come into the
city
and when they
camped outside
the city
he threatens
them
you come back
here I'm going
to lay hands
on you
which basically
means I'm going
to pull out
your hair
and beat you
up
right
there will be
consequences
to pay
and I love
that the
responses
in verse 21
and from that
time on they
did not come
on the Sabbath
right
they heard him
loud and clear
as he yelled
from the walls
I'm going to lay
hands on you
if you come
back here
the Sabbath day
was meant to be
kept holy
because of what
it showed
that was coming
this full
and final
rest
are you catching
in this
how our sin
is offensive
to what God
has done for us
we're seeing the
fulfillment
of these promises
the coming of the
kingdom of God
right
the fact that we
now have rest
and we'll have full
and final rest
in Christ
and our sin
is a great
offense to him
without doubt
we've been delivered
from our sin
right
hear this carefully
beloved
Christ died on the
cross for your
sins
past present
and future
there's nothing
you're going to do
that's going to
surprise him
no thing you will
do will be so
offensive that he'll
go
oh I don't know
if I really
want to die
for that one
right
it's done
it's finished
it's a completed
work
right
and you can
have confidence
to approach
the throne of
grace in that
right
you can press
on in your
relationship with
God because you
know that Christ
has paid the
price the penalty
for the sin
it's been completed
he's already been
punished the wrath
of God has been
poured out on your
behalf in him
but because of that
because of this
display of his
great love for us
we ought to want
to serve him
we ought to want
to love him
we ought to want
to see the people
of God become
more and more
perfect
to make him
be seen more
as he is
as holy
that's the task
that's been given
to us
to be disciple
making disciples
to display
God's goodness
and loving kindness
to the world
we do that
primarily
in the way
we live
so when we
sin
it's a great
offense
to God
still
even though
the price
has been paid
it's an offense
to what God
has done for us
when you sin
in those moments
you are saying
you don't believe
the gospel
because if you did
if you believed it
it would produce
proper action
in you
and you're doing
improper things
so what does that say
you've forgotten
about the grace
of God to you
you've forgotten
about who you were
damned
eternally
enemies of God
and yet he
saved you
because of his
love for you
doesn't that just
want to cause you
to spring forth
with good works
it does for me
God did good things
for me
I want to get out
there and get
active and involved
and do good things
that's what's
going on here
that's why
Nehemiah
is appropriately
angry
at the way
they've acted
the third offense
this one's a little
bit trickier
we talked about it
a couple of weeks
ago
final verses
23-31
they did not
preserve
the holiness
of their ethnicity
they did not
preserve
the holiness
of their ethnicity
we see the
covenant promise
chapter 10
verse 30
we will not
give our daughters
to the peoples
of the land
or take their
daughters
for our sons
this has been
a consistent
issue
right
I read to you
about Phineas
this was happening
even when they
were wandering
sojourning in the
desert
this was happening
right
and it's happening
again and again
and again
Ezra commanded
them to put away
their wives
of other nations
and this makes
our heads hurt
a little bit I think
as new covenant
people because
we're not told
to divorce
in quite the same
way but there's
a uniqueness here
in this time
there's a uniqueness
for the people
of Israel
in that
they were ethnically
bound to one another
covenantally bound
to God
they were ethnically
bound to each other
right
they were meant
to be a people
set apart
in this way
you want to draw
a parallel
the church is the same
way we ought not
be yoked with
unbelievers
right
I'll tell you
right now
that is a temptation
young people
if you are dating
somebody that doesn't
claim the name
of Christ
more than likely
they will lead you
astray
not the other
way around
history
has proven
old testament
history
has proven
this to be the
case
right
put them away
don't get yourself
covenantally bound
with these people
because you want
to honor God
with your marriage
right
there's the parallel
for us
in that way
right
so their ethnicity
mattered a lot
they were a
an internal
people
an exclusive
people
set apart
in this way
and the gospel
now has turned
out that
into an inclusive
people
the church
now invites
all kinds
of people
in
right
we wouldn't
dare say
because you're
not of the
same socioeconomic
status as us
or the same
racial background
as us
or you don't
have the same
culture as us
you can't come
meet with us
right
we don't say
that because
the gospel
transcends
all of those
things
right
it's now
been turned
out
I showed you
the example
when Jesus
talked about
how the gates
of hell
would not prevail
against the church
we're no longer
encamped inside
of a wall
holding out the
world
now we're making
advances on the
world
and the gates
of hell
is not going
to stand
against our
attacks
right
that's the
picture
that's going
on here
but in this
day
it was
different
right
Nehemiah
gives the
example
of Solomon
Solomon
was not
led astray
particularly
because of
how many
wives he
had
but because
of where
they were
from
and I'm
not defending
how many
wives he
had
1 Kings
chapter 11
verses 1
through 4
reads
now King
Solomon
loved many
foreign
women
along with
the daughter
of Pharaoh
Moabite
Ammonite
Edomite
Sidonian
and Hittite
women
from the
nations
concerning
which the
Lord
had said
to the
people of
Israel
you shall
not
enter into
marriage
with them
neither
shall
they
with
you
for
surely
they
will
turn
away
your
hearts
after
their
gods
Solomon
clung
to
these
in
love
he
had
700
wives
who
were
princesses
and 300
concubines
and his
wives
turned
away
his
heart
for
when
Solomon
was
old
his
wives
turned
away
his
heart
after
other
gods
and
his
heart
was
not
wholly
true
to
the
Lord
his
God
and
was
the
heart
of
David
his
father
as
was
the
heart
of
David
his
father
skip
down
to
verse
9
and
the
Lord
was
angry
with
Solomon
because
his
heart
had
turned
away
from
the
Lord
the
God
of
Israel
who
had
appeared
to
him
twice
and
commanded
him
concerning
this
thing
that he
should
not
go
after
other
gods
but
he
did
not
keep
what
the
Lord
commanded
here
we
find
the
people
of
God
doing
once
again
and
it
wasn't
like
this
is
the
first
time
Nehemiah
has
set
it
straight
there
was
correction
brought
before
this
you
remember
in
chapter
1
that
Nehemiah
sat
down
and
grieved
and
wept
over
the
state
of
the
people
of
God
he
came
in
and
led
in
a
lot
of
very
generous
tender
ways
he
sets
a
lot
of
wrongs
right
throughout
the
book
and
then
he
goes
away
for
a
while
and
comes
back
and
now
he's
angry
right
2
Corinthians
6
14
says
do not
be
unequally
yoked
with
unbelievers
for
what
partnership
has
righteousness
with
lawlessness
or
what
fellowship
has
light
with
darkness
just
to
drive
my
previous
point
home
so
Nehemiah
responds
I
believe
appropriately
we see
in
verse
25
in
his
anger
and
I
confronted
them
and
cursed
them
and
beat
some
of
them
and
pulled
out
their
hair
and
I
kind
of
like
this
language
and
I
made
them
take
an
oath
so
you have
somebody's
arm
to
start
by
and
her
back
and
say
uncle
say
uncle
say
uncle
say
uncle
say
you
shall
not
give
your
daughters
to
their
sons
or
take
their
daughters
for
yourselves
for
yourselves
the
covenant
that
you
made
say
it
say
it
right
because
Nehemiah
was
zealous
for the
holiness
of God
and for
the holiness
of his
people
now I
know
that many
of you
are
thinking
about
this
you're
trying
to
take
this
scene
and
apply
it
to
your
own
living
you're
seeing
this
righteous
anger
you're
seeing
Jesus
display
it
you're
scratching
your head
about
Phineas
you don't
even
really
know
!
how
!
how
!
how
is it
that I'm
supposed to
respond
and act
in this
because
there's
this
verse
I can
recall
it
I'm
not
really
sure
exactly
where
it's
at
but
it
says
judge
not
lest
you
be
judged
we're
not
supposed
to
judge
people
right
Nehemiah
would
have
more
appropriately
called
together
some
friends
and
said
don't
you
guys
think
what's
going
on
over
there
is
wrong
we
should
do
it
differently
!
build
someplace
else
and
gather
some
people
who
are
kind
of
like
minded
with
us
right
that
we'll
set
our
own
standard
up
and
let
them
have
their
standard
for
how
to
worship
and
conduct
their
lives
no
he
doesn't
do
that
does
he
there's
a
standard
they've
all
agreed
to
it
they've
all
signed
a
covenant
together
and
he
holds
them
to
that
the
problem
with
Matthew
chapter
7
verse
1
and
2
is
that
we
don't
keep
reading
context
beloved
is
so
important
so
it reads
turn to
Matthew
chapter
7
we're
done
with
Nehemiah
for the
moment
Matthew
7
we'll
read
verses
1
through
5
judge
not
that
you
be
not
judged
for
with
the
judgment
you
pronounce
you
will
be
judged
and
with
the
measure
you
use
it
will
be
measured
to
you
that's
where
most
people
stop
verse
3
you hear
this
separately
often
why do
you see
the speck
that is
in your
brother's
eye
but do
not
notice
the
log
that
is
in
your
own
eye
or
how
can
you
say
!
let me
!
take
the
speck
out
of
your
own
eye
when
there
is
the
log
in
your
own
eye
you
hypocrite
first
take
the
log
out
of
your
own
eye
and
then
you
will
see
clearly
to
take
the
speck
out
of
your
brother's
eye
so
isn't
it
interesting
that
most
people
use
this
to
judge
but
the
rest
of
the
passage
goes
on
to
tell
us
how
it
is
!
we're
!
to
judge
this
warning
against
here
in
verse
1
and
2
is
hypocrisy
it's
the
very
thing
he
says
in
verse
5
you
hypocrite
right
you
can't
be a
person
that
sins
and
loves
sin
and
tell
everybody
else
about
their
sin
you
got
to
get
the
log
the
larger
speck
it's
a
huge
picture
I
mean
if
you
can
picture
having
a
tree
stuck
in
your
eye
versus
somebody
who
has
a
flake
of
something
in
their
eye
get
the
tree
out
of
your
eye
so
that
you
can
help
the
person
get
the
little
thing
out
of
their
life
have
proper
perspective
right
that
you're
a
sinner
as
well
and
you
must
repent
to
be
able
to
properly
judge
your
brother
we
are
called
to
do
this
as
the
church
how
do
you
ever
share
your
faith
with
anybody
who's
not
a
Christian
if
you
don't
first
tell
them
that
they're
lost
your
life
is
offensive
to
God
I
encourage
you
to
start
sharing
your
faith
that
way
your
life
is
offensive
to
God
let
me
show
you
why
let
me
show
you
his
statutes
and
his
rules
let
me
show
you
all
the
ways
in
which
you've
broken
them
rattle
through
the
Ten
commandments
with
them
and
just
ask
have
you
ever
lied
have
you
ever
lusted
you
ever
profane
the
name
of
God
everyone
goes
yeah
your
life
is
offensive
to
God
you're
his
enemy
start
that
way
we need
the
law
to
humble
us
we're
called
to
do
that
we're
also
called
to
purify
one
another
young
people
particularly
you need
the
church
this
is a
major
reason
why
we
need
that
kind
of
thing
church
can't
always
be
just
like
fun
and
hugs
and
how
are
you
brother
I'm
great
and
you
just
come
in
and
do
that
kind
of
stuff
it's
got
to
get
messy
it's
got
to
get
ugly
because
people
are
messy
and
ugly
we're
flawed
we have
issues
going on
in our
lives
and we need
people to
speak
the truth
to us
there's a
practice
that's been
practiced
all throughout
history
called church
discipline
and it's
been lost
by and
large
in
evangelical
churches
!
in
America
it's a
travesty
of
people
and it
starts
with
going
to
a
brother
and
saying
you've
sinned
set it
straight
let's
sort
it
out
together
that's
part
of
the
process
of
church
discipline
you all
have
probably
been
involved
in
that
I
hope
you
have
at
some
phase
you've
been
involved
in
that
most
people
think
of
church
discipline
at
the
end
of
the
process
where
you
actually
tell
a
person
they
can't
fellowship
with
you
anymore
sake
of
holiness
to
the
glory
of
God
that's
why
we
do
this
two
reasons
to
break
it
down
for
you
firstly
to
win
back
the
brother
or
sister
to
righteousness
that's
always
the
goal
of
church
discipline
you're
telling
somebody
they're
in
sin
you're
just
trying
to
win
them
back
to
righteousness
finding
a way
to
get
rid
of
them
I
don't
care
for
this
person
too
much
find
them
to
sin
I'd
rather
not
deal
with
them
anymore
I'm
going
to
go
after
them
about
this
sin
there's
the
tree
if you're
responding
in that
way
get that
tree
out of
your
eye
before
you can
ever
go
and
bring
about
correction
in
that
way
to
win
back
the
brother
or
sister
to
righteousness
and
secondly
to
preserve
the
holiness
of
the
church
it's
why
church
discipline
must
!
place
and
beloved
it is
not
easy
our
church
practices
church
discipline
on all
those
levels
from
the
beginning
of
that
to
the
end
of
that
process
we've
practiced
all
of
this
and
it
is
challenging
lots
of
critique
comes
into
the
process
I don't
know
that I've
ever
really
done
it
perfectly
I'd
like
to
say
that
I
have
but
often
I
wonder
if
I
waited
too
long
sometimes
I
wonder
if
I
should
have
waited
longer
in
the
way
I
press
in
with
people
it's
a
challenging
thing
but
it's
necessary
if
we
are
zealous
for
the
holiness
of
our
God
we
will
participate
in
this
process
let me
give you
three
reasons
we
should
practice
church
discipline
if
I
haven't
already
established
it
for
you
enough
at
this
point
firstly
we
have
a
reverence
for
God's
holiness
that's
what
I've
been
saying
to
you
all
along
right
like
we're
meant
to
be
Nehemiah
maybe
not
in
the
hair
ripping
meeting
up
making
say
oath
kind
of
a
way
but
we
are
meant
to
bring
correction
we
ought
to
be
zealous
in
this
way
right
it
ought
to
light
a
fire
in
you
when
you
see
things
in
our
church
and
elsewhere
that's
just
wrong
right
how many
of you
hear
about
the
new
fad
heresy
the
new
thing
that's
out
there
that's
going
about
let me
just
give
you
an
example
how
about
when
Rob
Bell
put out
his
book
Love
Wins
how
many
of you
got
mad
about
Rob
Bell's
book
maybe
you
don't
even
know
about
Rob
Bell's
book
if
you
know
about
it
you
should
get
mad
about
such
things
right
it's
heretical
it's
anti
gospel
right
we should
be
furious
about
these
things
now
I
don't
know
him
so
that
was
where
my
anger
ended
the
righteousness
of my
anger
I had
to go
well
couldn't
do
anything
in the
case
of
Rob
Bell
but
I
have
a
zeal
for
God's
holiness
we can
observe
that
here
with
Nehemiah
in
chapter
13
secondly
we love
one another
if we're
to speak
the truth
to one
another
in love
we see
in
Ephesians
chapter
4
if we're
growing
each other
up
into
Christ
likeness
it's
going
to
take
this
I
want
to
hear
the
truth
from
you
I
don't
want
you
to
let
me
go
on
in
sin
you
see
me
sinning
come
and
tell
me
I
want
to
persevere
in
holiness
I
want
to
honor
my
God
with
my
living
so
if
you
see
me
doing
something
that
I
ought
not
be
doing
come
tell
me
sometimes
I
am
completely
oblivious
to
my
sin
I
am
offending
somebody
I
don't
even
know
it
I
want
to
set
those
things
straight
I
invite
that
kind
of
criticism
into
my
life
for
the
sake
of
my
God
because
I
am
zealous
for
him
and
if
we
love
one
another
we
will
do
this
you'll
have
the
hard
conversation
and
I
know
many
of
you
very
well
and
I
know
that
you
have
these
conversations
often
I
talk
to
you
before
you
have
that
conversation
love
one
another
we
will
do
this
1st
Timothy
520
Timothy
is
told
for
those
who
persist
in
sin
rebuke
them
in
the
presence
of
all
so
that
the
rest
may
stand
in
fear
not
at
Timothy's
power
and
might
but
fear
of
sin
it's
a
serious
thing
and
we
ought
to
be
working
together
to
drive
it
from
our
midst
we
don't
want
to
be
!
these
Old
Testament
!
We
want
to
be
persevering
in
our
holiness
together
and
then
thirdly
this is
a
real
simple
reason
we
know
that
Jesus
himself
commanded
it
it's
really
not
optional
at
this
point
the
other
things
are
more
implicit
we
gather
from
Nehemiah
chapter
13
we
can
see
1st
Timothy
5
20
we
can
look
at
the
one
and
others
of
scripture
we
can
imply
that
church
discipline
is
healthy
and
proper
but
how
about
the
fact
that
just
Jesus
told
us
to
do
it
should
be
enough
how
dare
we
as
Christian
churches
not
participate
in
this
activity
Matthew
18
15
through
17
if
your
brother
sins
against
you
go
and
tell
him
his
fault
between
you
and
him
alone
appropriate
first
step
there's
one
end
of
the
spectrum
process
between
you
and
him
alone
if
he
listens
to
you
!
If
he says
no
I disagree
with you
I'm not
being prideful
that's the most
difficult
sin to
confront
the sin
of pride
because
people
typically
don't
admit
they're
being
prideful
I'm not
being
prideful
case
in
point
but
you
take
a couple
other
people
with
you
that's
the
process
take
another
or
another
and
go
and
say
brother
we're
seeing
it
together
right
you
have
love
and
respect
for
us
you're
seeing
that
the
three
of
us
are
all
seeing
this
issue
happening
in
your
life
verse
17
if
he
refuses
to
listen
to
them
he
just
!
wants
!
to
keep
persevering
in
his
sin
tell
it
to
the
church
that's
us
the
congregation
and
if
he
refuses
to
listen
even
to
the
church
let
him
be
to
you
as
a
gentile
and
a
tax
collector
which
is
to
say
put
him
out
of
your
assembly
don't
fellowship
with
him
anymore
this
process
again
is
meant
for
restoration
it's
meant
to
show
the
church
how
seriously
the
church
takes
!
and
it's
to
show
that
individual
how
seriously
you
take
sin
so
you
can't
go
on
professing
the
name
of
Christ
and
being
a
part
of
this
church
if
you're
going
to
continue
in
sin
you
cannot
do
it
if
we
got
busy
at
this
activity
really
went
after
it
we
as
Christians
I'm
not
talking
about
our
congregation
churches
!
would
get
small
quick
or
we
would
see
revival
people
would
start
turning
back
to
God
in
a
major
way
that
would
be
awesome
begin
to
press
each
other
in
this
way
press
each
other
into
holiness
remember
it's
all
meant
for
restoration
it's
ultimately
loving
to do
this
very
thing
and
I
would
argue
it's
arguable
I
would
agree
but
I
would
argue
that
ultimately
what
Nehemiah
was
doing
was
loving
to
the
people
of
God
showing
them
how
very
severe
their
sin
was
bringing
correction
in a
very
severe
way
a
measured
way
to
what
they
were
doing
how
dare
you
right
like
they
got
it
you
see
some
of
the
people
around
him
getting
in
their
stations
snapping
to
he
collected
the
tithes
again
the
tithes
been
neglected
the
nation
said
yeah
we'll
give
it
up
we'll
give
it
back
to
the
house
of
God
right
as
a
people
they
responded
!
to
what
Nehemiah
was
saying
rightly
they
were
doing
the
right
thing
as
they
were
correcting
and bringing
about
this
type
of
work
so
I'll
say
to you
again
the
person
who
is
zealous
for
God
will
defend
the
holiness
of
God
and
his
people
you
have
to
ask
yourself
if
you
feel
rightly
about
sin
and
if
you
respond
rightly
to
it
not
just
in
the
lives
of
others
but
in
your
own
life
as
well
does
it
grieve
you
when
you
sin
against
God
many
of
us
have
become
master
manipulators
of our
own
minds
and we
justify
everything
well
it's
not
that
bad
you
hear
people
talk
about
how
you
ought
not
compare
yourself
to
others
typically
in
the
sense
that
you
ought
not
aspire
to
be
more
than
you
are
like
oh
gosh
that
guy
is
so
good
at
that
I'm
never
going
how
about
the
other
way
that
you
compare
yourself
to
people
who
you
view
as
worse
than
you
and
that
somehow
makes
you
okay
if
you
are
sinful
you
are
sinful
you
are
sinning
against
a
holy
God
who
is
perfect
in
all
his
ways
that
should
be
offensive
that
should
grieve
our
hearts
why
because
Christ
died
for
those
very
sins
that
is
why
!
should
grieve
our
hearts
not
because
of
favor
with
God
that
he
sits
enthroned
and
he
says
they
messed
it
up
again
well
maybe
they'll
fix
it
and
get
it
right
he
extended
to
us
his
grace
as
a
free
gift
he
sees
us
as
righteous
in
Christ
no
matter
what
it's
just
the
proper
measured
response
to
his
goodness
to
us
that
we
desire
to
be
good
what
is
the
source
of
all
that
goodness
it's
the
spirit
living
within
us
changing
our
hearts
making
it
new
every
day
moving
us
along
together
towards
perfection
it
is
good
and
right
when
we
come
together
and
I
preach
to
you
that
you
don't
feel
so
great
about
yourself
when
you
leave
I
have
a
client
for
the
other
job
I
do
that
attended
John
Piper's
church
and
she
asked
why
didn't
you stick
around
she
said
well
because
every
time
I
went
there
when
he
preached
I
felt
condemned
and
I
didn't
she's
a
client
I
really
wanted
to
go
probably
because
you
are
probably
because
he
was
preaching
the
gospel
to
you
and
you
recognized
your
state
you
knew
that
you
were
damned
I
didn't
say
any
of
that
I
did
proceed
to
preach
the
gospel
to
her
though
I
did
go
on
in
a
nicer
way
to
tell
her
that
where
she
wouldn't
call
and
complain
to
my
manager
and
never
want
to
hear
about
money
management
from
me
ever
again
right
you
ought
to
feel
less
about
yourself
but
you
ought
to
be
praising
!
Christ
and
the
work
he's
doing
in
you
as
you
leave
I
believe
proper
gospel
presentation
works
that
in
us
that
humbles
us
all
at
once
but
then
I
hope
that
you're
feeling
this
morning
that
your
zeal
for
God
has
maybe
grown
a
little
bit
cold
if
that's
the
case
repent
just
repent
and
believe
that
God
has
sacrificed
even
for
that
Romans
chapter
8
there's
no
condemnation
for
those
who
are
in
Christ
you
can
persevere
and
move
on
let
that
warm
your
heart
let
that
fuel
your
zeal
to
desire
the
holiness
of
your
life
and
holiness
of
the
church
for
the
proclaiming
of
the
holiness
of
God
let's
pray
together