Nehemiah 13:1-22; Psalm 92; Nehemiah 13:23-31
Today we come to the end of the Book of Nehemiah, which marks the end of the historical narratives in the Old Testament. Nehemiah acts as governor of Judah for several years, but he is called back to Persia in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes (i.e. 433 BC – Neh. 13:6), and so is away from Jerusalem for some time. In Nehemiah’s absence, the people again become lax in their devotion to the LORD, so upon Nehemiah’s return to Jerusalem, he discovers serious problems and must confront them head-on.
Nehemiah is absolutely correct in zealously guarding against both corruption and apathy. He has learned the lesson of the Exile and knows that a right relationship with the LORD is essential and requires vigilance. Other leaders, like Eliashib the priest, seduced by greed, seem not to have learned that lesson, and compromise with the world around them…
Although I believe Nehemiah is rightly motivated here and although he appears to win the day, at least for the time being, with a push toward purity and holiness, he cannot change hearts. He can force only outward conformity with the Law, and in so doing (it seems to me) Nehemiah unwittingly sows the seeds of what would become the pharisaism that Jesus so strongly opposes a few centuries later.
We may not be in Nehemiah’s shoes, but we still face similar challenges. We too are called to holiness. We too must vigilantly guard our faith and practice. But all too often our pursuit of holiness morphs into deadly legalism. Not wishing to become legalistic, do we then simply abandon the pursuit of holiness? Is that our choice, legalism or license?
Take, for example, one issue facing Nehemiah: Observance of the Sabbath. That is an issue that still faces us today. As the Fourth of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:8-11), we should (presumably) take the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy just as seriously as we take the commandments against murder, theft, and adultery. But do we? Really? (A quick look around would suggest that we think that the LORD abolished the Fourth Commandment long ago…) If we take this commandment seriously, then how do we observe the Sabbath without becoming hypocritical Pharisees? And how many of us right now are thinking that observing the Sabbath sounds horribly restrictive and dour, rather than joyful and liberating?
So I challenge us all: Apart from just going to church Sunday morning, what about the Sabbath looks particularly different from any other day? Does anything need to change for you? Most importantly, are you now just thinking about some new rules, or do you need (spiritual) heart surgery?
See also: August 17 (2022) / Psalm 92
I was intrigued by John’s comment: “…Nehemiah unwittingly sows the seeds of what would become the pharisaism that Jesus so strongly opposes a few centuries later.” I had never thought about that, but Nehemiah’s “colleagues” were following the rules, outwardly, but maybe not so internally. “Outward conformity.” Whitewashed sepulchres…??!!