Today, we conclude our journey through the Book of Nehemiah with our final daily devotional on Nehemiah 13. In this chapter, we witness Nehemiah’s return to Jerusalem after a period of absence, only to find that the people had strayed from their commitment to God’s laws. Nehemiah confronts the people’s failures head-on, holding them accountable for their actions and restoring order with firm resolve. This chapter challenges us to reflect on accountability—both in holding others responsible and in being open to correction ourselves. As we close the book of Nehemiah, consider how we might hold ourselves accountable to living according to God’s Word. To learn why to celebrate, read the daily devotional on Nehemiah 12.
Nehemiah 13 Commentary by Allen J. Huth
Today, we conclude the Book of Nehemiah with chapter 13. Nehemiah leaves for a while, then returns to see how things are going in Jerusalem; not so good. He holds the people accountable. Are you comfortable being held accountable or holding people accountable? Please read or listen to the last chapter of the Book of Nehemiah.
As we conclude the Book of Nehemiah, I refer to my three personal Bible reading journals one last time. The first journal was in 1991, and we have not referred to it the last couple sessions because I read Nehemiah 9-13 on the same day and did not make any notes.
We move on to 2002 when I was reading Nehemiah in the month of March. I read it a couple times in the month before I started the Ezra Project on April 1st. Let’s read the two entries from 2002.
The first was on March 14th, “Nehemiah left, and the people reverted back to their sinful ways. Nehemiah returns and forcefully takes action, referring to verses 8, 11, 19-21, 25, and 28. As he does, it probably wasn’t very comfortable, so he asks God to remember him for good. I hope God remembers me for good.”
The second time I read Nehemiah 13 was March 29th. I wrote in my journal, “Yesterday concluded my career at ABA. Went to my leaving luncheon; to office to process out. It was good, thanks to reading Nehemiah 12 yesterday morning about celebrating. I kept a celebrating mood.”
On Nehemiah 13, I wrote, “Reading causes understanding, and understanding, action, referring to verses 1-3.” Then I wrote, “Provisions for Levites and temple were not given causing Levites to go to work in the fields. God’s servants deserve to be taken care of. How will I now be taken care of?”
That was Friday, March 29th. Saturday and Sunday, March 30th and 31st, was the weekend before Monday, April 1st. March 31st was actually Easter Sunday. I will skip forward to conclude this story of starting the Ezra Project by looking at my journal entry from Monday, April 1st. “The first day of the rest of my life. Today I begin a dream, a passion, to work on the Ezra Project full-time. What a way to begin, the day after Easter. Praise God for this marvelous opportunity.” April 1, 2002, was the first day of the Ezra Project.
Ten years after that, I wrote in 2012 concerning Nehemiah 13, “When people read God’s Word, they can do the right thing because they know it, referring to verses 1-3.” Then I wrote, “Hard to believe a priest would house Tobiah in the temple. Nehemiah comes back to Jerusalem and kicks him out, referring to verse 8. He also had to restore giving. We fall off on that one easily too, referring to verses 10-14.”
I continued to write, “I hope I am considered reliable by God, referring to verse 13.” I continued, “Profaning the Sabbath. Straightening that out today would take a Nehemiah.” I finished with, “Mixed marriages again? ‘I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair’, referring to verse 25. Nehemiah must have thought, ‘What does it take to get these people to obey God’s Word?’” I finished my journal in 2012, quoting the last verse of this book, “Remember me, O my God, for good.” One line of my prayer that day was for Nehemiah’s in our churches and denominations today.
Who Was Eliashib in Nehemiah 13?
Nehemiah 13 is about holding people accountable. Nehemiah went back to the king. He asks again for the king’s leave and comes back to Jerusalem to see how things are going. He finds out things are not going very well. “I asked leave of the kingand 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” (vv. 6-9).
The next thing he found was in verses 10 and 11, “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?’”
What Is this Wicked Thing You Are Doing Desecrating the Sabbath?
Next, he found they were profaning the Sabbath. “Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, ‘What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?’” (v. 17). Merchants were stationing themselves outside the gate and outside of the walls of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, waiting to get in. Nehemiah confronts 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” (v. 21).
Next, he found out the Jews were intermarrying outside of their race again. “And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an 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’” (v. 25).
What Does Nehemiah 13:31 Mean?
Over and over in this chapter, Nehemiah confronts evil. He confronts sin. The book concludes with, “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 firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good” (vv. 30-31).
How Do We Show Obedience to God?
It is not easy to stay consistent with the Word of God. It is not easy to live a life of obedience. And it is certainly not easy to keep people accountable to a biblical standard of life. I am no Nehemiah, but I hope with these devotions, you are holding yourselves accountable to a biblical standard of life.
What Is the Main Message of Nehemiah?
As we conclude the Book of Nehemiah, let’s go back to where we began. I said as we open this book, the theme of Nehemiah is the Lord’s protection of His people and their need to keep the Torah, the Law of Moses. I suggested we look for a few things: a God who hears prayer, we have seen that; a God who works through and around powerful leaders to accomplish His purpose, we have seen that; a God of mercy despite His people’s persistent sin. We have seen the mercy of God. And a God of protection, so we need not fear.
God used Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He led him step-by-step. He can use us step-by-step too. Nehemiah faced stiff opposition. We may too. Be encouraged by the thirteen chapters of the Book of Nehemiah. That is how we began and that is how we conclude this great Book of Nehemiah.
Prayer
Father, we have seen You are a God who hears. We have seen You work through people to accomplish Your purposes. We have seen Your great mercy to a people who persistently sin against You. And we have seen Your protection so we also can rely on Your protection and not fear.
You used Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and You led him step-by-step. Use us to rebuild Your kingdom here on earth and lead us step-by-step. Nehemiah faced stiff opposition; we may as well. But thank You for encouraging us through the Book of Nehemiah to stand firm, to behave in a biblical way as best we can. God help us and remember us for good. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
