WITH NEHEMIAH HAVING TO RETURN TO REPORT TO ARTAXERXES, UNHOLINESS AGAIN BEGAN TO INFILTRATE THE HOLY CITY, A SITUATION WHICH HAD TO BE DEALT WITH ON NEHEMIAH'S RETURN (NEHEMIAH 13:1). It should be noted here that Nehemiah was not satisfied with having established Jerusalem as a fortified city in i... [ Continue Reading ]
ENSURING THE PURITY OF JERUSALEM BY THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE SABBATH (NEHEMIAH 13:15). Having purified the Temple and Temple worship, Nehemiah now turns his attention to the city of Jerusalem. This too he sees as defiled by forbidden activities on the Sabbath (compare how they had promised in Nehemiah... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So the merchants and sellers of all kind of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.' Nothing daunted the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares still came to Jerusalem prior to the Sabbath, or on the Sabbath, and encamped themselves outside the city. The aim was probably twofold. Firstl... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Then I testified against them, and said to them, “Why do you lodge about the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on (arrest) you.” From that time forth they came no more on the sabbath.' And the reason that they only did it once or twice was because Nehemiah warned them that if they appeare... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day.' As a longer term measure Nehemiah called on the Levites, of whom many were experienced gatekeepers, to come and guard the gates. This was not in order to act i... [ Continue Reading ]
SEPARATION FROM IDOLATROUS FOREIGN WOMEN (NEHEMIAH 13:23). Nehemiah's final act to which he calls God's attention is his purifying of Jerusalem (or possibly of the new Israel) from idolatrous foreign women. It is made clear that these women had not converted to Yahwism, nor had they brought up thei... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BANISHMENT OF A MEMBER OF THE HIGH PRIEST'S FAMILY FOR MARRYING A NON-ISRAELITE WOMAN AND THUS DISOBEYING GOD'S LAW AND DEFILING THE PRIESTHOOD (NEHEMIAH 13:28). Nehemiah 13:28 ‘And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Theref... [ Continue Reading ]