NEHEMIAH 12:27 - 13:31
THANKSGIVING CHORUS: Two groups led by Ezra and Nehemiah walked in opposite directions through the city, mounted the walls, circled the city, and met by the Temple, where they converged for the anthem. (12:30) The dedication was a time for purifying everyone.
DON'T MAKE ME COME BACK THERE! BUT.....Nehemiah left soon after the dedication- to return to Persia like he had promised. Apparently he heard "rumors" about the condition of Jerusalem, because about 12 years later, he returned. As a REFORMER, Nehemiah was always bringing the people back to God, back to faithfulness, back to purity. Now we find out how much the Holy Spirit (Nehemiah) hates MIXTURE (When we try to be spiritual AND "natural" at the same time). Nehemiah ranted and raved, struck with his fists, pulled hair - against the idolaters and other miscreants.
THE CARNAL MIND: Tobiah is like our flesh - it doesn't look for a foothold, it wants a penthouse! (in the Holy of Holies where God lives in us) So, Nehemiah (the Holy Spirit) THREW HIS STUFF OUT ON THE LAWN! What's worse - the high priest's grandson was married to a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, with the result that he allowed Tobiah to take liberties with the Temple. The NT calls this "the mystery of iniquity" . The antichristian world-spirit had taken the place of the true anointing - and Tobiah (the flesh) had robbed the Levites, the singers, the porters and the priests! And "defiled the priesthood".
EXTERNAL EVIDENCE OF INGRATITUDE: The Jews had "profaned the Sabbath" - had despised what God had provided for them (Rest). There was also a grudging attitude toward giving the tithes and offerings. Some had married outsiders, resulting in grandchildren who couldn't even speak Hebrew! (were not taught the Word of God).
RESPONSE: Nehemiah opens and closes with prayer. Nehemiah's greatness sprang from being a man of prayer. He was utterly frank, and utterly godly. He made a point of staying separate from the antichristian world-spirit. He jealously watched over the people and the Temple. Nehemiah's last recorded act in Jerusalem was to chase away a defiled priest from the Temple! I wish I could have seen that! On the other hand, Nehemiah had already told them about intermarrying once!
Has the Holy Spirit ever had to tell you anything more than once? Or twice? Sometimes when I won't give something up, God has to take it away from me by force. You know what they say, "You can come easy, or you can come hard."
1 CORINTHIANS 11:3-16
"GIVE NO OFFENSE, NEITHER TO THE JEWS, NOR TO THE GENTILES, NOR TO THE CHURCH OF GOD". (10:32) Yup! That's the heading for this whole discussion. IF you want to be "spiritually mature", THIS is what it is: don't alienate people because of the way you dress, or behave, or talk. You will bury your message of the Gospel that way. Dressing to CONFUSE GENDER IDENTIFICATION makes us ineffective witnesses of the Gospel. Dressing in order to PROVOKE CONTROVERSY alienates people from the Gospel, too. The point is not whether or not your head is covered, but what you are SAYING with what you have on your head! Women's heads were covered because of oral Jewish law; however, (v.11) "in the Lord," it isn't so. Traditions (customs, appearances) are important, but unity is more important.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE SOMEONE'S "HEAD"? This word for "head" is also used of the origin of a river - meaning "source", something that is self-emptying for the purpose of redemption." V. 10 says that because woman is the "glory of the man", she should have power/authority OVER THAT HEAD (man), because angels spoke to women (Mary and at the Tomb). If being created BEFORE women makes men greater, then COWS are greater than men because they were created before Adam! Relationship is more important than a stand on religious controversy.
RESPONSE: It really "rings my bells" when people twist Scripture to make women appear to be second-class, or second-best. If it weren't for women, who would have spread the Word on Resurrection day? If it weren't for women, who would have cared for Jesus' temporal needs? If it weren't for women, what would happen to most churches? Or missions? But, Paul warns about being "contentious" (v.16) so I'll get off my soapbox FOR NOW.
I understand about my husband being my "head", much like Jesus is "head" to the Body. Hubby wouldn't like it if I went outside the home to get my needs met! He is my Source. He has always treated me like his "joint-heir"(1 Pet 3:7), and insisted that he wasn't my "priest" - that I make my own decisions and go to Jesus for myself! And he would certain never tell me to be quiet in church! Or anywhere else!
PSALM 35:1-16
"WITHOUT CAUSE": Sometimes people talk about us or conspire against us behind our backs, when we have not provoked it. When we are the victims of this kind of persecution, it causes hurt, and even agony...especially when we have no way to fight back. Phil 2 tells us not to defend ourselves, and then not to complain about it! We gave up our rights and reputation when we submitted to God to obey the Word. Our only recourse is prayer! David was a MAN OF WAR, and was never vindicated of being a "bloody man" (2 Sam 16:7). His temperament is revealed in this Psalm.
"REJOICE IN GOD'S SALVATION": Even though David is obviously distraught with his enemies, even he knows he can still rejoice in God. He took his joy where he could find it: in God, and in his belief that God would deliver him. He prayed for his persecutors. He had even fasted for them at one time. (By the way, did you notice that fasting "humbles the soul"? - that is, it takes authority over the flesh and denies it.).
PROVERBS 21:17-18
Someone told me one time that rich people are rich, because they live like poor men. And poor men are poor, because they live like rich men. If you NEED anything besides Jesus to be content or fulfilled, then you have a real problem. I have known people who can't pay their bills, but they always seem to have enough money to buy entertainment or eat out.
When things begin falling apart, the righteous rise and the wicked go down into destruction. The SAME calamity that brings the righteous into prominence, causes the wicked to be destroyed.
RESPONSE: I have found that the best way to survive persecution "without cause" is to be quiet and wait for God to take care of it. There really is no way to talk someone out of it or to defend yourself. Jesus didn't do it, even when they were planning to kill Him! IF we are being persecuted WITH cause - because we acted like a jerk, or lied, or whatever, then we aren't supposed to "SURVIVE". We submit to the Word of God and obey - repenting to God and to the person we wronged. Our flesh won't like it, but it's the only way to stop the Holy Spirit from driving you crazy!
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