XI. The Catastrophe of Compromise (Nehemiah 13:1-31)
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XI. The Catastrophe of Compromise (13:1-31)
13:1-5 When his people stop compromising, God can turn a curse into a blessing (13:2). Sometimes we wonder, “I’m doing A, B, and C; why isn’t God blessing me?” The answer just might be that you are compromising on D, E, and F. You may be coming to church on Sunday, but if you are compromising on Monday, you negate what he could have done for you.
The compromise here was letting family relations control spiritual decisions. Eliashib was a relative of Tobiah (13:4), archenemy of God. Nehemiah wouldn’t even let Tobiah help build the wall, yet Eliashib had let him take up an apartment in the temple! As a priest, Eliashib should have been setting the spiritual temperature for the rest of the people. His actions here are a reminder that, regardless of your love for your family, they are never to have such an influence on you that you make spiritually foolish decisions. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters . . . he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). So, if a family member wants you to disobey God, then you have to make a choice. Jesus said, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt 10:34).
Tobiah was able to move into the temple because the room that normally would hold the tithes of the grain was empty. This supports what Malachi says in Malachi 1:6-14: the priests were disrespecting God and using the house of God for unholy purposes.
13:6-9 In throwing all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the room (13:8), Nehemiah made an autocratic decision to cut off a family relationship because it violated the premises of God. Unfortunately, we often want to take years to fix problems. Or, we aren’t willing to speak up when we see sin or injustice in the church. If people are rebelling against the principles of God, it’s your business to love them enough to turn them around.
13:10-12 The problem presented in verse 10 was a compromise of ministry. The things that mattered to people were put first, and the things of God were last. Thus, the portions for the Levites had not been given (13:10). And, as the ministry went downhill, so the spiritual temperature of the people went downhill. In Malachi 3:8, the prophet asked, “Will a man rob God?” And, indeed, because the people had stolen from God in the matter of the Levites, their lives were cursed. Believers are to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matt 6:33).
13:13 Nehemiah appointed certain men who were considered trustworthy. Overseeing the storehouses was a ministry, so reliability was important. We need leaders who won’t live one way in the sanctuary and another in the marketplace.
13:14 When Nehemiah asked God to remember him, he was asking for help to accomplish God’s kingdom agenda in his community.
13:15-22 What we see here was the people’s compromise with materialism. In the past, God brought . . . disaster on the people because of such unfaithfulness to him (13:18). They were to keep the Sabbath day holy (13:22).
Similarly, you ought to use the first day of the week to remind yourself, “I ate last week. My roof is still over my head. I’ve got clothing.” Making time for intentional reflection on the grace of God in your life will result in more consistent obedience and thankfulness.
13:23-24 Within these verses, we see the results of a moral compromise. Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab (13:23). And, that immorality had led their children to learn the language of Ashdod instead of the language in which God’s law was written (13:24). The problem was not marrying someone of another race or nationality, but rather marrying someone who didn’t worship and obey the one true God. The men committed immorality, and their children suffered.
13:25-28 I rebuked them, cursed them, beat some of their men, and pulled out their hair (13:25) is one way of saying that Nehemiah went off on them. He reminded them that when Solomon sinned in matters like these, his personal life went downhill, and the nation of Israel split (13:26).
To keep yourself from compromising in terms of sexual purity, in particular, contemplate the significant damage a breach in standards would do to the cause of Christ, to the respect received from your children, and to your relationship with your spouse (current or future). Satan is actively looking for opportunities to bring you down. He studies your game film. He knows your weaknesses.
13:28-31 Nehemiah invited God to remember that although one of the sons of Jehoiada had compromised (13:28), Nehemiah had not. Surely, then, God would remember him with favor at the day of judgment (13:31).
You too, can live your life from God’s perspective, so that you may hear those joyous words, “Well done” (Matt 25:21).