Title: Nehemiah's Reformation
Contents
Nehemiah's reform (Nehemiah 13:4-31)
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I. Reform of the Israeli faith community
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< Nehemiah reformed the faith community of the people of Israel. “Because Eliashib the priest, who was in charge of the house of God, had contact with Tobiah before” (verse 4), who was Tobiah? An Ammonite, he was a follower of Sanballat, governor of Samaria. Sanballat was a man who strongly opposed the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem by the Israelites. He sometimes tempted, threatened, and even slandered Nehemiah. Sanballat was the person who stood opposite God and God's people and interfered with God's work.
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Tobiah followed Sanballat and harassed the Israelites. So Tobiah is the enemy of God and the people of Israel. However, he removed several rooms that were very important in the temple and made one large room, and Tobiah came and lived there. It is a holy place. It is the center of the temple. Tobiah, a foreigner and an enemy of God, entered there and made his home. The powers of the Gentiles who have become enemies of God occupy the center of the temple. How can this be?
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The mother church is zealous for evangelism, and it is said that if one person registers, a prize money of 100,000 won is given. Is this the religious way? Even so-called open worship these days has a theological problem. Is this worship truly glorifying God? Isn't it a worship service that suits people's moods? It is something to consider deeply. The church should not belong to this world. The church must be sanctified by the truth of God's Word. Nehemiah was reforming by expelling Tobiah and restoring the holy chambers to their former condition. Dear all! We, Daeheung Jeil Church, wish to become a church that is sanctified by the truth of the church that does not belong to the world.
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II. The Reformation of the People of Israel Personal Faith
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< Nehemiah reformed the individual faith of the Israelites.
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Ⅲ. Reform of the House of the Israelites
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< Nehemiah reformed the house of the Israelites. The family is the bastion of God's work. A godly family is the foundation for the expansion of the kingdom of God. So, God wants the families of God's children to be whole, clean, and happy. Which family is the happy one? A family of wealth, a family of fame, a family of power… … no. It is a family that believes in Jesus. A clean family where sin does not penetrate, a godly family, a family where even children can lead a good life of faith, and a family where the whole family goes to church holding hands on Sundays. These are truly happy families. In verse 23 and below, we see that the families of the Israelites were sick. I see the foundations of the home shake.
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It was because the Israelites had married a foreign woman, so the children were the problem. He could not speak Hebrew at all, only Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab, so this was a very serious problem. If the Israelites did not speak Hebrew, they could not serve God. You cannot learn God's law. You cannot worship in the temple. The Bible says, "Do not be yokeed with unbelievers" (2 Corinthians 6:14). what's the reason? This is because, rather than marrying an unbeliever and influencing the other person to believe, there is a greater chance that the other person will influence you and give up your faith.
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King Solomon was also a good king, but why was his last year dark? Many foreign women were welcomed as queens, so idols brought by these foreign women were scattered throughout the palace. Eventually, Solomon's heart also fell into idols. This was the cause of the tragedy of the division of the kingdom of God into north and south. Marriage to an unbeliever like this carries great risks. A family of faith God will bless you when you become a godly family.
Dear all! What is the biggest problem of our time? The biggest problem is not a problem of economics or politics, but a problem of the family. Families are shaken, families are falling apart. We pray that our families will be rich in the spirituality of Christ, a clean home, and a godly home. So, I pray that God will bless you and that it will become a home that God will use gloriously in this age.
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