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NEHEMIAH

CHAPTER 10

10:1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.

At the end of Chapter 9, we saw that the people wanted to enter into a COVENANT with God. Again, let me say that a covenant is a legal promise that is attested by witnesses.
That's what a "public profession of faith" is. It is when a person comes down an aisle of a church and publicly:
1) acknowledges he is a sinner,
2) begs the forgiveness of God based on Jesus' atonement at Calvary,
3) asks God for salvation,
4) and commits to following Christ through study and obedience to the Word of God.
These people whom Nehemiah names, publicly signed the covenant and the covenant was "sealed."
One cannot help but note that of the leaders, Nehemiah was the first to sign this agreement.
Those who lead, must set a good example.
And with Nehemiah, 22 priests signed this document.
As we shall see later, this meant commitment to certain prescribed duties.
Another thing we shall see later:
A commitment to God is a commitment to His church!

9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10 And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.

Also, the Levites signed this document.
Along with the leaders of the church, those who work alongside them should also be willing to perform certain duties.

> 14 The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur, 18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, 19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub, 24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

Along with the spiritual leaders the political leaders were willing to attest to the covenant.
They were also willing to perform prescribed duties in the church.

28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding; 29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;

When spiritual leaders, and political leaders, and workers in the church are willing to perform prescribed duties, the "rest of the people" will follow.
Here also, we have presented the first portion of the covenant they signed.
1) They would continue in fellowship (verse 28), 2) and They would learn and obey God's Word (verse 29).
Fellowship makes us accountable to others for our actions. Obedience to God's Word makes us live the way that is pleasing to God.

30 And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons: 31 And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

There was also a commitment in this covenant to NOT do specific things. Among them: 1) to NOT allow sons and daughters to marry outside the faith,
2) and to NOT purchase items from those outside of faith on the Sabbath day.
Here are two commitments that Christians should commit to keeping today!
Recently, a man and his wife told me their son was getting married, and they wanted to know if I would perform the ceremony. I asked, "Where does the young lady go to church?" My question was for the purpose of establishing WHERE she might want to have the ceremony performed. She might want HER pastor to do that.
But the man answered, "I don't know."!!
My friends, being a Christian, that man should have made his FIRST question of his son, "Is she a Christian? Where does she attend church?"
And, by the way, if Christians would stay out of the "market place" on Sunday, most of them would be closed anyway!

32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God; 33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. 34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law: 35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD: 36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God: 37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

According to God's law, these people committed to SERVICE for the "house of God."
First, they would bring their OFFERING (verses 32-33) which would support the work of the church in ministry.
Second, they would bring MATERIALS to support the work of the church (verse 34).
Third, they would bring the ADDITIONAL offerings as prescribed by the laws of God. They would bring the "tenth" of their newborn herds. They would bring the "firstfruits" of their crops reflecting their belief in God's blessing for the remainder of the crop.
These offerings would also be SUPPORT for the priests and Levites.

38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house. 39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

To RECEIVE the offering, the High Priest would be there, and the other priests and Levites would be accountable to him for placing the offerings in the treasury.
An important note is made at the end of this chapter. "And we will NOT FORSAKE the house of our God."
YES!! A commitment to God is a commitment to His church!!

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