Nehemiah 10:32-39

³² “We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God: ³³ for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.³⁴ “We—the priests, the Levites and the people—have cast lots to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.³⁵ “We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.³⁶ “As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.³⁷ “Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. ³⁸ A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. ³⁹ The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept.“We will not neglect the house of our God.”

Not only did they commit themselves to submit to the Word of God, to live separated from the world and to savor the Sabbath but they also commit to:

4. Supporting God’s work – Vs 32-39

Verse 39 sums up their commitment: “We will not neglect the house of our God.” The temple in Jerusalem stood at the heart of their religious, moral and spiritual life. In symbolic terms it proclaimed the presence and power of God among His people. What is interesting to note is that the bulk of their words are tied to tithing and it’s here that we learn several important things about giving.

1. It was responsible giving. Look at verse 32 and verse 35 where the people say that “they assume responsibility…” They owned it and gave what they owned because they saw it as their privilege not as a pain. Are you being responsibility with God’s riches?

2. It was an act of obedience, they didn’t practice “impulse giving” but instead gave as an expression of practical obedience. Those who love Him will do what He says. Verse 32 says they were “carrying out the commands to give.” God had been good to His people, and generosity is the appropriate response.

3. It was systematic. Not only was it obedient it was orderly. There was nothing haphazard about their giving. Verse 32 says that they were to bring a third of a silver shekel each year. Verse 34 states that lots were drawn to determine when families were to bring a contribution of wood at set times each year. Verse 35 tells us that first fruits were brought each year. There was an orderliness about these offerings. The New Testament teaches systematic giving as well in 1 Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income…”

4. It was proportionate. The reference to the wood offering provided an opportunity for many of the poor people in Israel to bring a gift to God that would demand time rather than treasures. The temple needed a regular supply of firewood to keep the sacrificial fires burning and everyone, regardless of income, could gather wood and take it to the temple.

5. It was sacrificial. They were to bring to God’s house the “first fruits.” To offer the first of their crops was to declare that God was the giver of all things, that everything belongs to Him, and that He is worthy of the best we can offer Him. While not everyone can give the same amount, everyone can make the same sacrifice. Not equal giving, but equal sacrifice. They gave the first and best of everything to God. They didn’t give God their leftovers. What about you are you giving God your treasure or your trash? Is the first thing you consider in every paycheck your giving to God? When it comes to giving, we can do it:

• Because we have to that’s law
• Because we ought to that’s obligation
• Because we want to that’s grace

They were saying, “We will give. We will give of ourselves, of our crops, of our money. We will commit ourselves and our commitment will be backed up with action.” That is the only kind of commitment that really counts because words are cheap. If you want to know how completely committed to Christ and His cause a person is all you have to do is look at their friendships, their calendar, and their checkbook. Many of us never come to the point of getting serious in our walk with God simply because we never get specific with Him. We hear sermons and sense the Spirit’s tug at our heart, but until we decide to be completely committed to Him, we won’t be.

Nehemiah 10:30-31

³⁰ “We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.³¹ “When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.

Not only was there a submission to Gods Word but also:

2. Separation from the World – Vs 30

After submitting themselves to God’s Word they make a second vow to be separate from the world by promising not to give their daughters in marriage to the nations around them or to take their daughters for their sons. Separation is simply total devotion to God, no matter what the cost. When a man and woman get married, they separate themselves from all other possible mates and give themselves completely to each other. The Israelites separated themselves from the people around them so they could be devoted to God. This was not about ethnic pride or a sense that they were superior to others, it had to do with how they worshipped God and honored Him. Wrong relationships can wipe out our witness. God has called us to be a missionary people and so it is critical that His message is not corrupted. Throughout the bible we see marriages with pagan people bringing problems and pain, in fact in Nehemiah 13:26 the question is asked, “Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? I’m convinced that the greatest effort of satanic attack today is aimed at the home. Homes divided by divorce, homes caught in the constant grip of conflict and chaos. Just like the people of Jerusalem, second on our list of priorities today, after loving God, should be to make sure that our homes are holy and that our children are being taught the truth. Separation here involves not being unequally yoked, Christians not marrying non-Christians. First let me start by saying, I know some of you are married to an unsaved spouse. I want to encourage you to be committed to Christ and to live out the teaching of His Word in 1 Peter 3:1-6: “Your godly lives will speak to them better than any words. They will be won over by watching your pure, godly behavior.” Today I want to take some time to talk to those of you who are not married yet. Perhaps you’re dating someone who is not a believer and it seems harmless to date a non-Christian. But God cares about your spiritual life and your ability to be a clear witness to Him. On the authority of God’s Word, don’t deliberately disobey God in this area. The question is not, “Will this relationship work out?” but, “Will this relationship enjoy God’s best blessing and fulfill God’s will?” I know this is not easy for some of you to hear but if you are truly submitted to God and His Word, you will honor Him in all your relationships. If you put God first, don’t enter into a marriage relationship with someone who does not also put the Lord first. Now separation doesn’t mean isolation. If we isolate ourselves from the world, we will never be a witness and win them to Christ. But you don’t have to marry people to share the message. After pledging themselves to submit to the Word of God and to live separated from the world they commit to:

3. Savoring the Sabbath – Vs 31

The Sabbath was a time set aside first to honor God. It was distinctive from other days and given to God so that they might offer their worship to Him without being distracted by the demands of everyday life. Secondly, it was a day of rest. Relaxation is a vital ingredient in effective living, and God provided the pattern for this by resting on the seventh day of creation. Man’s first full day of existence was Sabbath a day of worship not work. Do you remember when the Israelites were in slavery in Egypt, they worked with no breaks in their weekly schedule. Some of you are slaves to your work, but Sabbath calls us to trade our work for worship. Why do we work none stop, because we want to be productive but sometimes we need to stop and sharpen our axes. Some of us have become dull and ineffective because we are not spending time with God and allowing Him to sharpen our lives. We love to recite Psalm 23 we just don’t love to live it. It starts with these words: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul.” Success is not found in striving but in surrendering to the Shepherd. Thirdly, it was a day to help others. Israelite employees had a compulsory rest day automatically written into their employment contracts. This helped others enjoy the blessings of rest. Fourthly, the Sabbath was a day to declare truth. It was a silent witness to God’s supremacy and gave the Israelites multiple witnessing opportunities. To their unbelieving neighbors it proclaimed, in very practical terms, the truth that God comes first. The Israelites also promised to observe the “Sabbatical Year.” Every seventh year, they were to let the land lie fallow so that it might restore itself. To obey God in this way involved believing and trusting Him. Many of us are afraid to trust God and let the land lie fallow. We are more comfortable trying and trusting in our capability than trusting in Christ. Along with letting the ground lie fallow they also promised to cancel all debts. Every seven years they would live out a renewed scale of values that people matter more than money. The keeping of the Sabbath and Sabbatical Years were ways of guarding against greed and saying “no” to a life of maximum acquisition. We need Sabbath times of rest to remind us that people are more important than possessions. Why are so many people living worn out lives because we are living to work instead of letting worship fuel us for work. We are not resting and not leaning on the Lord, we are trying to cart around all the debt instead of trusting the Lord and letting go. What about you are you living for the world and work or are you relying on and resting in the Lord?