Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20110410.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Nehemiah: Excelling In Leadership In Hard Times
Part IV: The Leader's Role When God's People Are Mobilized By Him, Nehemiah 8:1-13:31
D. Leading By Affirming Separation From Unholy Associations
(Nehemiah 13:1-3 et al.)
  1. Introduction
    1. When the people of God desire to obey His Word relative to separating from unholy associations, it is the duty and privilege of their spiritual leaders to affirm this stand to uphold God's holiness, 1 Peter 1:15-16.
    2. Nehemiah exemplified such a leader's affirmation in Nehemiah 13:1-3 et al. as we note for our insight:
  2. Leading By Affirming Separation From Unholy Associations, Nehemiah 13:1-3 et al.
    1. The "day" the book of the Law was read to the people of Israel in Nehemiah 13:1 is not the day of the dedication back in Nehemiah 12:44, but a day that occurred after Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem to govern as indicated in Nehemiah 13:4-7, Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, p. 694.
    2. To explain, after the dedication of the reconstructed city wall in Nehemiah 12:27-45, Nehemiah had returned to King Artaxerxes to serve him as his cupbearer as agreed in Nehemiah 2:6, Ibid.; Neh. 13:6-7a.
    3. While Nehemiah was away, Israel had slipped in her obedience to the Law seen in the events of Nehemiah 13:4-31, so, after he returned, there was instituted a new public reading of the Mosaic Law.
    4. This new reading led the people to want to obey what they heard from Deuteronomy 23:3-5 on separating from Ammonite and Moabite people (Nehemiah 13:1-3), and Nehemiah's record of this event with no objection on his part indicates he fully agreed with and so approved of the people's intent thus to separate.
    5. If we note the historical background involved, we see three key issues that led to this need for separation:
      1. First, unjust hostility indicated a need to part company with Moab and Ammon, Neh. 13:1-2a et al.:
        1. When the people of Israel traveled from Egyptian bondage to the Promised Land, their relative nations, the Ammonites and Moabites who had both descended from Lot, Abraham's nephew, did not give them the courtesy of providing their relative nation, the people of Israel, bread and water; rather, their incessant animosity against Israel kept them from being hospitable, Nehemiah 13:1-2a.
        2. Such hostility from relatives who should have been hospitable was abusively godless in that culture, and, as verified by 2 Timothy 3:1-5, it called for Israel's separation from Ammonites and Moab ites!
      2. Second, spiritist activity indicated a need to part company with Moab, Nehemiah 13:2b et al.:
        1. The Moabites actually hired Balaam to put a spiritist curse on Israel, Neh. 13:2b; Num. 22:1-7; 24:1.
        2. Such spiritist activity called for capital punishment in passages like Leviticus 20:27, so Israel was required to part company with spiritists like the Moabites.
      3. Third, an immoral bent in them required Israel to part company with Moab and Ammon, Neh. 13:2b:
        1. After God kept Balaam from cursing Israel like Moab's Balak had hired him to do, Balaam advised Balak to send Moabite female cult prostitutes to seduce Israel's men so God would then judge them, Num bers 24:25-25:2 with Numbers 31:16; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Numbers 25:2.
        2. Balaam's suggestion was sadly successfully applied, leading to the public execution of notable men in Israel who fell prey to the seduction of the Moabite cult prostitutes, Numbers 25:1, 4.
        3. Such immorality was likely a part of the Moabite and Ammonite cultures in their unholy histories: (1) The Moabite and Ammonite patriarchs, Moab and Ammon, were born out of incest between Lot and his two daughters, Genesis 19:36-38. (2) This sin rose from looseness in his daughters who got their father drunk to seduce him into getting pregnant by him, Genesis 19:31-32. (3) Such looseness rose from Sodom's influence where Lot had chosen to raise his family, Genesis 19:1, 8; 13:11-12.
      4. In summary, besides the witchcraft of Moab, the hostility and historically immoral bent in Ammonite and Moabite peoples left Israel in need of breaking fellowship with them.
      5. [God's gracious exception was the Moabitess, Ruth: her choice to heed Israel's God led her to a holy life and its reward of being included in the lineage of David and thus of Christ, Ruth 1:16-18; 4:13-22!]
Lesson: When God's people desired to obey His Word on separating from godless associations marked by great hostility, spiritist activity and immoral tendencies, Nehemiah properly supported their stand.

Application: May we separate in our associations, and support such separations, as Scripture demands.