Return from Exile: Nehemiah 10 (6)

Pray Psalm 85.1-3.
LORD, You have been favorable to Your land;
You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people;
You have covered all their sin.
Selah
You have taken away all Your wrath;
You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.

Sing Psalm 85.1-3.
(Lyons: O Worship the King)
O LORD, You Your favor showed to Your land;
Your people You saved by Your mighty hand.
Their sins You forgave, all Your wrath You withdrew;
You turned back the anger which to them was due.

Read Nehemiah 10.1-39; meditate on verse 39.

Prepare
1. Where were offerings to be kept?

2. What were the people not to do?

Meditation
The mention of “storerooms” is the focal point here. Full storerooms would be a sign of a faithful people. As long, that is, as the storerooms were full of what they should be full of, and not the pagan friends of compromised priests (13.4ff).

If the storerooms were not full, as Malachi would later observe, then it would indicate the people were living in violation of God’s covenant, breaking their promises rather than keeping them.

And if the storerooms were being used in ways other than they should, or were not being kept full, then those in charge, “the children of Levi”—the priests and Levites—would be guilty either of complicity with evil or simple dereliction of duty. And if the hearts of the priests and Levites were compromised, we can be sure those of the people were as well.

Empty or compromised storerooms would be a sign of Israel’s continuing captivity. Because it meant they were neglecting not only the house of their God, but God Himself.

From here on out, keep an eye on the storerooms. They speak as loudly as empty pews in our day.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
The empty or sparsely-stocked storerooms also spotlight our hearts, for when they lack, everything is in want.

The words Solomon wrote about the lazy and foolish person can easily be used to describe those who know the Word of God is there, readily available, and yet leave it to gather another’s day’s dust. Unused and unread, yet bursting with life, love, and learning. As Matthew Henry said, “Most people leave their souls to starve.”

“He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (Prov. 10.4).
“The soul of the lazy man desires, and has nothing;
but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich” (Prov. 13.4).
“The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul,
but the stomach of the wicked shall be in want” (Prov. 13.25).
“The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways,
but a good man will be satisfied from above” (Prov. 14.14).
“The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness” (Prov. 15.14).
“Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
since he has no heart for it?” (Prov. 17.16)

Solomon also offers a plethora of promises to those who work at worship:
“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Prov. 4.23).
“The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish…” (Prov. 10.3).
“He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will find good” (Prov. 19.8).
“In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge.
 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death” (Prov. 14.26, 27).

“For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
“I AM the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (Jn. 6.33, 35). “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (Jn. 7.37, 38). “But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (Jn. 4.14).

Through the Word of God, we will never hunger nor thirst. But in order to shop these wonderful treasures found in the storeroom of Scripture we need to know how to stock our shelves with the goods found within.
When daily necessities arise, and our storerooms are full, we have only to pull out the cart and load up our souls to satisfaction.

For reflection
1. What does the “Scripture storeroom” of your soul look like these days?

2. Do you have enough of God’s Word in the storeroom of your soul to feed someone something today? What?

3. How can you tell when your Scripture storeroom needs some beefing-up?

As the ordinances of God are the appointed means of support to our souls, the believer will not grudge the expense; yet most people leave their souls to starve. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Nehemiah 10.39

Pray Psalm 85.4-13.
Pray that God will revive and restore His people. Pray that His wrath will not abide on us always, but that we might know His mercy, repent of our worldly captivity, and take up our mission again as a witness for Christ.

Sing Psalm 85.4-13.
(Lyons: O Worship the King)
Restore us, O God, renew us in peace,
and cause all Your wrath against us to cease.
Will You evermore all Your wrath to us show?
Revive us that we may Your joy again know.

LORD, show us Your love; restore us, we pray!
And help us to hear the words that You say.
Speak peace to Your people; in truth let us stand.
We fear You; let glory and grace fill our land.

In Jesus God’s grace and truth are combined;
both goodness and peace in Him do we find.
Truth springs from the earth as He walks in our midst,
and righteousness flows from the heav’ns as a gift.

The LORD by His grace will give what is good;
our land will produce abundance of food.
And righteousness will go before the LORD’s face,
and make of His footsteps a way in this place.

T. M. and Susie Moore

Two books can help us understand our own captivity and lead us to seek revival and renewal in the Lord. The Church Captive asks us to consider the ways the Church today has become captive to the world. And Revived! can help us find the way to renewal. Learn more and order your free copies by clicking here and here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available free by clicking here.