Remembered for Good

I admire the godly qualities seen in Nehemiah, a man who God prompted to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and gates of Jerusalem which lay in ruins.  He was a man who feared God, received favour from God and his king, and was bold to press on in obedience whilst facing strong opposition.  Uniting people in the building of the wall was a great task, and even a more difficult task followed:  to ensure people continued to follow God in obedience to the Law of Moses when Nehemiah wasn't around.

God moved people as one to clear away debris, rebuild the ruins of Jerusalem stone by stone and hung the gates.  A great revival of religion followed where people put themselves under a covenant to observe and heed the Law.  After setting all in order, Nehemiah later returned to find the society as distressed and ruined as the walls burnt with fire:  Tobiah the enemy of Israel had been lodging in the temple in a storeroom cleared for him, the Levites had ceased ministering at the temple and went home because tithes and offerings were not being brought, the Sabbath was being broken, sellers from Tyre brought goods for sale on the Sabbath through the gates which were left open, and men of Israel were again marrying foreign wives--even the son of the high priest!  It was one thing when the heathen people of the land opposed the rebuilding of Israel, but it must have been even more disheartening to see God's people to adopt the practices of the heathen themselves.

Nehemiah was a take-charge kind of fellow out of the fear of the LORD, not because he felt slighted in any way.  He went to the guilty parties with the truth of God's word and put them in their place as Nehemiah 13:10-11 says, "I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field. ¹¹ So I contended with the rulers, and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their place."  Understanding the proper order according to God's word and will is a key component in serving Him, and Moses, the prophet Elijah and David understood this.  As important as it was for Nehemiah to put the nobles in their place--in a posture of submission and obedience to God--it was important the nobles be willing to humbly remain in that place.  Korah and his fellow rebels would not submit to being put in their place, and God removed them.  King Saul began his reign in humility but was lifted up in pride which led to his ruin.  Men who are fixated on their "authority" often lose sight of God's authority over all, including them.

Three times in the final chapter of Nehemiah he prayed words that hearken forward to the believing thief who hung dying on a cross:  "Remember me."  He prayed in Nehemiah 13:14, "Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services!"  God, cannot forget anything, has seen fit to record the words and deeds of Nehemiah so all people would remember what godly, humble leadership looks like in the fear of the LORD and submission to God and king.  Nehemiah spoke forth the word of God with boldness to nobles and Levites alike in Nehemiah 13:22:  "And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!"  The closing sentence of the book is, "Remember me, O my God, for good."  Praise the LORD our good, merciful God remembers and spares His beloved who fear Him.