Based on Nehemiah 13:14-31 (New King James Version)
“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! In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, ‘What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.’ So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I warned them, and said to them, ‘Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!’ From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. 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! In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people. So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, ‘You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?’ And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service, and to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times. Remember me, O my God, for good!”
Was Nehemiah doing God's will? Of course, and in every aspect. What exactly was Nehemiah doing? He was reminding the people what was right before God, that they should not forget the disaster that God Himself brought upon the entire nation for their sins, he also did practical things to help the people not to sin, within his limits, and everything that he did, he did it with the conviction that God was taking his actions into account, because he was only interested in what God thought of him. And all of these things are totally applicable today, for those of us who profess to be Christ followers.
The first is an issue that has to do with bad doctrines that have spread within many of our churches, and that is: that works no longer matter in grace. There is no worse mistake than that, because if it were like that, then God would not care if we did good or evil, and that is not the case. God cares about what we do, and in such a way that we will even be judged according to our deeds, as it is written: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. What we have to take into account in this passage is its writer (because the Author is the Holy Spirit, because His Word is divinely inspired). The Apostle Paul is the writer, and he refers to and includes himself when he says that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” If Paul said he would be judged for the good and bad he did, what would be left for us? And the letter is addressed to the church in Corinth, and not to unconverted people. And also, he uses the phrase “the terror of the Lord”, so this is something that needs to be taken very seriously. So, it should be very clear that God does care about everything we do. Therefore, good works gain great value before God after our conversion, as a fruit of our faith. The Apostle James wrote repeatedly that “faith without works is dead also.”
Now then, what was Nehemiah doing that also applies today? What the Lord Himself said: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ‘You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.’” Matthew 5:13-16. We are to be salt and light in the world, practicing the things the Lord teaches and helping others to practice them too. This is what the Word says: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1. Nehemiah was addressing the problems of not keeping the Sabbath and being unequally yoked. The true keeping of the Sabbath was as the Lord demonstrated, and not what the Pharisees thought, as it is written: “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14. And the Word says this regarding being unequally yoked: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’” 2 Corinthians 6:14-16. God destroyed His people because they sinned against Him, and God will also destroy us not only here on earth if we practice sin, but we will also be judged in eternity. So, are you serving the Lord, remembering the past from which He rescued you? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!