Read: Nehemiah 12-13
Marked: Nehemiah 13:4-5, Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, [was] allied with Tobiah. And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded [to be given] to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests.
The hight priest Eliashib allowed the Ammonite, Tobiah to use rooms in the temple for his own purposes even though God’s Word forbade an Ammonite or Moabite to come into the assembly (V1).
The result was these rooms could no longer be used to store grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, tithes of grain, new wine and oil for the support of the Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and priests (V5).
It is said, as the leaders go, so do the follower’s. With one compromise came another and another. The Levites had to work the fields because they didn’t receive the portion due them (V10). The Sabbath was ignored (V15). And the people were marrying women from the pagan nations in contravention to the Word of God (V23).
When we ignore the commandments of God it doesn’t take long for sin to set its hooks in us. Even Solomon, beloved of God, was caused to sin (V26). Rather we should allow Christ to dwell in our hearts, to know the love of God, and be filled to the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19).
The Bible Blog 