Good morning, everyone!
Today I read Nehemiah 12-13.
Today's reading detailed the priests and Levites who had returned to Jerusalem.
Then, Nehemiah goes on a trip to see the king, and one of the priests, Eliashib, gave one of his relatives, a foreigner, a room in the Temple of God - the room dedicated for offerings, and tithes and such.
Nehemiah returns, and Eliashib gets in trouble for allowing a foreigner to reside in the Temple of God, and Tobiah, the foreign relative, gets thrown out.
Only priests were allowed to go into certain rooms, and no foreigners were allowed to live there.
I'm pretty sure only priests were allowed to live there, and only in certain rooms, certainly not ones reserved for offerings.
In addition, when Nehemiah returned, he discovers that the Levites had not been given their portions, as God had commanded that they be provided for since they are set apart to Him, and do not usually own or work their own land.
Nehemiah reprimands the officials, and gathers the Levites, restoring their positions, and takes care of it.
Some of the people are also working on the Sabbath, not observing it as a holy day and a day of rest. They are trading, working their fields, etc.
So Nehemiah reprimands them.
Now, rather than being annoyed today, I can understand how not everyone would understand all the rules.
Remember, at this point, their forefathers hadn't been serving God, and thus they were taken into captivity, where they would not have been taught God's laws.
So, it's like Nehemiah has to start from scratch with the people, teaching them the laws, as well as what they mean. As governor, he also has to enforce the laws.
It's a mess, but the people are learning.
I hope you'll join me tomorrow when I read Esther 1-5.
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