Going on from the previous chapter (remembering of course, that the chapters and verses were introduced much later in history to help us, and were not in the original), Nehemiah lists the names of those who signed the covenant, starting with himself and eighty-four in all, priests, Levites and elders (v1-27).
We should be careful what documents we put our names to. It is one thing to say what you support, another to put your name to it, but even more to act on it. In Bible times a seal on a covenant was equally important, if not more so, because it was a solemn promise to God. It was not to be taken lightly and involved the judgment of God. In the Bible, God made covenants with several people, but the important thing was that God always kept them, even though, sadly, the men did not. Most certainly the greatest covenant, the New Covenant promising the second coming of Jesus, which is still to come, “For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.” (Hebrews 10:37)
We can be absolutely certain that He will come again, but we don’t know when, all we can do is be ready. We will only be ready if we are in Christ.
In verses 28,29 we read of the rest of the people including Levites, priests, gatekeepers, singers, the Nethinim and all who had separated to the Law of God, their wives and children, everyone who had knowledge and understanding, joined with their brothers and sisters and nobles also entered into a covenant to walk in God’s Law. This covenant included being liable to a curse if they did not keep to it. There is no need to ask God to curse us if we do not obey, God will deal with that in His own way. We often hear, ‘I swear on my mother’s life’ or such like. There is nothing binding on it, and, in fact, it doesn’t make a scrap of difference. Those who do this, have no control over their mother’s life. It is pointless.
How many promise to remain faithful to their husband/wife and fail to keep it? We should simply say that we that we trust God and are willing to obey. Sometimes we start well but fall at the first hurdle and have to confess our failures to God and ask for His forgiveness. Maybe they thought saying such things made their promise more effective, but it didn’t.
Marriage comes into this in v30 where they promised not to give their daughters as wives to the people in the land, nor take pagan daughters for their sons. Marriage is a covenant between husband and wife and God. Sadly, the figures indicate that one in two marriages fail, and even more sadly, many of them are marriages between Christians. How we need commitment to each other and, above all, to God to maintain our marriage. Does our covenant with each other before God mean anything anymore? How vital that as Christians we ask God to lead us to the right partner. I’ve said it many times before, that, as a Christian, if we look into the world for a partner, the devil will see to it that we find one. There is nothing more incompatible than a Christian married to a non-Christian. I’m not saying it will never work, but it will be difficult. We all have to work at it. We need to marry in the will of God, it is essential, and that might include remaining single.
The second point of this covenant was in the area of work and business, being faithful to God regarding the Sabbath Day and keeping it (v31). It meant relying on God in their business and making money. One can often get more income by working on the Sunday. To us as Christians, the Lord’s Day (Sunday, the first day of the week, Resurrection Day) should be special. Every part of our lives is important to God, and we can rest assured that He will supply our needs.
Some people, in essential services, doctors, nurses, police, prison officers, fire, ambulance, bus and train drivers etc all have to work Sundays but not everyone needs to. Greed often is the guiding factor, and it should never come into a Christian’s vocabulary.
The third factor is faithfulness in supporting The Lord’s work. (v32-39) They set down ordinances or commands for themselves as to how they supported the Lord’s work. A third of a shekel for the service of God’s house, to provide the shewbread, the grain offering, the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, New Moons and Feasts, the holy things, sin offerings and all the work of the house of God. Rotas for the priests, Levites and the people for bringing wood for the burnt offerings, the firstfruits of all, including their sons and cattle, herds and flocks. This was a kind of tax to support the work of God’s house. Tithes (ten percent of the produce of their land) which they were to bring to support the Levites in God’s house. Tithes were relative to what they had. If they had a poor crop, ten percent of that would be smaller than ten percent of a good crop, but firstborn was not relative and costs the same whatever their circumstances. They were determined in their own hearts to maintain the work of God’s house and it could be costly, but they covenanted to do it.
God had promised to bless His people – “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10). Many churches and leaders have misinterpreted this and teach that we will receive more the more we give, which means that we are giving for the wrong reason and with a wrong motive. We are giving to get. God promises to supply all our needs, and we can trust Him. Our giving should be regular, planned, proportional, secret, cheerful, generous and freely given. So instructs Paul in 1 Corinthians 16 and 2 Corinthians 9. It should be for the glory of God and not for our benefit or good. If we do all for His glory, it will turn out to be for our good. The people were determined not to neglect the house of their God.
