NEHEMIAH LESSON 11


     This chapter is devoted to those who made covenant with God. We
will now begin this lesson in Nehemiah 10:1 "Now those that sealed
[were], Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,"

     Nehemiah was the civil leader {Tirshatha}. Zidkijah, here, was,
probably, speaking of Zadok. It appears, this Zadok was Nehemiah's
secretary. "Sealed", in this verse, means make a mark.

     Nehemiah 10:2 "Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah," Nehemiah 10:3
"Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,"  Nehemiah 10:4 "Hattush, Shebaniah,
Malluch," Nehemiah 10:5 "Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah," Nehemiah 10:6
"Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch," Nehemiah 10:7 "Meshullam, Abijah,
Mijamin,"  Nehemiah 10:8 "Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these [were] the
priests."

     These verses listed the heads of the priestly houses. It was
important that they signed this covenant, because they actually were
the leaders of the people in spiritual things. Seraiah was mentioned
first, because he was the head of high priestly family.

     Nehemiah 10:9 "And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah,
Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;"  Nehemiah 10:10 "And their
brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan," Nehemiah 10:11
"Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,"  Nehemiah 10:12 "Zaccur, Sherebiah,
Shebaniah," Nehemiah 10:13 "Hodijah, Bani, Beninu."

     Beginning with verse 9, we see a list of the heads of the houses
of the Levites, who were not priests. All priests had to be of the
Levitical tribe, and they, also, had to be descended from Aaron. The
Levites, other than the priests, did things like singing and keeping
the doors. They were in service to the LORD, but in a different
capacity than the priests. Binnui had taken the place of Kadmiel.
Jeshua, Binnui, and Kadmiel were the three who were the chief of the
families of the Levites at that time.

     Nehemiah 10:14 "The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahath-moab,
Elam, Zatthu, Bani," Nehemiah 10:15 "Bunni, Azgad, Bebai," Nehemiah
10:16 "Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin," Nehemiah 10:17 "Ater, Hizkijah,
Azzur," Nehemiah 10:18 "Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai," Nehemiah 10:19
"Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,"  Nehemiah 10:20 "Magpiash, Meshullam,
Hezir," Nehemiah 10:21 "Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua," Nehemiah 10:22
"Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah," Nehemiah 10:23 "Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,"
 Nehemiah 10:24 "Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek," Nehemiah 10:25 "Rehum,
Hashabnah, Maaseiah," Nehemiah 10:26 "And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,"
Nehemiah 10:27 "Malluch, Harim, Baanah."

     These lists of names in the verses above were showing the chief
of each family that signed the covenant. The chief of each family
signed for the entire family. Just because a member of the family did
not specifically sign, did not eliminate them from keeping the
covenant.  They, in a sense, signed when their chief signed for them.
     Nehemiah 10:28  "And the rest of the people, the priests, the
Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that
had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of
God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having
knowledge, and having understanding;"

     This seems a little unusual to separate these out, but they were
not really separated. The people, in verse 28 above, each had a chief,
of their family who signed the covenant for them. The priests, here,
are sons and grandsons of the head of each priestly family. The head
of the family signed for them. This is saying, that these people, in
verse 28, had all been signed for by the heads of their families which
were listed individually in the verses through 27.

     Nehemiah 10:29 "They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and
entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which
was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the
commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his
statutes;"

     This is saying, they verbally agreed to live by the covenant
agreement the heads of their families signed for them. They had heard
the agreement read aloud, and they agreed to the conditions of the
covenant. They were saying they accepted the mark their leader had
made as a binding agreement on them. They were aware there would be
curses, if they did not keep the commandments of the LORD. They, also,
knew they would be blessed, if they kept the commandments.

     Nehemiah 10:30 "And that we would not give our daughters unto the
people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:"

     One of the very serious promises they made was not to intermarry
with the heathens around them. They were to marry only other Hebrews.

     Nehemiah 10:31 "And [if] the people of the land bring ware or any
victuals on the sabbath day to sell, [that] we would not buy it of
them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and [that] we would leave the
seventh year, and the exaction of every debt."

     This was saying, they would keep the sabbath holy. They would not
buy or sell, on the sabbath, or on any holy day. It was, also, saying
they would keep the sabbatical year holy. They would let the land lie
in rest on the seventh year. This spoke of the jubilee at the end of
the seventh seven years, as well. Every debt would be canceled at that
time, as the Levitical law prescribed.

     Nehemiah 10:32 "Also we made ordinances for us, to charge
ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of
the house of our God;"

     This was a special voluntary tax that all of the people imposed
upon themselves to take care of the service in the temple. The 1/6 of
an ounce was a very small amount, but even the poor had to pay this
once a year.
     Nehemiah 10:33 "For the shewbread, and for the continual meat
offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of
the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy [things], and for
the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and [for] all the
work of the house of our God."

     The shewbread was very important. It symbolized the body of the
Lord Jesus Christ. This small amount of money they would bring in
would not be enough to pay for animals for the burnt offerings, but it
was symbolic that all of the people should support the temple,
regardless of how poor they were. This way they would feel they were a
part of it.  All of these offerings and feasts were to be practiced
again.  They were going back to the letter of the law. The shewbread
was 12 small loaves each week. The continual meat offering was flour
and oil mingled together. It was offered twice a day. The offering of
the sabbath was two lambs with meat and drink offerings. On new moons,
the offerings were two bullocks, one ram, seven lambs accompanied with
the meat and drink offerings. The set feasts were Passover, Pentecost
{Feast of Weeks} and Tabernacles. The sin offering was for Day of
Atonement.  Each of these feasts had specific offerings mentioned in
the book of Numbers.

     Nehemiah 10:34 "And we cast the lots among the priests, the
Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring [it] into the
house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed
year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as [it is]
written in the law:"

     Someone had to provide the wood to burn the offerings. The
families responsible for bringing in the wood at a certain time were
decided by casting lots. Wood was hard to find at that time, it had to
be thought of as a ministry.

     Nehemiah 10:35 "And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and
the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the
house of the LORD:"

     Firstfruits offerings were required of everything that was grown.
It was a very good way to be sure you would have a good crop
abundantly provided by God. Even this had been dropped for years. The
practice was re-instated to keep the law.

     Nehemiah 10:36 "Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our
cattle, as [it is] written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds
and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests
that minister in the house of our God:"

     The firstborn son had to be purchased back from God with a silver
shekel. He belonged to God. All of the firstborn cattle, herds, and
flocks must be offered on the eighth day.

     Nehemiah 10:37 "And [that] we should bring the firstfruits of our
dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of
wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our
God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same
Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage."

     This was not limited to the fruit of the trees, but included all
things that grew of nature. The first of the crop belonged to God.
These offerings were for the Levites to live of. They shared with the
altar. The Levites did not own land. They lived of the offerings.

     Nehemiah 10:38 "And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the
Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up
the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers,
into the treasure house."

     All of the tithes were taken to the temple and turned over to the
priests. The priests allotted the offerings out between all of the
Levites.

     Nehemiah 10:39 "For the children of Israel and the children of
Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the
oil, unto the chambers, where [are] the vessels of the sanctuary, and
the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we
will not forsake the house of our God."

     This was a promise from these Israelites to take the
responsibility of the support of the temple upon themselves. They
turned their offerings of corn, wine, oil, and all of their other
things they brought as a tithe to the temple. The temple treasury
would be in the sanctuary. All of those called to the service of the
LORD, whether they be priests, porters, singers or other workers would
live of the offerings.

     There is a lesson in this for the Christian. When we become
Christians, we go into covenant relationship with God. We must take
responsibility for our portion of the care and upkeep of our church.
We must not shirk our duty of giving our portion of money to the
church we attend.


















                           Nehemiah 11 Questions


1.  Nehemiah was the _________ leader.
2.  What other name was he called in verse 1?
3.  What was another name for Zidkijah?
4.  In verse 1, what did "sealed" mean?
5.  Verse 2 through 8 list whom?
6.  Why was it so important for them to sign this covenant?
7.  Why was Seraiah mentioned first?
8.  Who are listed in verse 9 through 13?
9.  Who were the three of the chiefs of the Levitical families at that
    time?
10. Who were listed in verse 14 through 27?
11. Beginning in verse 28, who were the people mentioned?
12. Verse 29 was saying, they verbally agreed to live by what?
13. What were they aware of?
14. They agreed not to marry the __________.
15. What times did verse 31 say, they would remember and observe?
16. What was one of the things that happened on jubilee?
17. What voluntary tax did they impose on themselves?
18. What were some of the things the tax would be used for, mentioned
    in verse 33?
19. What was the shewbread?
20. What was the offering for new moons?
21. How did they decide who would provide the wood?
22. The firstborn son was purchased back from God with a ________
    _______.
23. What of their firstfruits were they supposed to bring to the
    temple?
24. Who were the tithes turned over to, to distribute?
25. What was the promise in verse 39 really?
26. Where was the temple treasury?
27. What lesson for the Christians do we find here?