Priests Cleansed from All Strangers - Nehemiah 13:30

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said of “the son of Joiada, Eliashib and Sanballat”, “Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites”, and in chapter thirteen and verse thirty of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said “thus cleansed I them from all strangers” where we read,

Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, 

and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

The verse reads, “Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “thus cleansed I them”which means “wherefore, therefore, on this account and then I, Nehemiah, made morally and ceremonially pure and clean and those holding the office of the priesthood and the Levites” “from all strangers” or “separate and apart from each, every, the whole and everyone of the foreigners or aliens”. Nehemiah said he ceremonially and morally purified those holding the office of the priesthood and Levites from every foreigner and alien. 

The verse continues, “... and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;” Nehemiah added the words, “and appointed the wards”  or “and set in place, erected, ordained and established guards, watchers and safeguards” “of the priests” which means “pertaining to the spiritual leaders and spokesmen”, “and the Levites” or “and the descendants belonging to Levi whose name meand joined to and were specially set aside by God for His service”, “every one in his business” which means “each, all, the whole and everyone of the priests and Levites within their occupation, work and service”. Nehemiah said he set in place safeguards over the spiritual leaders and descendants of Levite in every area of their service to God. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah that he deemed it necessary to establish watchmen over the men holding the office of the “priests and Levites”. Because there was a tendency to stray away from God's ways, setting in place overseers was good for the spiritually leadership. Accountability is important in spiritual business, and everyone who yields to God's Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead three days later as their “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and given the Holy Spirit of God who will guide them into all truth and give them the ability to keep that truth as they live in a holy and pure manner that pleases Him. 

Next time Nehemiah said, “remember me, O my God, for good”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".