Nehemiah 11-13 Happy, Happy, (Not) Happy

I'm trying to get my arms around this, because something isn't quite right.  They were thrilled that they now had Jerusalem protected by walls.  They had a great worship service to commemorate it, but then they had to throw lots to see who would "volunteer" to stay IN Jerusalem and the rest were going back to their own lands!  Sounds like it wasn't the place to live after all!  But it says, "The people offered many sacrifices that day and were HAPPY because God had given them great joy.  The women and children were HAPPY.  The sound of HAPPINESS in Jerusalem could be heard far away."  But they didn't want to live there??

Nehemiah returned to Babylon to report to the king, then finally returned after a period of time.  Ezra had read from the Word of God that people from Ammon and Moab were never to be allowed in the meeting to worship because of their treachery as the Israelites were moving from Egypt to the Promised Land.  Yet when Nehemiah returned he discovered that the high priest had allowed Tobiah, who was an Ammonite, to use a storeroom IN THE TEMPLE!  He quickly remedied that.

The happy people, though, had also begun to allow foreign merchants to enter the city on the Sabbath, and they were AGAIN purchasing from them ON THE SABBATH.  Nehemiah had to correct that as well!  Also, Israelites were intermarrying with Gentiles again.  Nehemiah sounds like he'd about had enough, because he wrote, "I argued with those people, put curses on them, hit some of them, and pulled out their hair.  I forced them to make a promise to God..."  I don't know just how productive those activities were.  I was facing something similar last night, but thankfully didn't feel God leading me to go QUITE that far with my son.  I think it would have been very counterproductive.

Father, give me Your Godly wisdom and discernment.  Show me the way to insure cooperation and behavior that is pleasing to You.   Most of all, don't let me through any action of my own cause others to doubt that I am Yours.

Sent from my iPad

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford