28 And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; 31 and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits.
Remember me, O my God, for good. (Nehemiah 13)
Like with the book of Ezra, Nehemiah ends with some major house cleaning - even more so. Once the city was safe and secure within the rebuilt walls, he looked around and saw sin in every corner: pagans in the temple court, rebels given free housing, Levites who were not being provided for, intermarrying with unbelieving spouses, sabbath-breaking. There was major sin going on within the walls that had been built to protect God's people from the enemies outside. So the cleansing began. He remembered the commandments of God and sought to fulfill them. He believed that when we "remember God", He remembers us. So much of the story of the Bible is about restoration - how God restores His people - individually and collectively, and how He remembers His promises to us, and calls on us to remember Him, His promises, His commandments, and His faithfulness. May we be faithful as He is faithful. Remember and restore.
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