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S. N. HASKELL

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 9, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 28.

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S. N. HASKELL

By S. N. HASKELL

Nehemiah — No. 3

S. N. HASKELL

WHEN Nehemiah entered upon his work at Jerusalem, the conditions were much as in the days of Haggai, when the people lived in ceiled houses, but neglected the house of God. They looked well after their own things, but neglected to provide for the support of the worship of the Lord.
After the good meetings, described in the eighth and ninth chapters of Nehemiah, were held, as a result of the study of God's Word, the people began to see their duty in regard to supporting the worship of the house of God. The first step in this direction was an ordinance to charge themselves yearly with a third part of a shekel for the service of the house of God. This money was to supply the showbread, the meat-offerings, and various other offerings throughout the year, and “for all the work of the house of our God.” This sum, a little more than sixteen cents, may seem small; but when faithfully paid by the thousands of Israel, it amounted to a large sum yearly.
The amount of wood necessary to keep the altar fires constantly burning, and to consume the large number of offerings, was another item of expense, and was borne by the priests and Levites and the people alike. The record states: “We cast 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.” Here is an important principle in supplying the running expenses of the church, that is worthy of special notice, —priests, Levites, and people all shared alike in this expense. Those officiating at the altar, as well as the worshiper, paid their yearly tax of sixteen cents to provide for the daily service; and they all alike took their turn in supplying wood. In other words, if the same principle was carried out at the present day, when the plate is passed to collect offerings for church expenses, the collectors would pass up to the pulpit as well as to the pews.
The next step in Nehemiah's reform was to return the first-fruit of all their increase into the treasure-house of the Lord. Many at the present day think that if they have paid their tithes, they are exempt from all other duties in giving to the Lord. Those taught by Nehemiah were not troubled that way; for he taught them to give abundantly to support all the works of the Lord before he mentioned the tithe. After abundant provision was made to support the different parts of the work, he made provision for all to bring in their tithe to support those officiating in the temple service. The tithe was often paid in products of the field and vineyard, and was all to be brought to the tithe chamber in the temple. Suitable persons were to have the oversight of the tithe, and the Levites as well as the people, were to pay a faithful tithe.
If the plan of Nehemiah was carried out in every organization, there would be less perplexity and fewer debts. All went well while Nehemiah was there to look after the work; but when he returned to Babylon for a time, grave mistakes were made. The people intermarried with the heathen around them, and, as a natural result, lost sight of their duty of supporting the work of the Lord. The tithe-chamber, which should have been well filled, was empty. The high priest, who should have stood as an example to the people, was allied unto Tobiah, the adversary of the Lord. Tobiah needed a home; and as the tithe-chamber was empty, Eliashib prepared this “great chamber” for him. It was shame enough that the tithe-chamber should have been empty, but double shame that Tobiah, the enemy of the Lord, should occupy it. No wonder that Nehemiah inserts after this record the words, “But in all this time was not I in Jerusalem.” Upon Nehemiah's return he cast Tobiah out, and cleansed the chamber.
As a result of the tithe being withheld and misapplied, those who should have been doing the work of the Lord, were working at manual labor to support themselves and families, and the house of the Lord was forsaken.
Nehemiah's first work, after preparing the tithe-chamber, was to gather the Levites together, and set them in their different places. He did not wait to see if there would be tithe to support them before he gathered them together and set them to work. When the people saw aggressive steps being taken, and workers in the field, “then brought all Judah the tithe . . . unto the treasuries.” The same course to-day will bring like results. When the people see aggressive work being done, and workers going into the field in simple faith, they will pay a faithful tithe. Show me a conference where self-sacrificing workers are going ahead, doing aggressive work in the cause of God; and I will show you a conference where the people pay a faithful tithe, and have confidence in their leaders. On the other hand, show me a conference where no aggressive work is being done, where the ministers divide their time between their own farming interests and visiting the churches, and I will show you a poor treasury and withheld tithe.
Nehemiah made provision for faithful tithe-paying in the future, and appointed four trusty men to distribute the tithe. When Nehemiah began his work of reform, the people made a solemn covenant that they would keep the Sabbath. But upon his return from Babylon, he found they had broken their covenant with God, and were desecrating his Sabbath.The people first began to keep back the tithe, the Lord's money, and this prepared the way to steal the Lord's Sabbath, and use it for their own selfish interests. Nehemiah found they were working upon the Sabbath, also buying victuals of heathen venders of provisions that frequented the city. He contended with them, showing them that the desecration of the Sabbath was the reason for their captivity, and the destruction of Jerusalem. Nehemiah then gave them an object-lesson of how the Sabbath should be kept. Before the Sabbath began, “when it began to be dark before the Sabbath,” the gates were closed, and all worldly traffic was shut out; and the gates were not opened again until “after the Sabbath.”
The fourth commandment holds us responsible, not only for the members of our own families and our hired help and cattle, but even for the stranger that sojourns within our gates. As long as the stranger lingers “within our gates,” he is to regard the Sabbath. In Neh. 13:19 we are instructed when our gates should be closed to worldly things. Not just as the sun is sinking in the west, but when it begins to be dark; before the Sabbath, when the lengthening shadows and the receding light proclaim that the sun is finishing his daily circuit, we should shut our gates and prepare to receive the holy Sabbath. When the sun sinks behind the western horizon, our families should gather round the family altar to welcome the holy day. The family that does this will experience the fulfilment of Isa. 56:2: “Blessed is the man that doeth this and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it.”
The gates were not opened until the Sabbath was past. Those who keep the Sabbath according to Bible rule, will preach the Sabbath in the neighborhood where they live.
A careful, prayerful study of the following words will help to solve many of the questions that arise in regard to proper Sabbath-keeping: “On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses, and he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake to-day, and seethe that which ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept until the morrow.” Ex. 16:22, 23.
Oakland, Cal.