May 25th, 2025: A Covenant Renewal | Nehemiah 10:28-39

Three groups of people returned to Jerusalem after seventy years of captivity in Babylon. A lot of time passed between the first group’s arrival and the last, about 100 years. One hundred years of retraining, rebuilding, and recommitting generations of God’s people. They had to learn how to start over, how to build on old foundations, not only on top of ruined buildings, but on top of ruined lives. The nation had been decimated because of sin, they were tasked with starting over in God’s work and continuing His work. They faced fierce opposition from enemies who had taken advantage of their absence. They’ve had turmoil within their population because the influences of Babylon were carried back with them. Miraculously, God preserved David’s descendants, and they knew who should be king, but a new government also had to be established. In chapter 9 of the book of Nehemiah, the nation of Israel agreed to renew their covenant with God. The beginning of chapter 10 records the names of those signing the agreement.  

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;

There were 84 individual leaders who signed the covenant, but they represented the whole population that had returned to Jerusalem. The “rest of the people” had also committed themselves to this agreement. In chapter 9, the people heard the reading of their Holy scriptures recorded by  Moses.  The leaders reviewed the history of their nation; of how God had chosen Abraham, how He delivered them out of Egypt, how He sent prophets to warn them and finally  about the destruction that had brought them into captivity.

Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them. For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works. Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress. And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it. (Nehemiah 9:33-38).

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;

Notice that it is the Levites, priests, porters, singers, and helpers of the temple who joined in with the civil leaders in this promise. They all agreed to the same covenant containing the blessings and curses of God, which had been initiated by God through Moses at Mt Sinai and repeated by Solomon at the dedication of the Temple. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3).

And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, not take their daughters for our sons:

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.

Sabbaths, including jubilee years, had been neglected, but God had his way. They remained in captivity until all of those years of rest had been fulfilled. God’s establishment of the Sabbath was serious, and although we don’t live under the law of Moses today, the fulfillment of the Sabbath in Jesus is still vitally important. Jesus is our Sabbath, our souls, our eternities, our lives rest in His finished work on the cross. God created the Heavens and Earth in six literal days and rested on the seventh as a testimony of His sovereignty. Christ completed the plan of salvation and sat down at the right hand of the Father, a testimony to his Lordship and Power.  The church should be aware and show gratitude to the Lord of the Sabbath.

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;

The yearly census, or tax, taken to keep the house of God in order was an acknowledgement that every soul belonged to God, and every soul had both value and responsibility toward Him.  They are bringing back the old ways and honoring those ideas with action. In the church today, we are not required to give a certain amount to the work of God, but we recognize that all that we have comes from and should be used under His authority and in a way He would approve.  

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.

God gave his people patterns, each a lesson in the ways of God and a chance to recognize His Son when the time was right. Each feast, each holy day, pointed to a Savior who would embody the wisdom, grace, and goodness of God.  Rededication required their time, their treasure, and their focus, so does our relationship with God today.  

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:

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:

They spread out the responsibilities, and they honored the concept of first fruits. The fire in the temple was never supposed to go out. It was a testament to the eternal presence of God.  First fruits was a recognition that God deserved the best, because He was the source of all that we have. People sometimes talk about taking time for God or about church being a part of their lives. The right way to understand our responsibility as New Testament believers is to see that God should take the first priority in our lives; we need to be the church, not visit it.  Wherever we are, whatever we are a part of, should glorify the one who saved us. Whatever you do, do it like you are doing it for HIm.

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:

Under the law, the firstborn of every living creature, including human beings, was dedicated to God. God gave His only Son, His firstborn. The plan of salvation was not an afterthought.  Before He spoke the world into existence, Christ knew that He would have to die to save us.  He chose to love us anyway. Heaven didn’t send an angel to redeem us; Heaven’s best was required and freely given. How should we respond, in the pattern of these covenant laws, the new testament church should give thanks and honor to the “only begotten son of the Father,”  Hebrews 12:23 is addressed to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, everyone going to Heaven is going through the one and only Jesus Christ.

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.

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.

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.

God desired for His people to be blessed, and for their abundant blessings to fill His house. In our Father’s house, there is no lack; it is bursting with good things that He generously shares with those who put their trust in His Son. Sometimes we become too attached to Earth, we regret the things that we’ll leave behind when we enter our heavenly home. This is a mistake.  There is nothing here that will match what we will find in His presence. Relationships will be better, living conditions will be better, and all will be beyond anything we could imagine.  In His house, we will have more than enough, the best of the best, and a seat at the table for all the goodness God desires to share. I can only imagine!

Thank you for studying with us! God bless!