Nehemiah 13

But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king, v.6


Read chapter 13

Nehemiah was governor for 12 years in Jerusalem but then returned to king Artexerxes to work. This could be because of the favor he obtained from him to leave for all those years and all their material the king provided for the rebuilding of the wall that it was more of a leave of absence than forever gone. Shortly after Nehemiah's gone from govern-ship the people start to sin against the law in subtle ways that then become the norm. The priests were even the ones doing and allowing this and they were supposed to be the leadership. 

1. First we see Tobias with a room in the temple - he was the one who tried to stop the building of the wall so many times before. Sometimes we can't or need to be careful to give our enemies favor thinking they'll change. 
2. Then we see buying and selling on the Sabbath. The one day of the week the weren't to do so. Were they not using their time wisely the rest of the week? Were they giving more importance to work than to God's commandments? 
3. Then we see the marrying of foreigners and children that did not know the Hebrew language. If they didn't understand Hebrew they couldn't understand God's law and therefore not know how to live in honor for Him.  

All these ways seem like little issues but they add up to so much more.

• What are "small" sins you tend to treat as normal because of the generation we live in? 
• How can you respond anew to that?