The last person Nehemiah should have expected would betray the Hebrew people in the Southern Kingdom was the high priest Eliashib.
But that’s just what happened, according to Nehemiah 13.
I’m not going to recount the record of Eliashib’s terrible choices. You can read more about them in the second part of this excerpt from the One-Year Bible. Click here to read passage
The wrap-up of Eliashib’s grave errors, however, is this: in direct rebellion to Nehemiah’s leadership and prior actions regarding Tobiah, a divisive troublemaker from the Northern Kingdom, Eliashib had allowed Tobiah to have living quarters in the Jerusalem temple.
Eliashib did this for his relative Tobiah by emptying a large storage room that had been used for storing temple sacrifice items such as grain and oil and also priestly worship items.
This would be like throwing all the books out of the church library and choir materials rooms in order to let the biggest troublemaker in your church’s history to move into the building belonging to the congregation he or she was trying to destroy.
In view of this terrible lapse of judgment and absence of faith, it’s not surprising to read later that Eliashib’s son, Joiada, approved the almost-certainly arranged marriage of his son to the idol-worshiping daughter of Samaritan bigshot Sanballat who also happened to be a close associate of Tobiah.
The fact that the high priest of the Southern Kingdom couldn’t influence his children and grandchildren against marrying idol worshipers is tragic and sad.
It’s no wonder that Nehemiah was so upset with Eliashib and never felt right about being gone from Jerusalem after the wall was rebuilt and dedicated to the Lord.
Beyond the fact that Eliashib shows how NOT to lead people spiritually, it’s also a reminder of how anybody in spiritual leadership is vulnerable to social influences by people who don’t have the Kingdom’s best interests at heart.
Whether you are the pastor of a congregation or the shepherd of your own family, you are leading somebody.
Just as I am to do, please make sure that your affiliations aren’t undercutting your faith and testimony and support for ministry at church or at home.
And, PLEASE, do all you can to guide younger lives into seeking marital relationships with people who seek a closer walk with God, not a path that leads away from God.
As always, I love you
Martin
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