Christmas and Backslidden People

Christmas and Backslidden People

December 14, 2019

Larry R Evans

INTRODUCTION

My computer’s thesaurus gives the following alternatives for the verb, “backslide.”

“RELAPSE, lapse, regress, weaken, lose one's resolve, give in to temptation, go astray, leave the straight and narrow, fall off the wagon. ANTONYMS: persevere.”

Question

With that understanding of the word “backslider”, how many here today have backslidden at some point in your life with some aspect of your faith experience?

Historical Context

Miraculously, in 538 BC, God had worked upon the mind of the Persian king Cyrus for about 50,000 Jews to return to their homeland to rebuild their sacred Temple (Ezra 1:2-4). About 60 years later Ezra brought several thousand with him to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:1-8:36). The spiritual condition of his people alarmed him.  What he saw was a threat to unity and purity to the nation. He did not solve all the problems.  Another leaderwas sent by God who was better fit to address these the problems found in Jerusalem.  That civic leader was Nehemiah.

Today we will be giving our primary attention to challenges that Nehemiah faced with the exiles who had returned from the Babylonian captivity. The Bible study guide entitled this week’s study, “Backslidden People.” I’ve changed the title a little to read, “Christmas and Backslidden People.”

Question

With regards to the altered title, I have a question for you. Why do you think I would add the word “Christmas” to this study? What possible relationship could there be between backslidden Israel and Christmas?  Is it because it’s that time of the year that I make the connection?”  Or is there something about Christmas that I think should bear upon our study and, therefore, on the conclusions we should draw from the study about “backslidden people”?

Question

Is there a difference between God’s story and our story?  Does it make any difference who answers that question? When telling your story of your own redemption, where do you begin? Does it make any difference?

ALLOWING GOD TO TELL HIS STORY

We don’t want to take time away from our primary study today, but perspective is important. How God tells “His story” is important because, after all, the story He told is told to a fallen world—a backslidden world. So, what is God’s starting point with reaching out to a world that has “left the straight and narrow” or “lost its resolve”?

God does not begin with the account of the Fall in Genesis 3.  Rather, He begins with Genesis 1 where he lays out how Creation took place and why.  In other words, God tells about the dream He has for us and all the preparation He made for the fulfillment of that plan! The account of Creation ties our happiness with His. Had He begun the story with the Fall, all that would follow in Scripture would be in the context of judgment rather than the attempt to fulfill “the dream or purpose.”  That is not how God began His attempt to win back a fallen world.  Perhaps we should pause and let that sink in. Does God speak firmly? Yes.  Does it sound judgmental at times? Yes.  But if we can see how the story begins and where He wants to take it, the perspective and tone do change. 

Consider John 1:1-5. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Question

Why do you think God begins telling the “Christmas story” by introducing Himself as “the Word”?

When God enters the world as Jesus, the emphasis is on His communication with the world that He had created. He identifies Himself as “the Word.”  Keep in mind, if you believe in inspiration, it is God who is still telling the story.  Once again, as in the very beginning, God finds the world dark and He brings to the darkness “light.”  This is stated very clearly in reference to Jesus, “The light shines in the darkness.” (John 1:5).  Isn’t this the Christmas story and isn’t the Christmas story linked directly to “backslidden people!”

So why do I introduce our today’s study in this way? I do so because God is all about reclaiming those who have gotten off track from the purpose He had in mind for them and the world. He seeks to restore life and purpose to those who have fallen away for whatever reason. He seeks to restore, not to deny life! “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 4). “Darkness” did not cause Him to give up! Darkness was like a magnet whether it was in individuals or organizations. It drew and still draws God to his wounded people.  The purpose for which He created the world had been lost by all to some degree and more in others. In fact, the whole world had backslidden. The Christmas story is all about God’s approach to reclaiming backsliders.  He came in person but throughout the ages, His “written” Word was a call to restore life and purpose not to deny them. To make it even more clear, “the Word” came in Person.  The way we celebrate Christmas today can easily lose the spirit of that first Christmas Day!

In our study today, we are directed to study some examples of backsliding that Nehemiah faced as governor of Jerusalem.  In each example, there are, attitudes and practices that were leading God’s people away from life’s intended purpose, fulfillment, and lasting happiness.  We will look specifically at three areas of deep concern:

1.   Religious Leadership

2.   Tithe and Offerings

3.   Sabbath Observance

Question

Does the word “reform” have a positive or negative implication?  Why

Religious Leadership

The appointed spiritual leadership played a prominent role in the spiritual wellbeing of Israel. So, it is today.  In Israel’s case, however, the high priest Eliashib began a track of compromise with other area religions.  He had stopped following the biblical counsel of excluding the Ammonites and Moabites (Neh. 13:1) from participating in worship services. (See Deut. 2:3-6)  Why? The Ammonites and Moabites were idol worshipers and became an internal threat to the ultimate purpose God had for His people. Intermarriages took place which sacrificed the practice of true worship.  The leadership opened the door for others to practice the same.

Eliashib’s family intermarried with the families of Sanballat (13:28) and Tobiah. Tobiah is mentioned as the Ammonite enemy who strongly opposed the work of Nehemiah in Jerusalem. Such compromises, says Nehemiah, “defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.” (13:29)

We must keep in mind that the issue was not foreign races or nationalities but rather their religious faith (idolatry) which weakened the faith experience of God’s covenant people. This simply had to be addressed!

Question

Does God’s desire to keep His people separate from the influence of false values or compromising relationships seem arbitrary?

Christians are to keep themselves distinct and separate from the world, its spirit, and its influences. God is fully able to keep us in the world, but we are not to be of the world. His love is not uncertain and fluctuating. Ever He watches over His children with a care that is measureless. But He requires undivided allegiance. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24. (Prophets and Kings, 59)

TITHE AND OFFERINGS

During the absence of Ezra and Nehemiah, spiritual slackness developed and the influence of the idolaters became even stronger. When he returned Nehemiah recorded his observations and concerns.  (Neh 13:10,11)

I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. So I rebuked the officials and asked them, “Why is the house of God neglected?”

The work of God had stopped because it was no longer supported as it was designed to be. Note the following statement,

Not only had the temple been profaned, but the offerings had been misapplied. This had tended to discourage the liberalities of the people. They had lost their zeal and fervor, and were reluctant to pay their tithes. The treasuries of the Lord’s house were poorly supplied; many of the singers and others employed in the temple service, not receiving sufficient support, had left the work of God to labor elsewhere. { PK 670.2}

The practice of tithe and offering were restored as part of the reforms initiated by Nehemiah!  He uprooted that which was separating the Jews from God’s and the promised blessings.  There are times and places where a similar message needs to be given.  There may be times when a disagreement with general actions by the Church may be taken but to withhold tithes is not a privilege entrusted to us.  Note:

Let those who have become careless and indifferent, and are withholding their tithes and offerings, remember that they are blocking the way, so that the truth cannot go forth to the regions beyond. I am bidden to call upon the people of God to redeem their honor by rendering to God a faithful tithe.—Manuscript 44, 1905. { Counsels on Stewardship, 96.3}

Many have made a mistake in withholding from the Lord that which he has plainly specified as his own. The tithe of all that God has blessed you with, belongs to him; and you have robbed God when you have used it for your own enterprises. The Lord has not left the disposal of the tithe to you, to be given or withheld as your inclination may dictate. He has placed the matter beyond all question, and there has been great neglect on the part of many of God’s professed people to fulfill the requirements of his word in regard to tithing. { RH December 17, 1889, Art. A, par. 1 }

God loves you, and He stands at the helm. If the Conference business is not managed according to the order of the Lord, that is the sin of the erring ones. The Lord will not hold you responsible for it, if you do what you can to correct the evil. But do not commit sin yourselves by withholding from God his own property. “Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently,” or deceitfully.—Sermons and Talks, 2:74, 75. { PaM 260.2}

We must bear in mind, that the return of the tithe is not a matter of generosity. It already belongs to God.  It is His. (Mal. 3:8-10)

Question

Does it matter where we give our tithe as long as we give a tithe to some worthy cause?

Example of motorcycle.

Motivations: The Carrot and the Gardner

“Once upon a time there was a gardener who grew an enormous carrot.  So, he took it to his king and said, ‘My lord, this is the greatest carrot I’ve ever grown or ever will grow.  Therefore, I want to present it to you as a token of my love and respect for you.’  The king was touched and discerned the man’s heart, so as he turned to go the king said.  ‘Wait! You are clearly a good steward of the earth.  I own a plot of land right next to yours.  I want to give it to you freely as a gift so you can garden it all.’ And the gardener was amazed and delighted and went home rejoicing.
But there was a nobleman at the king’s court who overheard all of this.  And he said, ‘My! If that is what you get for a carrot—what if you gave the king something better?’  So the next day the nobleman came before the king and he was leading a handsome black stallion.  He bowed low and said, ‘My lord, I breed horses, and this is the greatest horse I’ve ever bred or ever will.  Therefore, I want to present it to you as a token of my love and respect for you.’  But the king discerned his heart and said thank you and took the horse and merely dismissed him.  The nobleman was perplexed.  So, the king said, ‘Let me explain, the gardener was giving me the carrot, but you were giving yourself the horse.”  -- Timothy Keller in The Prodigal God, pp.69-70

SABBATH OBSERVANCE

Question

Is it possible to be right about which day is the Sabbath but wrong in the way it is kept? If we do good on the Sabbath is that all that is involved with keeping the Sabbath?

Often it is not easy living as part of a minority group especially when it comes to certain values. For example, Adolf Hitler decided what was good and what was deplorable.  He decided that those who were disabled degraded “human form and spirit” and ordered the execution of 270,000 disabled people.

The value of form and spirit became an issue soon after the Civil War. The presence of the “deformed” led to what became known as “Ugly Laws” in cities like Chicago, San Francisco, and Portland, OR.  These minorities were barred from certain streets because of their appearance. The last of these laws was not stricken from the books until the 1970s in San Francisco.

The plight of minorities is not an envious one.  It is often more difficult to speak up for justice and truth when the problem comes from within your own group—whether it be family, religion, political party, or country. Such was the case with Nehemiah when he called for necessary forms. In some ways, he represented a “minority” who were deeply concerned with the spiritual welfare of the Jews.  Then again,  if God is on your side you do have a “majority” voice and Nehemiah did. Sabbath reform had become necessary.  Note the following:

In ­­­­­­­­­­those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah.

How easily it was forgotten,

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. --Exodus 20:8-11

Question

Why is the word “Remember” used?  Why do the other commandments begin with “Thou shalt not?”

This week's study guide makes an important point: “It has been said that ‘more than Israel kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath kept Israel.” It is so easy to miss this important point. Allowing the Sabbath with all of its meaning to teach us, to guide us is a point we must not overlook.  The meaning of the Sabbath is not confined to what we do or do not do though we must negate the Sabbath by our actions. The Sabbath was the crowning event of the Creation Week (Gen. 2:1-3)!  It explains the “why” of the Creation – the megaphone of God’s awesome power and love and an opportunity for us to celebrate with Him our relationship with him.  This was emphasized by Jesus, the Creator (John 1:2), in Mark 2:28.  We don’t determine what the Sabbath is for, but the Creator of the Sabbath does.

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27,28

Jesus did not let the matter pass without administering a rebuke to His enemies. He declared that in their blindness they had mistaken the object of the Sabbath. He said, “If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.” Matthew 12:7. Their many heartless rites could not supply the lack of that truthful integrity and tender love which will ever characterize the true worshiper of God. --The Desire of Ages, 285

Nehemiah put in place, reminders to guard the edges of the Sabbath. (Neh. 13:19-22)

When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. Lev. 13:19

Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Lev. 13:22

REFLECTIONS

Question

In light of what we have studied today, do you see any link between the way God told the Christmas story and the way he told the story of reform through Ezra and Nehemiah?

So how do we link Christmas with the reforms needed in Nehemiah’s time and in ours.  Perhaps the insight by the secular write Peter Senge points us in a constructive direction:

“‘It’s not what the vision is, it’s what the vision does.’ Truly creative people use the gap between vision and current reality to generate energy for change.” (Senge in The Fifth Discipline, p.153)

If we see in Christmas not only the coming of God in the flesh but also God’s vision through His Person what we might become in character and relationship with others, then hopefully the needed reforms will be and are being pursued.  They would be sought from the perspective of building deeper relationships with God and with one another.  Intended results of reforms are not the sounds of snapping whips but embraces of love brought forth from sincere repentance towards God and one another.  Immanuel, God with us, should be the purpose of all reforms and evidenced in the lives of those reformed. The promise of “Immanuel” is also the means by which change can come.  The presence of Immanuel suggested both reform and hope confirmed by God Himself.