Nehemiah & Malachi

[Digging4Truth]

I would like to take some time to put together a better representation of my question but I really don't have the time.

So, for now, I am going to quote a post I made on another forum.

The issue I was dealing with was someones comment that the writings of Nehemiah concerning Tobiah were about "laymen" running the church.

The issue I am really presenting here is how the knowledge that Nehemiah and Malachi were contemporaries affects the message that was being put forth in Malachi 3:8 etc.

Here is a portion of the post.

The issue wasn't that Tobiah was a "layman" (Wherever that term comes from)

The issue was that Tobiah was an Ammonite and when the word was read in the midst of the congregation the congregation heard from the word "that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever"

Not only were ammonites & moabites in the congregation but Tobiah (an Ammonite) was living in the storehouse that was supposed to hold the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil.

The priests were not supposed to be receiving the tithe. The Levites were. The Levites were supposed to be giving the priests their portion but the priests had taken over the distribution of the tithe and there had been a total departure from God's law concerning the handling of the tithe. (Now that would preach all day all by itself.)

There was another OT writer that lived in the time of Nehemiah. You know him as Malachi.

In Malachi 2:1 he begins a scathing chastisement of the priests which continues through the end of the book and also includes Malachi 3:8.

Malachi 3:8 was written about the actions of the priests during the time of Malachi.

Mal 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept [them]. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Mal 3:9 Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation.

He says here that they have gone away from God's ordinances and Nehemiah certainly did confirm that during this same space in time there was a great departure from God's law of the tithe by the priesthood.

He went on to say that they had robbed God... even the whole nation.

Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].

Remember what was in the storehouse in Nehemiah? An Ammonite and there were no meat offerings, no corn, no oil. Malachi is challenging them to bring the tithe into the storehouse. I have no idea where the tithe had been kept but during the time that Tobiah's occupation of the storehouse (The time of Nehemiah and Malachi) the tithes were not kept there.

Nehemiah's comments on Tobiah are not about a church that had begun to be ruled by the "laymen". It is, instead, about a priesthood who had ceased to obey the laws of God and had blatantly disobeyed commands given them by God.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I would like to take some time to put together a better representation of my question but I really don't have the time.

So, for now, I am going to quote a post I made on another forum.

The issue I was dealing with was someones comment that the writings of Nehemiah concerning Tobiah were about "laymen" running the church.

The issue I am really presenting here is how the knowledge that Nehemiah and Malachi were contemporaries affects the message that was being put forth in Malachi 3:8 etc.

Here is a portion of the post.

The issue wasn't that Tobiah was a "layman" (Wherever that term comes from)

The issue was that Tobiah was an Ammonite and when the word was read in the midst of the congregation the congregation heard from the word "that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever"

Not only were ammonites & moabites in the congregation but Tobiah (an Ammonite) was living in the storehouse that was supposed to hold the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil.

The priests were not supposed to be receiving the tithe. The Levites were. The Levites were supposed to be giving the priests their portion but the priests had taken over the distribution of the tithe and there had been a total departure from God's law concerning the handling of the tithe. (Now that would preach all day all by itself.)

There was another OT writer that lived in the time of Nehemiah. You know him as Malachi.

In Malachi 2:1 he begins a scathing chastisement of the priests which continues through the end of the book and also includes Malachi 3:8.

Malachi 3:8 was written about the actions of the priests during the time of Malachi.



He says here that they have gone away from God's ordinances and Nehemiah certainly did confirm that during this same space in time there was a great departure from God's law of the tithe by the priesthood.

He went on to say that they had robbed God... even the whole nation.



Remember what was in the storehouse in Nehemiah? An Ammonite and there were no meat offerings, no corn, no oil. Malachi is challenging them to bring the tithe into the storehouse. I have no idea where the tithe had been kept but during the time that Tobiah's occupation of the storehouse (The time of Nehemiah and Malachi) the tithes were not kept there.

Nehemiah's comments on Tobiah are not about a church that had begun to be ruled by the "laymen". It is, instead, about a priesthood who had ceased to obey the laws of God and had blatantly disobeyed commands given them by God.

Interesting D4T.
One question, where did you get this background info?

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Ron

Interesting D4T.
One question, where did you get this background info?

Sorry.. drawing a blank here...

What background info?

I don't remember getting any from anywhere other than reading Malachi & Nehemiah as well as a few other OT books.

Let me know what portion you are speaking of and I will take a look.

[crakjak]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I would like to take some time to put together a better representation of my question but I really don't have the time.

So, for now, I am going to quote a post I made on another forum.

The issue I was dealing with was someones comment that the writings of Nehemiah concerning Tobiah were about "laymen" running the church.

The issue I am really presenting here is how the knowledge that Nehemiah and Malachi were contemporaries affects the message that was being put forth in Malachi 3:8 etc.

Here is a portion of the post.

The issue wasn't that Tobiah was a "layman" (Wherever that term comes from)

The issue was that Tobiah was an Ammonite and when the word was read in the midst of the congregation the congregation heard from the word "that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever"

Not only were ammonites & moabites in the congregation but Tobiah (an Ammonite) was living in the storehouse that was supposed to hold the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil.

The priests were not supposed to be receiving the tithe. The Levites were. The Levites were supposed to be giving the priests their portion but the priests had taken over the distribution of the tithe and there had been a total departure from God's law concerning the handling of the tithe. (Now that would preach all day all by itself.)

There was another OT writer that lived in the time of Nehemiah. You know him as Malachi.

In Malachi 2:1 he begins a scathing chastisement of the priests which continues through the end of the book and also includes Malachi 3:8.

Malachi 3:8 was written about the actions of the priests during the time of Malachi.



He says here that they have gone away from God's ordinances and Nehemiah certainly did confirm that during this same space in time there was a great departure from God's law of the tithe by the priesthood.

He went on to say that they had robbed God... even the whole nation.



Remember what was in the storehouse in Nehemiah? An Ammonite and there were no meat offerings, no corn, no oil. Malachi is challenging them to bring the tithe into the storehouse. I have no idea where the tithe had been kept but during the time that Tobiah's occupation of the storehouse (The time of Nehemiah and Malachi) the tithes were not kept there.

Nehemiah's comments on Tobiah are not about a church that had begun to be ruled by the "laymen". It is, instead, about a priesthood who had ceased to obey the laws of God and had blatantly disobeyed commands given them by God.

Wow, this shines some light on the idea that many have that the tithe BELONG to the priest/pastor? Sounds like the Levities were to hold the priest accountable, but to make sure they received their portion, yeah that could preach. Oh, but who is able to preach it?

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by crakjak

Wow, this shines some light on the idea that many have that the tithe BELONG to the priest/pastor? Sounds like the Levities were to hold the priest accountable, but to make sure they received their portion, yeah that could preach. Oh, but who is able to preach it?

Someone without fear of man perhaps?

Oh... I see... you do have a point.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Sorry.. drawing a blank here...

What background info?

I don't remember getting any from anywhere other than reading Malachi & Nehemiah

Let me know what portion you are speaking of and I will take a look.

I don't remember (not that it isn't there) reading about Tobias, and how the Priests distributed the tithe.

Pardon my ignorance Bro.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Ron

I don't remember (not that it isn't there) reading about Tobias, and how the Priests distributed the tithe.

Pardon my ignorance Bro.

Not a problem...

it is in there...

Give me a bit and I will pull all of that together for you.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Not a problem...

it is in there...

Give me a bit and I will pull all of that together for you.

Thanks Bro.
It ain't a sin to be ignorant-it's just a sin to stay that way!

[Digging4Truth]

Neh 13:1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
Neh 13:2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

I quoted this because it is important in that Tobiah was an Amomonite. (See Neh 4:3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite [was] by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

Neh 13:3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
Neh 13:4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, [was] allied unto Tobiah:
Neh 13:5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded [to be given] to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.

Then we see later on in the same chapter that the portion of the Levites had not been distributed to them. Since the Levites were the ones who were supposed to be doing the distributing it is clear that the tithe was no longer going through the proper channels that God had commanded.

Neh 13:10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given [them]: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.

Let me know if that doesn't answer your questions.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Ron

Thanks Bro.
It ain't a sin to be ignorant-it's just a sin to stay that way!

LOL... aint that the truth... and I am SO thankful it isn't a sin to be ignorant. I wouldn't have a chance.