Nehemiah 12-13

“In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath ...” (13:15). Nehemiah the governor saw that the teaching of the Law had to go deeper with the returned exiles; they needed real life transformation. He shut the gates of the city so that no work could be done on the Sabbath, and he enforced the ban on marriages with foreigners. “Foreigners” were not simply non-Jews (Ruth and Rahab, David’s ancestors, were foreigners), but women who rejected the faith and language of God’s people (13:23-27).

“On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud ...” (13:1). Knowing the Word isn’t enough. God’s Spirit wants to speak through the Word, penetrating our hearts and causing transformation.