Nehemiah 13:10-14: a reflection

10I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had each fled to his field. 11Then I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is God’s house forsaken?” I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the treasuries. 13I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were counted faithful, and their business was to distribute to their brothers. 14Remember me, my God, concerning this, and don’t wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its observances.

When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem, he discovered that the support meant for the Levites and singers who served in God's house had not been given, and as a result these servants had been forced to abandon their ministry and return to their fields to survive. I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, Nehemiah says, so that the Levites and the singers who did the work had each fled to his field. The neglect of providing for God's servants had led to God's house being forsaken; the work stopped because those who did it could not be sustained. Nehemiah confronts this, restores the provision, and sets the servants back in their place. This shows the real consequence of neglecting to support God's work and those who serve in it: the work is abandoned, the house forsaken, not through ill will but through neglected provision. To neglect the support of God's work and servants is to risk the work itself being forsaken. The neglect of provision led to the ministry being abandoned; supporting God's servants matters. When we neglect to sustain God's work, the work can be forsaken.

Notice the chain of cause and effect Nehemiah perceived: the provision was neglected, so the servants fled to their fields, so God's house was forsaken. The Levites and singers were not unwilling to serve; but they could not be sustained, because the support meant for them had not been given, and so they had to leave their ministry to survive. The result was that God's house was forsaken, its work stopped, not through anyone's hostility but through the neglect of providing for those who served. This is a sobering lesson: neglecting to support God's work and those who labor in it is not a harmless oversight but can lead to the work itself being abandoned. Nehemiah took the neglect seriously, contended with the rulers, restored the provision, and set the servants back in their place. The support of God's work and servants is not optional or trivial; when it is neglected, the work suffers and can be forsaken. To attend to the support of those who serve God, and of his work, is important, lest the work fail for lack of it. Neglecting to sustain God's work can cause it to be abandoned. The support of God's servants is worth attending to.

That is worth taking to heart, for neglecting to support God's work and those who serve can lead to the work being forsaken, and we do well to attend to it. We can neglect the support of God's work and servants, treating it as unimportant; but Nehemiah found that such neglect had led to God's house being forsaken, the servants forced to abandon their ministry for lack of provision. The support of God's work and those who labor in it matters; when neglected, the work suffers. Do not neglect the support of God's work and those who serve in it; attend to it, as Nehemiah restored the provision so the work would not be forsaken. Attend to the support of God's work and those who serve in it rather than neglecting it, as Nehemiah, finding that the neglected provision had forced the Levites and singers to abandon their ministry and had left God's house forsaken, restored the provision and set the servants back in their place; for neglecting to sustain God's work and its servants is not a harmless oversight but can lead to the work itself being abandoned, not through ill will but through want of support, so that to attend to the provision for those who serve God, and for his work, matters, lest the work suffer and be forsaken for lack of it.

Lord, when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem, he discovered that the support meant for the Levites and singers who served in your house had not been given, and as a result these servants had been forced to abandon their ministry and return to their fields to survive. I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, Nehemiah says, so that the Levites and the singers who did the work had each fled to his field. The neglect of providing for your servants had led to your house being forsaken; the work stopped because those who did it could not be sustained. Nehemiah confronts this, restores the provision, and sets the servants back in their place. Show me the chain Nehemiah perceived: the provision was neglected, so the servants fled to their fields, so your house was forsaken. The Levites and singers were not unwilling to serve; but they could not be sustained, and so they had to leave their ministry. The result was that your house was forsaken, not through anyone's hostility but through the neglect of providing for those who served. This is a sobering lesson: neglecting to support your work and those who labor in it is not a harmless oversight but can lead to the work itself being abandoned. Nehemiah took the neglect seriously and restored the provision. Take that to my heart, for neglecting to support your work and those who serve can lead to the work being forsaken, and I do well to attend to it. I can neglect the support of your work and servants, treating it as unimportant; but Nehemiah found that such neglect had left your house forsaken. Keep me from neglecting the support of your work and those who serve in it; help me attend to it, Lord, as Nehemiah restored the provision so the work would not be forsaken, for the support of those who serve you matters lest the work fail for lack of it.