The names of the priests who placed their seal on the document to seal the covenant are listed from verse two to eight, names of the Levites and their brethren from verse nine to verse thirteen, and names of the leaders from verse fourteen to verse twenty-seven.
The rest of the people-the priests, the Levites, the gate-keepers, the singers, the Nethinim (temple servants who did menial work in the sanctuary- ref: Ezra 2:43), and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives and sons and daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding-these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law which was given to Moses the servant of God, and to observe and to do all the commandments of the LORD their God, and His ordinances and His statutes.
Firstly, they would not give their daughters as wives to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for their sons (v.28-30).
Secondly, if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, they would not buy it from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. They would forgo the seventh year’s produce and the exacting of every debt (v.31).
Thirdly, they made ordinances for themselves to exact yearly from themselves one-third of a shekel for the service of the house of the LORD God, for the showbread, for the regular grain offering, for the regular burnt offering of the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the set feasts, for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of the LORD (v.32-33).
Fourthly they cast lots among the priests, the Levites and the people, for bringing the wood offering into the house of the LORD according to their fathers’ houses at the appointed times year by year, to burn on the altar of the LORD God as was written in the Law (v.34).
Fifthly, they made ordinances to bring the first fruits of the ground and of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to bring the first born of their sons and of their herds and of their flocks as written in the Law to the priests who minister in the house of the LORD, to bring the first fruits of their dough, their offerings, the fruit of all kinds of trees, the new wine and oil to the storerooms in the house of the LORD, the tithes of their land to the Levites.
The Levites after having received the tithes in all the farming communities were to bring a tenth of the tithes to the house of the LORD to the rooms of the storehouse (v.35-38).
The children of Israel and the children of Levi were to bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary of the temple were, where the priests who ministered and the gatekeepers and the singers were, so that they would not neglect the house of the LORD (v.39).
COMMENTARY
The Levites, the priests and the leaders placed their seal in the document to seal the covenant made with the LORD. Ordained preachers, elders and deacons, church council members are the priests and leaders amongst the brethren in the house of the LORD, the church of the living God.
They ought to be courageous in faith and have the sense of commission to place their seal on the covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ to serve Him wholeheartedly with all their soul and all their strength (Eph.4:11- 12; I Pet. 4:10-11; II Tim.1:11-12; II Cor.12:12).
The rest of the Israelites and Levites and the people separated themselves from the peoples of the land to the Law of God. Those with knowledge and understanding entered into an oath to walk in God’s law which was given to Moses, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes and ordinances. They obligated themselves to do the aforesaid five things, recorded from verse 28 to verse 38.
Brethren in the house of God, the church of the living God, who are baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ are His children and members of the body of Christ. We are obligated by covenant of His blood to be holy and consecrated, not to intermarry with unbelievers and the non-baptised, to make regular monetary offerings and tithes so that the church of the Lord Jesus in carrying out the commission of the gospel of salvation to all the nations may be financially equipped, that the needs of the full-time workers and preachers are provided for, that the regular religious activities and worship services including the keeping of the Sabbath day according to the commandment of God may be faithfully carried out.
True Jesus Church brethren ought to obey the commandment of the LORD to keep the Sabbath day holy, consecrate ourselves from secular work and activities on the holy day, and assemble together in holy convocation to observe the seventh day of the week. Those with gifts of serving, of music and singing, of speaking sermons and interpretation, and those with possessions ought to offer such gifts and goods to the church to bring them to the ‘storerooms’ in the house of God (I Pet. 4:10-11).
TEACHINGS
Preachers and church ministers are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ and bondservants of the church. They serve Him and the brethren willingly and not by compulsion, imitating Christ to lead the flock of His sheep by example (I Cor.4:1; II Cor. 4:5-7; I Pet.5:2-4).
They ought to be strong in the Lord and courageous in faith to keep the word of truth, not turning to the left nor to the right. Taking heed to themselves, they give entirely their all to the doctrine (Josh. 1:6-9; II Tim. 2:1-3; I Tim. 4:6, 14-17).
Their labour is not in vain in the Lord, for they are steadfast and immovable and abounding in His work (I Cor. 15:58).
Serve the Lord Jesus Christ cheerfully and offer generously to Him (I Cor. 9:16-17, 19-23; II Cor. 9:6-8; Gal. 6:9-10).
If we brethren offer our possessions and serve Him with the gifts which He has given us, and bring them into the storerooms of the house of God, the church of the Lord would not be forsaken but be filled with abundance.
The grace and glory and the presence of the Lord Almighty shall be evident among us (Neh. 13:11-13; Acts 4:32-35; 5:12-16).
Keep the Sabbath day holy. Abstain from secular activities and turn our feet from doing our pleasure on His holy day.
Call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honourable.
Honour the LORD, not doing our own ways nor finding our own pleasure nor speaking our own words, and thus delight ourselves in the LORD.
Then would He cause us to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed us with the heritage of Jacob the father of the Israelite nation (Isa. 58:13-14). Would He bring us to His holy mountain and make us joyful in His house of prayer. Would He accept our burnt offerings and sacrifices on His altar (Isa. 56:6-8).
