If that video did not shake you men, i don’t know what will. Preaching Nehemiah 13 last Sunday made me realize some thing.

GOD HAS GIVEN MEN THE RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD. IF WE FAIL TO LEAD – EVERYTHING ELSE FAILS.

On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to give attention to the words of the Law. Nehemiah 8:13

This verse made the difference. Change started happening when the head of the household (MEN) takes over spiritual leadership, family leadership, and leadership roles in general.

I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing — desecrating the Sabbath day? Nehemiah 13:17
Didn’t your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.” Nehemiah 13:18

When the men failed – everybody followed. Nehemiah had to fight for the city and he did this by dealing with the men.

But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. Nehemiah 13:21

Talk about a fighting preacher!!! Nehemiah’s laying on of hands did not just impart anointing but bruises as well.
Not only were the fathers sinning but even the single men joined the sinning spree.

Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. Nehemiah 13:23
Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah. Nehemiah 13:24
I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. Nehemiah 13:25
Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. Nehemiah 13:26
Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?” Nehemiah 13:27

Before Nehemiah 13 – the single men promised not to marry girls who don’t love God. But in less than 7 years – they were back to their old ways. They were marrying women who did not love or worship God.

WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?

TOLERANCE!

part 2 tomorrow