Recommitting to Marital Purity | Nehemiah 10:30

We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons. — Nehemiah 10:30

CALL OUT: To Richard Maisel, one of our subscribers from Council Bluffs, IA. Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel.

The section from verses 30-39 lists specific changes the people agreed to make as a community with God. It's clear as you read it they read the Law of Moses and discovered that there were some things they were doing that they should not have been doing. For the next three devotionals, I am going to break these down into three parts:

Marital Purity (Nehemiah 10:30).
Sabbath Renewal (Nehemiah 10:31).
Temple Priority (Nehemiah 10:32-39).

Today, we will focus on the first tenet of their rededication, their recommitment to marital purity.

Most of you following me through the book will remember in Nehemiah 6:17-19, that we discussed the challenges of their intermarriage with the Persians. (Read Here) During the period when the Israelites were captives in Babylon, Assyria, and later in Persia, they naturally intermarried with foreigners who did not share their belief in God. Given the plunder of the nation and the destruction of the wall, city, and temple, they became distant from the Scripture and slipped into forbidden practices. Religious intermarriage was one of these unlawful practices.

This always happens when we distance ourselves from Scripture. We slip into forbidden practices because sinful and selfish people will always take the path of least resistance.

But as we saw in the previous chapter, the leadership and people get reacquainted with the Scripture. When they read it, they were convicted by what they read, which is both interesting and challenging.

First, it's interesting because religious intermarriages were a source of tension for Nehemiah during the rebuilding of the wall. Some of the civic leaders of Israel had children who intermarried with the leaders of Persia and, therefore, sympathized with them during the rebuilding of the wall. These families worked to hijack the communication and incite fear in hopes of preventing the project's progression. And Nehemiah had to call it out. Thus, unbiblical marriages created conflicts of interest and tensions that were obstacles to rebuilding and renewal.

Second, I am sure addressing the matter of intermarriage was also challenging. Addressing something the people had readily accepted and only now discovered is unacceptable is tough to confront and change. It is especially difficult when it is something like a marriage between two people who have become emotionally, spiritually, and sexually entangled with the religion of the opposition. As we know, there was a large percentage of the civic leaders of Israel who were already intermarried and had to have been deeply grieved by this. But still, they agree to this first tenet—a renewal of marital purity.

As I have deepened my relationship with Scripture, I've gained profound insights into the sacredness of marriage. When rooted in a shared belief in God, this holy union holds immeasurable richness and strength. However, I've also witnessed the challenges and often the heartache in marriages where two people hold differing religious beliefs. Through these experiences, I've come to understand that for a marriage to thrive, it must be built on a foundation of aligned spiritual values and beliefs. It only works by the rules God instructs—a marriage between one man and one woman who are both believers for a lifetime.

I was recently taken aback by a testimony from a young Christian man who had married a young woman who was not a believer. This young couple had their first child. Then, a few years later, his wife wanted to reassign the gender of their child. Because he disagreed and his (Christian) views were considered abusive, fundamental, and unloving, they were divorced, and the child was forcibly removed from his custody. Now, the future of his child, his flesh and blood, is going to be subject to an ideology that he disagrees with that will affect this child and this man for the rest of their lives. This is a very vivid illustration of the dangers of two competing religious beliefs within marriage.

The only way marriage works is God's way. God designed man and woman. Marriage was his idea. It is not a cultural construct that we can manipulate to our liking. It was constructed in the mind of God, and he has rules for it. Like it or not, they are his rules. But when we abide by his rules and live under his reign, we find everything: companionship, alignment, blessing, continuity, and emotional, spiritual, and sexual fulfillment.

So, if you are unmarried or a young man or young woman listening today, do not compromise on this. You may think you can convince them to side with your beliefs over time, but this rarely happens. What ends up happening is you both make compromises, and over time, it leads to drift, and before you know it, your family and the next generation are a long way off from God. You will be in the same situation that some of these people were. Instead, I want to implore you to be dedicated to the principles of Scripture upholding the sanctity of marriage. Just do it God's way. It's the best way. And in your dedication to Scripture and God, pray that he will bring you a believing spouse that will result in your pleasure and God's glory for you, your marriage, and your next generation.

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ASK THIS:

In what ways does the story of the Israelites' struggle with marital purity in Nehemiah 10:30 challenge your current understanding of the importance of shared faith in marriage? How can these insights be applied in your own life or in guiding others towards making spiritually aligned marital choices?

Reflect on a time when you, or someone you know, faced a challenge due to differing religious beliefs in a relationship. How did it impact the relationship's dynamics, and what lessons can be learned about the importance of shared spiritual values in building a strong, God-centered marriage?

DO THIS: Take Scripture and marriage seriously.

PRAY THIS: Father, guide me in understanding and upholding the sacredness of marriage as You designed, and help me to seek a partner who shares my faith and commitment to You, so that together we may glorify Your name in our union. Grant me wisdom and strength to make choices that align with Your will, fostering a relationship that is blessed and rooted in Your love. Amen.

PLAY THIS: Carry You Through.