Tobiah's Chamber Nehemiah 13:4-9 I. Introduction. A. Background of Nehemiah. B. In the process of "renovating" you often discover a problem you did not know existed. C. Tobiah's Chamber(a great chamber): Nehemiah 13:4-9. 1. Who was Eliashib?(His responsibilities) 2. What about Tobiah?(Ammonite: Allied with other enemies of God's people). D. Hard to imagine--yet--Isrealites had problems with unholy alliances --and--at times, easily influenced. II. Body. A. Why was a chamber made for an enemy? 1. The priest and Tobiah were allies. a. Define: Ally-joined with another(often, of relative). b. For one with close association, we do favors(natural!). c. But one can be allied with wrong person. 2. Fixed a great chamber: in the temple! a. Eliashib took something holy and profaned it! b. The reaction of a righteous man: Nehemiah. c. Nehemiah purged the chamber. d. Destroyed/removed every influence of Tobiah. e. Put the chamber back to proper use for the Lord. 3. When you invite the enemy into your sanctuary(and take care of him), you till pay the price. B. A Tobiah's chamber can be built into congregations. 1. Replace Bible teaching with human wisdom. a. Too often: what is a small closet becomes a great chamber. b. The social gospel is human wisdom(comment on creation, morality, etc. as other examples). c. We are to: Mark 16:15. d. In every city--in every country--the apostles preached the word of God: Acts 8:4. 2. Replace Bible standards with denominational ways. a. The church is a spiritual institution: not an earthly. b. The appeal to the flesh insults God! c. All the Eliashibs are not dead! d. Note: I Corinthians 4:6. 3. Substitute Bible language with language of Ashdod. a. There is a new language being borne.(give examples) b. Explain the role of language. c. Lest we forget: I Peter 4:11. 4. Replace God's divine standards with human standards. a. In God's church one finds: saints, elders, deacons and evangelists(ministers). b. Each congregation was self-governing under Christ. c. Worship was simple and straightforward--followed divine pattern. d. With what do we measure? Note: Revelation 11:1. 5. When the spirit of compromise invades a congregation, it is building a Tobiah's chamber. a. Tobiah(and Sanballat) had sought this with Nehemiah: but God's servant refused to be moved. b. Compromise always hurts the truth--gives ground to error. c. A congregation that allows Tobiah's Chamber to exist-- will eventually lose her identity. B. Tobiah's Chamber may find it's way into the lives of disciples. 1. Begins in the inner chamber of the mind. a. A softening toward error or sin becomes apparent. b. One begins to change his/her thinking--reasoning in such a way to give room for invasion. c. It is not wrong to change--in fact, we must--to do right! d. The proper reasoning: Acts 24:25. e. Out of the mind: Matthew 15:19. f. If one does not think it, one will not do it. g. Proverbs 12:15. 2. Compromise(as with the church) is the next step. a. In Tobiah's Chamber evil does not appear as sinful. (1 There is little(if any) light to expose its faults. (2 In the dimness--it may even take on a "proper" appearance. (3 Everything from social dancing to drug abuse and beyond can occur in "Tobiah's Chamber"(and be acceptable). (4 A warning: Isaiah 5:20. b. Compromise leads to enticement: enticement can lead to compromise. 3. As evil takes root in Tobiah's Chamber--it grows beyond the early confinement. a. Nehemiah knew the affect it would have upon the Hebrews-- stopping its spread was the only way. b. Or--Tobiah's Chamber could engulf the life of the person. c. From a thief to a betrayer describes Judas. d. The spirit of Saul towards David. e. Consider: Philippians 4:8. f. Eliashib is synonymous with the forces that would induce saints to do evil. 4. The spirit of error finds place in the mind--Tobiah's chamber! a. What often starts as an "inquiry" is evidence of a basic uneasiness with the truth. b. From asking a few "pointed" questions(actually--these are statements) to a complete departure from the faith is a matter of steps and time. c. Does this mean it is wrong to question? Not at all-- healthy discussion promotes growth. d. There is a great difference fin factiousness and truth-seeking. One is in Tobiah's Chamber and the other is the spirit of truth. e. Remember--in this area: Proverbs 23:7. f. When the spirit of error(Tobiah's Chamber) encloses the person's mind--he loses his identity--as does a church. III. Conclusion. A. Nehemiah's reaction: 1. Recognized the problem: verses 4-5. 2. Identified the problem: verse 7. 3. Handled the problem: verse 8-9. B. Give us more "Nehemiahs!" 1. One evil person may do much damage--as Eliashib. 2. One strong man may do much good--as Nehemiah.-jy