It occurs to me that had God not sent His people, Israel, to “the woodshed” in Babylon, Paul would never have written his second letter to Timothy (or, for that fact, any of his letters). If God had not driven out idol worship from the corrupted DNA of His ancient chosen people through the destruction of Jerusalem and 70 years as exiles in a foreign land, Paul would not have had the inner material to zealously seek the God of Abraham . . . and in so doing, encounter the Son of God.

What’s impressing me this morning, as I read Nehemiah 10, is the degree to which God turned the hearts of the people away from false God’s and back to His Word and His ways. I know that by the time Jesus was born the religious elite had twisted God’s commands . . . that they had created an elite status for themselves as they proudly laid claim to keeping all the laws of God (and few more they made up themselves). But at least they were wired to want to keep the Law of God. As I think about the alternative, a people still “cheating” on God as they flirt and defile themselves with gods that are not gods, I gotta think that the “re-wiring” God did within the heart of the people of Jacob set the foundation for discovering true freedom in Christ . . . “the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ” (Gal. 3:24 NIV) . . . even if it had to “detour” through “Legalistic Lane”, “Arrogant Avenue”, “Boastful Boulevard”, and “Sanctimonious Street” to get there.

So here’s what grabbed me in Nehemiah 10 . . . and the connection with 2Timothy 3 . . .

After some intense Bible teaching by Ezra and his accompanying teachers, . . . and after some heaven-sent conviction through the Spirit . . . Nehemiah and the people “make a firm covenant in writing” (Neh. 9:38) to follow the ways God had laid out in the writings of Moses. They had been brought back to “the Book” . . . back to the beginning . . . back to basics . . . it was time to do the fundamentals again. And so they wrote out a pledge . . .

“The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and his rules and his statutes.” (Nehemiah 10:28-29 ESV)

They separated themselves unto the Law of God. They made a choice . . . the world or the Word? . . .and the Word won. Back to obedience!

Because of that defining decision . . . hundreds of years later . . . a zealous, arrogant, Pharisee of the Pharisees from Tarsus . . . in pursuit of obedience . . . would encounter the Living Word of God . . . the Risen Christ. And he would return to ancient counsel as he encouraged a young, upstart shepherd to “keep on keepin’ on” . . .

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2Timothy 3:14-15 ESV)

Continue in what you have learned . . . in what you have firmly believed . . . the sacred writings. Separate yourself from the world and unto the Word . . . walk in God’s way . . . observe and do what God commands. Can I really fully encounter my God apart from a holy determination and desire to walk in obedience? I’m thinkin’ not.

Trust and obey . . . for there’s no other way . . .