In Nehemiah, chapter thirteen, verse twelve, Nehemiah restored worship in the temple, along with the ministries of the Levites and singers. As a result, the people were bringing their tithes to the very room that Eliashib had given to Tobiah. People are much more willing to tithe when they see the worship of God bringing blessing. God also raised Malachi about this time. His exhortation emphasized God’s blessing for faithful tithers, as in Malachi three, verse ten.
Tithing has been primarily a matter of blessing rather than law. Even before God gave His law at Mount Sinai, Abraham received the blessing from Melchizedek that he gave a tithe of all he had, as in Genesis fourteen, verses nineteen through twenty. The Spirit-filled believer loves to give and to share, just as the early believers did, as in Acts two, verses forty-four through forty-five, chapter four, verses thirty-four to thirty-seven, and chapter eleven, verses twenty-eight to thirty, respectively.
If a sacred character does not keep men from setting an evil example, it must not shelter anyone from deserved blame and punishment. The Levites misled, and their portions not been given to them. They were gone to get livelihoods for themselves and their families, for their profession would not maintain them. Maintenance is not sufficient, which makes a poor ministry. Nehemiah laid the fault upon the rulers.
Both ministers and people who forsake religion and the services, and magistrates who do not know what they can to keep them to it, will have much to answer for. He delayed not bringing the Levites to their places again and was concerned only about the payment. Nehemiah, on every occasion, looked up to God and committed himself and all his affairs to Him. It pleased him to think he had been able to revive and support religion in his country. Nehemiah here refers to God, not in pride, but with a humble appeal concerning his honest intentions. He prays, “Remember me,” not reward me. Wipe not out my good deeds: not publish them or record them. Yet Nehemiah received a reward, and for his good deeds were recorded. God does more than we can ask.