Many folks are spiritually blind and have to be led by believers to see the truth in God’s word, because people aren’t born with the Holy Spirit, which would help them understand on their own. While it is true that the Spirit of God does lead folks to the place of believing and embracing Christ as Savior, that is usually done with the help of believers. Nevertheless, even believers can be spiritually blind about a specific truth. We are able to understand this is true, simply by looking at all the differing denominations of Christianity. They can’t all be correct in what they claim about Christ and the Gospel. So, error usually occurs, because folks have been taught error by well-respected men in the faith. Therefore, simply because one has been given the Spirit of God, doesn’t mean one cannot embrace error or be deceived about a specific matter.[1]
I make this point to unveil the error many scholars have made, in that they believe the coming of Nehemiah occurred after that of Ezra. Both the books of Ezra and Nehemiah conclude in the same season, which embraces the Jews’ conviction of their sin, their repentance, and their making of a covenant to obey the Law of Moses. Some scholars claim Nehemiah explains in chapter ten what he previously referred to in prayer (Nehemiah 9:38). Yet, that prayer was uttered by certain Levites and other Jewish authorities named in Nehemiah 9:4-5. Nothing is mentioned in chapter nine that Nehemiah made a public prayer. While this seems to be a small thing, it does add to the great error that the books of Ezra and Nehemiah occur one after the other with Ezra coming first and Nehemiah coming later. This, simply, isn’t so. While Ezra begins first, both books occur concurrently, with Ezra, the scribe, the priest, coming after both the Temple of God and the walls of Jerusalem had been built, most of which was done under the leadership of Nehemiah. Moreover, it is Ezra, not Nehemiah, who convicts the Jews of their sin of rebellion. What Nehemiah did was enforce the commandment of Ezra that the people of God must remain separate from the heathen (Nehemiah 13:28-30; cp. Nehemiah 6:17-28; Ezra 10:3-8).
So, Ezra’s preaching from the Law in chapter eight, led to the people’s conviction and ultimate confession of their sin in chapter nine, which led to their repentance, which, in chapter ten, was sealed with their covenant with God to separate themselves from the heathen, who are referred to in the text as the people of the lands (Nehemiah 10:28). Of those who signed the covenant agreement, the text refers to four different groups or classes. First, we have Nehemiah the Tirshatha or governor of the land (Nehemiah 10:1), next come the priests (Nehemiah 10:2-8), and, then, the Levites (Nehemiah 10:9-13). Finally, we come to what the text describes as the chief of the people (Nehemiah 10:14-27). Socially, they appear to be nobility of the land, because two of these groups, the priests and the Levites, are repeated in the text at Nehemiah 10:28. There, they are mentioned with the rest of the people, saying altogether they made covenant with God and separated themselves from the people of the lands, cleaving to their brethren, the nobles etc. (Nehemiah 10:29).
So, the nobility of the land, signed their names first, and the people, including the priests and the Levites followed (cp. Nehemiah 10:29). Thus, whether for good or for evil, the common folk almost always follow those whom they recognize as their leaders or superiors.
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[1] Consider how Peter had to be convinced that God had cleansed the gentiles, and they could be received into the faith just as they are (Acts 10:9-16, 34, 35, 44-48). However, Peter and Barnabas were found in error, and both were rebuked by Paul, when they were led to separate themselves from believing gentiles by the men “from James” (Galatians 2:11-14).
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