“[The document was ratified and sealed with…the following Levites…]:
Kadmiel, and their fellow Levites:
Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita…”
Nehemiah 10:9b-10a NLT
Last time we began with the Levites who signed our document, remembering God gives ear to His people, full of dignity and well-favored. Today we step into the next three Levite names.
First is Kadmiel (Ezra 3:9, Nehemiah 9:4) – “God is the ancient one” from qedem – aforetime, east, front, formerly, everlasting, ancient, past.
Don’t you love knowing there is Someone Who has always been? Even if it takes a minute to ponder – then nearly implodes your mind as you do – it is one of the most reassuring Truths of which we can remind ourselves.
One of my favorite characteristics in another person is loyalty. When someone has been by your side, saving your hide, for over a year, what a gift. Over five years, what a joy. For more than a decade? My friends, you have a celebration on your hands.
How much more faithful marriages of fifty years? Friendships which span decades and generations of family stories and branches of its tree? Even these gifts pale in comparison to the everlasting nature of Yahweh. Elohim – Creator God. El Elyon, God Most High. El Olam, the Everlasting One.
This idea of Him being before time is spectacular enough, but what about His absolute perfection throughout? Not a spot of selfishness, not one drop of mean-spiritedness. Never has He been sinfully impatient nor abusive and cruel. This spotless, pristine character was true before the creation of the world and will still be enduring when we’ve been there 10,000 years. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Not changing with His moods or shifting opinions based on new data. He has all the data. He does not need new information. He knows all, sees all, and is all-powerful through infinity.
Our next Levite’s name, the first of Kadmiel’s “fellow Levites,” is Shebaniah which means, “Yah has grown.” We have seen this name in Nehemiah 9:4-5 as the Israelites are confessing their sins and the Levites step in and command praise:
“Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” (Nehemiah 9:5b)
And once again we have our Everlasting God. Perhaps that is the secret to Yah growing us: relying less and less on our own strength, courage, and understanding, and leaning into His. Remembering He is from before time and there will be no god after Him. That it is He Who forms the light and creates darkness. From the beginning.
Our next Levite is Hodiah which means, “My Splendor is Yah.” It comes from Yah and hod – splendor, majesty, vigor, authority, beauty, glory, honor, natural color.
We have seen this name before in Nehemiah 8 when Ezra read the Law aloud from His platform. Hodiah was one of the Levites who helped interpret the Hebrew and explain the meaning to the people. Now here he is signing our covenant to obey the God of Israel.
Do you genuinely believe your splendor is Yah? What about the Church in our day, His Bride in our generation? Does the splendor come from Him more than programs and performances? Is His the source of all authority in our lives and His beauty what captivates us?
I think we will know if this is true for us when we see the fruit of it in our collective lives: feet washed and a considering of others better than ourselves. Daily crosses borne and falling to the ground to die like a seed in order to live. Lives drenched in the Word and growth, too concerned with the brokenness we see and a world dying without hope, to waste time attacking others. Too much is at stake and the task too full of purpose to squander it.
Let’s turn our focus to the Source of all beauty and majesty, vigor and authority. Just like my hair roots, when we wait long enough our true colors come through. Our sin is exposed, and we all struggle. But may He find us faithful to confessing our sins, sincerely repenting, and walking by His Spirit.
We have seen the final name listed on here before: Kelita,”whose name comes from qalat – to be stunted, to maim, lacking in his parts. Its only use is in Leviticus 22:22-25 when talking about a less-than-perfect sacrifice for a freewill offering:
‘Don’t try giving God an animal that is blind, crippled, mutilated, an animal with running sores, a rash, or mange. Don’t place any of these on the Altar as a gift to God. You may, though, offer an ox or sheep that is deformed or stunted as a Freewill-Offering, but it is not acceptable in fulfilling a vow. Don’t offer to God an animal with bruised, crushed, torn, or cut-off testicles. Don’t do this in your own land but don’t accept them from foreigners and present them as food for your God either. Because of deformities and defects they will not be acceptable.’ (MSG)” (source)
Verses like these not only make me grateful for the Ultimate Sacrifice of Jesus, but cause me to selah about the Holiness of our One True God. Giving Him less than what He has asked is an affront to Him. The only way to fulfill the vow of making Him our Savior and authority in all of life is to accept He had to do it for us. Come and take our place, walk in our mess, and take it all on Himself.
And so, with Paul, “in view of God’s mercy,” we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Him. We lay on that altar, and lay back down when our stubborn sin keeps encouraging us to get up. No, it’s not a perfect offering to a perfect God, it is stunted and lacking and never enough. But because of Him it is. It is. Our lives laid down for His glory every day is our offering.
And the Ancient One is honored.