Solemnly and publicly the people of Judah had pledged themselves to obey the law of God. But when the influence of Ezra and Nehemiah was for a time withdrawn, there were many who departed from the Lord. Nehemiah had returned to Persia. During his absence from Jerusalem, evils crept in that threatened to pervert the nation. Idolaters not only gained a foothold in the city, but contaminated by their presence the very precincts of the temple. Through intermarriage, a friendship had been brought about between Eliashib the high priest and Tobiah the Ammonite, Israel's bitter enemy. As a result of this unhallowed alliance, Eliashib had permitted Tobiah to occupy an apartment connected with the temple, which heretofore had been used as a storeroom for tithes and offerings of the people.

Det skaber altid varig glæde at søge Herren af et oprigtigt hjerte. Når en synder giver efter for Helligåndens påvirkning, ser han sin egen skyld og besmittelse i modsætning til den store hjertegranskers hellighed. Han føler sig fordømt på grund af sin synd, men han skal ikke fortvivle, for hans benådning er allerede sikret. Han kan glæde sig i bevidstheden om, at hans synder er tilgivet, og at hans himmelske Fader elsker ham. Guds herlighed består netop i at han tager syndige, angrende mennesker i sin kærlige favn, forbinder deres sår, renser dem for synd og ifører dem frelsens klæder.