“The Language Of Ashdod”

 “The Language Of Ashdod”

Jarrod M. Jacobs

                  Nehemiah left the king’s palace to help the people rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Through his leadership, they were rebuilt in 52 days (Neh. 6:15). Nehemiah, however, had not left Xerxes’ court indefinitely. He had promised to return (Neh. 2:6) and did. After a time, Nehemiah returned to his people in Jerusalem (Neh. 13:6). He was very disappointed at what he found when he returned. Among other things, Nehemiah saw that the men had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. As a result, their children were raised to speak the “language of Ashdod” (Neh. 13:23-24).

            In our age of multiculturalism, someone might ask why this was an issue. Why was Nehemiah upset? Shouldn’t Nehemiah have encouraged the people to embrace the vibrant fabric of all cultures that make up the tapestry of humanity? What we find in the Bible is that not all cultures are worthy of emulation or respect. In our study, we see that Nehemiah lists the reasons why marrying those foreign wives was a cause for shame.

            First, it was an issue because since the children spoke in the “language of Ashdod,” they could not speak in the Jews’ language (Neh. 13:24). Why is this significant? Remember that “the Jews’ language,” i.e., Hebrew, was the language of revelation in those days. Therefore, if the children could not speak in Hebrew, then they could not understand the word of God, nor teach it to their children as God intended (Deut. 6:1-9, 11:19)!

            Nehemiah condemned this act, calling it a “great evil” (Neh. 13:27). No doubt, this is because of what God had said in Deuteronomy 7. A passage, incidentally, which had been read to them not that long ago (Neh. 8:1-8). He also reminded them of what had happened to Solomon when he married the “strange women” during his reign (Neh. 13:26; I Kings 11). These “outlandish women” caused him to sin, and the point he was making is that these women were doing the same to the men in Jerusalem! Not only had they caused the men to sin, but they had so influenced the children that they could not even speak in “the Jews’ language” to understand what God had said and what needed to be done to please God!

            What lessons can we learn from this event (Rom. 15:4)? Let me suggest that even though there is not a specific statement about Christians marrying Christians, as the Jews had, unmarried Christians need to take a good, hard look at the character of the person they want to marry. Is the person you want to marry a Christian? If not, why not? Is the person you want to marry someone who believes in God? Does he/she have any moral bearings whatsoever? Is the person you want to marry someone who wants to go to Heaven? Our world pushes the superficial (looks, money, fame, etc.) and makes this seem to be the most essential factor. Not so! Our children need to be taught to look beyond superficial things and see the real person. Is this someone who will help me raise my children so we can go to Heaven (Eph. 6:4)?

            It is sad to see Christians who do not look past the superficial. They then marry someone who has no interest in spiritual matters. While a spouse who is a strong Christian might survive in this environment, often, the children are the ones who suffer. Perhaps they are not taught God’s word or are taught by one parent while the other scoffs, since this parent is not familiar with God’s “language” (to borrow a metaphor). In my short life, I can give you a long list of children who grew up with only one parent as a Christian, and they are not faithful today. The worldly parent seemed to sway the children more than the Christian (the reasons vary), and the children walked away from God. The children know nothing of God’s word, His truth, His mercy, etc. They speak “the language of Ashdod” when talking about spiritual truth. They only know, “this is what my mom (or dad) believed.”

            While no specific New Testament passage exists that strictly forbids a Christian from marrying a non-Christian, it is crucial to understand the potential consequences. More often than not, such marriages lead to heartache and lost souls. Some non-Christians convert and live happily with faithful children (I Pet. 3:1-6), but these are exceptions. Most spouses don't have that experience. Unmarried Christian, don’t assume it won’t happen to you! Are you willing to risk your or your future children's souls on an exception? I’m not! Nehemiah wisely condemned such actions. We need more like him today.