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In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates—Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.”
But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.
Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written:
“It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”
I sent him this reply: “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.”
They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”
But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”
One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.”
But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!” I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.
Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
Nehemiah 6:1-16
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light. Job 12:22
He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. Daniel 2:22
He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. 1 Corinthians 4:5
People can be downright evil sometimes and not always in an obvious fashion. No, some of the most wicked things that are carried out are carefully schemed and executed. But no matter the level of meticulousness applied to planning malicious deeds, nothing is hidden from the eyes of God, the One who exposes darkness because He is the Light of the world.
We see this truth played out in Nehemiah, Chapter 6, as Nehemiah’s adversaries persist in trying to undermine his efforts to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem. We read in our passage where word had traveled to “Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of (Israel’s) enemies” that Jerusalem’s wall had been rebuilt with “not a gap…left in it.”
Having seen their previous attempts to thwart the Israelite effort, Sanballat and Geshem schemed to harm Nehemiah, sending a request that they all “meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But Nehemiah was onto them. God was not going to allow dark deceit to triumph over any of His plans to rebuild and protect His holy city and His people abiding within.
And so, Nehemiah sent a message to his enemies saying, “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” His opponents refused to give up, sending the same message four more times. In each instance, Nehemiah “gave them the same answer.” Sanballat sent his aide for a fifth time “with the same message” but this time there was an additional “unsealed letter” delivered which said the following:
“It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”
Have you seen this happen to you in the past? Someone chooses to oppose you and will go to no end to slander you, even if it means they need to craft a lie and spread it around. In the case of Sanballat and Nehemiah’s enemies, they chose to suggest Nehemiah was only rebuilding the walls and gates for his own political gain. After Jerusalem was again secured, then Nehemiah would declare himself king of Judah and revolt against King Artaxerxes, the very king who allowed him to go to Jerusalem in the first place. Sanballat hoped that threatening to propagate the lie to Babylon would frighten Nehemiah and the Israelites to stop their work toward rebuilding Jerusalem.
His hopes were dashed when Nehemiah responded to the letter by saying, “Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head.” Then Nehemiah turned to God and prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”
As we face opposition in our lives, especially those who would scheme against us, we should follow Nehemiah’s example and pray for strength…strength to persevere and endure…strength to remain faithful in God’s ability to frustrate the efforts of those coming against us. God will deliver all the strength we need to make it through our circumstances. We need only turn to Him in trust.
Yes, Nehemiah needed God’s strength because his enemies were not done yet. For as we continue our study of Chapter 6, we see where they even try to get to Nehemiah from inside his ranks.
For we read where Nehemiah visited the “house of Shemaiah…who was shut in at his home.” Shemaiah, thought to be a priest, made a proposition to Nehemiah suggesting that the two of them “meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and…close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.” This request was insidious on a couple of levels.
First, Shemaiah was suggesting that Nehemiah should hide from his predicted attackers in the temple…the “house of God”. This would have been viewed as cowardly at best but it wouldn’t have been the worse result. For Nehemiah was just a layman and thus not permitted by God’s lay to enter the house of God. Operating in the dark, Shemaiah was trying to lure Nehemiah out of the light of God and into sinful action by using the threat of attack. But God and Nehemiah would have none of it.
Back to the scriptures where Nehemiah replies to Shemaiah saying, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!”
Nehemiah had “realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.” Shemaiah had been “hired to intimidate” Nehemiah so that he would “commit a sin” and become discredited. If God had sent Shemaiah, then the proposition would have not suggested sinful actions. Nehemiah recognized this and saw Shemaiah for what he was…a false prophet.
And so the plot was again hindered and the work continued, reaching completion “on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.” The news of this achievement unsettled the enemies of Israel who “realized that (the) work had been done with the help of…God”…the God who had taken all of their dark schemes and brought them into the light. This realization left the enemies afraid and void of self-confidence for they in no way could ever find victory over any people who had God with them.
Friends, our enemies will end up the same as the enemies of Israel eventually…frustrated by how their dark deeds fail to find success when brought against someone with God on their side. For God will always expose anything done in the dark, casting His glorious light upon anything evil. He did in the days of Nehemiah…and He is still doing so today.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
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Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
BEING ACCOUNTABLE
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”
Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”
When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
“We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.
Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.
Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.
Nehemiah 5
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As the Israelites set out to rebuild the gates and walls around Jerusalem, there were no shortage of enemies in the surrounding areas that caused concern and unrest among the people. But as Nehemiah Chapter 5 opens we find there are internal problems in Jerusalem as well.
For “men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews” with “some…saying, ‘We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.’ Still “others were saying, ‘We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine” and “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”
Issues within the Jerusalem social structure were placing a strain on an already stressed community.
This brought great distress to Nehemiah who was angered “when (he) heard (the) outcry and…charges.” After pondering them in his mind, Nehemiah “accused the nobles and officials” saying, “You are charging your own people interest!” And so Nehemiah “called…a large meeting to deal with” the accused. At the meeting, he started by scolding the nobles and officials saying, “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” Indeed, the people of Israel had left one bondage in Babylon to enter another at the hands of their own in Jerusalem.
We know Nehemiah was striking the right chords in his accusations because we read where the nobles and officials “kept quiet” during his accusations “because they could find nothing to say.”
Nehemiah wasn’t done with his verbal attack because he continued saying, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
The latter diatribe hit right at the heart of the matter at hand. For it wasn’t bad enough that the Israelite leaders were doing this to their fellow Jews but they were doing it in the presence of God in His holy city and against His chosen people. Nehemiah was not only holding the nobles and officials accountable to him and the other Jews but he was also reminding them of their accountability before God, a God who we should be fearful before knowing of His judgment which could fall upon us when we decide to violate His commandments.
The accountability approach worked because the nobles and officials all said, “We will give it back…and we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” To seal the deal, we read where Nehemiah “summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised” after which he “shook out the folds of (his) robe and said, ‘In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!’ ” And the “whole assembly” responded by saying, “Amen,” and then “praised the Lord” before the people went forward and “did as they had promised.”
This passage underscores the importance of God’s people holding one another accountable. No believer is perfect and we all have our flaws. Satan has a way of getting us to behave in ways that are contrary to God’s word whether we’re talking about the things we do alone or the things we do in the midst of others. Born into sin, we are all afflicted and prone to fail. When that happens, it’s critical to have a brother or sister to lovingly point out our errors and help guide us back to the behavior God expects and demands. In Nehemiah, we see this in perfect action as he calls out the nobles and officials for the sinful way they were violating their fellow Jews.
Back to our scriptures where we find Nehemiah “appointed to be…governor in the land of Judah” in “the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes”. What did Nehemiah do in leadership? He practiced what he had preached to the nobles and officials prior and did not take from the people as his predecessors did. We read where Nehemiah wouldn’t eat “food allotted to the governor” and refused to place a “heavy burden on the people” by taking “forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine.” These actions had been performed by the “earlier governors” who had preceded Nehemiah.
No, Nehemiah refused to do any of these things. He practiced what he preached. There was no room for double standards with Nehemiah. And he didn’t adopt this attitude through his own inclination but rather “out of reverence for God.”
That’s really where the rubber meets the road…for Nehemiah and for all of God’s people, you and I included. We should be always acting in a way that shows our reverence for God. Or in other words, we should be always acting in a way that glorifies God. God will hold us accountable for that and we should check one another to ensure we’re walking the right path when it comes to living in a way that pleases God.
When we do this, then hopefully we can turn to God like Nehemiah and ask Him to remember us with favor for the way we have treated others and glorified Him in the process.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”
Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”
When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
“We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.
Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.
Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.
Nehemiah 5
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As the Israelites set out to rebuild the gates and walls around Jerusalem, there were no shortage of enemies in the surrounding areas that caused concern and unrest among the people. But as Nehemiah Chapter 5 opens we find there are internal problems in Jerusalem as well.
For “men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews” with “some…saying, ‘We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.’ Still “others were saying, ‘We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine” and “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”
Issues within the Jerusalem social structure were placing a strain on an already stressed community.
This brought great distress to Nehemiah who was angered “when (he) heard (the) outcry and…charges.” After pondering them in his mind, Nehemiah “accused the nobles and officials” saying, “You are charging your own people interest!” And so Nehemiah “called…a large meeting to deal with” the accused. At the meeting, he started by scolding the nobles and officials saying, “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” Indeed, the people of Israel had left one bondage in Babylon to enter another at the hands of their own in Jerusalem.
We know Nehemiah was striking the right chords in his accusations because we read where the nobles and officials “kept quiet” during his accusations “because they could find nothing to say.”
Nehemiah wasn’t done with his verbal attack because he continued saying, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
The latter diatribe hit right at the heart of the matter at hand. For it wasn’t bad enough that the Israelite leaders were doing this to their fellow Jews but they were doing it in the presence of God in His holy city and against His chosen people. Nehemiah was not only holding the nobles and officials accountable to him and the other Jews but he was also reminding them of their accountability before God, a God who we should be fearful before knowing of His judgment which could fall upon us when we decide to violate His commandments.
The accountability approach worked because the nobles and officials all said, “We will give it back…and we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” To seal the deal, we read where Nehemiah “summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised” after which he “shook out the folds of (his) robe and said, ‘In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!’ ” And the “whole assembly” responded by saying, “Amen,” and then “praised the Lord” before the people went forward and “did as they had promised.”
This passage underscores the importance of God’s people holding one another accountable. No believer is perfect and we all have our flaws. Satan has a way of getting us to behave in ways that are contrary to God’s word whether we’re talking about the things we do alone or the things we do in the midst of others. Born into sin, we are all afflicted and prone to fail. When that happens, it’s critical to have a brother or sister to lovingly point out our errors and help guide us back to the behavior God expects and demands. In Nehemiah, we see this in perfect action as he calls out the nobles and officials for the sinful way they were violating their fellow Jews.
Back to our scriptures where we find Nehemiah “appointed to be…governor in the land of Judah” in “the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes”. What did Nehemiah do in leadership? He practiced what he had preached to the nobles and officials prior and did not take from the people as his predecessors did. We read where Nehemiah wouldn’t eat “food allotted to the governor” and refused to place a “heavy burden on the people” by taking “forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine.” These actions had been performed by the “earlier governors” who had preceded Nehemiah.
No, Nehemiah refused to do any of these things. He practiced what he preached. There was no room for double standards with Nehemiah. And he didn’t adopt this attitude through his own inclination but rather “out of reverence for God.”
That’s really where the rubber meets the road…for Nehemiah and for all of God’s people, you and I included. We should be always acting in a way that shows our reverence for God. Or in other words, we should be always acting in a way that glorifies God. God will hold us accountable for that and we should check one another to ensure we’re walking the right path when it comes to living in a way that pleases God.
When we do this, then hopefully we can turn to God like Nehemiah and ask Him to remember us with favor for the way we have treated others and glorified Him in the process.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
DON'T BE AFRAID
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.
The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.
The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah—Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth—places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.
The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.
The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.
The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam, by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.
Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall. Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest. Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib’s house to the end of it.
The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region. Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. Next to him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah’s house to the angle and the corner, and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.
Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner; and between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.
When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”
Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.
So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”
Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.
Nehemiah 3 and 4
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As the second chapter of Nehemiah closed, Nehemiah had convinced the people of Jerusalem to begin rebuilding the gates and walls around the city. In Chapter 3, we receive a detailed account of who built the different sections, an account that reveals the immensity of the work needed and the number of people who gave their time toward the project. The effort was massive.
Israel’s opposition was not very happy with the Israelite undertaking. We read where “Sanballat… became angry and…greatly incensed” when he “heard that (the Israelites) were rebuilding the wall.” Out of his anger, he “ridiculed the Jews…in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria.” He was joined in the mocking by “Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at (Sanballat’s) side.”
Nehemiah had words to speak as well but they weren’t words toward his enemies but rather words to God. He prayed:
“Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.”
Nehemiah invoked God’s judgment against those who despised Israel. He knew God was with him and his fellow Israelites. He also knew God had ordained the walls and gates to be rebuilt and would see that work through to completion.
Indeed, the Israelites, working “with all their heart”, continued to build until “all of it reached half its height.” This prompted “Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod” to come together and plot to “fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.”
Again, Nehemiah and his people “prayed to…God” and “posted a guard day and night to meet (the) threat posed by Israel’s enemies.
But Israel’s scheming enemies weren’t the only thing the people of Jerusalem were up against. Their own fatigue and anxiety in the midst of the work and the potential for attack was taking its toll.
Scripture tells us that “the people in Judah” said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” They were also wary that their enemies had threatened to “kill them and put an end to the work.”
To counter the threat, Nehemiah “stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.” He then addressed the people with words that were meant to comfort them in the midst of their stress, fear and worry saying:
“Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
Indeed, we read where Israel’s enemies realized that “God had frustrated” their plot and the people of Israel, buoyed by the confidence that God was with them, “returned to the wall, each to (their) own work.” They continued to keep watch and guard against attack as they built. Nehemiah kept the “man who sounded the trumpet” by his side to signal if an attack was occurring. This would allow the people to respond and defend the city. But it wasn’t just the people of Israel who would defend. For Nehemiah reminded “the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people” that “Our God will fight for us!”
Indeed, God can and will fight for us against our enemies, just as He did for Israel. So what are we worried about?
As we get set to enter a new year, hear the word of God from Nehemiah as it speaks to you and I. God is saying to us, “Do not be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Are you up against problems in a relationship? God says, “Don’t be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Have you lost a loved one, possibly your lifelong partner? God says, “Don’t be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Are you dealing with an illness that is potentially life threatening? God says, “Don’t be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Are you dealing with financial problems? God says, “Don’t be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Are you unemployed and unsure when a job will come? God says, “Don’t be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Friends, do not be afraid. Remember the Lord, our God, who is truly great, awesome, and willing to fight for us.
Stay encouraged and receive the good news from God’s word.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.
The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.
The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah—Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth—places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.
The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.
The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.
The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam, by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.
Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall. Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest. Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib’s house to the end of it.
The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region. Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. Next to him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah’s house to the angle and the corner, and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.
Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner; and between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.
When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”
Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.
So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”
Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.
Nehemiah 3 and 4
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As the second chapter of Nehemiah closed, Nehemiah had convinced the people of Jerusalem to begin rebuilding the gates and walls around the city. In Chapter 3, we receive a detailed account of who built the different sections, an account that reveals the immensity of the work needed and the number of people who gave their time toward the project. The effort was massive.
Israel’s opposition was not very happy with the Israelite undertaking. We read where “Sanballat… became angry and…greatly incensed” when he “heard that (the Israelites) were rebuilding the wall.” Out of his anger, he “ridiculed the Jews…in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria.” He was joined in the mocking by “Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at (Sanballat’s) side.”
Nehemiah had words to speak as well but they weren’t words toward his enemies but rather words to God. He prayed:
“Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.”
Nehemiah invoked God’s judgment against those who despised Israel. He knew God was with him and his fellow Israelites. He also knew God had ordained the walls and gates to be rebuilt and would see that work through to completion.
Indeed, the Israelites, working “with all their heart”, continued to build until “all of it reached half its height.” This prompted “Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod” to come together and plot to “fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.”
Again, Nehemiah and his people “prayed to…God” and “posted a guard day and night to meet (the) threat posed by Israel’s enemies.
But Israel’s scheming enemies weren’t the only thing the people of Jerusalem were up against. Their own fatigue and anxiety in the midst of the work and the potential for attack was taking its toll.
Scripture tells us that “the people in Judah” said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” They were also wary that their enemies had threatened to “kill them and put an end to the work.”
To counter the threat, Nehemiah “stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.” He then addressed the people with words that were meant to comfort them in the midst of their stress, fear and worry saying:
“Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
Indeed, we read where Israel’s enemies realized that “God had frustrated” their plot and the people of Israel, buoyed by the confidence that God was with them, “returned to the wall, each to (their) own work.” They continued to keep watch and guard against attack as they built. Nehemiah kept the “man who sounded the trumpet” by his side to signal if an attack was occurring. This would allow the people to respond and defend the city. But it wasn’t just the people of Israel who would defend. For Nehemiah reminded “the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people” that “Our God will fight for us!”
Indeed, God can and will fight for us against our enemies, just as He did for Israel. So what are we worried about?
As we get set to enter a new year, hear the word of God from Nehemiah as it speaks to you and I. God is saying to us, “Do not be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Are you up against problems in a relationship? God says, “Don’t be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Have you lost a loved one, possibly your lifelong partner? God says, “Don’t be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Are you dealing with an illness that is potentially life threatening? God says, “Don’t be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Are you dealing with financial problems? God says, “Don’t be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Are you unemployed and unsure when a job will come? God says, “Don’t be afraid. I am fighting for you.”
Friends, do not be afraid. Remember the Lord, our God, who is truly great, awesome, and willing to fight for us.
Stay encouraged and receive the good news from God’s word.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
GOD WILL DELIVER
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
Nehemiah 2:11-20
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Nehemiah, having gained permission from King Artaxerxes to leave Babylon and go to Jerusalem in the early verses of Chapter 2, arrives in Jerusalem and surveys the situation as the chapter closes.
We read that after staying in Jerusalem for three days, Nehemiah “set out during the night with a few others”, an action Nehemiah said “God had put in (his) heart to do for Jerusalem.” Note that Nehemiah was not led by his own impulses but by the lead of God. There’s much for us to learn from this in our own lives.
I know I can speak from experience in saying that I mess my life up the most when I try and take control of it. God has had to teach me that my life will follow the right course when I turn to Him for guidance and then obediently carry out His will, trusting that He wants the best for me. Maybe you can relate to this.
Back to the scriptures where we read that Nehemiah rode his mount “by night” going “out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.” Nehemiah had only heard of what had happened when he was in Babylon. Now he was seeing it first-hand.
Nehemiah continued his assessment of the damage, moving “on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool” where “there was not enough room for (his) mount to get through” so he continued through “valley…examining the wall” before turning back and reentering the city “through the Valley Gate.”
Having seen for himself what needed to be done, Nehemiah addressed the city officials who weren’t aware that Nehemiah had rode out at night to do his survey. His words were important as he needed to motivate the people to rebuild the walls and reestablish protection for the holy city. We read where Nehemiah said the following:
“You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”
Those words alone might have been enough but then again, I could see where many people would be afraid about what a rebuilding project might bring, especially in the way of retaliation by the enemies of Jerusalem that lived in the surrounding areas.
Notice how Nehemiah adds the following to what he said to the people. For scripture tells us he “also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.”
In other words, the idea of rebuilding wasn’t ordained by Nehemiah but rather ordained by God. His gracious hand was upon Nehemiah and it would be upon the people of Jerusalem as well as they undertook the work at hand.
What was the answer to Nehemiah’s request to rebuild? The people gave it saying, “Let us start rebuilding” and with that, “they began (the) good work.”
And so they did and it was no surprise that the opponents of Israel reacted adversely. We read where “Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about” the efforts and “mocked and ridiculed” the Israelites saying, “What is this you are doing?” and “Are you rebelling against the king?”
Nehemiah had an answer for them saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
In the face of challenge, Nehemiah had it right and we should remember his words as we face challenges as well. The rebuilding was ordained and approved by God and so the project was going to be a success. No one, no matter how powerful they thought they were, would be able to oppose the Almighty God. It was true then and it’s true today.
As we seek God’s will for our own lives and receive His plan, we should remember that He will see His plan through to success, even if we have people who would appear to have power to thwart our efforts. We must move ahead with bold confidence in a God who can do all things…a God who faces nothing impossible to carry out. He will make the way for us just as He made the way for His people in Jerusalem.
All we need is to seek Him, follow His will, and trust Him as we do just that. God will deliver.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.
By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
Nehemiah 2:11-20
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Nehemiah, having gained permission from King Artaxerxes to leave Babylon and go to Jerusalem in the early verses of Chapter 2, arrives in Jerusalem and surveys the situation as the chapter closes.
We read that after staying in Jerusalem for three days, Nehemiah “set out during the night with a few others”, an action Nehemiah said “God had put in (his) heart to do for Jerusalem.” Note that Nehemiah was not led by his own impulses but by the lead of God. There’s much for us to learn from this in our own lives.
I know I can speak from experience in saying that I mess my life up the most when I try and take control of it. God has had to teach me that my life will follow the right course when I turn to Him for guidance and then obediently carry out His will, trusting that He wants the best for me. Maybe you can relate to this.
Back to the scriptures where we read that Nehemiah rode his mount “by night” going “out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.” Nehemiah had only heard of what had happened when he was in Babylon. Now he was seeing it first-hand.
Nehemiah continued his assessment of the damage, moving “on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool” where “there was not enough room for (his) mount to get through” so he continued through “valley…examining the wall” before turning back and reentering the city “through the Valley Gate.”
Having seen for himself what needed to be done, Nehemiah addressed the city officials who weren’t aware that Nehemiah had rode out at night to do his survey. His words were important as he needed to motivate the people to rebuild the walls and reestablish protection for the holy city. We read where Nehemiah said the following:
“You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”
Those words alone might have been enough but then again, I could see where many people would be afraid about what a rebuilding project might bring, especially in the way of retaliation by the enemies of Jerusalem that lived in the surrounding areas.
Notice how Nehemiah adds the following to what he said to the people. For scripture tells us he “also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.”
In other words, the idea of rebuilding wasn’t ordained by Nehemiah but rather ordained by God. His gracious hand was upon Nehemiah and it would be upon the people of Jerusalem as well as they undertook the work at hand.
What was the answer to Nehemiah’s request to rebuild? The people gave it saying, “Let us start rebuilding” and with that, “they began (the) good work.”
And so they did and it was no surprise that the opponents of Israel reacted adversely. We read where “Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about” the efforts and “mocked and ridiculed” the Israelites saying, “What is this you are doing?” and “Are you rebelling against the king?”
Nehemiah had an answer for them saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
In the face of challenge, Nehemiah had it right and we should remember his words as we face challenges as well. The rebuilding was ordained and approved by God and so the project was going to be a success. No one, no matter how powerful they thought they were, would be able to oppose the Almighty God. It was true then and it’s true today.
As we seek God’s will for our own lives and receive His plan, we should remember that He will see His plan through to success, even if we have people who would appear to have power to thwart our efforts. We must move ahead with bold confidence in a God who can do all things…a God who faces nothing impossible to carry out. He will make the way for us just as He made the way for His people in Jerusalem.
All we need is to seek Him, follow His will, and trust Him as we do just that. God will deliver.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
Monday, December 26, 2011
THE POWER OF PRAYER
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
Nehemiah 2:1-10
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
In Chapter 1, Nehemiah came before the Lord in prayer “in the month of Kislev in the twentieth year.” At the end of the prayer, he asked for God to grant him “success…by granting…favor in the presence of this man.”
The man Nehemiah was speaking of was none other than King Artaxerxes who Nehemiah served as cupbearer.
It would be four months until Nehemiah would assess whether his prayer had been successful. We know this because Chapter 2 opens “in the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes” and Nisan was four months later than the month of Kislev.
Nehemiah, aware of the distress his fellow Israelites were under in Jerusalem, wanted to do something to assist but this would require him leaving Babylon and traveling to Jerusalem. The danger in asking the king for this was that the king could view the request as disrespectful from one of his servants and result in consequences…consequences which could include death. Nehemiah was willing to take the risk, trusting that God would help him find favor with the king.
And so we read that when Nehemiah took wine to the king, he did so with an uncharacteristic sad face prompting the king to ask, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
The door was open for Nehemiah to share his heart and what troubled him. But how would the king receive his words? Nehemiah was “very much afraid” but we sense he trusted that God would answer his prayer for he said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
Nehemiah had shared his sadness. Jerusalem, the city where his ancestors were buried, was in ruins with its gates destroyed by fire. This is what was upsetting Nehemiah. But he still had not stepped over the line and asked to leave. His opportunity came available courtesy of the king’s next question.
For scripture tells us King Artaxerxes asked his servant Nehemiah, “What is it you want?”
The door was open. Nehemiah needed to be brave…to trust God to help him through this moment. And so before he turned to the king and his question, Nehemiah first turned to the Lord, praying “to the God of heaven” before answering the king’s question.
Friends, if we truly believe in the power of prayer, we will follow Nehemiah’s lead. Before we enter into any possible challenge, we will first turn to the Lord in prayer, gaining His strength and guidance. God is ready to deliver on our petitions and will not forsake us when we call on Him.
Emboldened by the Lord’s strength after prayer, Nehemiah went for it and asked for permission to go back to Jerusalem saying, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
The request had been made. Would Nehemiah have the King’s favor that he had prayed to God for?
The answer was yes for the king asked Nehemiah, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” Indeed, it “pleased the king to send” Nehemiah to Jerusalem. And so Nehemiah not only set a time that he would go for and then return but he also boldly asked for more help from the king. He first asked for “letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah”. He then asked for “a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy.” We read where Nehemiah received the letters and gave them to the “governors of Trans-Euphrates” and also received a bonus offering from the king as “army officers and cavalry” were sent along with him.
Did the king grant the requests because he liked Nehemiah? No, the requests were honored “because the gracious hand of my God was on” Nehemiah. It was God’s will that Nehemiah was blessed with what he asked for. Nehemiah had prayed for the king’s favor and God delivered, placing His gracious hand upon Nehemiah and helping him find his way out of Babylon so he could go and make a difference in God’s holy city among His chosen people.
Like Nehemiah, God is ready to use us in ways that will accomplish His will. As we enter into situations, we should pray for God’s will to be done and then ask God for what we need for His will to happen. God will answer that prayer and show us what He wants us to do.
The power in prayer comes from the One we pray to, the omnipotent God of gods, King of kings and Lord of lords. Pray to Him with confidence and trust. His way will always be perfect. We only need to walk in it.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
Nehemiah 2:1-10
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
In Chapter 1, Nehemiah came before the Lord in prayer “in the month of Kislev in the twentieth year.” At the end of the prayer, he asked for God to grant him “success…by granting…favor in the presence of this man.”
The man Nehemiah was speaking of was none other than King Artaxerxes who Nehemiah served as cupbearer.
It would be four months until Nehemiah would assess whether his prayer had been successful. We know this because Chapter 2 opens “in the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes” and Nisan was four months later than the month of Kislev.
Nehemiah, aware of the distress his fellow Israelites were under in Jerusalem, wanted to do something to assist but this would require him leaving Babylon and traveling to Jerusalem. The danger in asking the king for this was that the king could view the request as disrespectful from one of his servants and result in consequences…consequences which could include death. Nehemiah was willing to take the risk, trusting that God would help him find favor with the king.
And so we read that when Nehemiah took wine to the king, he did so with an uncharacteristic sad face prompting the king to ask, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
The door was open for Nehemiah to share his heart and what troubled him. But how would the king receive his words? Nehemiah was “very much afraid” but we sense he trusted that God would answer his prayer for he said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
Nehemiah had shared his sadness. Jerusalem, the city where his ancestors were buried, was in ruins with its gates destroyed by fire. This is what was upsetting Nehemiah. But he still had not stepped over the line and asked to leave. His opportunity came available courtesy of the king’s next question.
For scripture tells us King Artaxerxes asked his servant Nehemiah, “What is it you want?”
The door was open. Nehemiah needed to be brave…to trust God to help him through this moment. And so before he turned to the king and his question, Nehemiah first turned to the Lord, praying “to the God of heaven” before answering the king’s question.
Friends, if we truly believe in the power of prayer, we will follow Nehemiah’s lead. Before we enter into any possible challenge, we will first turn to the Lord in prayer, gaining His strength and guidance. God is ready to deliver on our petitions and will not forsake us when we call on Him.
Emboldened by the Lord’s strength after prayer, Nehemiah went for it and asked for permission to go back to Jerusalem saying, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
The request had been made. Would Nehemiah have the King’s favor that he had prayed to God for?
The answer was yes for the king asked Nehemiah, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” Indeed, it “pleased the king to send” Nehemiah to Jerusalem. And so Nehemiah not only set a time that he would go for and then return but he also boldly asked for more help from the king. He first asked for “letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah”. He then asked for “a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy.” We read where Nehemiah received the letters and gave them to the “governors of Trans-Euphrates” and also received a bonus offering from the king as “army officers and cavalry” were sent along with him.
Did the king grant the requests because he liked Nehemiah? No, the requests were honored “because the gracious hand of my God was on” Nehemiah. It was God’s will that Nehemiah was blessed with what he asked for. Nehemiah had prayed for the king’s favor and God delivered, placing His gracious hand upon Nehemiah and helping him find his way out of Babylon so he could go and make a difference in God’s holy city among His chosen people.
Like Nehemiah, God is ready to use us in ways that will accomplish His will. As we enter into situations, we should pray for God’s will to be done and then ask God for what we need for His will to happen. God will answer that prayer and show us what He wants us to do.
The power in prayer comes from the One we pray to, the omnipotent God of gods, King of kings and Lord of lords. Pray to Him with confidence and trust. His way will always be perfect. We only need to walk in it.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
Sunday, December 25, 2011
WHAT WILL WE DO WITH THE NEWS?
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
While they (Mary and Joseph) were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
Luke 2:6-18
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
To truly capture the amazing nature of Christmas, we have to stay connected to the Word of God.
In Luke Chapter 2, we’re reminded that the God of the universe…of heaven and earth…of all creation…the omnipotent Lord of Lords and King of Kings came into this world with no fanfare but rather humbly in the most fragile human way possible: in the form of a baby. And He wasn’t born in some high-tech clinic with all the best natal care possible. No, because there was no other place for Him to be born, He entered the world in a lowly Bethlehem stable and was placed in a manger, wrapped in cloths and surrounded by His chosen parents, Mary and Joseph, humble people in their own rights who now were experiencing the words of the angel Gabriel come to life.
Meanwhile, there were other humble, lowly people about to have a miraculous experience. For “there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” They were doing what they do day in and day out, night in and night out. But this was no ordinary night.
For “an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.” Imagine the shock and surprise of this! The shepherds, not sure what to make of it all, “were terrified.” But the angel put them at ease saying, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
And as if this wasn’t incredible enough, “suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
And then, the angels left, returning to the heavens and leaving the shepherds in the amazing wake of their sudden appearance.
It didn’t seem to take long for the shepherds to decide what to do for we read where they said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” And so they did. “They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger” and “when they had seen him”, they didn’t just let it end there at the manger. No, the shepherds were so amazed by what they had experienced that they couldn’t keep the news to themselves. Instead, “they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child”, shared their experiences, and as a result, left “all who heard it…amazed.”
I’m not sure what you are up against this Christmas day? Maybe you’re suffering from employment, financial or relationship hardship. Maybe you are lost, confused, or alone. Maybe the joy of Christmas doesn’t seem present this year.
If so, will you receive the words of the angel as the shepherds did?
The angel said, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
That same angel that spoke to the lowly, humble shepherds is speaking to us, the lowly, humble servants of God, today.
Can you hear the angel speaking? “Do not be afraid. Christ has come to bring hope and love and life everlasting.”
Friends, Jesus has come and the world was, is and will ever be changed forever. My prayer is that He will be reborn in your heart today…and may you not keep the good news of His coming to yourself but take it to all you see in the coming year. Like the shepherds, let us spread the word concerning Jesus. I guarantee that when we do it under the guide of the Holy Spirit, all we tell about Him will end up amazed…and hopefully on their way to salvation.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
While they (Mary and Joseph) were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
Luke 2:6-18
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
To truly capture the amazing nature of Christmas, we have to stay connected to the Word of God.
In Luke Chapter 2, we’re reminded that the God of the universe…of heaven and earth…of all creation…the omnipotent Lord of Lords and King of Kings came into this world with no fanfare but rather humbly in the most fragile human way possible: in the form of a baby. And He wasn’t born in some high-tech clinic with all the best natal care possible. No, because there was no other place for Him to be born, He entered the world in a lowly Bethlehem stable and was placed in a manger, wrapped in cloths and surrounded by His chosen parents, Mary and Joseph, humble people in their own rights who now were experiencing the words of the angel Gabriel come to life.
Meanwhile, there were other humble, lowly people about to have a miraculous experience. For “there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” They were doing what they do day in and day out, night in and night out. But this was no ordinary night.
For “an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.” Imagine the shock and surprise of this! The shepherds, not sure what to make of it all, “were terrified.” But the angel put them at ease saying, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
And as if this wasn’t incredible enough, “suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
And then, the angels left, returning to the heavens and leaving the shepherds in the amazing wake of their sudden appearance.
It didn’t seem to take long for the shepherds to decide what to do for we read where they said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” And so they did. “They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger” and “when they had seen him”, they didn’t just let it end there at the manger. No, the shepherds were so amazed by what they had experienced that they couldn’t keep the news to themselves. Instead, “they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child”, shared their experiences, and as a result, left “all who heard it…amazed.”
I’m not sure what you are up against this Christmas day? Maybe you’re suffering from employment, financial or relationship hardship. Maybe you are lost, confused, or alone. Maybe the joy of Christmas doesn’t seem present this year.
If so, will you receive the words of the angel as the shepherds did?
The angel said, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
That same angel that spoke to the lowly, humble shepherds is speaking to us, the lowly, humble servants of God, today.
Can you hear the angel speaking? “Do not be afraid. Christ has come to bring hope and love and life everlasting.”
Friends, Jesus has come and the world was, is and will ever be changed forever. My prayer is that He will be reborn in your heart today…and may you not keep the good news of His coming to yourself but take it to all you see in the coming year. Like the shepherds, let us spread the word concerning Jesus. I guarantee that when we do it under the guide of the Holy Spirit, all we tell about Him will end up amazed…and hopefully on their way to salvation.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
Saturday, December 24, 2011
KNOWING WHERE TO TURN
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer to the king.
Nehemiah 1
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one text covering three distinct stages of the Israelite return to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile.
In the first stage, King Cyrus permitted the Israelites to return to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua. Stage 2 found Ezra returning to Jerusalem with a group of volunteers from Babylon and some recruited Levites. As Nehemiah begins, so too does the third stage with Nehemiah seeking to leave Babylon to return to Jerusalem.
As Chapter 1 opens, Nehemiah receives some bad news while he was in the “citadel of Susa” from “one of (his) brothers” who “came from Judah with some other men.” After questioning his brother and his comanions regarding “the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and… Jerusalem”, Nehemiah learns that “those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” Peril had struck God’s holy people and city.
Nehemiah took the news hard. We read that he “sat down and wept” and “for some days” he “mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”
Nehemiah had to have felt pretty helpless. His fellows Jews were under siege and he was in Babylon. What could he do to help when so far away?
Maybe you have felt this way at sometime or another? I know I have. I have family members spread all over the country and I have had service men and women forward deployed to all parts of the world, often in harm’s way. When things go wrong from a distance with people you care for, one can feel just like Nehemiah…a four month’s journey away from Jerusalem in Babylon.
So what can we do in the midst of our helpless when we are so distant from people we love who may be going through hardship?
We can follow the example of Nehemiah in our scriptures today. For Nehemiah knew where to turn. He turned to God, the only One who can do all things no matter the distance.
Our scriptures reveal Nehemiah’s prayer:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer to the king.
Note the key components to Nehemiah’s prayer because it offers us a template to follow ourselves as we bow before the Father.
First, Nehemiah acknoledges God for who He is:
1. Lord
2. The “God of heaven”
3. The “great and awesome God”
4. The God who “keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments”
As we petition the Lord, we should always proclaim who He is to us…and this shoudn’t be hard when we fully realize God’s majesty and power (if you have forgotten, just read Genesis 1).
Next, Nehemiah asks for God to hear his prayer saying, “Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.” A humble approach to prayer will always involve asking God to hear our petitions.
Third, Nehemiah turns to confession praying, “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.”
We, like Nehemiah and the Israelites, have sinned before God, failing to keep His commands and decrees…failing to follow His will and way. We know we serve a forgiving God and we also know He expects us to confess and repent when we sin, seeking His help to become more like the people He wants us to be. Confession should always be a part of our prayers. Nehemiah models that for us.
Fourth, Nehemiah shows he understands the history of God’s relationship with the people of Israel to include the promises God made. Note how Nehemiah frames up the Lord’s promised consequence and restoration as he states:
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’”
Indeed, God had done just what He said He would do. The people of Israel were unfaithful and so the people of Israel were scattered and exiled…but not forever, for after 70 years the people were returned to the place where God chose as a dwelling for His Name. That place was Jerusalem.
As we form our prayers to God, we should remember His promises…His promises of consequences if we choose to be disobedient and His promises of restoration as we enter back into favor with Him through righting our wrongs in accordance with the guidance provided by His word and Spirit.
Finally, Nehemiah turns to intercession, pleading on behalf of the returning exiles in Jerusalem. Nehemiah states, “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
Nehemiah felt he might be able to do something to help his fellow Jews if God would grant him the favor in the “presence of this man”, referring to the king of Persia, King Artaxerxes, who Nehemiah served as cupbearer.
Yes, Nehemiah knew who he could turn to in his time of distress. He knew God was only a prayer away. He knew of God’s infinite power. He knew God answered prayer and trusted in that truth. he knew he was a sinner and confessed such before God. He knew of God’s promises and knew God kept His holy word. And he knew God listens to the pleas of intercessors and so he pettioned the Lord on behalf of the besieged Jews in Jerusalem.
We know he knew because his prayer revealed it. Our prayers would be well served to reveal the same as we come before our Almighty Lord.
So how would God respond to Nehemiah? We’ll see in Chapter 2.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:
In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer to the king.
Nehemiah 1
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one text covering three distinct stages of the Israelite return to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile.
In the first stage, King Cyrus permitted the Israelites to return to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua. Stage 2 found Ezra returning to Jerusalem with a group of volunteers from Babylon and some recruited Levites. As Nehemiah begins, so too does the third stage with Nehemiah seeking to leave Babylon to return to Jerusalem.
As Chapter 1 opens, Nehemiah receives some bad news while he was in the “citadel of Susa” from “one of (his) brothers” who “came from Judah with some other men.” After questioning his brother and his comanions regarding “the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and… Jerusalem”, Nehemiah learns that “those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” Peril had struck God’s holy people and city.
Nehemiah took the news hard. We read that he “sat down and wept” and “for some days” he “mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”
Nehemiah had to have felt pretty helpless. His fellows Jews were under siege and he was in Babylon. What could he do to help when so far away?
Maybe you have felt this way at sometime or another? I know I have. I have family members spread all over the country and I have had service men and women forward deployed to all parts of the world, often in harm’s way. When things go wrong from a distance with people you care for, one can feel just like Nehemiah…a four month’s journey away from Jerusalem in Babylon.
So what can we do in the midst of our helpless when we are so distant from people we love who may be going through hardship?
We can follow the example of Nehemiah in our scriptures today. For Nehemiah knew where to turn. He turned to God, the only One who can do all things no matter the distance.
Our scriptures reveal Nehemiah’s prayer:
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
I was cupbearer to the king.
Note the key components to Nehemiah’s prayer because it offers us a template to follow ourselves as we bow before the Father.
First, Nehemiah acknoledges God for who He is:
1. Lord
2. The “God of heaven”
3. The “great and awesome God”
4. The God who “keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments”
As we petition the Lord, we should always proclaim who He is to us…and this shoudn’t be hard when we fully realize God’s majesty and power (if you have forgotten, just read Genesis 1).
Next, Nehemiah asks for God to hear his prayer saying, “Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.” A humble approach to prayer will always involve asking God to hear our petitions.
Third, Nehemiah turns to confession praying, “I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.”
We, like Nehemiah and the Israelites, have sinned before God, failing to keep His commands and decrees…failing to follow His will and way. We know we serve a forgiving God and we also know He expects us to confess and repent when we sin, seeking His help to become more like the people He wants us to be. Confession should always be a part of our prayers. Nehemiah models that for us.
Fourth, Nehemiah shows he understands the history of God’s relationship with the people of Israel to include the promises God made. Note how Nehemiah frames up the Lord’s promised consequence and restoration as he states:
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’”
Indeed, God had done just what He said He would do. The people of Israel were unfaithful and so the people of Israel were scattered and exiled…but not forever, for after 70 years the people were returned to the place where God chose as a dwelling for His Name. That place was Jerusalem.
As we form our prayers to God, we should remember His promises…His promises of consequences if we choose to be disobedient and His promises of restoration as we enter back into favor with Him through righting our wrongs in accordance with the guidance provided by His word and Spirit.
Finally, Nehemiah turns to intercession, pleading on behalf of the returning exiles in Jerusalem. Nehemiah states, “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
Nehemiah felt he might be able to do something to help his fellow Jews if God would grant him the favor in the “presence of this man”, referring to the king of Persia, King Artaxerxes, who Nehemiah served as cupbearer.
Yes, Nehemiah knew who he could turn to in his time of distress. He knew God was only a prayer away. He knew of God’s infinite power. He knew God answered prayer and trusted in that truth. he knew he was a sinner and confessed such before God. He knew of God’s promises and knew God kept His holy word. And he knew God listens to the pleas of intercessors and so he pettioned the Lord on behalf of the besieged Jews in Jerusalem.
We know he knew because his prayer revealed it. Our prayers would be well served to reveal the same as we come before our Almighty Lord.
So how would God respond to Nehemiah? We’ll see in Chapter 2.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
Friday, December 23, 2011
A RECOMMITMENT TO OBEDIENCE
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”
When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.
Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God and prayed:
“I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to You, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.
“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and He has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
“But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands You gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices, they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’
“What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, You have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would You not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in Your presence.”
While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”
So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.
Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”
The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: “You are right! We must do as you say. But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this.
So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.
Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women:
From the descendants of Joshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. (They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)
From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah.
From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.
Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.
From the musicians: Eliashib.
From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri.
And among the other Israelites:
From the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.
From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah.
From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.
From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.
From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.
From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.
From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluk and Shemariah.
From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.
From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu.
From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.
From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.
All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.
Ezra 9 - 10
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Ezra and his fellow Israelites had returned to Jerusalem safely due to, as Ezra’s credits, the gracious hand of God…the hand that provided provision and protection.
So what happened once they settled into Jerusalem, restored from exile by God?
Unfortunately, they reverted back to repeating the mistakes of the past.
Part of what got the people of Israel in trouble was assimilating with other peoples who had very different religious practices. These people worshipped multiple gods and carried on lifestyles that were contrary to what the true God of Israel expected. The people of Israel started to adopt the religious practices of others which brought on the ire of the God who commanded that there would be no other gods allowed before Him. As Israel continued to commit this sin, they eventually found themselves removed from the Promised Land all together and sent into exile in babylon with a remnant allowed to return one day and start anew. That remnant, now returned to Jerusalem, was slipping back into past practices.
We know this from the closing chapters of Ezra. As Chapter 9 opens, we read where Ezra received the following report from his leaders:
“The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”
These words pierced Ezra deeply for he shares that he “tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled… until the evening sacrifice.” As Ezra sat in his sorrowed state, he was surrounded by “everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel.”
Once the evening sacrifice began, Ezra fell on his knees and prayed the following:
“I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to You, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and He has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
“But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands You gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices, they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’ What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, You have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would You not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in Your presence.”
Indeed, Ezra was worried and rightfully so. He understood what it meant to fear the Lord because he fully understood God’s law and what it required. He also knew very well the consequences of knowingly violating God’s expectation. It was called the wrath of God. This is why Ezra was so filled with fear, not so much for himself as for the people he had come to teach about the law of God.
Ezra’s dismay was not lost on those who witnessed his actions. Scripture tells us that while Ezra was “praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God”, he was joined by “a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children” who “gathered around him” and also “wept bitterly.” Things looked dire unless something was done to make amends with God. A recommitment to obedience was in order.
The first step in the right direction came when Shekaniah, one of the volunteers who joined Ezra in Babylon, said, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”
Getting right with God sometimes requires drastic measures and difficult sacrifices. In the instance Ezra and the Israelites were dealing with, Shekaniah’s recommendation was to “make a covenant before…God to send away all (the foreign) women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of (Ezra) and of those who fear the commands of…God.”
Ezra was to take the lead in this and as we read, he did just that. He “rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested” and they did just that. Then Ezra left the Isaraelites to do what they had sworn they would do while he “withdrew…and went to the room of Jehohanan” where he “ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.”
Meanwhile. “a proclamation was…issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem” and “anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.” Scripture tells us that “within…three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem” and “on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain.” It was then that Ezra stood up and spoke the following words:
“You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”
In reponse to Ezra’s demand, we read where the “whole assembly responded with a loud voice” saying, ‘You are right! We must do as you say. But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.’”
And so “the exiles did as was proposed” and Ezra “selected men who were family heads, one from each family division” to “investigate the cases.” They began “on the first day of the tenth month” and finished their work “dealing with all the men who had married foreign women”, listed at the end of the chapter.
So what do we take away from this scripture?
We’re all sinners, that’s a fact. We all have weaknesses, temptations that Satan, our enemy, tries to use against us…to live in a way contrary to God’s expectations.
For the men of Israel, it was falling in love with women who would end up being an adverse influence on them spiritually. For us, maybe it’s a bad habit or addiction. Maybe it’s any number of actions that would violate how the Bible says we should live.
Whatever our issues, we are expected to do something about them, not just continue violating the Lord’s standards.
We can do this by following the lead of the Israelites in Ezra’s time and take an oath to rid ourselves of what would cause us to sin. For the Israelite men, it was the foreign women they had decided to wed. That couldn’t have been easy but it was necessary for them to do it. They got themselves into their situation and they would have to correct it. So too is it for us if we smoke, drink excessively, do drugs, selfishly hoard what God blessed us with vice be charitable, use profanity regulary, lust after others, find ourselves quick to anger and slow to love, etc, etc, etc. We must make radical changes to correct our sinful lifestyles. Like get rid of smoking, alcohol, pornography, greed, lust, cigarettes, etc…whatever causes us to live outside of God’s expectations.
In the end, our sole goal in life should be to live in a way that pleases Him and brings glory to His name. We can’t expect to do that if we conscientiously choose to be disobedient and violate God’s commands.
As we get set to enter into a new year, maybe we would all be well suited to renew our commitment to obedience, identifying where we are failing and doing something about it.
The good news is the Lord is ready to provide you with anything you need to get right with His word, will and way. He’s just a prayer away.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”
When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.
Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God and prayed:
“I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to You, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.
“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and He has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
“But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands You gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices, they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’
“What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, You have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would You not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in Your presence.”
While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”
So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.
Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”
The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: “You are right! We must do as you say. But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this.
So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.
Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women:
From the descendants of Joshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. (They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)
From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah.
From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.
Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.
From the musicians: Eliashib.
From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri.
And among the other Israelites:
From the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.
From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah.
From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.
From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.
From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.
From the descendants of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.
From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluk and Shemariah.
From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.
From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu.
From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei, Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.
From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.
All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.
Ezra 9 - 10
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Ezra and his fellow Israelites had returned to Jerusalem safely due to, as Ezra’s credits, the gracious hand of God…the hand that provided provision and protection.
So what happened once they settled into Jerusalem, restored from exile by God?
Unfortunately, they reverted back to repeating the mistakes of the past.
Part of what got the people of Israel in trouble was assimilating with other peoples who had very different religious practices. These people worshipped multiple gods and carried on lifestyles that were contrary to what the true God of Israel expected. The people of Israel started to adopt the religious practices of others which brought on the ire of the God who commanded that there would be no other gods allowed before Him. As Israel continued to commit this sin, they eventually found themselves removed from the Promised Land all together and sent into exile in babylon with a remnant allowed to return one day and start anew. That remnant, now returned to Jerusalem, was slipping back into past practices.
We know this from the closing chapters of Ezra. As Chapter 9 opens, we read where Ezra received the following report from his leaders:
“The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”
These words pierced Ezra deeply for he shares that he “tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled… until the evening sacrifice.” As Ezra sat in his sorrowed state, he was surrounded by “everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel.”
Once the evening sacrifice began, Ezra fell on his knees and prayed the following:
“I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to You, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and He has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
“But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands You gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices, they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’ What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, You have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would You not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in Your presence.”
Indeed, Ezra was worried and rightfully so. He understood what it meant to fear the Lord because he fully understood God’s law and what it required. He also knew very well the consequences of knowingly violating God’s expectation. It was called the wrath of God. This is why Ezra was so filled with fear, not so much for himself as for the people he had come to teach about the law of God.
Ezra’s dismay was not lost on those who witnessed his actions. Scripture tells us that while Ezra was “praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God”, he was joined by “a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children” who “gathered around him” and also “wept bitterly.” Things looked dire unless something was done to make amends with God. A recommitment to obedience was in order.
The first step in the right direction came when Shekaniah, one of the volunteers who joined Ezra in Babylon, said, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”
Getting right with God sometimes requires drastic measures and difficult sacrifices. In the instance Ezra and the Israelites were dealing with, Shekaniah’s recommendation was to “make a covenant before…God to send away all (the foreign) women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of (Ezra) and of those who fear the commands of…God.”
Ezra was to take the lead in this and as we read, he did just that. He “rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested” and they did just that. Then Ezra left the Isaraelites to do what they had sworn they would do while he “withdrew…and went to the room of Jehohanan” where he “ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.”
Meanwhile. “a proclamation was…issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem” and “anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.” Scripture tells us that “within…three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem” and “on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain.” It was then that Ezra stood up and spoke the following words:
“You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”
In reponse to Ezra’s demand, we read where the “whole assembly responded with a loud voice” saying, ‘You are right! We must do as you say. But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.’”
And so “the exiles did as was proposed” and Ezra “selected men who were family heads, one from each family division” to “investigate the cases.” They began “on the first day of the tenth month” and finished their work “dealing with all the men who had married foreign women”, listed at the end of the chapter.
So what do we take away from this scripture?
We’re all sinners, that’s a fact. We all have weaknesses, temptations that Satan, our enemy, tries to use against us…to live in a way contrary to God’s expectations.
For the men of Israel, it was falling in love with women who would end up being an adverse influence on them spiritually. For us, maybe it’s a bad habit or addiction. Maybe it’s any number of actions that would violate how the Bible says we should live.
Whatever our issues, we are expected to do something about them, not just continue violating the Lord’s standards.
We can do this by following the lead of the Israelites in Ezra’s time and take an oath to rid ourselves of what would cause us to sin. For the Israelite men, it was the foreign women they had decided to wed. That couldn’t have been easy but it was necessary for them to do it. They got themselves into their situation and they would have to correct it. So too is it for us if we smoke, drink excessively, do drugs, selfishly hoard what God blessed us with vice be charitable, use profanity regulary, lust after others, find ourselves quick to anger and slow to love, etc, etc, etc. We must make radical changes to correct our sinful lifestyles. Like get rid of smoking, alcohol, pornography, greed, lust, cigarettes, etc…whatever causes us to live outside of God’s expectations.
In the end, our sole goal in life should be to live in a way that pleases Him and brings glory to His name. We can’t expect to do that if we conscientiously choose to be disobedient and violate God’s commands.
As we get set to enter into a new year, maybe we would all be well suited to renew our commitment to obedience, identifying where we are failing and doing something about it.
The good news is the Lord is ready to provide you with anything you need to get right with His word, will and way. He’s just a prayer away.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
Thursday, December 22, 2011
THE GRACIOUS HAND OF GOD
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;
of the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;
of the descendants of David, Hattush 3 of the descendants of Shekaniah;
of the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;
of the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;
of the descendants of Zattu,[a] Shekaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;
of the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;
of the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;
of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;
of the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;
of the descendants of Bani,[b] Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;
of the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;
of the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;
of the descendants of Adonikam, the last ones, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;
of the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai and Zakkur, and with them 70 men.
I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. They also brought 220 of the temple servants—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God. I weighed out to them 650 talents of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics, and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.
I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.
On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.
On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.
Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. They also delivered the king’s orders to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.
Ezra 8
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Have you experienced the gracious hand of God in your life?
In our scriptures today, we find Ezra attesting that he had. In his first person account of the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, he tells in great detail about the challenges he faced while traveling to the Holy City and how God was actively involved in ensuring that he and his fellow soujourners arrived safely.
One of the first challenges Ezra had was a lack of Levitical leadership. You’ll recall that not everyone was required to depart Babylon with Ezra but only those who volunteered to go. When Ezra assembled the people “at the canal that flows toward Ahava” and set up camp there, he “checked among the people and the priests” and “found no Levites there.” Under the law, Levites were required to transport articles for the temple.
And so Ezra sent “Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam” (mentioned as men who were leaders) as well as “Joiarib and Elnathan” (“men of learning” to “Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia.” The purpose of the mission was to recruit “attendants to us for the house of our God” and it was successful as Ezra’s envoy returned with “Sherebiah...(and his) sons and brothers, a total of 18 people. Additionally, “Hashabiah…and Jeshaiah with his “brothers and nephews” (20 in all) as well as “220…temple servants” came along. Indeed, the “gracious hand of…God was on” Ezra in bringing him the people needed to ensure the trip was conducted in accordance with God’s law and statutes.
We would be well served to remember this as we go through our lives. For how often does the way seem uncertain for us as we try and carry out the Lord’s plan. Often times, we might find ourselves wondering how we will get from start to finish successfully while still adhering to God’s expectations.
Perhaps, we, like Ezra, should look to the gracious hand of God to provide us all that we need to not only carry out His will but to do so in a righteous and holy fashion…a fashion that is completely in step with His word.
With his Levitical requirements more than met, Ezra wasn’t free from further challenge. For the journey was not one for the faint of heart. There would be potential danger ahead over the four months needed to get to Jerusalem from Babylon.
Ezra had not asked King Artaxerxes to provide security for his group as he was “ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road.” Why was he ashamed to ask? Because Ezra had boldly stated that “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” Maybe the feeling of shame Ezra felt was really a feeling of conviction from the Lord. Maybe God was piercing Ezra’s soul, haunting him with the words, “Do you not trust God to help you get to the Holy City Ezra?”
Well, Ezra now was set to do just that…trust God to protect him and his group during their journey. He “proclaimed a fast” by the canal where they camped so that he and his people “might humble (themselves) before…God and ask Him for a safe journey for (them) and (their) children (and)…possessions.”
What was God’s response to the petition of Ezra and his people?
Scripture tells us that God answered their prayer.
And indeed, after Ezra had given the “priests and Levites…the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of…God in Jerusalem”, the group “set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem” on the “twelfth day of the first month” and four months later “arrived in Jerusalem” safely having been “protected us from enemies and bandits along the way” because the “hand of…God was on” them.
What challenges are you facing in life? Does the way ahead seem uncertain and potentially perilous?
I think God’s word from Ezra, Chapter 8, offers us important instruction in how we should proceed.
First, we need to turn our full focus and attention to God, petitioning Him for His help and guidance with a trusting attitude that shows we know He can do all things. Ezra used fasting as a way to show his full reliance on God to provide. This was coupled with prayer and meditation. We can do likewise to fully connect with our Father and ask for His gracious hand to be upon us.
Second, we need to receive God’s graciousness with thanksgiving. Ezra and his people safely traveled to Jerusalem and then “sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel.” They expressed their gratitude through worship. We are to do likewise…to live in a spirit of worship and praise unto our God who can do all things.
Who else can we say that about in our lives?
Provision and protection. All from the gracious hand of God the Father to His beloved.
Have you thanked Him for that today?
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
These are the family heads and those registered with them who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;
of the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;
of the descendants of David, Hattush 3 of the descendants of Shekaniah;
of the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;
of the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;
of the descendants of Zattu,[a] Shekaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;
of the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;
of the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;
of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;
of the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;
of the descendants of Bani,[b] Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;
of the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;
of the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;
of the descendants of Adonikam, the last ones, whose names were Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;
of the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai and Zakkur, and with them 70 men.
I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. They also brought 220 of the temple servants—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, namely, Sherebiah, Hashabiah and ten of their brothers, and I weighed out to them the offering of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his advisers, his officials and all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God. I weighed out to them 650 talents of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold valued at 1,000 darics, and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.
I said to them, “You as well as these articles are consecrated to the Lord. The silver and gold are a freewill offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Guard them carefully until you weigh them out in the chambers of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem before the leading priests and the Levites and the family heads of Israel.” Then the priests and Levites received the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of our God in Jerusalem.
On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.
On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.
Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. They also delivered the king’s orders to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.
Ezra 8
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Have you experienced the gracious hand of God in your life?
In our scriptures today, we find Ezra attesting that he had. In his first person account of the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, he tells in great detail about the challenges he faced while traveling to the Holy City and how God was actively involved in ensuring that he and his fellow soujourners arrived safely.
One of the first challenges Ezra had was a lack of Levitical leadership. You’ll recall that not everyone was required to depart Babylon with Ezra but only those who volunteered to go. When Ezra assembled the people “at the canal that flows toward Ahava” and set up camp there, he “checked among the people and the priests” and “found no Levites there.” Under the law, Levites were required to transport articles for the temple.
And so Ezra sent “Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam” (mentioned as men who were leaders) as well as “Joiarib and Elnathan” (“men of learning” to “Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia.” The purpose of the mission was to recruit “attendants to us for the house of our God” and it was successful as Ezra’s envoy returned with “Sherebiah...(and his) sons and brothers, a total of 18 people. Additionally, “Hashabiah…and Jeshaiah with his “brothers and nephews” (20 in all) as well as “220…temple servants” came along. Indeed, the “gracious hand of…God was on” Ezra in bringing him the people needed to ensure the trip was conducted in accordance with God’s law and statutes.
We would be well served to remember this as we go through our lives. For how often does the way seem uncertain for us as we try and carry out the Lord’s plan. Often times, we might find ourselves wondering how we will get from start to finish successfully while still adhering to God’s expectations.
Perhaps, we, like Ezra, should look to the gracious hand of God to provide us all that we need to not only carry out His will but to do so in a righteous and holy fashion…a fashion that is completely in step with His word.
With his Levitical requirements more than met, Ezra wasn’t free from further challenge. For the journey was not one for the faint of heart. There would be potential danger ahead over the four months needed to get to Jerusalem from Babylon.
Ezra had not asked King Artaxerxes to provide security for his group as he was “ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road.” Why was he ashamed to ask? Because Ezra had boldly stated that “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” Maybe the feeling of shame Ezra felt was really a feeling of conviction from the Lord. Maybe God was piercing Ezra’s soul, haunting him with the words, “Do you not trust God to help you get to the Holy City Ezra?”
Well, Ezra now was set to do just that…trust God to protect him and his group during their journey. He “proclaimed a fast” by the canal where they camped so that he and his people “might humble (themselves) before…God and ask Him for a safe journey for (them) and (their) children (and)…possessions.”
What was God’s response to the petition of Ezra and his people?
Scripture tells us that God answered their prayer.
And indeed, after Ezra had given the “priests and Levites…the silver and gold and sacred articles that had been weighed out to be taken to the house of…God in Jerusalem”, the group “set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem” on the “twelfth day of the first month” and four months later “arrived in Jerusalem” safely having been “protected us from enemies and bandits along the way” because the “hand of…God was on” them.
What challenges are you facing in life? Does the way ahead seem uncertain and potentially perilous?
I think God’s word from Ezra, Chapter 8, offers us important instruction in how we should proceed.
First, we need to turn our full focus and attention to God, petitioning Him for His help and guidance with a trusting attitude that shows we know He can do all things. Ezra used fasting as a way to show his full reliance on God to provide. This was coupled with prayer and meditation. We can do likewise to fully connect with our Father and ask for His gracious hand to be upon us.
Second, we need to receive God’s graciousness with thanksgiving. Ezra and his people safely traveled to Jerusalem and then “sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel.” They expressed their gratitude through worship. We are to do likewise…to live in a spirit of worship and praise unto our God who can do all things.
Who else can we say that about in our lives?
Provision and protection. All from the gracious hand of God the Father to His beloved.
Have you thanked Him for that today?
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
ACKNOWLEDGING GOD’S AUTHORITY
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the LORD for Israel:
Artaxerxes, king of kings,
To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:
Greetings.
Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.
Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you—up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit. Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should His wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons? You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.
And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
Ezra 7:11-28
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
In the early verses of Chapter 7, we know that Ezra was permitted by King Artaxerxes to leave Babylon and travel to Jerusalem where he would teach God’s laws to the Israelites. We know the journey lasted four months.
The remainder of the chapter contains the guidance given by King Artaxerxes regarding his decision. What’s interesting about the letter is the king’s willingness to pronounce God as being the One who was really in authority. Note the following statements from the letter:
1. Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.
And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
The law Ezra was directed to teach was not the law of Persia or the edicts of King Artaxerxes or any leader in the Trans-Euphrates. No, the law was the law of God, the King of kings. And Ezra was permitted to appoint his own magistrates and judges to uphold the laws of God. Today, His word still holds the same authority, higher than any man-made directives. And the church is permitted to appoint its own people to uphold standards and administer justice when required.
2. Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you—up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit.
You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.
With authority comes the honor of tribute, spiritually and materially. The King of Persia recognized the majesty and magnitude of worship owed to God. Nothing should be spared to grant the Lord the honor He deserves. The king wanted to ensure THE King was honored appropriately with not only material from his people but from the people surrounding Jerusalem in the Trans-Euphrates. And no one had a right to demand anything from God’s people but God Himself. Additional levies by surrounding nations would take away from the full tribute God deserved. Thus such tributes were not permitted. In sum, we to not hold back anything needed to honor God today anymore that the people of Israel were to less than 500 years before the coming of Jesus. We are to give it all to the One who gave, and continues to give, us everything.
3. You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.
When one is in authority, his or her will is to be followed. Note that the king didn’t mandate what Ezra or the Israelites did with the silver, gold or anything else needed for the temple. No, it was the will of God that mattered the most. And it still does today.
4. Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should His wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons?
No one had the right to overrule the commands God gave. Not then, not now. As long as the authority of God was respected and His orders followed, then there would be no need for His wrath to fall on anyone. If a Persian king could figure this out then, it makes you wonder why leaders today can’t figure it out.
5. Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
The very words of Ezra at the end of the chapter serve to give credit to the power and majesty of the God Most High. It was He and He alone that put it in King Artaxerxes’ heart to permit what he did and write what he wrote. Further, it was by God’s authority that Ezra was appointed to the duties he went to Jerusalem to perform. God ordains what happens in our lives because He’s in charge. We’re to be obedient and respond in loyalty to whatever He asks us to do. The strength needed to carry out His wishes will come from Him also because His hand is on you and I, just as it was on Ezra and countless others called into God’s service.
Yes, God is in charge and in control. There is no higher power…no greater authority. Only a foolish person fails to submit to Him. As we approach a new year, we would be well served to recommit to His sovereignty and obligate ourselves obediently to His leadership.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the LORD for Israel:
Artaxerxes, king of kings,
To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven:
Greetings.
Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.
Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you—up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit. Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should His wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons? You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.
And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
Ezra 7:11-28
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
In the early verses of Chapter 7, we know that Ezra was permitted by King Artaxerxes to leave Babylon and travel to Jerusalem where he would teach God’s laws to the Israelites. We know the journey lasted four months.
The remainder of the chapter contains the guidance given by King Artaxerxes regarding his decision. What’s interesting about the letter is the king’s willingness to pronounce God as being the One who was really in authority. Note the following statements from the letter:
1. Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.
And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment.
The law Ezra was directed to teach was not the law of Persia or the edicts of King Artaxerxes or any leader in the Trans-Euphrates. No, the law was the law of God, the King of kings. And Ezra was permitted to appoint his own magistrates and judges to uphold the laws of God. Today, His word still holds the same authority, higher than any man-made directives. And the church is permitted to appoint its own people to uphold standards and administer justice when required.
2. Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the temple of your God in Jerusalem.
Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you—up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit.
You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.
With authority comes the honor of tribute, spiritually and materially. The King of Persia recognized the majesty and magnitude of worship owed to God. Nothing should be spared to grant the Lord the honor He deserves. The king wanted to ensure THE King was honored appropriately with not only material from his people but from the people surrounding Jerusalem in the Trans-Euphrates. And no one had a right to demand anything from God’s people but God Himself. Additional levies by surrounding nations would take away from the full tribute God deserved. Thus such tributes were not permitted. In sum, we to not hold back anything needed to honor God today anymore that the people of Israel were to less than 500 years before the coming of Jesus. We are to give it all to the One who gave, and continues to give, us everything.
3. You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the temple of your God. And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.
When one is in authority, his or her will is to be followed. Note that the king didn’t mandate what Ezra or the Israelites did with the silver, gold or anything else needed for the temple. No, it was the will of God that mattered the most. And it still does today.
4. Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should His wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons?
No one had the right to overrule the commands God gave. Not then, not now. As long as the authority of God was respected and His orders followed, then there would be no need for His wrath to fall on anyone. If a Persian king could figure this out then, it makes you wonder why leaders today can’t figure it out.
5. Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
The very words of Ezra at the end of the chapter serve to give credit to the power and majesty of the God Most High. It was He and He alone that put it in King Artaxerxes’ heart to permit what he did and write what he wrote. Further, it was by God’s authority that Ezra was appointed to the duties he went to Jerusalem to perform. God ordains what happens in our lives because He’s in charge. We’re to be obedient and respond in loyalty to whatever He asks us to do. The strength needed to carry out His wishes will come from Him also because His hand is on you and I, just as it was on Ezra and countless others called into God’s service.
Yes, God is in charge and in control. There is no higher power…no greater authority. Only a foolish person fails to submit to Him. As we approach a new year, we would be well served to recommit to His sovereignty and obligate ourselves obediently to His leadership.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
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