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 events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.
Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.
When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.
Esther 3:1-6
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Have you ever been faced with a matter that would make you compromise your faith?
I think we all have faced matters that would try (and too often succeed) to get us out of our element and behaving in a way contrary to the Lord’s commands and expectations. There is a litany of temptations that we go up against in any one lifetime. It’s little wonder that we read in Ephesians, Chapter 6, about the importance of wearing God’s full armor as we go into battle with Satan each and every day.
Looking at our scripture from Esther, we find Mordecai facing a threat that sought to have him compromise his values.
You’ll recall that Mordecai had helped thwart an assassination plot against King Xerxes by overhearing the plot and then revealing it to the king via his beloved Esther, the selected now queen of Xerxes. It was after the execution of the treasonous officers, Bigthana and Teresh, that King Xerxes chose to honor “Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.” Such was the level of Haman’s authority that “all the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor” to him by the king’s command. And all did, except for Mordecai who scripture tells us “would not kneel down or pay him honor.”
Now of note in the Book of Esther is that God is not mentioned by name even once by the author, but we should not feel that this is because God wasn’t moving or present or even professed. The only thing we read about what Mordecai told the king’s royal officials was that he was a Jew. But I find it hard to believe that such a God-fearing, obedient servant such as Mordecai would have not proclaimed the word of God as the reason for his non-compliance. Quite to the contrary, I can almost hear him proclaiming His Lord at every question levied.
The royal officials, day after day: “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”
Mordecai, day after day, refusing to comply (quoting Exodus 20:3-6): “It is written, ‘You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.’”
Mordecai stood strong, not on his principles but on the principles of God Almighty…no matter the threat…no matter the pressure…no matter the temptation. Everyone else might have bowed down but Mordecai would stand for his Lord, no matter what.
And so the officials, unable to get Mordecai to obey the king’s commands, went and made report to Haman, hoping that Haman would understand why Mordecai would not bow down because he was a Jew and had different beliefs and principles.
Would Haman have mercy?
Hardly…for we read where Haman became enraged and wasn’t going to be satisfied with just executing Mordecai but rather had intentions to wipe out all the Jews in the kingdom of King Xerxes.
On the surface, it would appear that Mordecai’s stubbornness put all his people at risk. Maybe some would say he should have compromised in this instance. There was simply too many other lives at stake to do otherwise. But these thoughts would be nothing but lies contrived by the evil one to breed disobedient actions. We get into trouble most when we think we can reason out the ways of life. Our reasoning leads us down the road of compromise as we talk ourselves into doing, saying and thinking things that are not of God. Satan is great at getting us off our game.
But thanks be to God for Mordecai and his blessed example of standing strong in the midst of challenge and adversity. God is not done in this matter as we will see. He has been moving since the first verse of this book and will soon amaze us with the intricate details of a perfect plan to save His beloved people with Esther and Mordecai being his two main players. I have to think that neither of them knew what God was doing at the time. His plan isarely seen in full while in progress. This is why we need to remain obedient at all times during our life’s circumstances. For we never know when God is using us as active players in His almighty works.
Maybe He is doing that in your life today. My advice…and God’s expectation…is for you to stand strong on His holy word and principles, modeling the blessed example set by Mordecai so many years ago.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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Saturday, June 9, 2012
Friday, June 8, 2012
DOING WHAT'S RIGHT FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS
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.
When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.
During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.
Esther 2:19-23
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As the second chapter of Esther opens, the search for a new queen to replace Vasti resulted in a Jewish virgin Esther winning the king’s favor and thus the crown. You’ll recall that Esther’s Jewish ethnicity was concealed and only known by her caregiver Mordecai, who takes center stage at the end of Chapter 2. This point is reinforced again in this passage.
Scripture tells us that Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate when “the virgins were assembled a second time.” The king’s gate was the main gate of the city was the major commerce and judicial point where many events took place like the market, the court or speeches by the king.
While at the gate, Mordecai overheard something very troubling. “Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway” had become “angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.” No reason was given for their disdain but the matter brought Mordecai great concern for the king. We also get no sense that Mordecai had any special connection to King Xerxes outside of Esther now being the queen. In other words, Mordecai’s actions after hearing the threat came out of his desire to do the right thing and save a life, if possible.
So what did Mordecai do?
We read where he went and “told…Esther, who in turn reported it to the king”, not taking credit for it herself but giving credit where credit was due…to Mordecai. The report spawned an investigation which validated the plot and resulted in the two conspirators “impaled on poles,” the preferred form of execution for the Persians.
And that was where this part of the story ends. Notice anything missing?
I found it interesting that King Xerxes does nothing to reward Mordecai for saving his life. Given all the king’s riches, you would think that some form of positive recognition might take place but we read of nothing. Moreover, we don’t read anything about Mordecai begrudging that he wasn’t recognized.
Why? I think it’s because Mordecai did what was right for all the right reasons. He didn’t view his need for action based on what he might receive from the king. He wasn’t seeking riches or stature. He wasn’t trying to elevate Esther any higher in the king’s eyes. No, he did what he did because he wished to save a life…and I would wager that he would have done it for anyone, king or otherwise.
Indeed, there’s much we can learn from Mordecai. Yes, he had heard of a possible murder scheme and reported it. We may never hear anyone conspire to kill another. But what about other wrongs we witness? Do we do the right thing and take action? Or do we pretend we didn’t see or hear something and just go on with our business?
As we think about this matter of doing what is right, we shouldn’t sit and think about what we think is right but rather think solely on what God thinks is right. As we face matters of right and wrong, we are to always seek the Lord’s guidance as to what to do. This is the only way we can ensure we will always do the right thing and for the right reasons.
Thanks be to God for Mordecai and his example revealed through the scriptures.
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.
When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.
During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.
Esther 2:19-23
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As the second chapter of Esther opens, the search for a new queen to replace Vasti resulted in a Jewish virgin Esther winning the king’s favor and thus the crown. You’ll recall that Esther’s Jewish ethnicity was concealed and only known by her caregiver Mordecai, who takes center stage at the end of Chapter 2. This point is reinforced again in this passage.
Scripture tells us that Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate when “the virgins were assembled a second time.” The king’s gate was the main gate of the city was the major commerce and judicial point where many events took place like the market, the court or speeches by the king.
While at the gate, Mordecai overheard something very troubling. “Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway” had become “angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.” No reason was given for their disdain but the matter brought Mordecai great concern for the king. We also get no sense that Mordecai had any special connection to King Xerxes outside of Esther now being the queen. In other words, Mordecai’s actions after hearing the threat came out of his desire to do the right thing and save a life, if possible.
So what did Mordecai do?
We read where he went and “told…Esther, who in turn reported it to the king”, not taking credit for it herself but giving credit where credit was due…to Mordecai. The report spawned an investigation which validated the plot and resulted in the two conspirators “impaled on poles,” the preferred form of execution for the Persians.
And that was where this part of the story ends. Notice anything missing?
I found it interesting that King Xerxes does nothing to reward Mordecai for saving his life. Given all the king’s riches, you would think that some form of positive recognition might take place but we read of nothing. Moreover, we don’t read anything about Mordecai begrudging that he wasn’t recognized.
Why? I think it’s because Mordecai did what was right for all the right reasons. He didn’t view his need for action based on what he might receive from the king. He wasn’t seeking riches or stature. He wasn’t trying to elevate Esther any higher in the king’s eyes. No, he did what he did because he wished to save a life…and I would wager that he would have done it for anyone, king or otherwise.
Indeed, there’s much we can learn from Mordecai. Yes, he had heard of a possible murder scheme and reported it. We may never hear anyone conspire to kill another. But what about other wrongs we witness? Do we do the right thing and take action? Or do we pretend we didn’t see or hear something and just go on with our business?
As we think about this matter of doing what is right, we shouldn’t sit and think about what we think is right but rather think solely on what God thinks is right. As we face matters of right and wrong, we are to always seek the Lord’s guidance as to what to do. This is the only way we can ensure we will always do the right thing and for the right reasons.
Thanks be to God for Mordecai and his example revealed through the scriptures.
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
WHAT'S THE POINT?
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.
Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.
Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.
Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.
Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.
When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail ) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.
Esther 2:1-18
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As the second chapter of Esther opens, the Persian King Xerxes is in need of a new queen. You’ll recall that his former queen Vashti decided to defy the king after he demanded she appear before him in her royal crown (1:10-12). Her actions led to her dismissal.
And so as chapter two opens, King Xerxes decides to follow the advice of his personal attendants who proposed that a “search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.” Commissioners would be appointed from “every province of (the king’s) realm to bring (the selected virgins) into the harem at the citadel of Susa” where they would be placed “under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch.” The selected women would be given beauty treatments and whoever pleased the king the most would become the new queen.
And so the search began and we are first introduced to Esther, the heroine this book was named after. We’re told she was a cousin of Mordecai, “a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin” who had been “carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon” at the same time as “Jehoiachin king of Judah.” We learn that Esther was beautiful and had another name she was known by, Hadassah. She was raised by Mordecai as if she was his own daughter because “she had neither father nor mother.” It was obvious they had a special relationship, one that we will come to know more about as we proceed through this book.
Back to the scriptures where we read that Esther was one of the young women taken to the “citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai” who had “charge of the harem” after “the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed.” Scripture tells us that Esther pleased Hegai and gained his favor which resulted in her be provided immediate “beauty treatments and special food” as well as “seven female attendants” assigned to her “selected from the king’s palace” and a spot in the “best place in the harem.” No one knew Esther was a Jew because she “had not revealed her nationality and family background” because she had been forbidden to do so by Mordecai who “walked back and forth” every day “near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was” doing and “what was happening to her.”
The process for selecting Vashti’s replacement was extensive. We read that “before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.” Then “anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace” where the woman would go in the evening. After spending the night with the king, the woman would “return to another part of the harem” in the morning and fall under the care of “Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines.” The only way the woman would ever return to the king again is if he had been “pleased with her and summoned her by name.”
And so each woman went one at a time and eventually it came time for “Esther…to go to the king.” We read where “she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested” and was taken to “King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.”
The end result? Scripture tells us “the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins” and so he set a “royal crown on her head and made her queen.” King Xerxes then “gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials” and “proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.”
Esther, a Jew unbeknownst to everyone except Mordecai, was the new queen.
So what’s the point?
On the surface, it would appear that Mordecai, wanting the best for Esther, helped her into a situation where she might have a better life for herself…and succeeded in his efforts as Esther became queen.
But God rarely moves on the surface. His work is typically much deeper…well beyond our human wisdom and understanding.
As we’ll see, this is true in the story of Esther. There is more to this story than an orphaned Jewish girl ascending to be queen. The ascent was just a part of a greater plan God was working.
Maybe you are going through circumstances and wondering to yourself, “What’s the point? Why are things happening the way they are?”
We rarely can see how God is moving in our lives until His mighty plans are carried out to the full. Then as we look back in retrospect, we see the Almighty at work in all His glory, well beyond our limited scope of understanding.
What’s the point? Wait, wait on the Lord…and in His perfect time, He’ll make it all clear.
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.
Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.
Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.
Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.
Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.
When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail ) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.
Esther 2:1-18
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As the second chapter of Esther opens, the Persian King Xerxes is in need of a new queen. You’ll recall that his former queen Vashti decided to defy the king after he demanded she appear before him in her royal crown (1:10-12). Her actions led to her dismissal.
And so as chapter two opens, King Xerxes decides to follow the advice of his personal attendants who proposed that a “search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.” Commissioners would be appointed from “every province of (the king’s) realm to bring (the selected virgins) into the harem at the citadel of Susa” where they would be placed “under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch.” The selected women would be given beauty treatments and whoever pleased the king the most would become the new queen.
And so the search began and we are first introduced to Esther, the heroine this book was named after. We’re told she was a cousin of Mordecai, “a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin” who had been “carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon” at the same time as “Jehoiachin king of Judah.” We learn that Esther was beautiful and had another name she was known by, Hadassah. She was raised by Mordecai as if she was his own daughter because “she had neither father nor mother.” It was obvious they had a special relationship, one that we will come to know more about as we proceed through this book.
Back to the scriptures where we read that Esther was one of the young women taken to the “citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai” who had “charge of the harem” after “the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed.” Scripture tells us that Esther pleased Hegai and gained his favor which resulted in her be provided immediate “beauty treatments and special food” as well as “seven female attendants” assigned to her “selected from the king’s palace” and a spot in the “best place in the harem.” No one knew Esther was a Jew because she “had not revealed her nationality and family background” because she had been forbidden to do so by Mordecai who “walked back and forth” every day “near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was” doing and “what was happening to her.”
The process for selecting Vashti’s replacement was extensive. We read that “before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.” Then “anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace” where the woman would go in the evening. After spending the night with the king, the woman would “return to another part of the harem” in the morning and fall under the care of “Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines.” The only way the woman would ever return to the king again is if he had been “pleased with her and summoned her by name.”
And so each woman went one at a time and eventually it came time for “Esther…to go to the king.” We read where “she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested” and was taken to “King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.”
The end result? Scripture tells us “the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins” and so he set a “royal crown on her head and made her queen.” King Xerxes then “gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials” and “proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.”
Esther, a Jew unbeknownst to everyone except Mordecai, was the new queen.
So what’s the point?
On the surface, it would appear that Mordecai, wanting the best for Esther, helped her into a situation where she might have a better life for herself…and succeeded in his efforts as Esther became queen.
But God rarely moves on the surface. His work is typically much deeper…well beyond our human wisdom and understanding.
As we’ll see, this is true in the story of Esther. There is more to this story than an orphaned Jewish girl ascending to be queen. The ascent was just a part of a greater plan God was working.
Maybe you are going through circumstances and wondering to yourself, “What’s the point? Why are things happening the way they are?”
We rarely can see how God is moving in our lives until His mighty plans are carried out to the full. Then as we look back in retrospect, we see the Almighty at work in all His glory, well beyond our limited scope of understanding.
What’s the point? Wait, wait on the Lord…and in His perfect time, He’ll make it all clear.
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, June 7, 2012
A DIFFERENT KIND OF KING
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 what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.
For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas—to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.
Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.
“According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”
Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.
“Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”
The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.
He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.
Esther 1:1-22
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
In the United States, we often hear people complain about governmental leadership. Either government is too much or too little involved in the affairs of the people. We seem to turn a blind eye too often to nations where democracy isn’t even in play…where fairness and justice aren’t even a discussion point when it comes to the way the land is governed.
Looking back to biblical times, we study about rulers who led by the “my way or the highway” philosophy. Unfortunately today, things haven’t changed a whole lot in many parts of our world as there are still many tyrants out there in power. Many of them could be compared with King Xerxes of Persia.
We’re introduced to the king as the book of Esther opens. He was a man of great power who “reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa” over an empire that included “127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.” Wanting to display his wealth, the king put on a great banquet for all his nobles and officials. Those present included the “military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces.”
The banquet was just the start of the king’s display of his riches. Scripture tells us that he “displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty” for a full 180 days after which he “put on another banquet “in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace” which lasted a week. This time everyone was invited, “all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa” and “by the king’s command” they were “allowed to drink with no restrictions.” It had to be quite a party. We read where a separate banquet was put on by Queen Vashti “for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.”
All seemed well on the Persian throne. That is until the queen decided to disobey her husband.
Back to the scriptures where we learn that King Xerxes, “in high spirits from wine”, commanded “the seven eunuchs who served him” to “bring before him Queen Vashti”. She was to be wearing her “royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles.”
The attendants went to the queen and relayed the king’s wishes but we read where the queen “refused to come” a decision that made King Xerxes “furious and burn(ing) with anger.” He consulted his experts in matters of law and justice as to how he should handle his wife’s refusal. The seven “wise men” included the “seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.”
After asking what he should do to handle the situation, the wise men informed the king that Vashti’s actions were not just against the king but also against “all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes.” In other words, the wives of other rulers would follow Vashti’s lead and be disobedient to their husbands as well. They punctuated their thoughts by saying, “There will be no end of disrespect and discord.”
The wise men then recommended a course of action to the king saying, “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.” In other words, vanquishing Vashti from the king’s presence and effectively dismissing her as queen would serve as a deterrent for any other ruler’s wife to follow her lead.
Well, we read where King Xerxes and his nobles were pleased with the advice and the recommended course of action was followed. Vashti was dismissed and notice was sent “to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language.”
Vashti had decided to disobey her husband who happened to have ultimate power over her life’s circumstances. And she discovered that there are negative consequences for negative decisions. She knew she had to obey the king. She knew the power he wielded. And yet she chose to challenge him and lost everything.
So what does this have to do with you and me?
Well, regardless of where we live and who governs over us, we all are subservient to a King, capital “K”. The King of Kings. The Ruler of all Rulers. The Master of all Masters.
When we talk about reign and power, this King has no rival. The only similarity we can even come close to drawing between Him and the Persian king Xerxes is that both required obedience from their subordinates. And when we see this similarity, maybe we see ourselves a lot like Vashti sometimes, knowing we are to be obedient to our King but choosing to disrespect and disobey Him.
The good news for us is that we serve a different kind of king that Vashti. For in Xerxes, there was no mercy or grace…no forgiveness or pardon. No, in exchange for her poor judgment, Vashti was condemned and discarded.
What if God was like that toward us? What if He vanquished us for just one act of defiance? No one would be left in His presence…and no one would ever share His kingdom with Him. Talk about a life of hopelessness.
But we don’t have to worry about eternal condemnation because our King sent His only Son to intercede for our sinful behaviors. The King loved us so much that He sent Jesus to pay the sin penalty in our place on the cross of Calvary. This is a King of grace and mercy and compassion and forgiveness.
But the pardon is only there for those who accept Jesus as Savior. Have you done this? Have you received the offer of redemption from the eternal King of Kings and chosen life over death…grace over censure…mercy over wrath. If not, do so now and don’t delay. Kneel down before the throne of the King, pledge your allegiance to Him, surrender your life and heart to His Son Jesus, and receive the salvation He extends today.
Yes, we serve a different kind of King. Thanks be to God for that.
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 what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.
For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality. By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas—to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.
Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.
“According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”
Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.
“Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”
The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.
He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.
Esther 1:1-22
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
In the United States, we often hear people complain about governmental leadership. Either government is too much or too little involved in the affairs of the people. We seem to turn a blind eye too often to nations where democracy isn’t even in play…where fairness and justice aren’t even a discussion point when it comes to the way the land is governed.
Looking back to biblical times, we study about rulers who led by the “my way or the highway” philosophy. Unfortunately today, things haven’t changed a whole lot in many parts of our world as there are still many tyrants out there in power. Many of them could be compared with King Xerxes of Persia.
We’re introduced to the king as the book of Esther opens. He was a man of great power who “reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa” over an empire that included “127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.” Wanting to display his wealth, the king put on a great banquet for all his nobles and officials. Those present included the “military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces.”
The banquet was just the start of the king’s display of his riches. Scripture tells us that he “displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty” for a full 180 days after which he “put on another banquet “in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace” which lasted a week. This time everyone was invited, “all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa” and “by the king’s command” they were “allowed to drink with no restrictions.” It had to be quite a party. We read where a separate banquet was put on by Queen Vashti “for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.”
All seemed well on the Persian throne. That is until the queen decided to disobey her husband.
Back to the scriptures where we learn that King Xerxes, “in high spirits from wine”, commanded “the seven eunuchs who served him” to “bring before him Queen Vashti”. She was to be wearing her “royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles.”
The attendants went to the queen and relayed the king’s wishes but we read where the queen “refused to come” a decision that made King Xerxes “furious and burn(ing) with anger.” He consulted his experts in matters of law and justice as to how he should handle his wife’s refusal. The seven “wise men” included the “seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.”
After asking what he should do to handle the situation, the wise men informed the king that Vashti’s actions were not just against the king but also against “all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes.” In other words, the wives of other rulers would follow Vashti’s lead and be disobedient to their husbands as well. They punctuated their thoughts by saying, “There will be no end of disrespect and discord.”
The wise men then recommended a course of action to the king saying, “Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.” In other words, vanquishing Vashti from the king’s presence and effectively dismissing her as queen would serve as a deterrent for any other ruler’s wife to follow her lead.
Well, we read where King Xerxes and his nobles were pleased with the advice and the recommended course of action was followed. Vashti was dismissed and notice was sent “to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language.”
Vashti had decided to disobey her husband who happened to have ultimate power over her life’s circumstances. And she discovered that there are negative consequences for negative decisions. She knew she had to obey the king. She knew the power he wielded. And yet she chose to challenge him and lost everything.
So what does this have to do with you and me?
Well, regardless of where we live and who governs over us, we all are subservient to a King, capital “K”. The King of Kings. The Ruler of all Rulers. The Master of all Masters.
When we talk about reign and power, this King has no rival. The only similarity we can even come close to drawing between Him and the Persian king Xerxes is that both required obedience from their subordinates. And when we see this similarity, maybe we see ourselves a lot like Vashti sometimes, knowing we are to be obedient to our King but choosing to disrespect and disobey Him.
The good news for us is that we serve a different kind of king that Vashti. For in Xerxes, there was no mercy or grace…no forgiveness or pardon. No, in exchange for her poor judgment, Vashti was condemned and discarded.
What if God was like that toward us? What if He vanquished us for just one act of defiance? No one would be left in His presence…and no one would ever share His kingdom with Him. Talk about a life of hopelessness.
But we don’t have to worry about eternal condemnation because our King sent His only Son to intercede for our sinful behaviors. The King loved us so much that He sent Jesus to pay the sin penalty in our place on the cross of Calvary. This is a King of grace and mercy and compassion and forgiveness.
But the pardon is only there for those who accept Jesus as Savior. Have you done this? Have you received the offer of redemption from the eternal King of Kings and chosen life over death…grace over censure…mercy over wrath. If not, do so now and don’t delay. Kneel down before the throne of the King, pledge your allegiance to Him, surrender your life and heart to His Son Jesus, and receive the salvation He extends today.
Yes, we serve a different kind of King. Thanks be to God for that.
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, June 6, 2012
WE NEED A NEHEMIAH TODAY
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.
At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.
Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah, and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.
But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.
I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. So I rebuked the officials and asked them, “Why is the house of God neglected?” Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.
All Judah brought the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms. I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.
Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”
When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.
Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.
Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah. I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?”
One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.
Remember them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task. I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits.
Remember me with favor, my God.
Nehemiah 12:44-47, 13:1-31
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Promises can be made, commitments can be made, assurances can be given…but without accountability any or all of these can end up failing and falling.
The truth of this can be found as we finish the Book of Nehemiah.
The people of Israel had made their promises to not turn away from the book of Moses and the decrees and regulations set forth by none other than God Himself. They recommitted themselves to a holy life and offered assurances that they would be better than their sinful ancestors who had violated God so badly that His wrath and punishment was placed upon them. They resettled in Jerusalem and reestablished the holy city and the temple worship therein. All appeared to be back on track in Israel, all under the reforming leadership of Nehemiah.
But what can happen sometimes when a leader has to depart for a period of time…a leader who has a primary responsibility to maintain accountability over the people he is in charge of?
Well, I can speak from experience and say that sometimes the people will take liberties that they may not have taken if the leader was present and watching. Or as the old saying goes, “When the cat is away, the mice will play.” Such was the case in our scriptures today.
Nehemiah had left Jerusalem after the rejoicing and worshiping that dedicated the Jerusalem walls. Scripture tells us he had traveled back to Babylon and returned to the king who had permitted Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem in the first place (Nehemiah 2). Nehemiah had governed for 12 years during his first term (Nehemiah 5:14), returning to the king of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. We read where Nehemiah wished to return to Jerusalem and asked for permission again from the king who granted Nehemiah’s request.
Nehemiah had left things in good order when he returned to Babylon. However, as he came back to Jerusalem, he found that things had changed without him being there to keep the people in check. The following specific issues were noted:
At the start of Chapter 13, we read where the book of Moses was read and the people understood that “no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God” because they “excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.” The word was clear about what God expected and yet of all people, a priest named Eliashib became the first to violate this commandment.
We read where Eliashib “had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God” and used his position to hook up an associate, an Ammonite named Tobiah. Eliashib basically set Tobiah up with an apartment within the temple, providing him a “large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.”
This wasn’t the first time we have met Tobiah. You’ll remember that Tobiah was one of the men who stirred up resistance to Nehemiah and his efforts to restore Jerusalem. Tobiah was identified in the book as hurling insults and threats at Nehemiah and the Israelites as they rebuilt the wall and sending intimidating letters to Nehemiah. In fact, Nehemiah went as far to call Tobiah an enemy of Israel (4:11).
And so it was little wonder why Nehemiah went off when he returned to Jerusalem and found Tobiah occupying a room in the temple. Such an arrangement was nothing short of a defilement of the temple.
And so Nehemiah took action, evicting Tobiah and throwing all his “household goods out of the room.” Then Nehemiah had the rooms purified and put back into their intended use housing the “equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.”
This wasn’t the only thing not working in compliance with God’s word and will.
For Nehemiah also discovered that the “portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.” The Levites depended on the temple portions for their income and so when those portions were withheld, the Levites went back to the fields to farm and earn their sustenance.
Again, Nehemiah took action after rebuking the officials, having Judah bring “tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms” and assigning Levite leadership to ensure the supplies were distributed to their fellow Levites.
Additionally, the people of Judah were desecrating the Sabbath by “treading winepresses…and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads” before delivering the goods to Jerusalem on the holy day of worship and rest. Nehemiah warned them and the people of Tyre who were also selling items about violating God’s decrees about the Sabbath. Nehemiah also rebuked the nobles of Judah questioning why they would do an act that had caused God to send down His wrath on their ancestors. In other words, Nehemish was asking them in no uncertain words whether they had really learned from the past mistakes of the Israelite people.
Nehemiah had the doors to Jerusalem shut and not reopened until the Sabbath was over. He also ordered the Levites to guard the gates to keep the Sabbath holy. This prevented any more goods from being brought into the city. And when merchants and sellers decided to camp out right outside the wall, Nehemiah chased them away, threatening to arrest them if they failed to depart. Someone had to be the voice of reason. That someone was Nehemiah.
I couldn’t help but think how we in America have more and more taken away Sunday as being the sacred day it once was. Sunday used to be a day when all stores would close and people would go to church before returning home for peace and rest and quality family time. Today, Sunday looks no different than any other day of the week. Even Family Christian Stores are open for business on Sunday (at least Chick-Fil-A has kept the day sacred). I often wonder how God feels about this and can’t help but seeing ourselves as a modern day version of the Jerusalem that Nehemiah returned to. It’s really sad to me and it’s no wonder we’re losing our sacredness as a nation.
Finally, Nehemiah discovered that the “men of Judah…had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab” with “half of their children” speaking foreign languages better than speaking the language of Judah. Again, Nehemiah took action, rebuking the men and calling down curses on them. He took pretty stringent measures as well, beating some of the men and pulling out their hair. It seems harsh but the actions of the men could have resulted in God again passing judgment on Jerusalem, sending the people back into exile, and destroying the city that had just been rebuilt. The Lord did it once out of anger against the Israelites. He could do it again. Nehemiah made the men take an oath in God’s name that they would allow their sons and daughters to marry foreigners.
Nehemiah had returned and set things straight. He was the voice of reason amongst a people who had decided to do their own thing, regardless of what God expected.
Sounds a little like today, doesn’t it?
So who will come and step up as the voice of reason today against a people who have decided that there is no need to obey God’s word and will anymore? Who will stand up and speak out against the Sabbath not being kept holy anymore? Who will speak up in the church and call out the actions that have desecrated God’s holy house?
Who will become today’s Nehemiah?
Maybe God is calling you…or I?
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.
At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the musicians and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.
Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah, and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.
But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.
I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. So I rebuked the officials and asked them, “Why is the house of God neglected?” Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.
All Judah brought the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms. I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.
Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”
When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.
Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.
Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah. I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name and said: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?”
One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.
Remember them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task. I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits.
Remember me with favor, my God.
Nehemiah 12:44-47, 13:1-31
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Promises can be made, commitments can be made, assurances can be given…but without accountability any or all of these can end up failing and falling.
The truth of this can be found as we finish the Book of Nehemiah.
The people of Israel had made their promises to not turn away from the book of Moses and the decrees and regulations set forth by none other than God Himself. They recommitted themselves to a holy life and offered assurances that they would be better than their sinful ancestors who had violated God so badly that His wrath and punishment was placed upon them. They resettled in Jerusalem and reestablished the holy city and the temple worship therein. All appeared to be back on track in Israel, all under the reforming leadership of Nehemiah.
But what can happen sometimes when a leader has to depart for a period of time…a leader who has a primary responsibility to maintain accountability over the people he is in charge of?
Well, I can speak from experience and say that sometimes the people will take liberties that they may not have taken if the leader was present and watching. Or as the old saying goes, “When the cat is away, the mice will play.” Such was the case in our scriptures today.
Nehemiah had left Jerusalem after the rejoicing and worshiping that dedicated the Jerusalem walls. Scripture tells us he had traveled back to Babylon and returned to the king who had permitted Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem in the first place (Nehemiah 2). Nehemiah had governed for 12 years during his first term (Nehemiah 5:14), returning to the king of Babylon in the thirty-second year of his reign. We read where Nehemiah wished to return to Jerusalem and asked for permission again from the king who granted Nehemiah’s request.
Nehemiah had left things in good order when he returned to Babylon. However, as he came back to Jerusalem, he found that things had changed without him being there to keep the people in check. The following specific issues were noted:
At the start of Chapter 13, we read where the book of Moses was read and the people understood that “no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God” because they “excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.” The word was clear about what God expected and yet of all people, a priest named Eliashib became the first to violate this commandment.
We read where Eliashib “had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God” and used his position to hook up an associate, an Ammonite named Tobiah. Eliashib basically set Tobiah up with an apartment within the temple, providing him a “large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil prescribed for the Levites, musicians and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.”
This wasn’t the first time we have met Tobiah. You’ll remember that Tobiah was one of the men who stirred up resistance to Nehemiah and his efforts to restore Jerusalem. Tobiah was identified in the book as hurling insults and threats at Nehemiah and the Israelites as they rebuilt the wall and sending intimidating letters to Nehemiah. In fact, Nehemiah went as far to call Tobiah an enemy of Israel (4:11).
And so it was little wonder why Nehemiah went off when he returned to Jerusalem and found Tobiah occupying a room in the temple. Such an arrangement was nothing short of a defilement of the temple.
And so Nehemiah took action, evicting Tobiah and throwing all his “household goods out of the room.” Then Nehemiah had the rooms purified and put back into their intended use housing the “equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.”
This wasn’t the only thing not working in compliance with God’s word and will.
For Nehemiah also discovered that the “portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.” The Levites depended on the temple portions for their income and so when those portions were withheld, the Levites went back to the fields to farm and earn their sustenance.
Again, Nehemiah took action after rebuking the officials, having Judah bring “tithes of grain, new wine and olive oil into the storerooms” and assigning Levite leadership to ensure the supplies were distributed to their fellow Levites.
Additionally, the people of Judah were desecrating the Sabbath by “treading winepresses…and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads” before delivering the goods to Jerusalem on the holy day of worship and rest. Nehemiah warned them and the people of Tyre who were also selling items about violating God’s decrees about the Sabbath. Nehemiah also rebuked the nobles of Judah questioning why they would do an act that had caused God to send down His wrath on their ancestors. In other words, Nehemish was asking them in no uncertain words whether they had really learned from the past mistakes of the Israelite people.
Nehemiah had the doors to Jerusalem shut and not reopened until the Sabbath was over. He also ordered the Levites to guard the gates to keep the Sabbath holy. This prevented any more goods from being brought into the city. And when merchants and sellers decided to camp out right outside the wall, Nehemiah chased them away, threatening to arrest them if they failed to depart. Someone had to be the voice of reason. That someone was Nehemiah.
I couldn’t help but think how we in America have more and more taken away Sunday as being the sacred day it once was. Sunday used to be a day when all stores would close and people would go to church before returning home for peace and rest and quality family time. Today, Sunday looks no different than any other day of the week. Even Family Christian Stores are open for business on Sunday (at least Chick-Fil-A has kept the day sacred). I often wonder how God feels about this and can’t help but seeing ourselves as a modern day version of the Jerusalem that Nehemiah returned to. It’s really sad to me and it’s no wonder we’re losing our sacredness as a nation.
Finally, Nehemiah discovered that the “men of Judah…had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab” with “half of their children” speaking foreign languages better than speaking the language of Judah. Again, Nehemiah took action, rebuking the men and calling down curses on them. He took pretty stringent measures as well, beating some of the men and pulling out their hair. It seems harsh but the actions of the men could have resulted in God again passing judgment on Jerusalem, sending the people back into exile, and destroying the city that had just been rebuilt. The Lord did it once out of anger against the Israelites. He could do it again. Nehemiah made the men take an oath in God’s name that they would allow their sons and daughters to marry foreigners.
Nehemiah had returned and set things straight. He was the voice of reason amongst a people who had decided to do their own thing, regardless of what God expected.
Sounds a little like today, doesn’t it?
So who will come and step up as the voice of reason today against a people who have decided that there is no need to obey God’s word and will anymore? Who will stand up and speak out against the Sabbath not being kept holy anymore? Who will speak up in the church and call out the actions that have desecrated God’s holy house?
Who will become today’s Nehemiah?
Maybe God is calling you…or I?
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
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Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
Monday, June 4, 2012
LETTING YOUR JOY BE SEEN AND HEARD
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 leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns, while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem):
From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez; and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Kol-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah. The descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem totaled 468 men of standing.
From the descendants of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, and his followers, Gabbai and Sallai—928 men. Joel son of Zikri was their chief officer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the New Quarter of the city.
From the priests: Jedaiah; the son of Joiarib; Jakin; Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God, and their associates, who carried on work for the temple—822 men; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, and his associates, who were heads of families—242 men; Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, and his associates, who were men of standing—128. Their chief officer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.
From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; Shabbethai and Jozabad, two of the heads of the Levites, who had charge of the outside work of the house of God; Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. The Levites in the holy city totaled 284.
The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon and their associates, who kept watch at the gates—172 men.
The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on their ancestral property.
The temple servants lived on the hill of Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.
The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God. The musicians were under the king’s orders, which regulated their daily activity.
Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was the king’s agent in all affairs relating to the people.
As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages, in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its settlements, in Ziklag, in Mekonah and its settlements, in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam and their villages, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its settlements. So they were living all the way from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
The descendants of the Benjamites from Geba lived in Mikmash, Aija, Bethel and its settlements, in Anathoth, Nob and Ananiah, in Hazor, Ramah and Gittaim, in Hadid, Zeboim and Neballat, in Lod and Ono, and in Ge Harashim.
Some of the divisions of the Levites of Judah settled in Benjamin.
These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluk, Hattush, Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah, Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah,Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah.
These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua. The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in the services. Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.
In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families: of Seraiah’s family, Meraiah;
of Jeremiah’s, Hananiah; of Ezra’s, Meshullam; of Amariah’s, Jehohanan; of Malluk’s, Jonathan;
of Shekaniah’s, Joseph; of Harim’s, Adna; of Meremoth’s, Helkai; of Iddo’s, Zechariah; of Ginnethon’s, Meshullam; of Abijah’s, Zikri; of Miniamin’s and of Moadiah’s, Piltai; of Bilgah’s, Shammua; of Shemaiah’s, Jehonathan; of Joiarib’s, Mattenai; of Jedaiah’s, Uzzi; of Sallu’s, Kallai;
of Amok’s, Eber; of Hilkiah’s, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah’s, Nethanel.
The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian. The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals. And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.
Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.
At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.
I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession. At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate on the east.
The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.
The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets—and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.
Nehemiah 11:1-36, 12:1-43
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Recommitting yourself to God…to His word and His way…brings a sense of renewal. A renewal of spirit fueled by the Holy Spirit energized within you. A renewal of energy toward obedience fueled by the respect and honor directed to the Almighty Master and Creator. A renewal of joy and peace and contentment brought on by feeling the Lord’s love once again moving in, through and around us.
The people of Israel felt all of this and more as they returned to the Promised Land after exile. They understood what had caused them to fall out of God’s favor and recommitted themselves to His principles and ways. They took on the rebuilding of the holy city of Jerusalem, first reconstructing the temple, then rebuilding the walls to protect the city, and then repopulating the city with God’s chosen people. It had been a journey. Renewal is often just that.
And so as we get to the end of Chapter 12 of Nehemiah, it’s easy to see where the people were ready to let their joy toward God be expressed in special ways. The occasion was the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem but the dedication was just the title. The people were ready to worship and praise God…and they did so in grand fashion.
Song is so often a big part of worship and the people of Israel rolled out the red carpet when it came to the musical aspect of the dedication. We read where there were multiple choirs involved.
First, the “Levites were sought out from where they lived” and were “brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.” We use instruments in our present day worship services. The origin of this can be traced all the way back to our Old Testament brothers and sisters.
We read as well that “musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth.” They came in to accompany the Levites in the music process.
Of note was the matter of purification before worship began. No proper dedication before God could be started until purity could be established. A pure and perfect God deserved pure worship and so the “priests and Levites…purified themselves ceremonially” first, and then they “purified the people, the gates and the wall.” As we come before God in praise and worship, it’s important that we come before Him with purity. We should always seek to come clean before we enter the house of the Lord so that we might be properly prepared to worship Him in spirit and in truth…in full holiness and righteousness.
After the purification, Nehemiah began to direct people as to where they should go for the dedication. It had to be quite an undertaking to ensure all the gates were covered as the city covered a significant amount of real estate.
Nehemiah had the “leaders of Judah” to “go up on top of the wall” and “assigned two large choirs to give thanks”. A procession was formed led by “Ezra the teacher of the Law” which included one of the choirs, “Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah…along with Azariah,…Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani.” Musical instruments were used “prescribed by David the man of God”. The procession went to the “Fountain Gate” and “continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate on the east.”
A second procession was formed with the other choir and it “proceeded in the opposite direction”. This procession included Nehemiah himself along with “half the people” and it traveled “past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate”, stopping at the “Gate of the Guard”.
The procession was followed by an assembly “in the house of God”. The two choirs, singing under the direction of Jezrahiah, were joined by Nehemiah “with half the officials, as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets—and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer.”
Purified and properly prepared for worship, we read where the choirs sang, great sacrifices were offered, and all the people were rejoicing, men, women and children…and not mildly rejoicing…no, the rejoicing was momentous, such that the rejoicing in Jerusalem “could be heard far away.”
And why was the rejoicing so great?
Because “God had given them great joy.”
Did you hear that verse? God had given them great joy.
Friends, God intends for us to be people of joy and offers us a joy that will lead us to rejoice as the Israelites did…in a way that will be heard far away…a joy that is far reaching and infectious. God offers a joy unfound anywhere else and when you and I have it in its truest sense, we will stand out…and others will be interested in knowing how we got the joy that we have. They will want to know because their hearts yearn for that kind of joy and they are having trouble finding it. They have trouble finding it because they are all looking for it in the wrong place.
As Christians, God so loved us that he gave His one and only Son Jesus to pay the cost for our sins. This sin penalty paid makes all those who place their faith and trust in Jesus pardoned and no longer under the wrath of God’s condemnation. We ought to rejoice and be glad in this each and every moment that we take breath. The Son has set us free and we are free indeed! Hallelujah! That and that alone should bring us to rejoicing. We have eternal hope that cannot be taken away from us…a heavenly inheritance awaits Christians in a mansion of many rooms that the Father has prepared for them. Praise God for this!
God the Father…the Omnipotent, Omnipresent. Omniscient Master and Creator of us all offers us great joy. We need to grab a hold of it and never let go.
If you’re a Christian and have lost joy, regain it. God is extending it to you through His Son, Jesus.
If you don’t know Jesus in your life, today is the day to accept Him as Savior and receive the fullest extent of joy possible.
And if you have accepted God’s joy in your heart, let your rejoicing resound so that it might be heard near and far.
Indeed…
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
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 leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.
These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns, while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem):
From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez; and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Kol-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, a descendant of Shelah. The descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem totaled 468 men of standing.
From the descendants of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, and his followers, Gabbai and Sallai—928 men. Joel son of Zikri was their chief officer, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the New Quarter of the city.
From the priests: Jedaiah; the son of Joiarib; Jakin; Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the official in charge of the house of God, and their associates, who carried on work for the temple—822 men; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, and his associates, who were heads of families—242 men; Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, and his associates, who were men of standing—128. Their chief officer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.
From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; Shabbethai and Jozabad, two of the heads of the Levites, who had charge of the outside work of the house of God; Mattaniah son of Mika, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. The Levites in the holy city totaled 284.
The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon and their associates, who kept watch at the gates—172 men.
The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on their ancestral property.
The temple servants lived on the hill of Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of them.
The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mika. Uzzi was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the musicians responsible for the service of the house of God. The musicians were under the king’s orders, which regulated their daily activity.
Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was the king’s agent in all affairs relating to the people.
As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath Arba and its surrounding settlements, in Dibon and its settlements, in Jekabzeel and its villages, in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its settlements, in Ziklag, in Mekonah and its settlements, in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam and their villages, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its settlements. So they were living all the way from Beersheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
The descendants of the Benjamites from Geba lived in Mikmash, Aija, Bethel and its settlements, in Anathoth, Nob and Ananiah, in Hazor, Ramah and Gittaim, in Hadid, Zeboim and Neballat, in Lod and Ono, and in Ge Harashim.
Some of the divisions of the Levites of Judah settled in Benjamin.
These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluk, Hattush, Shekaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
Iddo, Ginnethon, Abijah, Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah,Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah.
These were the leaders of the priests and their associates in the days of Joshua. The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and also Mattaniah, who, together with his associates, was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. Bakbukiah and Unni, their associates, stood opposite them in the services. Joshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.
In the days of Joiakim, these were the heads of the priestly families: of Seraiah’s family, Meraiah;
of Jeremiah’s, Hananiah; of Ezra’s, Meshullam; of Amariah’s, Jehohanan; of Malluk’s, Jonathan;
of Shekaniah’s, Joseph; of Harim’s, Adna; of Meremoth’s, Helkai; of Iddo’s, Zechariah; of Ginnethon’s, Meshullam; of Abijah’s, Zikri; of Miniamin’s and of Moadiah’s, Piltai; of Bilgah’s, Shammua; of Shemaiah’s, Jehonathan; of Joiarib’s, Mattenai; of Jedaiah’s, Uzzi; of Sallu’s, Kallai;
of Amok’s, Eber; of Hilkiah’s, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah’s, Nethanel.
The family heads of the Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua, as well as those of the priests, were recorded in the reign of Darius the Persian. The family heads among the descendants of Levi up to the time of Johanan son of Eliashib were recorded in the book of the annals. And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.
Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates. They served in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law.
At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall.
I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani—with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession. At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate on the east.
The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people—past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped.
The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets—and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.
Nehemiah 11:1-36, 12:1-43
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Recommitting yourself to God…to His word and His way…brings a sense of renewal. A renewal of spirit fueled by the Holy Spirit energized within you. A renewal of energy toward obedience fueled by the respect and honor directed to the Almighty Master and Creator. A renewal of joy and peace and contentment brought on by feeling the Lord’s love once again moving in, through and around us.
The people of Israel felt all of this and more as they returned to the Promised Land after exile. They understood what had caused them to fall out of God’s favor and recommitted themselves to His principles and ways. They took on the rebuilding of the holy city of Jerusalem, first reconstructing the temple, then rebuilding the walls to protect the city, and then repopulating the city with God’s chosen people. It had been a journey. Renewal is often just that.
And so as we get to the end of Chapter 12 of Nehemiah, it’s easy to see where the people were ready to let their joy toward God be expressed in special ways. The occasion was the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem but the dedication was just the title. The people were ready to worship and praise God…and they did so in grand fashion.
Song is so often a big part of worship and the people of Israel rolled out the red carpet when it came to the musical aspect of the dedication. We read where there were multiple choirs involved.
First, the “Levites were sought out from where they lived” and were “brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.” We use instruments in our present day worship services. The origin of this can be traced all the way back to our Old Testament brothers and sisters.
We read as well that “musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth.” They came in to accompany the Levites in the music process.
Of note was the matter of purification before worship began. No proper dedication before God could be started until purity could be established. A pure and perfect God deserved pure worship and so the “priests and Levites…purified themselves ceremonially” first, and then they “purified the people, the gates and the wall.” As we come before God in praise and worship, it’s important that we come before Him with purity. We should always seek to come clean before we enter the house of the Lord so that we might be properly prepared to worship Him in spirit and in truth…in full holiness and righteousness.
After the purification, Nehemiah began to direct people as to where they should go for the dedication. It had to be quite an undertaking to ensure all the gates were covered as the city covered a significant amount of real estate.
Nehemiah had the “leaders of Judah” to “go up on top of the wall” and “assigned two large choirs to give thanks”. A procession was formed led by “Ezra the teacher of the Law” which included one of the choirs, “Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah…along with Azariah,…Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zakkur, the son of Asaph, and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani.” Musical instruments were used “prescribed by David the man of God”. The procession went to the “Fountain Gate” and “continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate on the east.”
A second procession was formed with the other choir and it “proceeded in the opposite direction”. This procession included Nehemiah himself along with “half the people” and it traveled “past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate”, stopping at the “Gate of the Guard”.
The procession was followed by an assembly “in the house of God”. The two choirs, singing under the direction of Jezrahiah, were joined by Nehemiah “with half the officials, as well as the priests—Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets—and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer.”
Purified and properly prepared for worship, we read where the choirs sang, great sacrifices were offered, and all the people were rejoicing, men, women and children…and not mildly rejoicing…no, the rejoicing was momentous, such that the rejoicing in Jerusalem “could be heard far away.”
And why was the rejoicing so great?
Because “God had given them great joy.”
Did you hear that verse? God had given them great joy.
Friends, God intends for us to be people of joy and offers us a joy that will lead us to rejoice as the Israelites did…in a way that will be heard far away…a joy that is far reaching and infectious. God offers a joy unfound anywhere else and when you and I have it in its truest sense, we will stand out…and others will be interested in knowing how we got the joy that we have. They will want to know because their hearts yearn for that kind of joy and they are having trouble finding it. They have trouble finding it because they are all looking for it in the wrong place.
As Christians, God so loved us that he gave His one and only Son Jesus to pay the cost for our sins. This sin penalty paid makes all those who place their faith and trust in Jesus pardoned and no longer under the wrath of God’s condemnation. We ought to rejoice and be glad in this each and every moment that we take breath. The Son has set us free and we are free indeed! Hallelujah! That and that alone should bring us to rejoicing. We have eternal hope that cannot be taken away from us…a heavenly inheritance awaits Christians in a mansion of many rooms that the Father has prepared for them. Praise God for this!
God the Father…the Omnipotent, Omnipresent. Omniscient Master and Creator of us all offers us great joy. We need to grab a hold of it and never let go.
If you’re a Christian and have lost joy, regain it. God is extending it to you through His Son, Jesus.
If you don’t know Jesus in your life, today is the day to accept Him as Savior and receive the fullest extent of joy possible.
And if you have accepted God’s joy in your heart, let your rejoicing resound so that it might be heard near and far.
Indeed…
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
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, June 3, 2012
RECOMMITMENT
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 view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”
Those who sealed it were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliah. Zedekiah, Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah. These were the priests. The Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel, and their associates: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah, Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Bani and Beninu. The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, Malluk, Harim and Baanah.
“The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand—all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.
“We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.
“When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.
“We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God: for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings[c] to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.
“We—the priests, the Levites and the people—have cast lots to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.
“We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.
“As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.
“Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept. “We will not neglect the house of our God.”
Nehemiah 9:38, 10:1-39
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As the ninth chapter of Nehemiah closed, the people of Israel were sharing their current condition with God…that they were essentially slaves in their own land, the very Promised Land that had been given to their ancestors who had repaid the Lord’s goodness and grace with disobedience and sin. It was obvious that the generation of Israelites in Nehemiah’s time were hungry for restoration…to get back in God’s favor.
The first step toward getting right with God again always starts with repentance, confessing your sinful behavior, professing your willingness to turn from the sin, and asking God for His forgiveness and mercy, recognizing His omnipotence and authority. The people of Israel met this requirement in Nehemiah 9.
The next step needed to be a recommitment to God’s will and word. As we read our scripture passage we see in the very last verse of Chapter 9, the people take the first step toward recommitment as they made a “binding agreement…in writing” with the leaders, Levites and priests all “affixing their seals to it.” A lengthy list of those endorsing the binding agreement is provided as Chapter 10 opens.
So what did the people promise to do? The remainder of Chapter 10 captures their vows.
First, all the people, which included “priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand,” joined their “fellow Israelites the nobles”, binding themselves with a “curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.”
Before Joshua and the Israelites entered the Promised Land, God told them that they were to “obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:7b-8) As we look at the history of the people of Israel in the Holy Land, they found themselves away from God’s will when they allowed themselves to depart from His word and instruction.
Nothing has changed today. Deliberately stay away from reading and abiding in God’s word and you will find yourself away from His will, astray, lost and abounding in sinfulness as the Israelites did.
As we look back to our passage in Nehemiah, we see that the Israelites recognize they need to first get back into the word of God so they can ensure they are living in the will of God. They promise to follow the law of God, binding their lives in commitment to His holy word, carefully obeying all His commands, regulations and decrees.
Commitment and obedience to God. You want to get right with Him? There is no better place to start.
The remainder of the chapter gets specific regarding some of God’s commands, regulations and decrees. We get the feeling that these specific mentions were the very commands that their Israelite ancestors had violated thus making this promise one that would include not repeating the mistakes of the past. In other words, the people of Israel wanted God to know they were learning from the past and not willing to repeat prior errors. They were recommitting themselves to give God their best…their first fruits…just as He was always giving them…and gives us today.
The same is expected of you and I. We are expected to learn and commit ourselves to not repeating past sinfulness whether ours or those close to us. The consequences of sin that we witness should be enough to convince us to not engage in that behavior. But unfortunately, like the Israelites who found themselves out of God’s favor, we are too often stubborn and stiff-necked, wanting to fulfill our desires before meeting God’s. God gives us His best…His first fruits and we give Him our worst…or we completely turn from Him altogether. The world becomes a greater priority than the One who created it.
Friends, we have much to learn from the people of Israel in this passage. Let’s not delay in recommitting ourselves to God’s word and way…and there no better place to start than Jesus who proclaimed Himself as the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). As Christians, we are to model ourselves after Christ in every way...and when we do this we draw ever closer to the Father for remember that Jesus also proclaimed that He and the Father are one. (John 10:30) In the presence of the Father and the Son places us firmly in the place of righteousness and we know that blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. (Matthew 5:6)
Be blessed by God’s word as you hunger and thirst for His righteousness. Commit yourself to faithfully read and follow His word. Respond to His will for your life and you will find yourself living the life the Lord intends for you to have, a life fully in communion with Him and full of joy and peace and hope and love.
Who doesn’t want that?
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
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.
In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
“In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”
Those who sealed it were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hakaliah. Zedekiah, Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluk, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Maaziah, Bilgai and Shemaiah. These were the priests. The Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel, and their associates: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, Mika, Rehob, Hashabiah, Zakkur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Bani and Beninu. The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, Malluk, Harim and Baanah.
“The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand—all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.
“We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.
“When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.
“We assume the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of our God: for the bread set out on the table; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moon feasts and at the appointed festivals; for the holy offerings; for sin offerings[c] to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.
“We—the priests, the Levites and the people—have cast lots to determine when each of our families is to bring to the house of our God at set times each year a contribution of wood to burn on the altar of the Lord our God, as it is written in the Law.
“We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree.
“As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there.
“Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept. “We will not neglect the house of our God.”
Nehemiah 9:38, 10:1-39
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As the ninth chapter of Nehemiah closed, the people of Israel were sharing their current condition with God…that they were essentially slaves in their own land, the very Promised Land that had been given to their ancestors who had repaid the Lord’s goodness and grace with disobedience and sin. It was obvious that the generation of Israelites in Nehemiah’s time were hungry for restoration…to get back in God’s favor.
The first step toward getting right with God again always starts with repentance, confessing your sinful behavior, professing your willingness to turn from the sin, and asking God for His forgiveness and mercy, recognizing His omnipotence and authority. The people of Israel met this requirement in Nehemiah 9.
The next step needed to be a recommitment to God’s will and word. As we read our scripture passage we see in the very last verse of Chapter 9, the people take the first step toward recommitment as they made a “binding agreement…in writing” with the leaders, Levites and priests all “affixing their seals to it.” A lengthy list of those endorsing the binding agreement is provided as Chapter 10 opens.
So what did the people promise to do? The remainder of Chapter 10 captures their vows.
First, all the people, which included “priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand,” joined their “fellow Israelites the nobles”, binding themselves with a “curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.”
Before Joshua and the Israelites entered the Promised Land, God told them that they were to “obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:7b-8) As we look at the history of the people of Israel in the Holy Land, they found themselves away from God’s will when they allowed themselves to depart from His word and instruction.
Nothing has changed today. Deliberately stay away from reading and abiding in God’s word and you will find yourself away from His will, astray, lost and abounding in sinfulness as the Israelites did.
As we look back to our passage in Nehemiah, we see that the Israelites recognize they need to first get back into the word of God so they can ensure they are living in the will of God. They promise to follow the law of God, binding their lives in commitment to His holy word, carefully obeying all His commands, regulations and decrees.
Commitment and obedience to God. You want to get right with Him? There is no better place to start.
The remainder of the chapter gets specific regarding some of God’s commands, regulations and decrees. We get the feeling that these specific mentions were the very commands that their Israelite ancestors had violated thus making this promise one that would include not repeating the mistakes of the past. In other words, the people of Israel wanted God to know they were learning from the past and not willing to repeat prior errors. They were recommitting themselves to give God their best…their first fruits…just as He was always giving them…and gives us today.
The same is expected of you and I. We are expected to learn and commit ourselves to not repeating past sinfulness whether ours or those close to us. The consequences of sin that we witness should be enough to convince us to not engage in that behavior. But unfortunately, like the Israelites who found themselves out of God’s favor, we are too often stubborn and stiff-necked, wanting to fulfill our desires before meeting God’s. God gives us His best…His first fruits and we give Him our worst…or we completely turn from Him altogether. The world becomes a greater priority than the One who created it.
Friends, we have much to learn from the people of Israel in this passage. Let’s not delay in recommitting ourselves to God’s word and way…and there no better place to start than Jesus who proclaimed Himself as the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). As Christians, we are to model ourselves after Christ in every way...and when we do this we draw ever closer to the Father for remember that Jesus also proclaimed that He and the Father are one. (John 10:30) In the presence of the Father and the Son places us firmly in the place of righteousness and we know that blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. (Matthew 5:6)
Be blessed by God’s word as you hunger and thirst for His righteousness. Commit yourself to faithfully read and follow His word. Respond to His will for your life and you will find yourself living the life the Lord intends for you to have, a life fully in communion with Him and full of joy and peace and hope and love.
Who doesn’t want that?
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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