I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 11-13.

    The final section of this passage gives a different take on the issue of intermarriage that was also discussed in the Book of Ezra (Ezra and Nehemiah were contemporaries). There are two things which are presented here. The first was that some of the leaders of the Jews had divided loyalties because of familial ties to local leaders who opposed the Jewish control over Jerusalem. The second was that some of the people were assimilating into the pagan practices rather than bringing their wives into Jewish practices. This latter being similar to the objection presented in the Book of Ezra. The tendency towards becoming assimilated by the practices of those around them, even when those practices violate God’s commands is the central theme of the last chapter of the Book of Nehemiah. The passage also highlights the need of a strong leader to call people out on these violations of God’s commands. There is a nice example given for us in Nehemiah’s reaction to the Jews doing business on the Sabbath. It is not enough that we do not violate God’s commands, we must not encourage others to violate God’s commands.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 9-10.

    At the beginning of the month the people had gathered to study the Law and to celebrate the Festival of Shelters. At that time, the leaders had insisted that it was a celebration and that the people should not mourn for their failure to follow the law. At the end of the month, the people assembled once more. This time they gathered to fast and mourn for their sins and their failure to be faithful. In their prayer they recounted all of the things which God had done for their ancestors and their ancestors repeated failure to remain faithful. The key here is NOT that they were responsible for their ancestors sins and needed to confess them. The key here is that they acknowledged the human condition. That we, as humans, sin time and time again. That God will forgive us and give us second, and third, and fourth, opportunities to obey His commands. It is by following God’s commands and regulations that we find life and happiness. Failing to follow God’s commands and regulations leads to sorrow and suffering. God does not promise that if we follow His commands and regulations that we will not face suffering, but He does promise that we will find joy. He, also, promises that if we do not follow His commands and regulations that we will face suffering and sorrow.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 7-8.

    After the walls were completed the returned exiles gathered for an assembly to hear the Book of the Law. Every time I read this passage I am impressed by the effort and planning that went into making sure everyone could hear what was being said. The people reacted to the Law in much the same way that King Josiah had reacted before the Exile. They were saddened by how badly they had failed to follow God’s commands. However, the leaders, from Nehemiah and Ezra on down, reminded them that they had gathered for a time of joyously worshiping God. This shows us another important role for leaders. They need to keep the people from being too hard on themselves. The following day, the small group leaders met with Ezra and other students of the Law to learn what God truly wanted of them. The pattern here is clear. Those with great knowledge of God’s teachings and commands present an overview to everyone. Then they gather with the leaders of the various small groups to go over those teachings in more detail. The small group leaders go out from this teaching session to teach those they lead. It is worth noting that it was while the small group leaders were studying the law with the scribes that they discovered that they were supposed to celebrate the Festival of Shelters. This was not something the scribes told them about. It was something which the group discovered as they read Scripture together.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 4-6.

    There were two men with political power in the area around Jerusalem who opposed Nehemiah and his rebuilding of the wall. Yesterday, I offered a theory for their opposition. Whether that theory was correct, or there was some other reason they opposed Nehemiah, it is clear that they considered him a threat to their power and wealth. In this passage they belittled the effectiveness of the wall which the residents of Jerusalem were building, at least in part, as an effort to discourage those doing the building. Furthermore, they planned an assault to disrupt the work on the wall. However, when Nehemiah learned of the planned assault he organized a defense of the city. From the description it seems that Nehemiah did not really believe that the planned defense would prevent the assault. But, if his enemies had launched their planned attack, Nehemiah’s defensive planning would have resulted in evidence that his enemies were behind the attack. Nehemiah would have been able to present such evidence to the king of Persia, who was known to hold him in high esteem. Knowing this, his enemies next attempt was to get him to come to a place where they could ambush him. When this plan also failed, they bribed someone Nehemiah considered a friend to convince Nehemiah that he needed to protect himself while leaving the common man at risk. Nehemiah rejected that advice as well. Repeatedly, Nehemiah showed himself to be a true leader of the people.

    In the middle of the accounts about how Nehemiah’s enemies attempted to disrupt his work, we have a concrete example of how Nehemiah served the people rather than the other way around. When Nehemiah learned that some of the Jews were suffering economic hardship while others were doing well, with the latter doing well at the expense of the former, he was furious. He confronted them with the fact that they were taking part in the efforts to buy out of slavery Jews everywhere, while at the same time they were causing other Jews to be sold into slavery. Nehemiah admitted that he, his brothers, and his servants had been profiting by loaning money at interest to the poor. However, he was going to stop that practice and restore the profit he had made. He thus shamed the others among the elites into doing the same. It is worth noting that Nehemiah did not use his power as governor to get the other nobles to stop mistreating the poor. Instead he shamed them into agreeing to do so by his own example.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 1-3.

    When Nehemiah was convicted to go to Jerusalem to oversee rebuilding the city his first act was to fast and pray. As part of that prayer he acknowledged that God was in the right when He allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed. The people had sinned against God. Nehemiah asked God for guidance in what action he should take. The plan he conceived was designed to bring honor to God. Once he had made his plan, Nehemiah asked God’s aid in executing the plan. Two figures of local political prominence were unhappy that Nehemiah was sent to Jerusalem by the Persian king. They reacted this way before they even knew what Nehemiah’s plans were. I had never noticed this before but when Nehemiah arrived at Jerusalem the people living there were subject to what were little more than bandit raids by the government officials of the surrounding lands. With no walls around Jerusalem, the government officials could sweep in with their military escort and take goods and services, claiming they were taxes due. Once the walls were reconstructed, they had to arrive and justify the taxes they wished to collect. If the taxes were legitimate and the people refused to pay them, the king, back in the capital would send his army and reconquer the city. However, unlike before the wall was built, if the “taxes” were illegitimate the people could refuse to pay them and close the gates against the officials. Then the officials would have to justify to the king why they were demanding these “taxes”.