Eskimo's Icy Wisdoms

Nehemiah Chapter 11

Hello again my friends, I pray you had a good week since last we met.

The next chapter of Nehemiah at first glance doesn’t seem that important. I mean, talking about guys getting sent to Jerusalem, how many Levites there are… Boring stuff right?

You sir or madam, couldn’t be more mistaken. Nothing in the Bible is just there to bore you. It’s there for a reason.

[quote=Nehemiah 11:1]

1Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. [/quote]

Did you see that? The first sentence: “All the leaders”. Why is this significant? They just rebuilt the wall; of course the leaders want to be there it has got to be one of the safest places to put leadership right? I won’t argue this is right or wrong, it’s the fact that the leadership of all the tribes was in a single place again. They moved to Jerusalem, together, forming a unit of leadership again. This would allow the Tribes to work together in a much more cohesive manner. It would help with working, protecting, farming… The list goes on and on. By having the leadership in one place you get some Proverbs 1:5 stuff happening.

[quote=Proverbs 1:5]

5let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance

[/quote]

Now you got all these leaders in the same place, but what about people? Having only the leaders in the city doesn’t make much sense, you need people to run a city!

So that’s exactly what happens next, by moving ten percent of all the towns to the main city, (OK 1 in 10)  they insured that a good cross reference of the people were represented. This also let all the tribes lay claim to Jerusalem again. Not any one tribe held the power, not any one tribe had the ability to do so easily either. It created a balance within the city.

Now it’s important to note the number of Levites; why you may ask. Well let me see if I can explain. I have to be honest, I’m not 100% up on Levites, and however I did find the following article that explains pretty well what they did.

[quote=IDS.org]

Levites

Levites. Descendants of Levi. The work of ministering in the sanctuary was assigned to this tribe. The Levites are sometimes spoken of as distinct from the priests (1 Kgs. 8:4; Ezra 2:70; John 1:19); sometimes as though all Levites were also priests, “the priests, the Levites” (Deut. 18:1; Josh. 3:3). The work of the Levites was to assist the priests (Num. 3:5–10; 18:1–7). They acted as musicians (1 Chr. 6:16, 31; 15:16; Neh. 11:17, 22); slaughtered the sacrifices (2 Chr. 29:34; 35:11; Ezra 6:20); and generally assisted in the temple (Neh. 11:16, 19). The Levites were themselves offered as a wave-offering on behalf of the children of Israel (Num. 8:11–15); they thus became God’s peculiar property, given to him in place of the firstborn (Num. 8:16). They were not consecrated, but cleansed for their office (Num. 8:7–16). They had no inheritance in Canaan (Num. 18:23–24); but they had the tithe (18:21), 48 cities (35:6), and a claim on the alms of the people at feast times (Deut. 12:18–19; 14:27, 29).

[/quote]

As you can see, Nehemiah set in motion items that put Israel back together. It brought the leadership back together to form a strong, unified Israel. It brought back people to be set aside for the temple. It brought the tribes together again.

Pretty amazing stuff, there is no way this all happened without God moving through Nehemiah.

I pray God moves through you this week,

Until next time,

Eskimo

Nehemiah Chapter 10

Hello again my friends, I hope that today’s chapter brings you some hope and cheer and shows you the kind of people we can be.

Well first off, we have to back up back to chapter nine for just a moment. That’s right, Back to the 38^th verse to be precise.

[quote=Nehemiah 9:38]

38“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.”[/quote]

Why this wasn’t part of chapter 10, I’m not sure… However it’s the start of a contract: one between the people and God; something not to be taken lightly.

I won’t bore you with all of the people who signed this contract, however you can read for yourself exactly how many people there were between verses 1 and 27… That’s a lot of people. Now the importance of having the names written down is it makes it more permanent and is a good reminder of who said they would do it. Plus then there is no excuse if people start to fall out of line. It’s an absolute; no wiggle room. You signed it; you need to hold up your end of the deal.

Is it just me, or do the items that the Israelites spell out make them stand apart from the rest of the world?

[quote=Nehemiah 10: 31}

31"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.[/quote]

We won’t buy from people who work on the holy day. Every seventh year we will forgive debts… Can you imagine what would happen in this country if Christians followed this rule? I am not saying you have to; however think of the consequences… Every Seven years you have to forgive all debts to you… Could you do it?

The verses in this chapter capture truly changed hearts. They repented fully, and armed themselves to go forth once more under God’s full protection. They had walls around the people for physical protection. Now they were getting their spiritual walls rebuilt.

I hope and pray that this has blessed you in some way.

Have a great week,

Until next time,

Eskimo

Nehemiah Chapter 9

Hello again, today we move deeper into the rebuilding of the people of Israel. It wasn’t enough for them to feel bad about having sinned; it was time to do something about it.

[quote=Nehemiah 9:1]

1On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads.[/quote]

Now, I couldn’t find it biblically where God told the people to wear sackcloth, however from my understanding and some research into the culture of the time, it’s more of an outward sign of internal change. So here you have a lot of people dressed up in scratchy, itchy, very uncomfortable clothing, and not only that!

[quote=Nehemiah 9:2]

2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers.[/quote]

They stood with just the Jews.  At this point in time they were probably intermarried with non Jewish people and this is a huge thing to step away from your family to show that you are repentant.

Then, they read from the Book of the Law and then prayed. Half the day was spent doing this, which means very little work got done. However; getting yourself right with God was far more important than tilling the field or pulling the weeds; without God at the head of their own lives, their family and their nation… How would things ever change?

I’ll let you read the prayer in your own Bible. Go ahead, it starts on verse 5 and continues until the next chapter. It reads like a rap sheet of sin.

Notice how they say what their parents did, acknowledging that the problem started before them, but not making excuses for it.

It is  especially interesting how they mention that every time they sinned, they became oppressed and were put into bondage until they cried out for the Lord. They know that’s what happened, and still repeated history.

Yet… At the end of the chapter… They allude to something more.

I’m afraid that’s all the time I have for this week, your comments and insights are welcome.

God bless you this week,

Until next time,

Eskimo

Good evening once again my friends and thank you for joining me once again as we delve deeper int Nehemiah.

This chapter, surprise, isn’t about building up broken walls, but building up broken people.

Ezra (Another really cool dude you should check out. I mean, he has a book in the Bible named after him), stands up in front of all the people who are assembled. Now get this, because its an important feature of this chapter

[quote=Nehemiah 8:3 (shortened for point making] He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand…[/quote]

Men, women and others who could understand. So anyone with understanding was there, I suspect meaning children above a certain age as well as slaves/servants/visiting non-Jews.

And whats the first thing Ezra does? He prays! He doesn’t just start into teaching, he first prays and those gathered join him, to the point of falling down on their faces.

Ezra must have had some voice because he read for hours! And the other Levites (You can check out their names) Were there to help explain what Ezra was reading (Verse 7)

[quote=Nehemiah 8:8] They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.[/quote]

They made sure what was being read was understood. They did their best not to leave anyone behind. They wanted to drive home the points made within the book of law.

[quote=Nehemiah 8:9] Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.[/quote]

Imagine this, you haven’t had the opportunity to read the Bible, much less hear it and when you do, you realize just how far outside of God’s will you are living… What else can you do but weep? You know that you have sinned and deserve the wrath that should fall upon yourself… Yet here is Nehemiah telling people to cheer up and party. Why?

Because there is hope. Yes the people had sinned; yes they deserved the harsh penalization that had befallen them, yet… There was hope, and mercy. This hope was brought back to the people because Nehemiah did what was right. He stood up in the silence and told the King what was bothering him. He went to the trouble to come out to Jerusalem and start rebuilding. He endured the false accusations of the nearby peoples…

Declaring the Joy of the Lord is their strength put everything back on God. It was a way for Nehemiah to say “Hey! Relax. God has things in control, while it may not look good now, God will straighten it out.”

And the people did. [quote=Nehemiah 8:11-12] 11The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve.”12Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.[/quote]

And they shared with those who had nothing. Remember those people from a couple chapters back who had to sell their family into slavery to pay their bills? Yeah, those people.

The power of God is infectious. When it hits one person it starts to spread. The power of God was on Nehemiah and it infected the people of Jerusalem. There were some who refused it, yet for the most part, people wanted and needed the hope that Nehemiah brought.

A few questions that came to mind: And please know this is on my heart and not directed at any single person. When I say the words ‘you’ I’m talking to myself as well.

What are you doing to bring hope to those around you?

Are you infectious with God’s power? Or are you letting your personal agenda get in the way?

When was the last time you read the Bible and wept after reading it because of how hard the Holy Spirit hit you with an insight? Are you thirsty to read the Word or has it become too commonplace in your life?

I pray this is something you will think about. I know I am.

Blessings on you and your household this coming week,

Until we meet again,

Eskimo

Well… Chapter seven starts out with some awesomeness

[quote=Nehemiah 7:1-3]
1 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed.
2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do.
3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”[/quote]

So they got the gates (doors) set up; basic security in a wall after all, and Nehemiah decides to put two of the most trustworthy men he knows in charge of guarding Jerusalem. Not because it was his brother, not because of military prowess, but because of integrity and fearing God.

Now let’s step back a moment here. Fearing God. This isn’t the “I’m afraid of going to hell so I obey God” Type of fear. It’s more of a “I am in awe and reverence to God and obey Him out of Love” fear. It sounds crazy, but if you think about it. Isn’t better to be afraid of misstepping in your walk, not because of the sin itself, but because you will disappoint your Heavenly Father?

I digress… So now you have two men that Nehemiah totally trusts setting up protection for the city. And of course Nehemiah gives them some orders.

I especially like the one about having the guards placed near area’s where they live. Protecting those nearest to you makes more sense with a reminder like that.

Of course, now that you have a city, you need people in the city right? So Nehemiah started going through the records of the people who came to the city.

Now you have to remember, genealogy is important. Knowing where you come from is important and with Nehemiah wanting to help restore the priesthood, well, those records telling who was allowed by Biblical rules to become a priest were extremely important.

You have to remember that waaaaay back in Numbers (chapter 1 and 2) God tells Moses about the Levites and how they are to be set aside for doing the work in the Tabernacle (Which got turned into the temple)

So know who was actually a Levite is a very, very good thing. You wouldn’t want to mess up orders from the Lord.

So what can we learn from this?

A couple things in my opinion.
You got Nehemiah who surrounded himself with good, Godly men and he found them to be men of Integrity. Are we being found as men of integrity or are we just doing good enough to get by?

Nehemiah got the walls built and the gates hung in record time by motivation and having God’s hand upon him. How often in our own lives have we failed to move forward because we were afraid to act or worried about what other people might think of us?

Knowing who your family is and where they come from is important. God blesses generations (He promises too, look it up!) children get blessed because of their parents, grandchildren get blessed because of their grandparents, parents get blessed by their children, all when they are doing what God has them to do.

I’m out of time for this week, homework is calling my name.

I hope this blesses you in some way and that you are challenged.

Have a most excellently blessed week,

Till next time,

Eskimo