Nehemiah 3

Dear RTB’ers,

Arise and build. (Neh. 2:18, from yesterday) And they did! Today’s whole chapter is about the rebuilding of the Jerusalem walls, with details on who were the leaders in building this or that section, and ten gates specifically mentioned. One item that stands out for me (noted in my Study Bible) is that there are two occurrences of people doing double duty. First we see Meshullam the son of Berechiah in Neh.3:4,30, then the Tekoites in Neh. 3:5,27.

Another item of interest is twelve occurrences in this chapter of the word house. Verses 16 and 31 have “…as far as the house…”; verses 20, 21, 24 and 25 have “…to (or from) the (door of) the house…”; and verses 10, 23, 28, and 29 have “…opposite his (their) house…”. In ancient times the city walls often formed the fourth wall of a person’s house, so a group of people building near their own house or opposite their houses had a particular interest in that part of the city wall.

Arise and build. What’s on your plans today?

Blessings.

---

See also: September 20 (2023) / Nehemiah 1-4 (again).

Nehemiah 2

Dear RTB’ers,

In his sermon series on Nehemiah in Northern Virginia, our former pastor saw Nehemiah as a type of the Holy Spirit. He spoke in particular on the following two verses. Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. (v. 12a) He saw the Holy Spirit as active in our lives even when we did not see Him at work. As for those “few men” with Nehemiah, I don’t recall our pastor’s portrayal, but I might suggest three possibilities: (1) angelic beings in our lives that we never see, or (2) our own efforts alongside the Holy Spirit, or (3) other people that the Lord has sent to work alongside us. I would take any one of those three possibilities.

The second verse that I strongly recall, And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” (v. 18b) I can hear our pastor speaking over and over, “arise and build”. We might have even had a song that incorporated those words. They remain affixed in my mind!

And still for us today, there is work to do. Arise and build!!

Blessings.

Nehemiah 1

Dear RTB’ers,

Nehemiah, one of Carol’s and my favorite books – that due to a sermon series from our church back in Virginia before we were married. The sermons were delivered by the pastor who married us. Memories…!!

…Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And … they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” (v. 3) Both STS and my Study Bible put Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s travels to Jerusalem from Babylon some sixty and seventy years, respectively, after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. So Nehemiah’s travel begins after Ezra has been in Jerusalem a decade or more. We saw a few days ago that the temple had been rebuilt and daily offerings were being made. Ezra had been appointed by the Lord to teach the people His ways. So, progress…?? However, the description offered by those who had “escaped” were displeasing and left Nehemiah troubled. His prayer asks only for “success” and “mercy” in the sight of the king (Neh. 1:11). Verse 3 quoted above provides the setting for the rest of the book – the wall and the gates. We’ll see tomorrow how God begins to answer Nehemiah’s prayer.

Blessings.

---

See also: September 20 (2023) / Nehemiah 1-4.

Ezra 9-10

Dear RTB’ers,

Foreign wives – two chapters devoted to this topic. But it was a semi-related verse that caught my attention: For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem. (v. 9:9) My Study Bible then noted five Persian kings, from Cyrus to Artaxerxes I who had been favorably disposed to the Jews during their exile and especially in support of their post-exilic rebuilding of Judea and Jerusalem. No doubt, the Lord was at work in the lives of these kings, in spite of the Jews being punished and led into exile for their offenses.

My mind then wandered to people who have stepped up for me in particular circumstances or in difficult times, offering support or counsel, leading to both good and bad outcomes (unfortunate outcomes, in spite of these peoples’ efforts on my behalf). It’s just one more way in which God has been looking out for me, in these cases through the actions of other people. And you? Who in your life has stepped up for you? Time for you to do some thinking and thanking…!

Blessings.

---

See also: September 19 (2023) / Ezra 7-10 (again).

Ezra 8

Dear RTB’ers,

Yesterday we read that Ezra had received the king’s abundant blessing for his return to Jerusalem. Today he prepares for his journey by gathering people, especially Levites, plus silver and gold and vessels for temple offerings. Then after three days of prayer and fasting they are off on their journey, arriving safely in Jerusalem some four months later.

Ezra, a man of faith: For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek Him, and the power of His wrath is against all who forsake Him.” So we fasted and implored our God for this, and He listened to our entreaty. (vv. 22-23) I am impressed by Ezra’s faith, by his willingness to go on this potentially dangerous journey, carrying all this wealth, with “only” his faith in God to protect him. With “only” God to protect him… What a ridiculous statement!! Yet, in our earthly existence it is often difficult for us to put our full faith in God’s protection or deliverance. But if we truly believe when we pray “Your will be done”, we truly have nothing to worry about. Therefore do not be anxious… (Matthew 6:31a, and all of Mt. 6:25-33). Amen.

Blessings.

Ezra 7

Dear RTB’ers,

Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah … son of Aaron the chief priest—this Ezra went up from Babylonia. (vv. 1a, 5b-6a; see also Ezra7:8-9) We learn a couple of things in these opening verses. First, some sixty years have passed since the end of yesterday’s reading. The temple, commonly known as Zerubbabel’s temple has been rebuilt and worship services have resumed. Second, Ezra is of priestly decent and he has put his position to good use: He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses…, a man learned in matters of the commandments of the LORD and His statutes for Israel… For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel. (vv. 6b, 11b, 10)

Somehow Ezra has been granted the king’s favor – the temple items (Ezra 7:19), the people (Ezra 7:13), and the silver and gold (Ezra 7:16) that he sent along; a charge to continue offerings to the “God of Jerusalem” (Ezra 7:17); a command for Israel’s neighbors not to trouble Jerusalem and Judah (Ezra 7:21-24); and a final charge to Ezra to teach the people (Ezra 7:25). I use the word “somehow” only in the vernacular; no doubt it was the will of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth to have Ezra so commissioned.

I have no doubt but that God gave me the gifts and tools that I need(ed) to do the work that He has asked of me. I would ask each of the rest of you to consider your own lives, to see how God has provided you with whatever you have needed to do whatever work He has asked of you. Then thank Him, profusely!

Blessings.

---

See also: September 19 (2023) / Ezra 7-10.

Ezra 5-6

Dear RTB’ers,

Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. (v. 5:1; see also Ezra 6:14) I love it when Scripture confirms itself. We will be reading the prophetic books of Haggai and Zechariah immediately after we finish Ezra and Nehemiah, after a short Psalms interlude.

We saw opposition yesterday from Israel’s neighbors when the returning exiles started building the temple (laid the foundation). They caused that work to stop for almost two decades until Haggai and Zechariah prompted the leaders to get back to work. The opposition arose again and became the topic of three-fourths of our reading today. But the declaration from Cyrus in 537 BC and the research by Darius in 520 BC prevailed; the work continued and the temple was rebuilt and dedicated. And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. (v. 6:16)

In our previous readings we have seen Israel and Judah defeated and overrun by foreign armies. It’s nice to see the Lord God using two foreign kings, Cyrus and Darius, to bring His people back to Jerusalem and for them to support the rebuilding of His house. But as John so often reminded us in his 2023 posts, it was the Lord God at work putting these plans into their hearts: Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD. (Ezekiel 37:14b)

Blessings.

Ezra 4

Dear RTB’ers,

We learned yesterday that the returning exiles had built the altar (Ezra 3:2-3) and had begun rebuilding the temple by laying down of the foundation (Ezra 3:10). Then opposition arose from Israel’s neighbors. They first suggested working together (Ezra 4:2), which offer was rejected by the Jerusalem leaders. They then succeeded in stopping the work by appealing to Artaxerxes, king of Persia; this work stoppage continued for almost twenty years. My Study Bible offers the following timeline:

• 537 BC, Jews return from Babylon to Jerusalem
• 536 BC, Work on the temple begun
• 536-520 BC, Opposition and work on the temple stopped
• 520 BC, Work on the temple renewed under Darius
• 516 BC, Temple completed

It will then be another sixty to seventy years before Ezra and Nehemiah arrive in Jerusalem.

So opposition to Christian principles today has foundations from two-and-a-half millennia ago – and continuing through the ages. I suppose an appropriate response to this activity comes from Iago in the Disney movie, Alladin, “Why am I not surprised?” Thankfully, we know how this story ends!

Blessings.

---

See also: September 10 (2023) / Ezra 3:1-4:5; 4:24-5:1; Haggai.

Ezra 3

Dear RTB’ers,

Thank you, John, for covering for me yesterday. It was a travel day for Carol and me, going to our daughter’s home in Maryland where we will be grandkid-sitting for a few days. In addition, I had been ill Sunday night and Monday night and did not feel well enough to offer a beginning to Ezra. John (as always) did a great job in setting us up for our readings for the next three weeks.

We have often heard that the Babylonian exile was 70 years long. However, the time between the fall of Jerusalem (586 BC) and yesterday’s return of the exiles (537 BC) is only about 50 years. We account for the other 20 years by noting the first group of exiles taken by the Babylonians was around 605 BC, calculated from Daniel 1:1-4, In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah…, and continuing. (Thanks to my Study Bible for clarifying that 70-year number.) Jeremiah 29:1-7 also mentions an earlier deportation of exiles.

So today, almost the first thing that the returnees do is build an altar, presumably on the site of the destroyed temple. Was this a laudable return to their service and sacrifices honoring the God of Israel, the One True God? Ideally, yes. But one verse in particular caught my eye: They set the altar in its place, for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening. (v. 3:3) “Fear of the peoples of the lands…” It looks to me like their return to sacrificial offerings was their imploring God for protection in the face of opposition. Not a problem. I have seen for myself that my prayers in time of need often become prayers of praise for the God that I seek on a daily basis. “Need leads to praise…”, I suspect, is a common thread for many of us!

Finally, we close today with the beginning of the rebuilding of the temple. It’ll take some twenty years to finish what becomes known as “Zerubbabel’s temple”. We’ll read about that over the next couple of days.

Blessings.

Ezra 1-2

We’re back to the Old Testament for a bit in the “Post-Exilic Period.” For context you might want to read the introductory notes in Search the Scriptures along with my post from 2023. I’ll wait…

What strikes me anew today is the first verse, Ezra 1:1, where we are told that “the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia…” You may recall that about 150 years earlier Isaiah prophesied that Cyrus would come on the scene:

[The LORD] says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd,
and he shall fulfill all My purpose”;
saying of Jerusalem, “She shall be built,”
and of the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”

Isaiah 44:28

That verse is followed immediately by Isaiah 45, which we would all do well to consider here. All of this — the return from Babylonian exile, the rebuilding of the Temple, the restoration of God’s people — is by the LORD’s hand. He is sovereign. He knows the end from the beginning and has everything under control.

He did then, and He does now.

---

See also: September 9 (2023) / Ezra 1-2.