Day 270, September 27: Bible reading & prayer
Nehemiah 6-7 (chronological); Isaiah 10-12, Galatians 5 (OT/NT)
We started Nehemiah yesterday. Our reading of both Esther and Ezra inspired reflection on the miraculous ways of God to protect His people in the lands to which He sent them. We discussed His favor to Joseph in Egypt, to Daniel in Babylon, to Esther and Mordecai in Persia, allowing each of these individuals to play prominent roles, which were consequential to the people of God, in the administration of these countries. We also discussed the roles of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, King Darius the Mede, and the Kings Cyrus, Darius, Ahasuerus, and Artaxerxes of Persia taking significant action to protect the people of God and even to facilitate their return to the land of Israel and the rebuilding of the temple. Ezra himself, in our reading yesterday, testified of the favor of God upon him and those who traveled with him to Jerusalem after the decree of Artaxerxes.
The end of Ezra, however, demonstrated the disobedience of the sons of Israel despite the LORD’s favor upon them. Ezra was a priest and scribe descended from the sons of Zadok, who had been faithful to the LORD when the rest of the Levites and the people of God had gone astray and worshiped idols (Ezekiel 44:10-15). Because of their faithfulness, the LORD had promised they would minister before Him. Ezra was skilled in the law of Moses and “had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Ezra did not return with the first exiles to Israel, under the decree of Cyrus, to rebuild the temple, although he told that story in the book named after him. He returned later and found the sons of Israel had not separated themselves from the people of the land as the Law required. Being versed in the word of the LORD, he understood the significance of this disobedience: “After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and our great guilt, since You our God have requited us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us an escaped remnant as this, shall we again break Your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who commit these abominations? Would You not be angry with us to the point of destruction, until there is no remnant nor any who escape?” Ezra’s mourning inspired repentance and a covenant of action by all the people who trembled at the command of God.
Nehemiah, as we read yesterday, returned from exile to the land of Israel thirteen years later. He was cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, who had decreed that Ezra, and others with him, could return to Jerusalem and receive protection and financial support for the temple from the king’s treasury. When men from Judah visited Susa, were Nehemiah and the king were, and reported that the remnant in Judah was in great distress and reproach and the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, Nehemiah mourned, fasted, and prayed, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel and asking for compassion before the king. Like Ezra, he received favor from the king because the hand of God was upon him. He was allowed to travel to Jerusalem with letters of protection from the king, as well as provision for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem from the king’s forest. He inspired the people of Jerusalem to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, despite the conspiracy of their enemies in the land to attack and kill those working on the wall.
But just as Ezra had to deal with the sin of the remnant marrying foreign wives, Nehemiah had to deal with the sin of the remnant of Jews enslaving each other and charging interest to one another, contrary to the Mosaic Law. He called an assembly, saying, “should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?” He called on them to give back what they had taken from their brethren and they agreed under oath.
An overview of our yearly Bible reading plan, with all summaries so far, can be found here. My appeal for the resolution to read your Bibles is here.
September 27 chronological reading: Nehemiah 6-7
Nehemiah 6
v1-9 “Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, ‘Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.’ But they were planning to harm me. So I sent messengers to them, saying, ‘I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?’ They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way. Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. In it was written, ‘It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, “A king is in Judah!” And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.’ Then I sent a message to him saying, ‘Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.’ For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.’ But now, O God, strengthen my hands.
v10-14 “When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, ‘Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.’ But I said, ‘Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.’ Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me. Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.
v15-19 “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.”
Nehemiah 7
v1-4 “Now when the wall was rebuilt and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed, then I put Hanani my brother, and Hananiah the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. Then I said to them, ‘Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, let them shut and bolt the doors. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his own house.’ Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the houses were not built.
v5 “Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first in which I found the following record:
v6-7a “These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city, who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.
v7b-38 “The number of men of the people of Israel: the sons of Parosh, 2,172; the sons of Shephatiah, 372; the sons of Arah, 652; the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818; the sons of Elam, 1,254; the sons of Zattu, 845; the sons of Zaccai, 760; the sons of Binnui, 648; the sons of Bebai, 628; the sons of Azgad, 2,322; the sons of Adonikam, 667; the sons of Bigvai, 2,067; the sons of Adin, 655; the sons of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98; the sons of Hashum, 328; the sons of Bezai, 324; the sons of Hariph, 112; the sons of Gibeon, 95; the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188; the men of Anathoth, 128; the men of Beth-azmaveth, 42; the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743; the men of Ramah and Geba, 621; the men of Michmas, 122; the men of Bethel and Ai, 123; the men of the other Nebo, 52; the sons of the other Elam, 1,254; the sons of Harim, 320; the men of Jericho, 345; the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721; the sons of Senaah, 3,930.
v39-42 “The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973; the sons of Immer, 1,052; the sons of Pashhur, 1,247; the sons of Harim, 1,017.
v43-45 “The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodevah, 74. The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.
v46-56 “The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon, the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephushesim, the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
v57-59 “The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Amon.
v60 “All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.
v61-65 “These were they who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses or their descendants, whether they were of Israel: the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. Of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and was named after them. These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood. The governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest arose with Urim and Thummim.
v66-69 “The whole assembly together was 42,360, besides their male and their female servants, of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers. Their horses were 736; their mules, 245; 69 their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720.
v70-72 “Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 basins, 530 priests’ garments. Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas. That which the rest of the people gave was 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,000 silver minas and 67 priests’ garments.
v73 “Now the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants and all Israel, lived in their cities. And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.”
September 27 OT/NT readings: Isaiah 10-12, Galatians 5
We are reading Isaiah in the Old Testament reading plan. We read Isaiah 10-12 on Day 194 of the chronological reading plan, so you can find the text of these chapters there.
We are reading Galatians in the New Testament reading plan. It was the first letter written by the apostle Paul, after his first missionary journey, when he established the church in the region of Galatia, after he had returned to Antioch, from where he had been first sent out with Barnabas and John Mark (see the timeline of the book of Acts). The early Christian church, initially made up of Jewish believers, had to wrestle with the necessity of following the rituals of the Mosaic Law now that they were under the New Covenant in Christ, made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection. This wrestling became all the more necessary as the Lord gave His Spirit to Gentile believers. What has come to be known as the “Council at Jerusalem” on this question took place after Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 11:1-31, see Day 184). Paul’s letter to the Galatians deals with these new Christians being falsely taught that they must follow rituals of the Mosaic Law. Paul exposed the motivation for this false teaching in Galatians 6:12, “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.”
Paul has so far asserted that those who want to distort the gospel, inserting requirements under the Law, should be accursed. He has made clear that he was taught the gospel by a revelation of Jesus Christ, not by men. He reviewed his history to show how long it was (3 years) after seeing Jesus on the road to Damascus before he met the leadership of the Christian church in Jerusalem, verifying that even they did not have an influence on the gospel Jesus taught him. It was another 14 years before Paul returned to Jerusalem, with Barnabas and Titus, meeting James, Peter, and John. He submitted to them the gospel that he taught to the Gentiles and, seeing that the Lord worked effectually for him in his ministry to the Gentiles, they extended the right hand of fellowship, adding nothing to this gospel taught to him by Jesus himself. False brethren were secretly brought in to spy out their liberty in Christ Jesus, in order to bring them into bondage to requirements of the Law, but they did not yield to them, so the truth of the gospel would remain. Not even Titus, a Greek, was compelled by their influence to be circumcised. When Peter later came to Antioch, Paul had to oppose him to his face. He ate with Gentiles until Jewish men, who Paul called “the party of the circumcision,” came from Jerusalem. The rest of the Jews, even Barnabas, joined him in hypocrisy. Paul asked Peter, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?…knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified….I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
Paul then asked the Galatians to reflect, “did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?…Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?…does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” He reminded them that “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” God knew He would justify the Gentiles by faith, so He told Abraham, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” God’s promises to Abraham were spoken to him and his “seed,” who is Christ. The Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, did not nullify the promise. Paul addressed the obvious question, “Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions….before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law….the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor….if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.”
In chapter 4 yesterday, Paul used a helpful illustration to explain the concept of being kept in custody under the Law: “as long as the heir is a child…he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Paul then tells an allegory about Abraham’s two sons, which represent two covenants. One is the son of the bondwoman, and represents the Jerusalem of Paul’s time, enslaved to the Law. The other is the son of the free woman, children of the promise to Abraham.
Galatians 5
v1 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
v2-6 “Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
v7-12 “You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.
v13-15 “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
v16-24 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
v25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”
Dear Lord,
When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.
We pray, Lord, that You would show Yourself mighty, and our enemies would lose their confidence.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh….those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Help us to comprehend all of Galatians 5. We have freedom in You, but not freedom to sin against You or one another. Help us to walk by the Spirit, and may the fruit of the Spirit be evident in us.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
"Help us to comprehend all of Galatians 5. We have freedom in You, but not freedom to sin against You or one another. Help us to walk by the Spirit, and may the fruit of the Spirit be evident in us." Amen. Thank you Dr. Milhoan. Peace.