September 29 - Nehemiah 11-13; Psalm 126: God's Chosen People Live Safe in Their Land; Battle for Holiness

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 11-13; Psalm 126

The Message

English Standard Version

Today's reading has the names of the families living in Jerusalem. Scan down to 12:27 if you are short on time.

Finishing both Nehemiah and Psalms brings us to 38 books and only one day more in the Old Testament!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Nehemiah and Ezra work together to make sure Israel does not go against the Law.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Many families resettled in and around Jerusalem. Its walls were dedicated. The singers and guards were supported through donations.
Israel separated from foreigners when they read God prohibited Ammonites and Moabites from the congregation.
Nehemiah cleaned out Tobiah's rented storeroom in the Temple, made sure the Levites and singers were given daily food rations, stopped Jews from breaking the Sabbath while threatening merchants camping at the gates on the Sabbath, and made Jews swear not to marry foreigners in the future since Solomon's wives caused him to sin.
Nehemiah asked God to remember his dedication to setting things right.

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 126

The returned exiles cannot believe they are the ones who are happy once gain. They ask God to keep blessing them to lighten their hearts.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God's Chosen People once again lived secure in God's Chosen City.

God's promise through Jeremiah had come true. Judah returned and lived safe within their walls. What a difference in today's psalm and Psalm 137! God wants to set our relationship right and return our place in life.

Nehemiah fought a battle with Israel over their holiness.

Ezra and Nehemiah were holy—they want to obey God fully. Israel had more difficulty obeying God. Nehemiah had to advocate for the Levites, encourage Israel not to marry foreigners, and convince Israel not to work on the Sabbath. Even though Israel had come home, they were not fully willing to obey God.

Do you wish to be remembered for your zeal in obeying God?

September 28 - Nehemiah 8-10: Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Levites Renew God's Covenant with God's Chosen People

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 8-10

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Nehemiah and Ezra lead Israel to rededicate their lives to God.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Everyone gathered to hear Ezra read the Revelation of Moses. Priests and Levites helped everyone understand it.
Nehemiah and Ezra sent everyone home to celebrate a holy day with their neighbors.
Israel's leaders gathered to deepen their understanding of the revelation. Israel celebrated the Feast of Booths for the first time since Joshua's days.
Ezra read from Moses' Revelation daily.
A few weeks later everyone confessed their sins and broke ties with foreigners. A group of Levites retold how God blessed their ancestors though they would not obey Him. Israel pledged to obey God then signed and sealed the pledge.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Nehemiah and Ezra work together to "re-baptize" Israel's hearts.

This section is similar to Exodus 24 and Deuteronomy 27 where Moses and Aaron lead Israel to promise to obey God; Joshua 24 with Joshua's challenge to Israel; and the dedication of the Temple in Honor of God with Israel responding to Solomon's prayer. It is meant to re-center Israel on obeying God's Word found in God's Law—similar to how baptism centers our minds on our Calling. They wanted Israel to publically seal their part in the Law, like baptism publically seals our part as God's Chosen People. Public proclamation of God's Word centers a group on God's Way.

Nehemiah and Ezra station Levites to help Israel understand the Law while they read the Law.

Ezra knows that reading God's Law does not help a person become wholly for God. They must live a life of setting things right to be holy. To help Israel live God's Law they positioned Levites throughout the area to help Israel understand what was being read. Later they brought together the heads of each family and the civic leaders "to get a deeper understanding of the words of The Revelation" (8:13, The Message). It pays immediate dividends—they celebrate the Feast of Booths for the first time since the days of Joshua. When God's Chosen People seek to understand God's Word, they can set things right.
One of the reasons I wanted to do this Bible in a year project was because I had read through the Bible in a year twice but felt I did not understand very much. I did not understand how all the pieces fit together and wanted to spend time each day putting them together. Thanks to the Petaluma Church I've had a chance to do that. By providing this resource I hope you have understood more of God's Way as presented in God's Word.

The Levites retell the story of God's Love for His Chosen People—Israel—to give a common bond.

We have read the entire Spirit-led, written history of Israel in nine months. This is a period of over 1000 years. In addition, almost no one in Ezra's audience grew up in Israel's land. They needed something to remind them of God's faithfulness to Abraham's descendents. It reminded Israel of God's perfect Holiness and Israel's record of unholiness. They had a chance to distance themselves from their father's sins and renew their Covenant with God. God wants the Story of His Faithfulness to Abraham's Descendents to be known to keep our Covenant fresh in our minds.
I hope churches keep track of their congregation's history beyond sheer numbers and names. Seeing how God helped the congregation through one test after another, even when the congregation failed to stay holy to God, helps the members see how God is working in their church today. I am afraid we stay in a 2000+ year-old history lesson and give the impression all God cares for now is the number of people who walk into the auditorium each Sunday. Let's tell our story completely from the Abram until today. Don't stop with John and the Revelation. That history may not be pretty, but it's to show God's Faithfulness, not ours.

Do you know the full history of your congregation of God's Chosen People?

September 27 - Nehemiah 6-7: Nehemiah's Solid Faith Leads to Jerusalem's Solid Walls

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 6-7

The Message

English Standard Version

Nehemiah 7 has a list of names meaningful to the exiles but not for us. Scan down to verse 73.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Nehemiah and everyone helping him rebuilt the walls in 52 days. It took over 2 years before the Temple reconstruction restarted after it was unfairly stopped.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Sanballat, Tobiah, and Israel's other enemies tried continuously to thwart Nehemiah's efforts. He refused their bait each time. They accused him of treason. He prayed for strength. They hired a "prophet" to lure him into the Temple. He prayed they would be punished. Nobles wrote scathing letters because of their ties to Tobiah. Nothing fazed him.
The wall was finished in 52 days. Now secure, Israel's enemies left them alone.
Nehemiah found the records from the first wave of exiles. They numbered 42,360 plus slaves and singers.
Several families gave offerings for the Temple.
Everyone found a place to live.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Nehemiah's accomplishments are a tribute to his leadership.

The fact that through constant insults, letters of reprimand, and schemes to kill him Nehemiah continued leading the effort to rebuild Jerusalem's walls and succeeded speaks volumes about his faith. The only thing that could have gotten him through this time was faith in God. When God's Chosen Leaders have full faith in God setting things right, great things happen.

God has returned His Chosen People to their land.

After many years, Israel now lives in peace in their homeland. They may not have a king like they had before, but their land is theirs again. God repeatedly promised they would be returned to their home and now it has come true. God's Promises come true.

Do you know a leader who accomplishes much because of steady, unswerving faith?

September 26 - Nehemiah 1-5: Nehemiah Leads God's Chosen People to Rebuild Jerusalem's Walls

Today’s Reading: Nehemiah 1-5

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Nehemiah also guards his people's spirits along with their bodies.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Nehemiah prayed for God's intercession on Jerusalem's crumbled walls. Artaxerxes granted Nehemiah's request to rebuild them. Sanballat and Tobiah scoffed.
Nehemiah rallied support. Sanballat and Tobiah mocked.
The wall was rebuilt by many families. Sanballat and Tobiah insulted.
Sanballat and Tobiah led a cabal to attack. The workers learned of the plan and carried weapons. Nehemiah strengthened their resolve.
Some of the Jews complained about high interest. Nehemiah confronted to the nobles and they agreed to return the mortgaged land and interest.
As governor, none of Nehemiah's underlings fed off the people. Instead, he fed people from his own stock.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Nehemiah asks God to set things right through him (Nehemiah).

Nehemiah has a cushy job in the palace. He had no obligation to leave Susa and return to Jerusalem; however, when he learned of the city's plight, he knew he needed to take action. He wanted to gain permission from Artaxerxes to repair the wall. He asked God to bless him along with the others who want to honor God. When God's Chosen People pray to set things right, God sets things right through them.

The ones who built the wall endured insults and discouragement throughout the entire construction process.

Similar to the reconstruction of the Temple, the families that rebuilt the wall had to endure harassment from their neighbors. With Nehemiah's help, they endured. God's Chosen People will always have discouragement from those who do not want things set right. God may not remove the discouragement. He may ask that we endure to the end.

Nehemiah shows a great example of leading in discouraging times.

Unlike Zerubbabel and Jeshua, Nehemiah did not stop reconstruction because of the harassment of others. He encouraged Israel to keep working, to keep building. He stationed guards to protect the workers and eventually gave weapons to the workers when threats materialized. All the while he kept the same tone, "The God-of-Heaven will make sure we succeed. We’re his servants and we’re going to work, rebuilding" (2:20, The Message). By leading with conviction and courage, Nehemiah provided the right attitude for the workers and people in Jerusalem to mimic. Leaders set the tone for everyone's trust in God setting things right.

Loaning at crippling interest is no different than slavery.

In the Law, twice, God explicitly prohibited loaning with interest. The reason is that it prevents people from getting ahead of their debts. Because they cannot get ahead, they must sell their children into slavery to pay for their living expenses. Nehemiah points out the irony that he and others went to such trouble to free Israel from their exiled slavery while these nobles are selling them into slavery again. God's Chosen People do not loan to their brothers and sisters at interest.

Nehemiah's government workers never lived off their constituents.

The governors before Nehemiah lived off a portion of what the people paid in taxes to Artaxerxes. God blessed Nehemiah enough that he did not live off the people. He lived off God's blessings. I wish our government could do the same.

Are you an example of steady faith in the face of ridicule?