Nehemiah 8 - Faith Comes By Hearing

I love it... "...all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law." (vs 3 NIV) and "Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground." (vs 6)

These people gathered together to hear the word.  They took it seriously.  They bowed before the LORD and they wept.  But, Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites told them, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep." (vs 9)

So often, I hear others say that you don't have to attend worship to believe.  Well, here we have the children of God and until they gathered together to hear the word found in the book; until they heard it proclaimed; they did not, seriously, take it to heart.  But, when they hear it, they wept.  But, this news that they hear is for their edification.  They are to rejoice that the LORD cares for them so much. 

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  (Rom 10:17 NKJV) 

Please, wherever you are, find a place to worship the LORD, in the community of God's people.  Hear His Word.  Hear the Good News of the kingdom, so that you too may rejoice in what the LORD has done for you.

Ezra 10 - Infidelity

Now this had to be a very sad day!  All the men who had been unfaithful to God and married foreign women sent the women and the children they had with them away. 

Oops... Not sure if the text really says that.  I think that they probably did or at least most of them.  At first most of the men agree to do this.  They vow to send the women away.  But, then the leaders get together and decide what must be done.  I found one note to verse 44 that says the women were sent away with their children.  But, I couldn't find a translation that actually said that.  It says that they each gave an offering of a ram of their flock for their sin.  So this morning, I'm left wondering, probably more like hopeful that they didn't.  Divorce is a sad thing and this a mass divorce!

I'm thinking this morning, that this chapter and yesterday's probably should have been read together.  The point is infidelity - unfaithfulness - to God by taking unbelievers into one's life and home.  Why is that bad?  Mostly, I think, because it lends itself to serving two gods.  You cannot serve two gods...  It is only natural that you will direct your attention to the god of your spouse.  Their god will get in your way of worshipping your God.  If you have invited a false god into your home by way of a spouse - that false god is there whether you like it or not and he/she/it will distract your from full worship of your Creator who is your husband-whose name is the LORD Almighty-the Holy One of Israel who is your Redeemer; the God of all the earth.  (see Isaiah 54:50) 

Here ends the Book of Ezra.  Tomorrow we begin with the prophet Nehemiah. Have a blessed day and may God help you to be faithful to Him in all things.

Ezra 8 - You Are Free!

Well, here's a puzzle this morning:  Who wrote the book of Ezra?  I realized as I was reading the chapter this morning that the author is now speaking in the first person rather than the third.  I have always assumed it was Ezra who wrote it, but if he wrote it, the transition from third to first person is kind of confusing to me.  I know that if this were being discussed in the Bible Study on Wednesday mornings, we'd have a great time trying to figure it out.  But, in the end, does it really matter?  It is a great story - history well worth reading.

As I read the first section of the chapter with the list of fathers and their children who left captivity together, I wondered how many Christian parents today desired that their children would be able to live without bondage to the false gods of this world and live freely in Christ. 

May God help all whom we love to understand, to see, that Christ freed them from sin, death, and the power of the devil, to live life in him and to live it abundantly. 

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."  Gal 5:1 NIV

Ezra 7 - Taxes and Tributes

Ezra is on the scene...

But, I think I really like this King Artaxerxes - no taxes or tributes are to be charged to any of the servants of the house of God!  Having just paid estimated income taxes in June, more due next month, and began paying property taxes this month, (It usually takes a couple of months to get them all completely paid) I can really appreciate this edict! 

Two things Americans have to be careful to budget for, as they are major parts of our expenses, are insurances and TAXES!  Between the various insurances and taxes that I pay, I am estimating that about 50% (maybe more) of my income disappears and believe me I am not in the upper class income tax range - definitely lower middle-class income.  So this morning, I am marveling at a leader like Artaxerxes. 

At the same time, I thank God that He abundantly supplies all my needs so that I am able to pay these taxes and tributes!