Nov 26, 2022
NEHEMIAH 10-11:
The returned exiles showed how sincere they were in following the
Lord! They gathered together for the express purpose of hearing the
Law. By this time their language had changed so much that they
needed 13 Levites to explain what was said in the readings. The
people wept because they realized how far they were from obeying
the Law of Moses, and also for joy in hearing it. One month later,
the leaders gathered to explore the Law in more detail, and they
found that Israel had always neglected celebrating the Festival of
Shelters. They did that for the prescribed week with great joy.
Ezra read the Law to the people every day. Then afterward, there
was a meeting for confessing their sins including the long prayer
in chapter 9. This seems to have been an extra event, about one
week after the Festival of Shelters was over. After that
prayer,
Neh. 9:38 NLT The people responded, “In view of all this, we are making a solemn promise and putting it in writing. On this sealed document are the names of our leaders and Levites and priests.”
ISAIAH 39:
After the prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah that he would die, in 2nd
King’s 20 we are told that Isaiah only managed to get to the middle
courtyard when the Lord’s message came answering Hezekiah’s prayer.
Fifteen years were added to Hezekiah’s life, and he received the
promise that the Assyrian king would not conquer Jerusalem. In his
poem of thanks, Hezekiah said:
Is. 38:15 NLT But what could I
say?
For [God/he] himself sent this sickness.
Now I will walk humbly throughout my years
because of this anguish I have felt.
COLOSSIANS 3:
Note the distinction about old Jewish religious laws that Paul made
in chapter 2, comparing them with the right standing true believers
obtain by union with Christ. We’re not in a religion anymore, we’re
in a new relationship with God through Christ. Those old religious
regulations had no ability to help one conquer our persistent evil
desires. Following the teachings in the New Testament does indeed
allow us to be freed from bondage to evil desires. One important
way this deliverance happens when we understand, believe, and
meditate upon spiritual realities such as those found in 2:13-15,
and 20-23. We read other keys recently in Philippians 3-4. And if
you are interested in more on this topic, I encourage you to follow
the reading plan I posted in Youversion/Bible.com called Buckling
the Belt of Truth.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.