Ezra and Nehemiah: Part 2
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| In loving memory of my father Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023 |
In our previous message we shared some general thoughts about the significance of Ezra and Nehemiah and then went into some of the major aspects related to the ministry of Ezra. Now let us turn to the Book of Nehemiah, Chapter 1 and Verse 1.
"The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah ..."
Although the Book of Nehemiah starts with "The words of Nehemiah," everything in that Book are the words of the Lord. "Hachaliah" means "the Lord is hidden" or "whom the Lord enlightens." "Nehemiah" means "the Lord comforts." Nehemiah was born and grew up in exile in Babylon. But the Lord certainly comforted him and worked a mighty work into his heart because Nehemiah was one of the greatest intercessors of all time. He received a great vision and revelation from the Lord and fulfilled the purpose for which he had been created. No one can do more than to fulfill the purpose for which we, as individuals, were created.
Although much of this book was drawn from Nehemiah's personal diaries and written from his personal perspective, almost everyone recognizes Ezra as the author. The events in Nehemiah began in the year 446 B.C., the 20th year of the Persian king, Artaxerxes. The exact dates are relatively unknown and relatively unimportant. What IS important is what that book says to us today, because human nature has never changed.
When Nehemiah heard that the remnant who had returned to Jerusalem were in great affliction and reproach, that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and the gates were burnt with fire, his response or action was identical to that of Ezra. He sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven; he confessed the sins of the children of Israel; he identified with all Israel and said "we have sinned," when he, himself had not sinned.
Like Ezra and many other Old Testament saints, he knew the reality of 1 Corinthians 12:26 before it was ever written.
Although much of this book was drawn from Nehemiah's personal diaries and written from his personal perspective, almost everyone recognizes Ezra as the author. The events in Nehemiah began in the year 446 B.C., the 20th year of the Persian king, Artaxerxes. The exact dates are relatively unknown and relatively unimportant. What IS important is what that book says to us today, because human nature has never changed.
When Nehemiah heard that the remnant who had returned to Jerusalem were in great affliction and reproach, that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and the gates were burnt with fire, his response or action was identical to that of Ezra. He sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven; he confessed the sins of the children of Israel; he identified with all Israel and said "we have sinned," when he, himself had not sinned.
Like Ezra and many other Old Testament saints, he knew the reality of 1 Corinthians 12:26 before it was ever written.
"And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it."
Would that all Christians today would know that same reality to the same depth as did Ezra and Nehemiah. He also knew what he could do about the tragic situation because he beseeched the Lord to hear the prayer of His servants, those who desire to fear His name; he asked for mercy.
Nehemiah was the king's cupbearer. As such, one of his duties was to choose and taste the king's wine to make sure that it was not poisoned. That meant that the king had complete trust and confidence in Nehemiah in times when treason was commonplace in the courts of kings. So when Nehemiah petitioned the king to allow him to return to Judah for a season in order to build the city, the king granted his request, because the good hand of God was upon him. Note that Nehemiah never told the king his specific mission in returning to Judah. Note also that even though the king asked him how long he would be gone, Nehemiah never answered.
As soon as Nehemiah arrived in Judah, immediately the enemies, Sanballat and Tobiah, heard of his arrival, which grieved the enemies exceedingly that a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, we read, in Nehemiah 2:12-16,
Nehemiah was the king's cupbearer. As such, one of his duties was to choose and taste the king's wine to make sure that it was not poisoned. That meant that the king had complete trust and confidence in Nehemiah in times when treason was commonplace in the courts of kings. So when Nehemiah petitioned the king to allow him to return to Judah for a season in order to build the city, the king granted his request, because the good hand of God was upon him. Note that Nehemiah never told the king his specific mission in returning to Judah. Note also that even though the king asked him how long he would be gone, Nehemiah never answered.
As soon as Nehemiah arrived in Judah, immediately the enemies, Sanballat and Tobiah, heard of his arrival, which grieved the enemies exceedingly that a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, we read, in Nehemiah 2:12-16,
12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
13 And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.14 Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.15 Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.16 And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
All of the gates that Nehemiah looked at were in the southern area. Jerusalem was always attacked from the north because it was most vulnerable there, so the walls and gates on the north side had probably been completely destroyed. The devil thought that all he had to do was to destroy the northern gates and get Jesus crucified.
Isaiah 14:12-13, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:"
Of course, we know that the Lord has overcome all of the efforts of the enemy.
Psalm 48:1-2 says,
Psalm 48:1-2 says,
"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King."
Back in the 1970's our New Testament house church used to sing that psalm with great gusto, but I doubt that few, if any of us, knew the significance of the words. It was just another "peppy song" to stir our emotions.
Then the Jews began to rebuild the walls and the gates around Jerusalem. Sanballat, which means "the enemy is secret" or "hatred in secret," clearly was the leader of the opposition. When Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, the tri-part enemy (Satan, the flesh, and the world, respectively), heard of it, they first laughed the Jews to scorn and despised them and intimidated them with lies, saying, "Will ye rebel against the king?" But Nehemiah knew his God and he knew what the Lord had called him to do, so he spoke the word of the Lord and ignored all of the tactics of the enemy. Nehemiah, Chapter 3, lists, by name, those who repaired all of the ten gates. Gates refer to the entrance to a city ... in our case, spiritual Jerusalem and then Zion.
Nehemiah 3, on the surface, appears to be rather "dry" reading with little significance. On the contrary! Those 10 gates speak of the spiritual progression of a believer from the time he is first born from above (the sheep gate) until the Lord's second coming at the end of the ages (the east gate). Both the sheep gate and the east gate were on the sides of the north.
On what men call Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem through the East Gate. It faces the Mount of Olives right across the Kidron valley. The Lord will symbolically enter Jerusalem from the east through the East Gate. Whether or not this is literally true is of little concern to me. I have to believe that it is NOT literally true because of Revelation 1:7,
Then the Jews began to rebuild the walls and the gates around Jerusalem. Sanballat, which means "the enemy is secret" or "hatred in secret," clearly was the leader of the opposition. When Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, the tri-part enemy (Satan, the flesh, and the world, respectively), heard of it, they first laughed the Jews to scorn and despised them and intimidated them with lies, saying, "Will ye rebel against the king?" But Nehemiah knew his God and he knew what the Lord had called him to do, so he spoke the word of the Lord and ignored all of the tactics of the enemy. Nehemiah, Chapter 3, lists, by name, those who repaired all of the ten gates. Gates refer to the entrance to a city ... in our case, spiritual Jerusalem and then Zion.
Nehemiah 3, on the surface, appears to be rather "dry" reading with little significance. On the contrary! Those 10 gates speak of the spiritual progression of a believer from the time he is first born from above (the sheep gate) until the Lord's second coming at the end of the ages (the east gate). Both the sheep gate and the east gate were on the sides of the north.
On what men call Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem through the East Gate. It faces the Mount of Olives right across the Kidron valley. The Lord will symbolically enter Jerusalem from the east through the East Gate. Whether or not this is literally true is of little concern to me. I have to believe that it is NOT literally true because of Revelation 1:7,
"Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen."
The "clouds" in that verse do NOT speak of the white, wispy clouds in the sky. Every eye can NOT see Him if He physically returns through the natural east gate in Jerusalem. When the Lord sovereignly and dramatically apprehended me in 1967, I did not enter physically through the natural sheep gate. Whenever we try to interpret scripture in the natural realm, we can get into a swamp of misunderstanding very quickly. In any event, wise men from the East still seek Jesus today.
The prophecies of Ezekiel and Zechariah are clear.
The prophecies of Ezekiel and Zechariah are clear.
Ezekiel 44:1-3, "Then He brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince, He shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; He shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same."
Ezekiel prophesied that the East Gate would eventually be sealed shut, because the Lord entered through it. The East Gate has remained walled up ever since 1540. Thus, the prophecy of Ezekiel is fulfilled. No flesh can enter Jerusalem through the East gate. Only Christ in you, the hope of glory, can enter through that gate.
Luke 21:37-38 says, "And in the day time He was teaching in the temple; and at night He went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. And all the people came early in the morning to Him in the temple, for to hear Him."
Jesus left Jerusalem through the East gate every evening following His triumphal entry to get to the Mount of Olives, and returned again every morning through the East Gate to teach in the Temple. This continued until the evening of what we call the Last Supper, when He went out through the East Gate for the last time to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. There He was arrested, and entered Jerusalem through the East Gate for the last time as a prisoner.
Back to Nehemiah, Chapter 4, Verse 1. Sanballat is still very active in the visible church today. When Sanballat "heard that God's people were building the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews." Sanballat always wants to keep us in captivity. He is an expert in his profession. Nehemiah 4:2,
2 And he [Sanballat] spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
"What do these feeble Jews?" When the Lord brought His people out of captivity and bondage in Egypt,
"He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes" (Psalm 105:37)."And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" (Daniel 11:32).
"Will they fortify themselves?" Note again the subtle lie of this question. The enemy would love for us to try to fortify ourselves ... works of the flesh. There are at least seven verses in Scripture that say that the Lord is our rock, our fortress, our refuge, our deliverer.
"Will they sacrifice?" It is not unusual for a non-believer to say, "What do I have to give up if I become a Christian?" Catholics speak of "giving up something for Lent." Human nature does not like to give up anything. We do not like pain and suffering. We do not like sacrifices. "After all, I have worked long and hard for what I have accumulated in my life. I have to look out for number one (myself)." But Scripture says, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us. We must identify with Jesus in all points by denying our self-life, taking up our cross and following Him. That is much more than being born from above.
"Will they make an end in a day?" People today are looking for instant gratification. We want things NOW. The so-called "ecumenical" movement is a prime example. Let's do everything we can NOW to bring about "unity" in the churches. Pure flesh! Haste makes waste. One of the major characteristics of the folks who tried to build the tower to heaven at Babel was "let's hurry up." They made brick as fast as possible by burning them rather than the usual way of letting the sun dry them. Patience is a virtue. There are many works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-20) but the fruit of the Spirit includes longsuffering. Have you ever noticed the works (plural) of the flesh but the fruit (singular) of the Spirit? The fruit of the Spirit is the nature, the character of Christ Jesus. Many scriptures speak of waiting on the Lord.
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).
Teach us, Lord, to wait upon You, because waiting runs counter to human nature.
"Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burnt?"
This lie of the enemy is that the stones cannot be revived ... they are too far gone. The spiritual stones are the believers. With man, reviving the stones is impossible, but nothing is impossible with God. Many believers today pray for revival. A better word is restoration. The Lord is in the process of restoring His church. When the Day of Atonement is fully complete, all of the world will see the Lord's restoration.
In Nehemiah 4, Verse 3, Tobiah then added insult to injury when he said,
"Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burnt?"
This lie of the enemy is that the stones cannot be revived ... they are too far gone. The spiritual stones are the believers. With man, reviving the stones is impossible, but nothing is impossible with God. Many believers today pray for revival. A better word is restoration. The Lord is in the process of restoring His church. When the Day of Atonement is fully complete, all of the world will see the Lord's restoration.
In Nehemiah 4, Verse 3, Tobiah then added insult to injury when he said,
"Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall."
Tobiah said that even if they build the walls, they will quickly crumble. But when the Lord gets through building His church, the gates of hell cannot stand against it. Further,
"A curse causeless shall not come" (Proverbs 26:2).
We, that is in our flesh, have no defense against the enemy, but
"Greater is He in you than he that is in the world" (John 4:4).
When Nehemiah heard all of the lies of the enemy, he did exactly what we must do in that situation, namely to cry out, "Help, Lord." Further, Nehemiah said, and rightly so, that "They have provoked Thee to anger before the builders." Nehemiah did not himself take action against his opponents; he simply called upon God to take care of the enemies. David, of course, had done the same thing when he refused to lift a hand upon Saul.
Then we read, in Nehemiah 4:10,
And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
The "bearers of burdens" are true intercessors, which every one of us believers should be, but that is not a popular activity. Their strength is decayed ... there is not sufficient intercession in the visible church today, for
"As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children" (Isaiah 66:8).
That has not yet happened in the history of mankind but will happen soon. The Lord is always "on time." He brought forth Moses on time; He is bringing forth his intercessors on time. Yes, there have been a number of revival spurts in history, probably all of which were initiated by intercession, but not to the level that will bring about the next, and final, restoration.
Moreover, no one can build a wall on rubbish; it will not stand the heat or pressure. There is much rubbish in the visible church today at all levels. The rubbish stems ultimately from the flesh of man as assisted by the many lies and subtleties of Sanballat.
(station break .... , I said in our previous message that all of us must minister out from our experience. The reason why I have shared about Ezra and Nehemiah is because I have experienced everything that they experienced. I know how Jesus felt when He overthrew the tables of the money changers because I came very, very close to doing the same thing about 25 years ago in a charismatic church near where we live. I know how Elijah felt when he said he was jealous for the Lord God of hosts. I know how Jeremiah, Ezra, and Nehemiah felt when they wept over Jerusalem and the chosen people of God. I know how Paul felt when he wept for the church at Ephesus. I can't tell you how many times I was supposed to share a word and all I could do was stand up and weep for several minutes. The first time I experienced passing through the valley of Baca (Psalm 84:6) was in a large, Sunday gathering of several house churches in the Northern Virginia area around 1972. I could not believe the lack of maturity and lack of spiritual understanding that came forth in an "elders" meeting prior to the regular service. By the time the regular service started, I could not sing a song; I could not stand up; I could not read a verse in the Bible. I have no idea what anyone said or did during that meeting; all I did was to sit and weep the entire two hours. That is what I call the normal Christian life.)
Moreover, no one can build a wall on rubbish; it will not stand the heat or pressure. There is much rubbish in the visible church today at all levels. The rubbish stems ultimately from the flesh of man as assisted by the many lies and subtleties of Sanballat.
(station break .... , I said in our previous message that all of us must minister out from our experience. The reason why I have shared about Ezra and Nehemiah is because I have experienced everything that they experienced. I know how Jesus felt when He overthrew the tables of the money changers because I came very, very close to doing the same thing about 25 years ago in a charismatic church near where we live. I know how Elijah felt when he said he was jealous for the Lord God of hosts. I know how Jeremiah, Ezra, and Nehemiah felt when they wept over Jerusalem and the chosen people of God. I know how Paul felt when he wept for the church at Ephesus. I can't tell you how many times I was supposed to share a word and all I could do was stand up and weep for several minutes. The first time I experienced passing through the valley of Baca (Psalm 84:6) was in a large, Sunday gathering of several house churches in the Northern Virginia area around 1972. I could not believe the lack of maturity and lack of spiritual understanding that came forth in an "elders" meeting prior to the regular service. By the time the regular service started, I could not sing a song; I could not stand up; I could not read a verse in the Bible. I have no idea what anyone said or did during that meeting; all I did was to sit and weep the entire two hours. That is what I call the normal Christian life.)
In Nehemiah, Chapter 5, we read about an economic crisis, which affected the homeless, who were short of food (Verse 2); it affected the landowners, who were compelled to mortgage their properties (Verse 3); and it affected those who were forced to borrow money at exorbitant rates and all their children went into bondage (Verses 4 and 5). The world, as well as the visible church, will see a similar economic crisis soon. That will be soon followed by the political beast spoken of in Revelation 13:1-10. What, then shall we do?
In Nehemiah's time, he called a great assembly in the midst of the project of building the walls and told everyone that what they were doing was not right; he exhorted them to walk in the fear of God; he told them to leave off the usury and to restore the lands to the original owners (Verses 8-11 of Chapter 5). Then another amazing thing happened, just as with Ezra several years previously! All of the people promised to abide by the word of the Lord through Nehemiah! Could that happen again today? Not very likely! At least not until the Lord completes a mighty work within the hearts of His people. But the Lord will help us to finally cry out to Him by bringing about severe pressure, tribulation, and suffering. That is called the love of God. He who is in the fiery furnace the longest comes out the purest, to the glory of God.
In Nehemiah's time, he called a great assembly in the midst of the project of building the walls and told everyone that what they were doing was not right; he exhorted them to walk in the fear of God; he told them to leave off the usury and to restore the lands to the original owners (Verses 8-11 of Chapter 5). Then another amazing thing happened, just as with Ezra several years previously! All of the people promised to abide by the word of the Lord through Nehemiah! Could that happen again today? Not very likely! At least not until the Lord completes a mighty work within the hearts of His people. But the Lord will help us to finally cry out to Him by bringing about severe pressure, tribulation, and suffering. That is called the love of God. He who is in the fiery furnace the longest comes out the purest, to the glory of God.
In Nehemiah, Chapter 6, before the doors were set up on the gates, the enemy came one more time to try to disrupt the final completion. Four times, Sanballat and friends said they just wanted to talk with Nehemiah. Each time, Nehemiah replied, in Chapter 6, Verse 3,
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
That response is applicable to every believer today ... we must know the purpose and the work that the Lord has ordained for us and let nothing deter it. It is imperative that we hear the voice of the Lord clearly for ourselves. It is NOT sufficient to say, "Well the Bible says to do so-and-so, so let's go do so-and-so." That is Judaism, the works of the law and of the flesh. In general, that results only in wood, hay, and stubble.
So the building of the walls was finished in 52 days (Nehemiah 6:15), a remarkable achievement, particularly considering all of the opposition and economic crisis.
And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God. Nehemiah 6:16
Then Tobiah sent letters to try to put Nehemiah in fear. About forty-six years ago, I received a phone call about 2 a.m. from a man who earlier had stayed in our home for two nights. He was the "number 2" man in a rather large "Christian" set of churches. When the phone rang, my wife and I both got up and went downstairs to the only phone set we had at that time. We sat in our small dining room. I recognized his voice right away. The man proceeded to tell me all of the horrible things that would happen to me unless I "joined" their new church; then he told me all of the horrible things that would happen to my wife if I did not "join up." As he was speaking his words of witchcraft, shivers went up and down my spine. After he hung up, I immediately said, out loud, "I rebuke that spirit in the name of the Lord." I have never, and will never, tell my wife what the man said. But we went back to bed, slept soundly, and that was the end of that; it never surfaced again until about 18 months later they decided to give me one more chance to repent and join them. I refused. Less than 2 years later, the Lord smote their number 1 man.
I share that event only to say that Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem are still about their same tactics today. There is nothing special about me. I have made as many mistakes as the next person. But great is our God! And His grace and mercy endure forever!
So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities. Nehemiah 7:73
What happens in the seventh month? The Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles! If we look carefully, we can see the amazing prophetic word of the Lord to us in every book in the Bible! The last part of that verse says, "when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities." That is prophetic of the time just before the Lord returns to earth, when all Christian believers will be spiritually in their own city. In other words, not every Christian will be in spiritual Jerusalem. That will be the last spiritual fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Revelation 22:10-12, "And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."
The rest of the Book of Nehemiah (Chapters 8-13) then reverts back to Ezra. Why? because Nehemiah had finished his course with joy. He had completed the building of the walls. He had completed the major purpose for which he had been created.
Everyone should read Nehemiah, Chapter 8, slowly and carefully. That Chapter speaks prophetically of the soon coming of the fulfillment of the spiritual Feast of Blowing of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Let us read from Nehemiah 8, starting at Verse 1.
1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel.
The reading of the law by Ezra was the first reference to him in 13 years since his arrival in 458 B.C. Why was there such a delay? perhaps because the people were not ready to hear the Word of God until that time. So it is today. The visible church today is not ready to hear the Word of God until after much persecution, pain, suffering, tribulation, lies of the enemy, and economic collapse. ALL the people gathered together as one man! The current visible church is not ready for that yet either.
Why did they gather at the water gate? Why not at another of the ten gates around Jerusalem? because the water gate signifies the Holy Spirit, Who reveals and makes alive to us the Word of God.
2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.
That was the day of the Feast of Blowing of Trumpets. Ezra was not only the trumpet player of that day, he WAS the trumpet which was blown by God.
3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.
WOW! The ears of ALL the people were attentive! Could that happen today? not likely, but that will happen soon.
5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up:
ALL the people stood up when he had simply opened the book. He had not yet read from the book.
6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place.8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. Nehemiah 8:1-8
They not only read from the book, they gave the sense or meaning. But the big WOW is they caused the people to understand the reading. That can happen only through the power of the Holy Ghost. That brings to mind Ezekiel 44:23.
And they [the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok] shall teach My people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. Ezekiel 44:23
That will be when the Day of Atonement is completely fulfilled. Nehemiah 8:14-18 speaks of the Feast of Tabernacles. From all of Nehemiah 8, most of the remnant could not understand the book of the law of Moses! The attitude of the people was, "Just tell us what to do and we will do it." That same attitude is prevalent in many churches today. I have even heard it said with my natural ears. Nehemiah, Chapters 9 and 10, record Ezra's prayer and acknowledgement of the majesty and glory of God and the making and signing of a sure covenant with the Lord. Another of my favorite verses is Nehemiah 10:38.
And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.
I suspect that many of the false faith and prosperity teachers use this verse to coerce money from unsuspecting believers. But our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Christian man needs man's money to build man's church. But the Lord does not need "our" money (which never was ours in the first place) in order to build His church. I believe that verse speaks of a tenth of a tenth of the people of God coming to spiritual Zion. That is our real treasure house, which is in heaven. From Nehemiah 11:1, only one of ten (believers) dwell in spiritual Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 11:1, "And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities."
Further, only a tenth of those who dwell in Jerusalem allow the Holy Spirit to bring them to spiritual Zion. This is the tithe of the tithes spoken of in Nehemiah 10:38.
Nehemiah, Chapter 13, speaks of the final day of the judgment of God. Verse 3 of Chapter 13 says,
"Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude."
There has always been a mixed multitude in the visible church. That started when the Israelites came out of Egypt and continues even today. Israel here speaks of all born from above believers. That verse confirms Zechariah 14:21,
"Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts."
What is the end of the matter? What then must we do?
2 Corinthians 3:18, "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
On Wednesday morning, June 30, I had a short dream. In that dream I looked in a mirror but I did not see myself. I saw no fleshly image whatsoever. The Lord has marvelous and mysterious ways to encourage His people.
Lord, may we all have an open face as we behold Your glory. Amen.
Lord, may we all have an open face as we behold Your glory. Amen.
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