Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 4:1-23.  Let’s go!

Nehemiah 4:1-3 (NIV) 
1  When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 
2  and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble–burned as they are?” 
3  Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building–if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!”
 
On verses 1-3:  Here some vocal critics begin to voice their complaints and hurl their insults as Nehemiah and the people rebuild the wall.  What can we learn from this?  As a leader, even when you do your best at the work God has called you to do, you will not please everyone.  So do not be surprised if you meet your share of critics and opponents as you do the work God has called you to do. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 2:1-20.  Let’s go!

Nehemiah 2:2-3 (NIV) 
2  so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid,
3  but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

On verses 1-3:  Despite being “very much afraid” (v2), Nehemiah goes in faith, boldly choosing to enter the king’s presence with a sad face.  Then when he is questioned by the king, Nehemiah boldly but respectfully asks for:

time off from his service at the royal palace to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the city (v5);
a letter from the king to the royal governors of the Trans-Euphrates guaranteeing Nehemiah’s safe passage (v7); and
a royal authorization to get timber to build the city gates and wall of Jerusalem (v8).

Hi GAMErs,

Here is some background on the book of Nehemiah:

For several decades the people of Judah lived in exile in Babylon, having been ousted out of their own homeland because of persistent sin.  In 539 B.C. Cyrus King of Persia defeats the Babylonians and encourages the Jews to return to their homeland.  As we saw in the book of Ezra, the first group of Jews, about 50,000 of them, returned to Jerusalem in 538 B.C. (Ezra 1-2).  Under the leadership of governor Zerubabbel, the Jews rebuild the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem despite much opposition (Ezra 3-6).  In 458 B.C., Ezra leads a second group of about 1,500 Jews back to Jerusalem (Ezra 7-8).  When Ezra arrives in Jerusalem he discovers that the Jews have seriously compromised their faith by marrying unbelievers and following their idolatrous practices.  He leads them to repent and return to the Lord (Ezra 9-10).  In approximately 444 B.C., 14 years after Ezra arrives in Jerusalem, the events of Nehemiah 1 begin.  Written by Nehemiah himself in approximately 430 B.C., the book of Nehemiah chronicles Nehemiah’s long struggle to lead his people to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezra 10:1-44.  Let’s go!

Ezra 10:1 (NIV) 
1  While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites–men, women and children–gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.
 
On verse 1:  Ezra weeps violently because of how his people have sinned, when eventually he is surrounded by a large crowd of men, women and children who weep with him.  What can we learn from this?  Though you might sometimes feel alone, in the kingdom of God you are not alone.  In Christ you are part of a bigger body such that there are others who feel the pain that you, most notably Jesus Christ our brother and our Saviour.