Nehemiah 9:22-10:39
This is the conclusion of the Feasts we read about yesterday. I find it interesting that God made sure they dedicated themselves to Him and to following Him, before they dedicated the walls. I wonder how many congregations dedicate themselves to the Lord like this, with prayer and confession and tears and renewal, before they dedicate a new building. What's the sense of filling a new building with believers who have lost their focus on why they are here?
Nehemiah 9:22-38
I have to admit, I have never enjoyed reading this prayer as I have this time. I hope reading the story of God's plan and working with Israel has given you an exciting understanding of how important it is for Him to save us.
This prayer is full of things that will feed your heart. I just have a couple of observations.
V. 30 Notice that they understood that the prophets were led by the Holy Spirit.
V. 32 The steadfast love of the Lord.
V. 36 They admit that they are slaves. That's reality and humility. This is what Jesus faced:
John 8:31 Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33 They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How is it that you say, `You will be made free'?"
Nehemiah 10
V. 1 Notice that Nehemiah was the first signer. Although Ezra's name doesn't appear, his forefather's name is there (v.2 Seraiah), suggesting that he signed for the house of his family.
Vs. 28-31 Doesn't this remind you of Deuteronomy?
V. 31 The children of Israel had never kept the sabbatical year for the land. The reason this is mentioned now, is that those missed sabbatical years (490 years divided by 7) were the basis of their 70-year exile, to give the land its rest.
Vs. 32-39 The tithes were the only way the priests and Levites could serve. The tithes not only showed the gratefulness of the people for God's provision, but it revealed their spiritual devotion. It showed that they understood the need for the teaching and ministry of the Levites so that they could be forgiven and draw near to God. Without the Levites there could be no sacrifices, no Passover, no day of atonement and no Feast weeks. This obedience revealed that they knew their need and were seeking God.
The German translation emphasizes the things they agreed to do by the paragraph layout. The ESV is not so gracious. As you read, block out or draw lines between each thing they were agreeing to do.
1 Corinthians 9:19-10:13
1Cor. 9:19-27
I love these verses. They made so much sense to me as a missionary in Germany, and they've gotten me in so much trouble here in the States. All of our talk about music or Bible translation is so silly. If we were in China working underground we'd never worry about the KJV…they don't speak English. If we were working in the mountains of Colta, Ecuador, we wouldn't worry about hymns vs. contemporary, because those songs don't work there. What works there would numb your mind, but you'd learn to love it for the sake of Christ and reaching those people. Our tastes and necessities in the church reveal our lack of discipleship. Disciples take their cues from the harvest field in which they are following Jesus. How have we missed this?
Vs. 19-23 You could read this portion out loud with the rest of chapter nine. Notice that Paul is connecting with verse one. "Am I not free?....For though I am free from all men…" Freedom means the ability to let go of our rights for the sake of Christ, and the harvest, and this tragedy on earth. To hang on to our tastes means we are held by the earth and our body of death. That is a tragedy too and something that disqualifies us as disciples.
Vs. 24-27 Reread Romans 7:14-25 to understand why Paul took this so seriously. This is something I'm still trying to get into my head / heart.
1 Cor. 10
Chapter 10 is one complete argument and the conclusion of some discussions going all the way back to chapter six. You can see this by the repetition of words that Paul has used earlier. You'll notice these. This is a great chapter of the Bible.
V. 1 Remember in Romans how Paul would say he was talking to those who knew the law, or was talking to the Gentiles in that congregation. Look at this verse. Clearly, Paul is talking to Jews without asking for any particular group. If you look at this group in Acts 18 you see that it was a very strongly Jewish church. Paul can assume that they all know what he is saying because they are all (98%) Jews.
Vs. 1-5 We have read this in the OT and were amazed that these people did not believe. What is amazing here is that Paul is applying this same truth to Christians.
Vs. 6-11 Notice how verses six and eleven are parallel, but verse eleven goes beyond verse six to a stellar reality we all need to grasp.
V. 7 Do you know which chapter in 1 Cor. Paul is referring to? If not, you will tomorrow.
V. 8 Do you know which chapters in 1 Cor. Paul is referring to? We've just read them.
If you know the OT well, you can do exactly what Paul is doing. In using the OT for illustrations, you're actually teaching people on several different levels and it makes the Bible more alive to them.
Vs. 12-13 If you understand these verses correctly, they are an accusation. The Corinthians have already been overtaken. Tomorrow will blow your mind.
Psalm 34:1-10
I've got a subtitle note that says this psalm was written after David escaped from Abimelech after faking he was crazy. Since we've read about that, what stands out to me is that this event is when David's 10 years of running from Saul began. David was terrified and losing it emotionally. After escaping from Gath he slowly regained composure and began trusting the Lord. It was in these years that he learned of the steadfast love of the Lord.
This psalm has the line, "taste and see that the Lord is good," but the main focus is on God's deliverance. David would see 10 years of little, constant deliverances and evidences to God's ongoing, daily goodness and steadfast love. Tasting is a dare. You don't know if the Lord is really good. Jesus promises a lot of things to those who follow in the harvest, but you have to follow to "taste" them. In that following will be hardship that teaches endurance, builds character and faith which leads to abundant hope and joy and a very special fellowship with Jesus and the Father. Here it says you have to "taste." When you read Jesus, he says it's more like a dive, coming to Him, taking his yoke, lifting up a cross and putting it over your shoulder and walking to your death. That's a funny way to experience His promises and unity with Him, but that's what He says. And it all begins with a taste.
I looked for a video for this psalm and found this youth group production, with a great song. It made me think that this is also a good time of life to get this message to taste and see that the Lord is good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5yrIQNko30&list=FL9f-mi9_EUeM&index=1
Proverbs 21:13
God leaves the poor before us to reveal our hearts. We are all debtors to God. It's interesting to me that Jesus commanded His disciples to give to everyone who begged from them. Of course there was that one time when Peter and John were out of money, but they figured something out.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
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