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AUGUST 16
Nehemiah 11:1-12:26
Nehemiah 11
There are a couple of things happening in this chapter. First, there is
the selection of people to live in Jerusalem. Second, we are given the location
of people who lived in the surrounding towns. The real issue here was the
establishment of worship at the temple and the security of God's nation.
Everything that was strong in Israel was to emanate from the personal devotion
of its people to the Lord. The cultivating of that kind of personal devotion
came through the regular sacrifices and in the feasts three times a year. The
center of that worship was the temple. Nationalism wasn't a concern on the
minds of men like Ezra and Nehemiah. They were concerned about the people
following God.
Vs. 1-2 When we think of a city, we think of life and vitality.
Jerusalem, up to now, was more like a ghost town, dangerous and sparsely
populated. Also, the way most common people lived was from what they grew. It
was a sacrifice to move into Jerusalem, especially knowing that so much
animosity and violence had been aimed at rebuilding the walls. What we need to
remember is that Nehemiah would be the governor of Judah for twelve years. This
was within his first year. Since Nehemiah governed out of Jerusalem, it would
have been a very good place to live.
Vs. 3-6 These are the chief rulers and the head men of the tribe of
Judah, the leading tribe.
Vs. 7-9 Benjamin also has a place of honor, not only because they were
the tribe of the first king and they represented Joseph; but also because when
the kingdom divided, they remained with Judah.
Vs. 10-14 Now we have the real focus here. In order for the worship to
grow and nurture the people, the priests and the Levites had to be near the
temple and be provided for. These are the priests.
Vs. 15-18 The Levites taught and assisted the priests in their
sacrificial duties, serving the people and the Lord.
Vs. 19-21 We have already seen that the gatekeepers were important and
may have had a function in organizing the people who came to Jerusalem to
worship. Notice that those who didn't live in the city lived in the surrounding
towns.
Vs. 22-24 Notice that the singers were given a special provision.
Because these Levites worked full time in the temple leading worship, they were
given a special provision. I'm not sure how often there was music played, but
they practiced, performed and trained other musicians. Apparently, music
accompanied the sacrifices every day.
Vs. 25-36 This is the disbursement of the people in the surrounding
towns. Most of these were less than a day's journey.
Nehemiah 12:1-26
This is another accounting of the priests and Levites. This is a lot of
detail, but if you understand the heart of it, in terms of the nation's health
and survival, the organization of worship around the temple was critical. There
was to be a constant cultivation of the hearts of Israel's people. And too,
since they had come out of exile they wanted to get all of the written records
compiled and sorted out. In Samaria anyone could be a priest or serve at their
temples. In Israel that was not the case.
Vs. 1-7 Of note here is Jeshua. Everything will be measured from him.
Apparently he was the first high priest after the exile. Notice too, Iddo. He
had a famous son.
Vs. 8-11 Here we have some singers, but more importantly we have
Jeshua's son, Joiakim, who apparently fathered the line of high priests.
Vs. 12-21 These are the days of Joiakim. Notice that Iddo's son is
Zechariah. Zechariah is one of the two prophets used to inspire the rebuilding
of the temple, and Zechariah wrote the book of Zechariah. When we read his book
at the end of the year, parts of it will sound just like Revelation.
Vs. 22-26 These are the days of Eliashib the son of Joiakim. Jeshua was
already gone when Ezra arrived, but Eliashib and Joiakim were probably both
alive when Ezra and Nehemiah were in Jerusalem.
For us as disciples, our lineage only has to go back to our Lord. Our
qualification for service begins with our salvation, the Great Commission and
Acts 1:8. If those are actively being honored, the church becomes a community
in the harvest. Disciples are harvesting and coming together weekly for
encouragement, strengthening, and refocusing on the love of Christ. Their
devotion and love for Christ is nurtured, and they are being blessed for their
work in the harvest. This is all that a house church in China has, but it is
essential church. These churches have to make disciples and they reach out
under threatening circumstances. This is all our Savior is asking of His
followers. If this isn't essential church to His disciples, then, like Israel,
it is easy to quickly lose focus.
1 Corinthians 10:14-11:2
1 Corinthians 10:14-33
Vs. 14-22 This is revisiting chapter 8. In their "knowledge"
and "freedom," some of the believers were participating in pagan
gatherings thinking they were immune to the worship going on because these
weren't "really" gods. Paul is saying that there are still spiritual entities
behind pagan worship. These believers were actually participating in idolatry,
worshiping demons. Later, Paul will say to these people, Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but
in your thinking be mature. In chapter 8, Paul mentioned them eating in
pagan temples. Here, Paul showed them that their knowledge had led them into a
snare.
Our challenge is to walk alertly through this life and avoid things
that put us under spiritual influence. Most of us are "smart" enough
to stay away from tarot cards, palm readers, Ouija boards, TM, yoga and the
like; but there are other things that can bring us under spiritual domination
if we let them.
Notice that in this section there is a lot of positive teaching, too,
regarding the Lord's Supper.
Vs. 23-24 Paul is repeating their words from chapter 6. In Romans 14
Paul answers the question as to what is "right" to do regarding a
weaker brother. He says, It is good not
to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
Romans 15 and the words here both point to our responsibility as disciples to
strengthen and edify others. That prepares and assists others in growing in
Christ. Flaunting our knowledge and preferences says more about us than we'd
like. It shows immaturity and a lack of understanding of our work following
Christ in the harvest on this dying planet.
Vs. 25-30 Some meat that was offered in sacrifice to idols was sold in
the meat market. Obviously, when they were following Judaism they only bought
kosher. Now as believers, they could buy everywhere, but how could they know if
the meat came from a sacrificed animal. Paul is giving them advice, and really,
he is saying that the meat is OK. Their conscience would be the only factor.
In the case of the dinner situation, it seems like a weaker believer
was sitting with them and had found out that the meat came from a sacrifice, in
which case, for that weaker brother, they should decline to eat.
Vs. 29-30 are a rationale for eating without questioning. Again, it is
usually the weaker, ardent in their beliefs, who pass judgment on those who
have liberty in a spiritual way. We saw this in Romans 14. Paul is saying that
out of concern for the weak, he would abstain in a particular situation. But as
a general rule he would not allow his liberty to be determined by the weak
consciences of the judgmental. A passage to look at in this connection is:
Now
the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith
by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2through the insincerity of liars whose
consciences are seared, 3who
forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be
received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4For everything created by God is good,
and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5for it is made holy by the word of God
and prayer (1 Tim. 4:1-5).
Vs. 31-33 These verses should be understandable in terms of 1
Corinthians 9:19-23. Our job is not to show how smart we are. It is to make
disciples across the board, following our Lord through any and all cultural
challenges He leads us through.
1 Corinthians 11:1-2
This is sort of an unfortunate choice of verses. Verse 1 goes with
today and tomorrow, but v. 2 only belongs to tomorrow and the traditions
mentioned in chapter 11.
Yet, v. 1 is a command to them and to us. One interesting thing about
Jesus' call to us as disciples is that we are to make disciples. We are to lead
and model what it means to be imitators of Christ. Each of us needs to be
spiritually comfortable as makers of disciples to say what Paul says here. This
confidence comes naturally with following Christ in the harvest over many
years. Experienced soldiers naturally help and teach younger soldiers.
Experienced harvesters naturally help and teach younger harvesters. Experienced
disciples naturally help and teach younger disciples. It's natural. Paul's
authority came from deep humility, many persecutions, years of service, and all
of this from having followed Christ in the harvest.
Psalm 34:11-22
This is continued from yesterday.
V. 11 is David teaching from his long, grueling experience in trusting
and following the Lord. In a way, David is saying that those listening should
follow his example. As I read these verses I can sense some of his loneliness,
brokenheartedness, longing, waiting and crying out. But what I also feel is the
love of the Lord for those who seek Him and follow. Look at all the deliverance
mentioned in these verses. Look at what David says the Lord does beginning in
v. 15. That is quite a list. But as we've seen before, you can't know the
deliverances without knowing the trials in the harvest.
Vs. 12-14 The answer to v. 12 is seen by the behaviors of vs. 13-14.
Vs. 15-18 Notice the emphasis on the Lord watching and being near.
These are the things we forget when we get in a jam or an emotional panic. It
should steady us to know this truth.
Vs. 19-22 This is a promise. There will be affliction. There will be
deliverance. The wicked will experience the same things and be judged and
condemned. The Lord will redeem and will not condemn.
V. 20 is prophetic having to do with Jesus.
So what would you say a disciple is to do in all of this? A phrase in
v. 12 grabbed me as I read over it, desires
life. What do we learn to seek and desire in life?
Proverbs 21:14-16
V. 14 can't be an encouragement to giving bribes, so it must just state
a fact. It almost sounds like Jesus telling His disciples to make peace quickly
with an offended brother. Since the issue here is anger and wrath and not
averting justice, this might be
closer to the meaning of this proverb.
However, v. 14 could also be in contrast to the next two verses on
justice. Where a bribe might give the look of justice or relief, only true
justice brings joy; and those who wander from good sense and try to live by
bribes and circumventing justice eventually find themselves in a (the?) bad
place. God loves justice and has built it into mankind. Even the worst person
loves justice for himself, which actually is a judgment to his own injustice
toward others. So anyway, if people really don't enjoy justice, they're not
going to like God. So, the bad place would really be better for them. Right?
Please Read the
Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are 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, that is, 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 and important discipleship manual we have and it is the 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, or whom we are to be following. 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, as disciples, 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, 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 (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
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. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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