Today the people celebrate a dedication of the wall of Jerusalem with a parade led by 2 large thanksgiving choirs and the people rejoice so greatly “that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.”

After serving as governor of Judah for 12 years, Nehemiah returns to Artaxerxes king of Babylon. Nehemiah says that when he was governor he did not demand the governor’s provisions as the other governors had done in the past bc he didn’t want to place any more burden on the people. Nehemiah calls upon the Lord to remember him “for good, according to all that I have done for this people.”

Nehemiah is granted permission to return back to Judah where he discovers that the people have neglected the house of the Lord and the Word of God. So Nehemiah rebukes the rulers and sets the house of God back in order. He forces the people to honor the Sabbath and condemns the ones who intermarried with pagan nations. Nehemiah says remember what happened to Solomon, the wisest king whom there was no other like; “Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin.”

We end the reading meeting the prophet Malachi who ensures the returned remnant of God’s love for them. He takes them back in the Story to the time when God chose Jacob over Esau to receive his covenantal blessings and to work His plan of sending our Savior. Although Israel was punished for their disobedience, the Lord restored them and is committed to them which is proof of His love for them. God did not make the same covenant to Esau’s descendants, Edom, and they will be judged for their wickedness and not restored like Israel.

Malachi goes on to rebuke the priests who were accepting unworthy sacrifices. He tells them the Lord is worthy of their honor bc He is their Father, Master, and King! Malachi tells the priests that their lives should be an example for the others. “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth…But you have departed from the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law.”

Tomorrow more from Malachi and we hear from the prophet Joel bringing an end to the Return Era! 🎉 Keep reading.

(Nehemiah 12:27-13:6a, Nehemiah 5:14-19, Nehemiah 13:6b-31, Malachi 1:1-2:9)

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“Now the leaders of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine-tenths were to dwell in other cities. And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.” The ones willing to live in Jerusalem are taking a risk with their lives since the city of Jerusalem is constantly under the evil plots of all their enemies. They are also giving up the opportunity to harvest land by not being in the country. The lives of the ones choosing to live in Jerusalem display a love for the Lord and His people.

The priests, Levites, and the Nethinim are responsible for the care of the new temple. The priests are the descendants of Aaron and they perform the sacrifices and tend to the Holy Place in the temple. The Levites have various duties such as singers, musicians, teachers, guards, etc. The Nethinims are the temple assistants. Research suggests the Nethinim were likely non-Israelite captives that were spared but assigned to the work of the temple, such as the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:26-27) whom King David organized into a class of people to perform the work of the temple (Ezra 8:20). So the care of the second temple is structured in the same manner as King David did with the first temple.

Remember in the wilderness, as a result of the Balaam and Balak encounter, the Lord told Phinehas, Eleazar’s son, that his descendants would have a perpetual priesthood after Phinehas showed his zeal for the Lord by killing Zimri and Cozbi (Numbers 25)? Today we see that the Lord honored him; “And Phinehas the son of Eleazar had been the officer over them in the past; the Lord was with him.”

Tomorrow the people perform a dedication for the wall of Jerusalem and Nehemiah returns back to Artaxerxes king of Babylon. Will Nehemiah remain in Babylon? Keep reading to find out.

(Nehemiah 11:1-12:26, 1 Chronicles 9:1-34)

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Today the people observe the Feast of Tabernacles which they learn about from the reading of the Book of the Law. “So the whole assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day until the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God.”

The Feast of Tabernacles has been celebrated since the days of Joshua (1 Kings 8:2, 1 Kings 8:65-66, Ezra 3:4) but not with such zeal for God’s Word. In the Conquest Era, when Joshua led the people in conquering the promised land, the people were celebrating being settled into the land, much like the celebration in Jerusalem that Nehemiah is describing. The remnant has returned from captivity in Babylon and are celebrating their renewed life with the Lord in their homeland.

“Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.” Then the Levites tell the magnificent Story of the Lord to the children of Israel, beginning with the Exodus Era, through where they are at this point in the Return Era: “You saw the affliction of our

fathers in Egypt…And You divided the sea before them…You came down also on Mount Sinai…and gave them just ordinances and true laws…And told them to possess the land which You had sworn to give them…they refused to obey…they made a molded calf for themselves…Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness…Forty years You sustained them…You gave them kingdoms and nations…You also multiplied their children…And brought them into the land…Nevertheless they were disobedient…You delivered them into the hands of their enemies…You gave them deliverers who saved them…Yet they would not listen…You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful.”

We end the reading with the people agreeing to walk with the Lord and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord.

Tomorrow we read about the growing population in Jerusalem as well as the priests and Levites who will minister to the people, so keep reading.

(Nehemiah 8:13-10:39)

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After the wall is completed, the Lord puts it in Nehemiah’s heart to register the people according to genealogy. At the end of the list of genealogy, Nehemiah says that all the people then dwelt in their cities.

Now that the people are physically secure, Nehemiah and Ezra decide it is time to make sure the people are spiritually secure. So the people gather in the open square and Ezra brings the Book of the Law of Moses and reads “from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.”

“And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.’” The Levites encourage the people who are weeping over their sin to be joyful bc of the renewed relationship with the Lord. “And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.”

See, it’s one thing to read or hear God’s Word, but to read or hear God’s Word with understanding brings great joy and blessings! So keep reading! 📖 🙌

(Nehemiah 7:4-8:12)

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The people are hard at work rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. “Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiath, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion.”

So Nehemiah goes to battle in prayer and tells the people to trust the Lord. “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” So the people prepare to fight. “And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.”

Nehemiah then goes to bat for the poor, hungry, enslaved, and oppressed. He calls on the leaders to free their debts and release the people. “And all the assembly said, ‘Amen!’ and praised the Lord.” And the people do as Nehemiah requests.

Lastly we read that the enemies have not given up on distracting the Jews from completing the work of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. However, Nehemiah never gives in to Sanballat’s threats bc Nehemiah fully trusts in the Lord. “So the wall was finished…in fifty-two days. And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes, for they perceived that this work was done by our God.” And they are right bc God is awesome and as Iva May likes to say, “That‘s how He rolls!” 🙌

Keep reading!

(Nehemiah3:1-7:3)

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When Ezra returns to Jerusalem he learns that the people of Judah, including leaders, have intermarried with the women of the nations around them who worship false gods. Since historically intermarriage with someone who practices pagan worship leads the people away from the Lord, this news is very upsetting to Ezra who has a heart for the Lord and for the people to follow Him.

Ezra prays a prayer of repentance for the remnant that God saved by grace and says, “Here we are before You, in our guilt, though no one can stand before You because of this!” Then the people mourn greatly over their sin against God and a leader speaks on their behalf saying, “We have trespassed against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land, yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this.” He asks Ezra to lead them in putting away their pagan wives and in renewing the covenant with their God. So over a period of time, Ezra helps the people dissolve these marriages and return to the Lord.

Next we meet Nehemiah, a Jew in exile who has risen to power in the Persian Empire. He hears that the people in Judah are in distress and that the wall of Jerusalem is broken down. “So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, ’If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.’” So Nehemiah leads the 3rd and final wave of captives back to Jerusalem and says, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build.”

Tomorrow they begin rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem but once again are faced with opposition. Keep reading to see what happens.

(Ezra 9:1-10:44, Nehemiah 1:1-2:20)

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Artaxerxes, the son of Ahasuerus, is now the king of Persia and he receives a letter from some men opposing Jerusalem. The letter says the Jews “are building the rebellious and evil city, and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations… if this city is built and the walls completed, they will not pay tax, tribute, or custom, and the king’s treasury will be diminished.” King Artaxerxes responds by telling the Jews to cease the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

In the 7th year of King Artaxerxes’s reign, Ezra, “a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses” and a descendant of Aaron (Moses’s brother), is given permission to lead a second wave of captives back to Jerusalem. “For Ezra has prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.”

Not only does King Artaxerxes allow the people to return but he also sends silver, gold, and anything else they need for the rebuilding of the house of God. In addition, he now makes a new decree that says it is unlawful to impose a tax on the servants of the house of God and “whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgement be executed speedily on him.”

Ezra praises God for King Artaxerxes’s change of heart. “Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem…”

Tomorrow Ezra addresses intermarriage between the Jews and the people of the surrounding nations. Also, the 3rd and final wave of people return to Jerusalem with Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall. Keep reading.

(Ezra 4:7-23, Ezra 7:1-8:36)

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King Ahasuerus welcomes Esther into the court. She then requests for the king and Haman to attend a feast that day. At the feast she asks if they would join her again the next night for a banquet where she will present her request.

Haman goes home and brags to his wife and friends about his riches, his promotion, and his position in the kingdom. However, Haman can’t enjoy all of his success bc his eye is still on that one person, Mordecai, who refuses to bow down to him. So Haman’s wife and friends come up with an idea to have gallows built for Mordecai to be hanged on it.

Little does Haman know that the king is up late reviewing the book of the records that same night. This is when the king realizes that Mordecai was never rewarded for the time he saved his life. So the next day the king asks Haman, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” Haman, thinking the king was talking about him, suggests letting the man to be honored wear the royal robe and parade him around the city on the king’s horse. And as Haman suggested, Mordecai is paraded around the city in the king’s robe and on the king’s horse by…guess who??…yep, Haman! 😬

Then that evening, at the banquet, Esther tells the king of Haman’s evil plot to kill her and her people. When King Ahasuerus hears this he has Haman hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai and Mordecai is given Haman’s position in the kingdom. Wow, quite the turn of events in lives of Haman and Mordecai. Haman, who had it all, wrecked his life all because he couldn’t let go of the one person who wouldn’t bow down to him. And Mordecai, who remained faithful to the Lord, is honored and elevated.

Well now that Mordecai is in power, he orchestrates a new decree that goes out permitting the Jews “to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them.” So the Jews are joyful and “many people of the land became Jews because fear of the Jews fell upon them.”

The Jews have great victory over their enemies and Mordecai writes letters to all the province of King Ahasuerus saying “they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, as the days on which the Jews have rest from their enemies, as the mark which was turned from sorrow to joy for them…” and this annual celebration is called Purim, after the name Pur which means lots (Haman cast lots to decide the day to destroy the Jews).

Tomorrow Ezra leads the second wave of captives home to Jerusalem. Keep reading.

(Esther 5:1-10:3)

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The rebuilding of the temple is complete! 🎉 The people celebrate joyously and they keep the Passover.

Over in Persia, King Ahasuerus is having a massive 7 day drunken party and on the 7th day, when he is all liquored up, he asks for the beautiful Queen Vashti to come to him so he can show her off to everyone. But she refuses to come and partake in that nonsense, which doesn’t please King Ahasuerus, so he has her removed from the position of queen.

Now the hunt for a new queen is on! This is when we meet Mordecai, a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, who was born in captivity in Babylon. Mordecai raised his brother’s beautiful daughter, Esther, who was an orphan. Because of Esther’s beauty, she is taken to the King’s palace and ends up becoming the new queen. However, Mordecai asks her to keep her heritage a secret.

Mordecai is faithful to the king. So when he hears of a plot against the king’s life, he tells Esther “and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name,” resulting in the king being spared and the men plotting against him being killed.

Mordecai is also faithful to the Lord. Therefore he refuses to bow down to Haman, King Ahasuerus’s #1 man. This really gets under proud Haman’s skin. So, for retaliation, Haman has the king sign a decree to totally annihilate all of the Jews, Mordecai’s and Esther’s people. 😱

The Jews go into great mourning and Mordecai sends a request to Esther to intercede for her people. Esther is hesitant bc she could be killed if she approaches the king without the king requesting her. But Mordecai responds, “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Then Esther replies, “And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” 💪

The Lord is never mentioned in the Book of Esther but He is clearly active. Keep reading to see how God is working behind the scenes for the good of His people.

(Ezra 6:14-22, Ezra 4:6, Esther 1:1-4:17)

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