July 11, 2024

Daniel had a dream similar to Nebuchadnezzar, only his contained four beasts. These beasts represent monarchs or monarchies. The first was a lion with wings, which represented the Chaldean monarchy. The second beast was like a bear and represented the Persian empire. The third beast was a leopard, representing the Grecian monarchy ruled by Alexander the Great. The fourth beast is a little more complicated to define; is it the Roman Empire, Syria, or someone else?  This beast had ten horns; three failed, and another one came up in their place. It had eyes like a man and a mouth that spoke eloquently. This last beast made war upon the saints and prevailed. Has this already happened? Are we in the midst of it, or has this yet happened? I have so many questions and a bit of anxiety over what may be coming. However, this beast will not prevail against Jesus, the Ancient of Days; he relieves my fear and anxiety, and I remain in perfect peace even with dreadful possibilities. We are not of this world, should have no fear of what man can do to our bodies but have dominion over our own lusts and corruptions, and have victory over Satan and his temptations. We win! Jesus covered all those sins. 

I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Daniel 7:21-22

July 10, 2024

King Darius set up his government with princes and presidents, including Daniel, who was one of the three presidents of which he was the head. Darius most loved Daniel because he was fair in his business dealings and could be trusted. However, even to this day, if someone prospers over others, they have those who want to see them fail. In Daniel’s case, the presidents and princes devised a plan to take him down. Knowing that he prays and petitions God three times a day, they went before Darius and proposed that he put a moratorium on petitioning anyone other than him for thirty days. They told him that all had consented to this new law that couldn’t be undone once sealed by the king. He agreed to it, and no sooner than it was signed into law, they found Daniel on his knees, faithful in prayer to God. They seized him and sent him to the lion’s den. Darius couldn’t help him even though he tried. King Darius couldn’t sleep and refused to be consoled by music. He prayed and fasted before God on behalf of Daniel. That following day, King Darius hurried to the den, hopeful God had saved him. Much to his relief, he found him alive and unharmed by the lions. Daniel told him an angel of God closed the mouths of the lions. Because of their treachery, the other princes and presidents were thrown into the den along with their wives and children. 

This story is full of lessons of prayer, fasting, and faith. Daniel humbly prayed three times a day on his knees. Darius prayed and fasted on behalf of Daniel. Both had faith that God would deliver him, and He did! However, the one lesson I took away from this story, above the others, is to remain faithful to your duty to God through Jesus without fear of suffering, even if your life depends on following unscrupulous laws. What good is your life if you deny God or you are found guilty of cowardice?

Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Daniel 6:21-22

July 9, 2024

Babylon is now under the kingship of Belshazzar, son of Evil-Merodach, and the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. The Medes and Persians were waiting for the opportunity to overtake Babylon when Belshazzar decided to have a party. During the party, he called for the cups seized from the temple of God when the Israelites were taken captive. When they drank their wine from those cups, a hand appeared and wrote on the wall. Belshazzar quickly called for the astrologers to interpret the writing, but they failed. Then he called his queen-mother, and she suggested Daniel. She knew he was full of a spirit that wasn’t human. Belshazzar offered Daniel scarlet clothing, a chain of gold, and to become the third ruler in the kingdom if he could tell him the meaning of the writing on the wall. Daniel rejected his offer but told him the interpretation of the words. 

And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. Daniel 5:25-28

Belshazzar then clothed him as he promised. That night, Belshazzar was killed, and Darius the Median took over the kingdom. This timeline puts us squarely into the arms of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 

Be very careful not to sully the sacred things dedicated to God. He doesn’t take kindly to that type of behavior. Nowadays, who or what is sacred to God? You and I. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit of God, who is not human. Make sure you treat your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him. 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2

July 8, 2024

After consulting the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and the soothsayers over another dream, Nebuchadnezzar finally remembered that Daniel could interpret his dream. He told him about his dream, and Daniel was stunned for an hour because he knew the implications. An angel, also called a watcher in the text, had come down, and the king had dreamed of a large tree that fed all the people, birds, and animals, and it was cut down with only the root remaining. His heart would change to a beast, he would eat grass, and seven years would pass until he proclaimed that God controls everything, including the kingdom of men and its rulers. Daniel knew the tree was the king and feared telling him. However, the king wanted to know whether good or bad, so Daniel interpreted the dream. A year passed, and Nebuchadnezzar forgot the dream and became arrogant, touting his power.

The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word wasin the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. Daniel 4:30-31

God humbled him, and he lived as a beast in the pasture for seven years until he admitted that God was King of heaven. When he did, God restored his mind and his power, and he honored God.

This story serves as a stark warning against pride and the belief that our success is solely due to our own efforts. The truth is, no one succeeds unless God allows it. He will intervene, as he did with Nebuchadnezzar, to teach us a lesson if we fail to give Him the glory for our success. This inevitability of God's intervention should reassure us of His presence and control in our lives. We are nothing without God, and we must always humble ourselves before Him. 

July 7, 2024

If you grew up in church, then you, most likely, learned about the story of the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace in Sunday school. Nebuchadnezzar had a golden statue made in his likeness and wanted everyone to fall and worship it when they heard the music playing. However, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in a display of unwavering courage, refused to obey the command because they only worshipped God.Some Chaldeans tattled on them for not bowing down to the image, which infuriated the king. However he gave them another opportunity to follow his orders but they refused which made him even more angry. Because of their refusal , the king commanded that the furnace be heated to seven times hotter than usual, and had them bound.

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Daniel 3:17-18

The guards that threw them in the furnace died because it was so hot. However, when Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace, he could see four people walking around unbound. He was shocked because he knew they only put three people in there. We understand that the extra person was either Jesus or his representative. Nebuchadnezzar called for them to come out. Not one hair was singed nor did they smell like smoke. This miraculous protection is a testament to the unwavering faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and it should reassure us of God's power and protection. The king decreed that no one shall speak against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and if they did, they would be cut in pieces, and their houses would be made a dunghill. 

Your faith in God may be tested at some point in your lifetime. Will you be able to withstand the test?

July 6, 2024

Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar his dream.

This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Daniel 2:32-33

Then a stone was cut from the mountain and with no one holding it, it crushed the statue to bits. Daniel went on the explain the different sections of the statue, starting with gold, and becoming less valuable as the ages passed. 

What we know about the dream today:

Head of God: Babylon with Nebuchadnezzar as king. 

Breast and arms of silver: two kingdoms together represented by Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian.

Belly and thighs of brass: monarchy of the Grecians, founded by Alexander. 

Legs of iron: the Roman Empire 

Feet with its ten toes: the Roman Empire divided into ten different kingdoms.

This is one statue representing the different kingdoms that had influence over the nation of Israel. We are living in the age of the feet and toes; some nations are strong as iron and others are as weak as clay and they don’t stick together because iron and clay don’t mix. The final kingdom is that of King Jesus that will stand forever! Jesus represents the stone that was cut out of the mountain and he crushed the statue to bits to become the one nation will never fail. 

After Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar his dream and its meaning, he fell at his feet to worship him then Daniel was promoted in his kingdom. 

July 5, 2024

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he couldn’t remember. He commanded that the magicians and astrologers reveal it and interpret it for him. However, they were unable to do it, so he told the captain of the guard to kill all of them, including Daniel and his companions, who weren’t even given the chance to interpret the dream. When the guard came to kill Daniel, he asked if he could have some time, and then he would show the king his dream and its meaning. Daniel then asked his companions to help him pray for God to reveal the dream. God showed him the dream, and the captain of the guard hurried him before the king to tell him what none of the magicians could do because it was God who gave the details of the dream to Daniel. Daniel and his friends were so grateful that they blessed God for his wisdom and might, giving Him credit for the revelation. Part of his worship showed that God is the one who places kings and removes them. We can also see that God protects those who trust in Him. Daniel had ultimate faith that God would show him the truth. We should all have faith like Daniel. 

He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. Daniel 2:22

But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. Daniel 2:30

July 4, 2024

After much contemplation, I decided to cover the Book of Daniel. Please feel free to post your insights from your past studies as I cover a chapter a day for the next twelve days or more, depending on the depth of each chapter. 

Daniel 1

When the Israelites were taken captive to Babylon, Daniel, Ananias, Misael, and Azarias were princes from the family of Zedekiah, in the line of Judah. Daniel lived from being taken into captivity for seventy years to the first year of Cyrus and saw Israel’s release. The king treated the boys well because they were pliable in learning and quite wise, outshining the children of the Chaldeans. It makes me sick that they were castrated. They were fed the king’s food; however, they didn’t want to eat the meat because they didn’t want to defile themselves with unclean animals and food offered to other gods. They asked the keeper of the eunuchs if they could be given herbs, fruits, and beans as their diet. He worried they would look sickly but agreed to a ten-day trial. At the end of the ten days, they looked healthier and fatter than the other captive eunuchs. Side note: Vegetables do not make you skinny, and that’s why we love them so much! I can attest that abstaining from or fasting from certain foods will make you wiser and draw you closer to God. If you ask God for wisdom, He might make you change your diet. Try cutting out sugar or fast a few meals daily and watch your wisdom increase and your waistline decrease. 

And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat. Daniel 1:15

July 3, 2024

The day came that the people of Persia were turned loose to exact revenge by the king’s edict to destroy Israel; it was not against the law since Haman had recommended their destruction, and the king’s seal had confirmed it. However, there was another proclamation that allowed the people of Israel to defend themselves, and they did! It is said that the Amalekites were the ones fighting against them; what’s interesting is they are the ones God told them not to mix with. Israel joined together and destroyed anyone who took up arms against them. However, they did not take the lives of the women and children, nor did they take the bounty for themselves. Moreover, because of his commendable position in the king’s court, Mordecai was highly esteemed by Israel; they were not jealous of his position but also favored him just as the king did. The king asked Esther if there was anything else he could do for her people, and she answered by requesting that Haman’s sons be hung on the gallows; he honored her request, and they were hung together at the same time and placed on display for all to see. To this day, Israel celebrates what’s known as Purim as a thanksgiving for God’s preservation of them. 

The lesson we can learn from this is that when we work together as The Church, we can stand against the wiles of the enemy. Stand firm in your commitment, mighty warriors of God, and together we will bring the peace of Jesus to all who are chosen.

And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed. Esther 9:28

For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed. Esther 10:3

July 2, 2024

Esther finally told King Artaxerxes that Mordecai was her cousin/uncle, who had raised her, and she looked upon him as a father. Artaxerxes gave Esther all of the house of Haman, which was quite a lot, being he was over much of the kingdom. Esther set Mordecai over Haman’s estate, and the king gave him the ring that he had given Haman. All of this seemed good; however, there was a decree that had gone out to end the lives of all the Israelites that couldn’t be amended per the law. So Esther went before the king again, only this time she fell at his feet begging for the lives of her kin, not worried about him not offering her the golden scepter. King Artaxerxes then had his scribes draw up a new decree that no one should cause harm to the Israelites, and if they tried, he gave them permission to fight back and take the estates of those who lifted a hand towards them. They sent this decree throughout every province of the kingdom. Mordecai, dressed in royal garments and a crown, went out of the presence of the king. All the Israelites were full of light, gladness, joy, and honor. Because the people saw the good fortune of the Israelites, many became believers and rejected their fake idols and gods. 

Here in the United States, we have recently seen a law being overturned that gave the right of unelected officials to interpret the law as they saw fit and make rules to put hardships on the people; that right was revoked and may bring an end to some of the three-letter agencies; we’ll have to wait and see how that pans out. Unlike Persia, we have a system in place that allows the revocation of harmful or unnecessary laws. We may regain many freedoms we once had that were taken away by evil, unelected bureaucrats. One way or another, God will free His people like he did the captives in Babylon. Wait for it; it will surely come.  

Make sure you live your faith in Jesus out loud. Others may come to know Jesus from seeing your good fortune.

And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. Esther 8:15

July 1, 2024

King Artaxerxes and Haman came to the banquet of Esther. The king was anxious to know what was on Esther's mind, so he asked her again what her request was. She answered him by explaining that someone had sold her and her people out and was going to have them slain. He immediately wanted to know who, and she outed Haman as the culprit of such a dastardly deed. The king flew into a rage and went into the garden to think. Upon his return, he found Haman begging for his life on the bed where Esther was sitting and accused him of trying to ravish her before having her slayed. Word got out, and they covered Haman's head!

And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified. Esther 7:9-10

Evil was destroyed in the same manner that was intended for God's people. They got to see the vengeance of God come to fruition. If you are dealing with an unfair situation, take heart. If you love and honor God with all your heart, you can count on Him coming to your rescue. You too will see the recompense of the wicked just as Esther, Mordecai, and the people of Israel witnessed. Wait for it; it will surely come!

June 30, 2024

King Artaxerxes was restless the night before Esther's banquet and had the book of records brought to him to be read. When his servant read about Mordecai warning him of the eunuch's plan to kill him, he asked if the reward was given to him for saving the king. Nothing had been done. It was still early in the morning, so he had them go to see who was in the court. Haman was there because he was coming to petition the king to allow him to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had built. The king had Haman come into his chambers and ask him what would be the best way to honor someone. Haman, thinking it was him that the king wanted to honor, told him that he should dress him in his royal garments, put him on a horse, and have someone walk him through the streets proclaiming his esteem. The king agreed and had Haman do that for Mordecai. It must have been humiliating for Haman, who had let it be known even to the point of building gallows for him. Mordecai thought he was mocking him and said, "O thou wretch, the vilest of all mankind, dost thou thus laugh at our calamities?" However, he realized that it had come from the king and accepted the honor. It was humbling for both men. Haman's wife and friends told him that he would not prevail against him. They knew his downfall was coming. 

When God wants to honor someone, no evil plan will claim victory. Because Mordecai bucked the system and put God before Haman by not bowing to him, who was just a man, God showed Mordecai his appreciation, even though it came through a request from King Artaxerxes. Stand firm in your convictions, put God first, and He will show you his love through others. We can see from this story that God works His plan with precision; you can be sure that He is also working out the details of His plan for you. Don't you love it? God is so good.

Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. Esther 6:10

June 29, 2024

On the third day, after the prayer and fasting, Esther adorned her royal garments and went to the king. According to Flavius Josephus, Esther had two maids to accompany her, one to lean on and one to help carry her train. As she approached the king and saw his unpleasant expression and the sparkle of his royal garments making him look more fierce, she fainted, and the king rushed off the throne and took her in his arms to help her recover. His countenance changed to love, and he told her she was not included in that law. However, he reached out his scepter, and she touched the top of it. Then the king asked what she petitioned, offering her half his kingdom, but she held off requesting by inviting him and Haman to her royal apartment for wine. The king sent for Haman, telling him to hurry because Esther had invited them for wine. Then, she requested their presence at the banquet that she would prepare tomorrow. 

Haman then headed out the king's gate, and upon seeing Mordecai and him not bowing or acknowledging him, he became fiercely angry. Still, he refrained from acting on his anger because he wanted him to be taken out with the other Israelites. However, while gloating over his wealth to his family and friends and feeling honored at the request of the queen for his presence at a banquet, they encouraged him to build the gallows and request the king to take him out early so he could enjoy his time with the king and queen without fretting over Mordecai. 

Jesus, unlike the harsh King Artaxerxes, always shows us His favorable countenance. We can approach His throne with confidence, knowing that His loving heart will console us and help us recover from our fears. Just as God softened the king's heart towards Esther, we can see her bravery as a powerful example of what God will do when He calls us to serve Him on behalf of His people. Esther's courage should inspire us to be brave, for Jesus has called us to serve Him by introducing others to His love and encouraging them to accept His gift of salvation. 

If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said. Esther 5:8

June 28, 2024

After Mordecai heard the news about the destruction of the Israelites, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, went into the streets, and wept bitterly. He then went before the king's gate, where you could only go if you were well dressed, but didn't enter to do his usual duties. Esther heard about him and sent him clothes to change into, but he refused them because his grief hadn't been relieved. So Esther sent her attendant, Hatach, to find out what was wrong, and he told him of the king's edict to destroy all the Israelites. Mordecai told Esther  that she should go before the king on their behalf. However, there was a problem with doing that; there was a law that you could only go before the king if you had been called. Otherwise, you would risk your life unless he holds out the golden scepter. Mordecai sent a message back saying that her life was in danger anyway, being she was also an Israelite. He reminded her that God had placed her the position as queen for such a time as this. If she didn't, God would sent someone else to save his people but her life would be over anyway. He stressed the importance of trusting in God's plan. She agreed to do it, saying if I die, I die. She enlisted the help of all the Israelites to help petition God on her behalf by fasting and praying for three days. Mordecai did what she said. 

Observation: Why did these Israelites stay when Cyrus released them from captivity to return to Israel? They had put themselves in danger by not obeying God. 

Reminder: We are all called to go before King Jesus, and He holds out his scepter every time; we do not need to fear Him. Only those who reject Him need to fear Him. If you have something weighing heavy on you, petition others to help you by praying and fasting. God answers prayers. 

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14

June 27, 2024

Haman, an Amalekite, was cunning and convinced Artaxerxes to promote him over the princes of the nations, making him second in command. If you remember, God had warned the Israelites not to mix with the Amalekites because they didn't help them when they were in the wilderness, which made Haman an enemy of Israel. This took place five years after the king married Esther. I'm giving you a timeline because the cartoons and movies make you think it happened simultaneously. Mordecai was devoted to God and refused to bow before Haman, which angered him, so rather than ask the king if he could kill Mordecai, he decided to convince him to get rid of all the Israelites. The king was quite susceptible to the wiles of Haman and gave him his seal to do whatever he wanted. He drafted a new law that would have all the Israelites, including women and children, killed by a specific date and retain all their possessions for themselves.

Do not be misled; our government would like nothing more than to remove all the Christians from the face of the earth, much like Haman's desire to rid Persia of Israel. For the most part, we do what's right in the eyes of the Lord, and they hate our devotion to Him and would like nothing more than to replace our good intentions that come from Jesus with their evil desires that come from Satan and the wickedness within their hearts. Keep praying that God would route wickedness from the government and all the earth. Remember, our joy and peace come from knowing Jesus; He is in charge of the world's governments; once you realize that, the political issues will not ruffle you.

And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. Ecclesiastes 3:16

The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day. Esther 3:14

June 26, 2024

King Artaxerxes was depressed over losing Vashti for what she had failed to do, but there was nothing he could do about it because of the law. Several years later, his servants encouraged him to allow them to search the kingdom for a young woman to replace her to bring back his joy, and he allowed it. They gathered all the beautiful young women, including Esther, who was orphaned. Mordecai, her uncle, raised her, and when she was called among the young women, he told her not to reveal her lineage. All the women underwent a purification process for six months and were given treatments with ointments and fragrances. Once that process was over, one was brought to the king daily for him to sleep with. The girls he didn't choose for a wife were put away as secondary wives. However, when it was Esther's turn, he was enamored by her beauty and selflessness; he fell in love with her and chose her as his queen. He had a feast for his wedding and required all the provenances to celebrate his marriage. Mordecai had kept tabs on her throughout the process and was easily found at the king's gate. He discovered a plot against the king and reported it to Esther, and she told the king. The men who plotted against him were hung for treason. 

To see the inner workings of God's design are incredible. Time is of no concern to Him; His plans never fail and are eventually brought into the light. Though it may seem slow to us, we can count on his plan to prevail. Look at poor Esther losing her parents; it doesn't seem like good could come from that, but when it's part of God's plan, we can be confident it's for our good. If you are dealing with an unpleasant situation, you can be sure that God will make good of it.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. Esther 2:17

Note: Any information not found in the Bible comes from Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible and The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus.

June 25, 2024

Ahasuerus, also known as Artaxerxes, was king over many provinces, but we know him as King of Persia. He decided to show off all his riches and hold a feast for the many princes in his kingdom. The merrymaking lasted 180 days, with him entertaining the men and Queen Vashti entertaining the women. One day, when the king was drunk, he called for the Queen to come to him so he could show off her beauty. She refused because it was forbidden by the law of the Persians for the wife to be seen by strangers. After several attempts to get her to come, he became angry, ended the party, and ordered that his counselors inform him of what he could lawfully do to her. It seemed he loved her and didn’t want to divorce her, but she embarrassed him and set a precedent for a wife to disobey her husband. His counselors pushed the issue of divorce so that the other wives wouldn’t follow her example of disobedience. We know this had to happen as bad as it may seem for Queen Vashti because God needed to usher in a new queen that He could use to further His will to advance His people. King Artaxerxes sent out a decree to all the people that the wives of all men should honor their husbands. Vashti was following the law, so they needed to make a new law that would override the old one. 

This kind of thing is happening in our government today; if one law isn’t working for them, they have to make new ones! This first chapter of Esther gives us a little insight into how laws are made. Men call their boys together for a bit of fun, get drunk, and make new, ridiculous laws when things don’t go their way. God will rescue us from the hands of evil in due time. Wait for it; it will surely come.

And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small. Esther 1:20

June 24, 2024

It was read in the book of law that the people of Ammon and Moab shouldn’t come into the congregation of Israel because they hadn’t helped Moses and the people during their time in the wilderness. Israel was forced to separate from the mixed multitude. While Nehemiah was back in Babylon for a time, some things went awry in Jerusalem and within the temple. Eliashib had allowed Tobiah, the servant of Sanballat, to take up residence in the temple by clearing out a couple of the storage rooms. Remember, when he began rebuilding the wall, Tobiah and Sanballat gave Nehemiah trouble. Upon his return to Jerusalem, Nehemiah kicked him out of the temple. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Levites were not getting paid as required, so they left their temple duties and returned to the country to provide for their families. Nehemiah gathered them, put them back in their assigned places, and ensured they got paid out of the tithes and offerings. Then, to top everything off, people began to work on the Sabbath, bringing their corn into the city to sell it and making their cattle work when God required them to allow them to rest as well as themselves. Nehemiah made them close the city gates during the Sabbath, not allowing them to sell their products. Nehemiah prayed that God would notice what good he had done. He was worried that he would get punished for everything that had gone wrong. 

When you take a break or step outside of God’s will, you can expect your life to go sideways, which happened when the people did their own thing while Nehemiah was out of town. We must each learn to govern ourselves to do what’s right in the eyes of God because we may not always have someone looking over our shoulders telling us how to live. 

Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. Nehemiah 13:14

June 23, 2023

Upon settling in Jerusalem, the priest purified the people, wall, and gates and dedicated the wall to God. The wall encompassed the entire city, so everything within it was devoted to God. They knew that none of what they did would have been possible without Him, recognizing that He was the one keeping them safe while they dwell there; He was their hope for a future. The people sang, played their instruments, and offered God the praise he deserved. They walked around the entire city with the priest walking along the wall, worshipping, praying, and rejoicing with great fanfare. 

Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. Nehemiah 12:43

Imagine getting a new home or place to dwell in, and other people had once been living in it, worshipping idols or praising other “gods” within those walls. Although it may sound ritualistic, I think we should follow the lead of Nehemiah and dedicate our homes to God. Though Jesus has already purified us, you can still repent your sins, pray, and praise while walking around your home, thanking him for giving you a place to live. This is just my opinion, but I think it will help run any demons out or keep them from trying to take up residence there. You will be worshipping God there, so invite him to fill your home with His blessings.

June 22, 2024

Jerusalem was ready to inhabit after repairing the wall and the temple. Jerusalem was a holy city, and most preferred to live where they would not face scrutiny for their behavior. They also didn’t want to live there because not much was happening, so it was harder to make a living there. So, to fill it with people and get the city up and running, they appointed one in every ten people to live there, with the rest living in the countryside. They needed city dwellers and country people to get Judah and Jerusalem going; both played an essential role in fulfilling everyone’s needs. The rest of Nehemiah 11 names the families living in Jerusalem and those living in the villages outside the city. 

Imagine being the one-tenth required to live in an empty city. We know it worked because Jerusalem is now a thriving metropolis, and people worldwide desire to visit and walk where Jesus walked and sit where he taught. Sometimes, God assigns us to work and dwell in places less desirable, but it’s for our good. Eventually, you will see that His hand placed you there because you will prosper spiritually and possibly even physically. The things that happen to you are not coincidences, good or bad; God can use them to train us for kingdom uses, just as he did the people assigned to live in the city of Jerusalem.

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. And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem. Nehemiah 11:1-2