Dr Paul Allen

English: Ezra Reads the Law to the People (Neh. 8:1-12) Русский: Священник Ездра читает народу Закон (Неем. 8:1-12) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “This Ezra went up from Babylon ; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses , which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.” ( Ezra 7:6 ) Neither Ezra, who was a scribe, nor Nehemiah , who was apparently a butler, had been prepared by either study or experience to supervise a great construction project, rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem and the wall of the city, both of which had been destroyed many years before by the armies of Babylon. Yet God called them to these ministries and led them and protected them as they carried them out. They were both careful, then, to give God the credit for what they had accomplished. No less than six times in Ezra and twice in Nehemiah they reminded their readers that God’s hand had been upon them as they supervi...

Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “So the wall was finished. . . . And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God .” ( Nehemiah 6:15-16 ) There were many times in the history of God’s chosen nation of Israel when mighty victories were accomplished. In the events surrounding our text, a ragged band of exiles had returned from captivity in Babylon and were attempting to rebuild the broken-down walls of Jerusalem . The detractors were many, saying it couldn’t be done—but it had to be done! Satanically inspired opposition came through ridicule ( Nehemiah 2:19 ; 4:1-3); threats of invasion (vv. 7-9); discouragement (v. 10); fear of attack (vv. 11-23); internal friction (5:1-5); diplomatic treachery (6:1-8); and lying prophets (6:10-14). But in the face of each threat, Nehemiah was equal to...

The Holy Spirit depicted as a dove, surrounded by angels, by Giaquinto, 1750s. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." ( Nehemiah 8:8 ) Most people—even most Christians—devote very little time to the Scriptures, complaining that they are either too hard to understand or too uninteresting. Yet, when Ezra read "the book of the law of Moses " to the whole congregation of Israel , he read "from the morning until midday," even "one fourth part of the day," and "all the people stood up" as he read ( Nehemiah 8:1 , 3, 5; 9:3). Such a scenario is almost impossible to imagine today. Ezra's congregation evidently understood what he was reading and found it of vital interest. "For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law" ( Nehemiah 8:9 ). For "another fourth part |of the day| they confessed, and wo...

Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.  Nehemiah 1:3-4 Countless people struggle with discerning what God has called them to do with their lives. This is true whether you’re in college and choosing a major, or in your mid-forties and wondering if you’re wasting your life on a job you barely want to wake up to, much less give your life to. If you’re ever in this position, ask this question to help yourself: What is the brokenness in the world that produces a brokenness inside of me? For Nehemiah, it was his people’s condition and the broken down walls of Jerusalem . What is it for you? Injustice? People who are far from God? Poverty? The state of the...

Image via Wikipedia The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will exalt the law and make it honorable (Isa. 42:21). One of God ’s chief concerns in the deliverance of His people from Babylon was the re-establishment of His law in the nation. He made this point in verse 21, when Isaiah said, “The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will exalt the law and make it honorable.” Until that time, the law of God had been mostly forgotten or forsaken. Isaiah said, “For they would not walk in His ways, nor were they obedient to His law.” The prophet was speaking not only of Nebuchadnezzar but of his own people, those who would suffer under war and famine because they had forsaken the Lord ’s ways. From this we can assume that God will punish not only His own for failing to follow His law, but pagan nations as well. His righteous standards are for all men because all people are made in the image of God and are to live according to His holiness. We see th...