The Book of NEHEMIAH - Chapter Two

 

1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King  Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, ‘Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.’

I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, ‘May the king live for ever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’

4 The king said to me, ‘What is it you want?’

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, ‘If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favour in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.’

6 Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, ‘How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?’ It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

7 I also said to him, ‘If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?’ And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests. 9 So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.

10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.

——————

11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12 I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate towards the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on towards the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and re-entered through the Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.

17 Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’ 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work.

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. ‘What is this you are doing?’ they asked. ‘Are you rebelling against the king?’

20 I answered them by saying, ‘The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.’

-=-=-=-

Living Bigger Than Me

NEHEMIAH 2:1-10

Bishop T.D. Jakes

-=-=-=-=-=-=

READINGS

The Book of NEHEMIAH 

Chapter Two

Read by Sir David Suchet

-=-=-=-=-=-

OVERVIEW 

The Book of Ezra and NEHEMIAH

 - Overview -

The Bible Project 

Ezra and NEHEMIAH "The Bible in 5" 

Tim Mackie (The Bible Project)

-=-=-=-=-=-

STUDY - LINKS

The Book of NEHEMIAH

David Pawson

Part 1

Part 2 

-=-=-=-=-

-=-

The Book of NEHEMIAH - Chapter One

1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: 

In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

3 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.’

4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:

‘Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly towards you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

8 ‘Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.”

10 ‘They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man.’

I was cupbearer to the king.

-=-=-=-=-=-=

READINGS

The Book of NEHEMIAH 

Chapter One

Read by Sir David Suchet

-=-=-=-=-=-

OVERVIEW

The Book of Ezra and NEHEMIAH

 - Overview -

The Bible Project 

Ezra and NEHEMIAH "The Bible in 5" 

Tim Mackie (The Bible Project)

-=-=-=-=-=-

STUDY - LINKS

The Book of NEHEMIAH

David Pawson

Part 1

Part 2 

-=-=-=-=-

-=-

The Book of NEPHANIAH - Chapter Three

1 

Woe to the city of oppressors,

    rebellious and defiled!

2 

She obeys no one,

    she accepts no correction.

She does not trust in the Lord,

    she does not draw near to her God.

3 

Her officials within her

    are roaring lions;

her rulers are evening wolves,

    who leave nothing for the morning.

4 

Her prophets are unprincipled;

    they are treacherous people.

Her priests profane the sanctuary

    and do violence to the law.

5 

The Lord within her is righteous;

    he does no wrong.

Morning by morning he dispenses his justice,

    and every new day he does not fail,

    yet the unrighteous know no shame.

6 

‘I have destroyed nations;

    their strongholds are demolished.

I have left their streets deserted,

    with no one passing through.

Their cities are laid waste;

    they are deserted and empty.

7 

Of Jerusalem I thought,

    “Surely you will fear me

    and accept correction!”

Then her place of refuge would not be destroyed,

    nor all my punishments come upon her.

But they were still eager

    to act corruptly in all they did.

8 

Therefore wait for me,’

    declares the Lord,

    ‘for the day I will stand up to testify.

I have decided to assemble the nations,

    to gather the kingdoms

and to pour out my wrath on them –

    all my fierce anger.

The whole world will be consumed

    by the fire of my jealous anger.

9 

‘Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,

    that all of them may call on the name of the Lord

    and serve him shoulder to shoulder.

10 

From beyond the rivers of Cush

    my worshippers, my scattered people,

    will bring me offerings.

11 

On that day you, Jerusalem, will not be put to shame

    for all the wrongs you have done to me,

because I will remove from you

    your arrogant boasters.

Never again will you be haughty

    on my holy hill.

12 

But I will leave within you

    the meek and humble.

The remnant of Israel

    will trust in the name of the Lord.

13 

They will do no wrong;

    they will tell no lies.

A deceitful tongue

    will not be found in their mouths.

They will eat and lie down

    and no one will make them afraid.’

14 

Sing, Daughter Zion;

    shout aloud, Israel!

Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,

    Daughter Jerusalem!

15 

The Lord has taken away your punishment,

    he has turned back your enemy.

The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;

    never again will you fear any harm.

16 

On that day

    they will say to Jerusalem,

‘Do not fear, Zion;

    do not let your hands hang limp.

17 

The Lord your God is with you,

    the Mighty Warrior who saves.

He will take great delight in you;

    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,

    but will rejoice over you with singing.’

18 

‘I will remove from you

    all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,

    which is a burden and reproach for you.

19 

At that time I will deal

    with all who oppressed you.

I will rescue the lame;

    I will gather the exiles.

I will give them praise and honour

    in every land where they have suffered shame.

20 

At that time I will gather you;

    at that time I will bring you home.

I will give you honour and praise

    among all the peoples of the earth

when I restore your fortunes

    before your very eyes,’

says the Lord.

-=-=-=-=-=-

READINGS

The Book of

ZEPHANIAH - Chapter 3

Read by Sir David Suchet

-=-=-=-=-=-

OVERVIEW 

The Book of ZEPHANIAH

 - Overview -

The Bible Project 

-=-=-=-=-=-

STUDY - LINKS

The Book of ZEPHANIAH

David Pawson

-=-=-=-=-

-=-

 

The Book of ZEPHANIAH - Chapter Two

1

Gather together, gather yourselves together,

    you shameful nation,

2 

before the decree takes effect

    and that day passes like windblown chaff,

before the Lord’s fierce anger

    comes upon you,

before the day of the Lord’s wrath

    comes upon you.

3 

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,

    you who do what he commands.

Seek righteousness, seek humility;

    perhaps you will be sheltered

    on the day of the Lord’s anger.

4 

Gaza will be abandoned

    and Ashkelon left in ruins.

At midday Ashdod will be emptied

    and Ekron uprooted.

5 

Woe to you who live by the sea,

    you Kerethite people;

the word of the Lord is against you,

    Canaan, land of the Philistines.

He says, ‘I will destroy you,

    and none will be left.’

6 

The land by the sea will become pastures

    having wells for shepherds

    and sheepfolds for flocks.

7 

That land will belong

    to the remnant of the people of Judah;

    there they will find pasture.

In the evening they will lie down

    in the houses of Ashkelon.

The Lord their God will care for them;

    he will restore their fortunes.

8 

‘I have heard the insults of Moab

    and the taunts of the Ammonites,

who insulted my people

    and made threats against their land.

9 

Therefore, as surely as I live,’

    declares the Lord Almighty,

    the God of Israel,

‘surely Moab will become like Sodom,

    the Ammonites like Gomorrah –

a place of weeds and salt pits,

    a wasteland for ever.

The remnant of my people will plunder them;

    the survivors of my nation will inherit their land.’

10 

This is what they will get in return for their pride,

    for insulting and mocking

    the people of the Lord Almighty.

11 

The Lord will be awesome to them

    when he destroys all the gods of the earth.

Distant nations will bow down to him,

    all of them in their own lands.

12 

‘You Cushites, too,

    will be slain by my sword.’

13 

He will stretch out his hand against the north

    and destroy Assyria,

leaving Nineveh utterly desolate

    and dry as the desert.

14 

Flocks and herds will lie down there,

    creatures of every kind.

The desert owl and the screech owl

    will roost on her columns.

Their hooting will echo through the windows,

    rubble will fill the doorways,

    the beams of cedar will be exposed.

15 

This is the city of revelry

    that lived in safety.

She said to herself,

    ‘I am the one! And there is none besides me.’

What a ruin she has become,

    a lair for wild beasts!

All who pass by her scoff

    and shake their fists.

-=-=-=-=-=-

READINGS

The Book of

ZEPHANIAH - Chapter 2

Read by Sir David Suchet

-=-=-=-=-=-

OVERVIEW 

The Book of ZEPHANIAH

 - Overview -

The Bible Project 

-=-=-=-=-=-

STUDY - LINKS

The Book of ZEPHANIAH

David Pawson

-=-=-=-=-

-=-