Daily Bible reading and prayer, Friday, September 29, 2023
Nehemiah 11-13, Psalm 126 (chronological); Isaiah 16-18, Ephesians 1 (OT/NT)
We have finished Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, and Esther. Today we will finish Nehemiah.
We’ll finish the Old Testament tomorrow. We’ve heard from the prophets Obadiah, Jonah, Amos, Micah, Hosea, Isaiah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah (with his Lamentations, Ezekiel, Joel, Daniel, Haggai, and Zechariah.
A overview of our yearly Bible reading plan, with all edited summaries so far, can be found here.
Nehemiah thus far:
Chapter 1: Nehemiah, cup bearer to Persian King Artaxerxes in Susa the capitol hears from men who visit from Judah that the remnant there was in great distress and reproach and the wall of Jerusalem was broken down. He mourned, fasted, and prayed, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel and asking for compassion before the king.
Chapter 2: He is given favor before the king to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. He is sent with letters of permission, even for timber from the king’s forest, and army officers and horsemen. He gave the king’s letters to the governors of the province when he arrived, but the local officials, particularly Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite, were displeased that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel. After three days there, Nehemiah rode his horse around the city in secret in the night to inspect the wall. He urges the Jews to rebuild it, in order to take away the reproach of their enemies, and tells them the favor he has received from God and the king. They agree. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab mock them, accusing them of rebellion against the Persian king.
Chapter 3: Nehemiah gives record of all the men, and their families, who built the many different sections of the wall of Jerusalem.
Chapter 4: When the wall reached half-height, Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites conspired to attack Jerusalem and kill those working on the wall. The Jews were demoralized and believed they would not be able to finish. They prayed to God and Nehemiah urged them, “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.” They set up a daily and nightly guard against their enemies and the people built with their weapons at hand.
Chapter 5: Just as Ezra had to deal with the sin of the remnant marrying foreign wives, Nehemiah had to deal with the sin of the remnant of Jews enslaving each other and charging interest to one another, contrary to the Mosaic Law. He called an assembly, saying, “should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?” He called on them to give back what they had taken from their brethren and they agreed under oath. Nehemiah was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah for twelve years. He never demanded the governor’s food allowance, but worked with the people, did not buy any land, and daily fed one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides visitors from other nations.
Chapter 6: When the wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt, but still without doors in the gates, Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to Nehemiah, asking to meet with him. He knew they were planning to harm him, so responded that he could not meet because he was busy with a great work. After four such exchanges, Sanballat sent another letter saying he had heard that the Jews were planning to rebel and that Nehemiah was to be their king. Sanballat planned to report this to the king of Persia, so asked Nehemiah again to meet with him. Nehemiah knew they were trying to discourage his work on the wall so he would not finish, prayed for strength, and responded, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.” Tobiah the Ammonite was both the son-in-law and father-in-law of Jewish nobles, so they reported Nehemiah’s words and actions to him by letter, and he also sent letters to frighten Nehemiah. Tobiah and Sanballat even hired Shemaiah, a Jew, to entice Nehemiah to hide in the temple for fear of his life, so that he might be “frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report” about him. Despite all this, “the wall was completed…in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.”
Chapter 7: After the wall was rebuilt and the doors were set up, Nehemiah appointed his brother Hanani and Hananiah, commander of the fortress, a faithful man who feared God more than many, in charge of Jerusalem. He said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, let them shut and bolt the doors. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his own house.” Since the city was large and spacious but there were few people or houses in it, God put it in Nehemiah’s heart to “assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies.” Then he found the genealogy from Ezra 2, which listed the first exiles to return to Jerusalem and Judah from Babylon with Zerubbabel.
Chapter 8: All the people gathered in the square in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which LORD had given to Israel. Ezra stood on a wooden platform they had made for this purpose. He opened the book in the sight of all they people, they stood up, and he blessed the LORD the great God. All the people answered “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands and then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Ezra read from early morning to midday. The Levites stood near to translate to give the sense so the people understood the reading. The people wept when they heard the words of the Law. But Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites told them not to mourn or weep as the day was holy. They said, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” On the second day the heads of fathers’ households, the priests, and the Levites gathered with Ezra the scribe so they might gain insight into the words of the law. “They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month. So…the entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing. [Ezra] read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.”
Chapter 9: On the twenty-fourth day of this same month, the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them. They separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood and read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day, and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God. They confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. Then they made an agreement in writing, signed by Nehemiah the governor, the priests, the Levites, and the leaders of the people.
Chapter 10: The sealed document, signed by the men above, stated that “all those who had knowledge and understanding, are joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law, which was given through Moses, God’s servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of GOD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes; and that we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons.” They also agreed not to conduct business on the sabbath, and to forego the crops in the seventh year and the exaction of every debt. They agreed to provide yearly one third of a shekel for the service of the house of God. They casts lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people for the supply of wood necessary to burn offerings continually. They agreed to the tithes and offerings enumerated in the law. The Levites would collect them in rural towns and tithe them to the house of God, where they would be kept in the chambers of the storehouse to serve the priests, the gatekeepers, and singers who ministered there.
Friday, September 29, 2023 chronological reading: Nehemiah 11-13, Psalm 126
Nehemiah 11
v1-6 “Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine-tenths remained in the other cities. And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. Now these are the heads of the provinces who lived in Jerusalem, but in the cities of Judah each lived on his own property in their cities—the Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants. Some of the sons of Judah and some of the sons of Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. From the sons of Judah: Athaiahthe son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, of the sons of Perez; and Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite. All the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468 able men.
v7-9 “Now these are the sons of Benjamin: Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah; and after him Gabbai and Sallai, 928. Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer, and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second in command of the city.
v10-14 “From the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin, Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the leader of the house of God, and their kinsmen who performed the work of the temple, 822; and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and his kinsmen, heads of fathers’ households, 242; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, and their brothers, valiant warriors, 128. And their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of Haggedolim.
v15-18 “Now from the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; and Shabbethai and Jozabad, from the leaders of the Levites, who were in charge of the outside work of the house of God; and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the leader in beginning the thanksgiving at prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. All the Levites in the holy city were 284.
v19 “Also the gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their brethren who kept watch at the gates, were 172.
v20-21 “The rest of Israel, of the priests and of the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own inheritance. But the temple servants were living in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were in charge of the temple servants.
v22-24 “Now the overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, from the sons of Asaph, who were the singers for the service of the house of God. For there was a commandment from the king concerning them and a firm regulation for the song leaders day by day. Pethahiah the son of Meshezabel, of the sons of Zerah the son of Judah, was the king’s representative in all matters concerning the people.
v25-36 “Now as for the villages with their fields, some of the sons of Judah lived in Kiriath-arbaand its towns, in Dibon and its towns, and in Jekabzeel and its villages, and in Jeshua, in Moladah and Beth-pelet, and in Hazar-shual, in Beersheba and its towns, and in Ziklag, in Meconah and in its towns, and in En-rimmon, in Zorah and in Jarmuth, Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, Azekah and its towns. So they encamped from Beersheba as far as the valley of Hinnom. The sons of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Michmash and Aija, at Bethel and its towns, at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, Lod and Ono, the valley of craftsmen. From the Levites, some divisions in Judah belonged to Benjamin.”
Nehemiah 12
v1-7 “Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, Shemaiah and Joiarib, Jedaiah, Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their kinsmen in the days of Jeshua.
v8-11 “The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving, he and his brothers. Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brothers, stood opposite them in their service divisions. Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib became the father of Joiada, and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua.
v12-21 “Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of fathers’ households were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
v22-26 “As for the Levites, the heads of fathers’ households were registered in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan and Jaddua; so were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. The sons of Levi, the heads of fathers’ households, were registered in the Book of the Chronicles up to the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers opposite them, to praise and give thanks, as prescribed by David the man of God, division corresponding to division. Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping watch at the storehouses of the gates. These served in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.
v27-30 “Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres. So the sons of the singers were assembled from the district around Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites, from Beth-gilgal and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem. The priests and the Levites purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates and the wall.
v31-37 “Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top of the wall, and I appointed two great choirs, the first proceeding to the right on top of the wall toward the Refuse Gate. Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed them, with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, and some of the sons of the priests with trumpets; and Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, and his kinsmen, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai,Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. At the Fountain Gate they went directly up the steps of the city of David by the stairway of the wall above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.
v38-43 “The second choir proceeded to the left, while I followed them with half of the people on the wall, above the Tower of Furnaces, to the Broad Wall, and above the Gate of Ephraim, by the Old Gate, by the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at the Gate of the Guard. Then the two choirs took their stand in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials with me; and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah, with the trumpets; and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam and Ezer. And the singers sang, with Jezrahiah their leader, and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.
v44-47 “On that day men were also appointed over the chambers for the stores, the contributions, the first fruits and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served. For they performed the worship of their God and the service of purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers in accordance with the command of David and of his son Solomon. For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God. So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave the portions due the singers and the gatekeepers as each day required, and set apart the consecrated portion for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the consecrated portion for the sons of Aaron.”
Nehemiah 13
v1-3 “On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. So when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel
v4-9 “Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being related to Tobiah, had prepared a large room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, and I came to Jerusalem and learned about the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, by preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. It was very displeasing to me, so I threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. Then I gave an order and they cleansed the rooms; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense.
v10-14 “I also discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had gone away, each to his own field. So I reprimanded the officials and said, ‘Why is the house of God forsaken?’ Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts. All Judah then brought the tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the storehouses. In charge of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered reliable, and it was their task to distribute to their kinsmen. Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services.
v15-18 “In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, ‘What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.’
v19-22 “It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day. Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. Then I warned them and said to them, ‘Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you.’ From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.
v23-29 “In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people. So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, ‘You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin. Do we then hear about you that you have committed all this great evil by acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?’ Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
v30-31 “Thus I purified them from everything foreign and appointed duties for the priests and the Levites, each in his task, and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good
Psalm 126
When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter
And our tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us; We are glad.
Restore our captivity, O LORD,
As the streams in the South.
Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.
He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,
Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Friday, September 29, 2023 OT/NT readings: Isaiah 16-18, Ephesians 1
We are reading Isaiah for the second time. We finished Paul’s letter to the Galatians yesterday and are starting Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
We are not reading Paul’s letters chronologically (we’ll do that later in the year). We’ve finished Galatians, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and Romans. A summary of the events in the book of Acts, which is helpful in the timeline of the apostle Paul’s letters, can be found here.
Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians while he was imprisoned in Rome. He went to Ephesus the first time, briefly, at then end of his second missionary journey, leaving Aquila and Priscilla there. He returned and stayed for over two years during his third missionary journey. He left there after a plot was formed against him, traveled through Macedonia and Greece, and said his last goodbye to the elders there on his way to Jerusalem, where he was arrested.
First, summary of Galatians, which we finished yesterday:
Chapter 1: The Galatian church is being influenced by those who want to distort the gospel, inserting requirements under the Law, and Paul asserts such men should be accursed. The entirety of Paul’s letter balances the fact that we are bond-servants of Christ, but free of the requirements of the Law. We don’t change the gospel to please men. In Paul’s era, the men who wanted to be pleased were the men who still demanded adherence to the Law. Paul makes clear that he was taught the gospel by a revelation of Jesus Christ, not by men. He reviews his history to show how long it was (3 years) after seeing Jesus on the road to Damascus before he met the leadership of the Christian church in Jerusalem, verifying that even they did not have an influence on the gospel Jesus taught him.
Chapter 2: It was then another 14 years before Paul returned to Jerusalem, with Barnabas and Titus, meeting James and Peter and John. He submitted to them the gospel that he taught to the Gentiles and, seeing that the Lord worked effectually for him in his ministry to the Gentiles, they extended the right hand of fellowship, adding nothing to this gospel taught to him by Jesus himself, but only asking him to remember the poor. He does tell of false brethren secretly brought in to spy out their liberty in Christ Jesus, in order to bring them into bondage to requirements of the Law, but they did not yield to them, so the truth of the gospel would remain. Not even Titus, a Greek, was compelled by their influence to be circumcised. Paul tells that when Peter later came to Antioch, Paul had to oppose him to his face. He ate with Gentiles until Jewish men, who Paul calls “the party of the circumcision,” came from Jerusalem. The rest of the Jews, even Barnabas, joined him in hypocrisy. Paul asked Peter, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?…knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified….I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”
Chapter 3: Paul asks the Galatians to reflect, “did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?…Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?…does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” He reminds them that “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” God knew He would justify the Gentiles by faith, so He told Abraham, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” God’s promises to Abraham were spoken to him and his “seed,” who is Christ. The Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, did not nullify the promise. Paul addresses the obvious question, “Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions….before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law….the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor….if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.”
Chapter 4: Paul uses a helpful illustration to explain the the concept, from the previous chapter, of being kept in custody under the Law: “as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Paul then tells an allegory about Abraham’s two sons, which represent two covenants. One is the son of the bondwoman, and represents the Jerusalem of Paul’s time, enslaved to the Law. The other is the son of the free woman, children of the promise to Abraham.
Chapter 5: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” Paul asserts that Christ is no benefit to any man who receives circumcision thinking it is necessary for salvation. “I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Paul uncovers why men in his era desired to require circumcision: If circumcision is preached, then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. He then addresses the question of whether our actions matter: “you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” The whole Law is fulfilled in “‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF’….walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh….if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control….those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”
Chapter 6: “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load….Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith…..Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh. But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world…..The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.”
Ephesians 1
v1-2 “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
v3-14 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
v15-23 “For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Dear Lord,
Yesterday in Nehemiah, we saw conviction at the reading of word, repentance, and action. Yet obedience was short-lived. We need leaders who love, revere, teach, and are obedient to Your word. We need knowledge of Your word ourselves. Help us to maintain our conviction to please You.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
Help us to know, so that we are forever changed. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Amen. Beautiful prayer. Thank you. Peace.