Jerusalem’s Re-Population, Wall Dedication

Nehemiah 11 – 13

Nehemiah directs the re-population of the city of Jerusalem. One tenth of those who currently lived outside of Jerusalem were brought in to live in Jerusalem. Afterwards, the wall was dedicated. Later, it was read in the Law that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God. One was living in a room in the Temple. He was thrown out. All other foreigners were removed from Israel.

Nehemiah had left Israel to return to Persia for a time. During this time, the people became lax in following God’s Law. When Nehemiah came back, he found that they were not giving the due portion of the tithes and offerings to the Levites ministering in the Temple. Also, they were doing ‘menial’ work on the Sabbath. Nehemiah put a stop to this.

A Covenant Is Made

Nehemiah 8 – 10

The Law was read to the people. Once the people heard the Law, they mourned. But the people were urged to celebrate because the day was a holy day and they were to celebrate: “…Do not be grieved for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” That day they celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. They had not celebrated it since the days of Joshua.

On the 24th day of the same month (the seventh month) the people separated themselves from foreigners and confessed their sins as well as those of their fathers to the LORD. The Law was read again for a fourth of the day. On another fourth the people confessed and worshiped the LORD. They recounted the LORD’s grace and mercy and judgment in their history.

The people put their names on a document of covenant with the LORD. The people reaffirm the covenant the LORD made with them on Mount Sinai. They covenant to keep the Sabbath holy, sacrifice the LORD their God, and maintain the Temple.

Nehemiah, continued

Nehemiah 5 – 7

The people cry out to Nehemiah because they were starving in the midst of a famine, and wealthier Jewish nobles were exacting usury from them and holding back food from them. Nehemiah castigates the Jewish nobles for this. They repent and give back land taken from the people so that the people can harvest the produce from their land.

The enemies (those against the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls) conspired to kill Nehemiah. He hears of this and refuses to come them for he knows it is a trap. Unfortunately many of Jewish nobles had contact and good relations with Tobiah, an enemy of Nehemiah. The wall of Jerusalem was completed in 52 days.

Nehemiah sets up a guard of the gates of Jerusalem. The gates were to be opened only during the daylight hours.

Building the Walls And Gates

Nehemiah 3 – 4

Chapter 3 of Nehemiah describes all those who were helping the rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem.

The non-Jewish inhabitants around Jerusalem opposed the rebuilding of the walls. They saw that the work on the walls was progressing so they conspired to attack the workers and stop the rebuilding. Nehemiah heard about their conspiracy so he set guards around the walls at night and also armed the workers during the day.

Here we see the combination of the wisdom that God gives us but also the faith He expects from us: Neh. 4:20, “At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

Nehemiah Goes To Jerusalem

Nehemiah 1 – 2

It had been over 60 years since the Temple had been rebuilt in Jerusalem, but the walls of Jerusalem were still in terrible disrepair. Jerusalem was on Nehemiah’s mind and he inquires of men who apparently had just come from there. They tell him of the state of the city, and Nehemiah mourns. He prays to God, asks forgiveness for him and his people, and asks God to remember His promise to the repentant Jew.

The king of Persia at this time, for whom Nehemiah was a cupbearer, notices the sadness in Nehemiah. He asks Nehemiah about it. It has been noted by others that Nehemiah does an incredible thing at this time. The asks what Nehemiah would request of him. Before Nehemiah responds, he prays to God. This is in the very midst of the king! Now whether it was in his mind (most likely) or out loud, I don’t know, but he did pray. It reminds me of the verse: I Th. 5:17 – pray continually.

Nehemiah makes his request to rebuild Jerusalem and the king grants it. We will see how much faith Nehemiah had in God.

Ezra Comes To Jerusalem

Ezra 7 – 10

Ezra travels to Jerusalem. He is sent with a message from Artaxerxes. Artaxerxes sends with Ezra silver and gold to buy animals and grain to offer up to sacrifice to the LORD at the Temple. Ezra can also ask for more from the treasurers in the provinces around Jerusalem, if he needs more (up to certain amount specified by the king.) Ezra is to appoint magistrates and judges to administer the Law of God. Ezra is also given authority to execute the punishments as spelled out in the Law of God.

As Ezra travels to Jerusalem, him and those with him fast and pray for protection from God since they did not ask for protection from the king. They had faith that God would protect them, and He did.

It was found out once they were at Jerusalem that some of the people had intermarried with the other inhabitants of the land. This was against God’s Law as given to Moses. Such was how foreign gods were introduced into Israel the beginning of the Israel turning its face from God. Ezra mourns when he hears this. He prays to God for forgiveness of the people. After this, with very little opposition, almost all the people who had taken foreign wives put them away. They also put away the children born from the foreign wives.

Troublemakers and the Temple

Ezra 4 – 6

The people living in the area of Jerusalem at the time had a long memory. They did not want the Jews to rebuild the Temple nor Jerusalem. It seems that the Jews were indeed just rebuilding the Temple as commissioned by King Cyrus of Persia. But the inhabitants of the area wrote a letter to Artaxerxes saying that the Jews were actually rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. They deceived the king and he ordered the Jews to stop rebuilding.

The Jews were later emboldened and urged to continue rebuilding the Temple by the Word of God through the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah. They did so, and again, trouble was stirred up by the “enemies of Judah and Benjamin.” The asked if the Jews were allowed to rebuild the Temple.

King Darius searched the archives and found the decree from Cyrus. Darius confirms the decree and tells the enemies to leave the Jews alone. He goes further and tells them to help them by giving them things of which to offer to God.

Because of Darius’ decree, the Temple was finished. The Passover was celebrated along with the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The Rebuilding of the Temple

Ezra 1 – 3

King Cyrus of Persia is stirred up by the LORD to commission the rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. He allows the captives to return home. Cyrus also orders the communities where the Israelites live to help them by giving them gold, silver and cattle.

The captives who return are primarily from Judah and Benjamin. They also get to take back the articles that were in the original Temple that was destroyed by the Babylonians.

When the people arrived in Jerusalem, they set up an altar and offered sacrifices to God. The celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles. They laid the foundation. Yet, some who were there who had seen the original Temple, wept.

Josiah, continued, and The End of Judah

II Chronicles 35 – 36

Josiah and many in Judah celebrate the Passover.  It was never celebrated in that manner since the days of Samuel the prophet.  It seems, though, that Josiah was “in the flesh” when he went out to battle Pharoah Neco.  The Pharoah was not out to attack Judah.  Josiah was mortally wounded and died.

After Josiah, there was a series of kings with short-lived reigns: Joahaz (deposed by Pharoah), Jehoiakim (taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar), Jehoiachin (taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar) and Zedekiah.  Zedekiah was installed by Nebuchadnezzar, but he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.  Jerusalem was put under seige and eventually it was destroyed with Zedekiah being taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar.

God fulfilled His promise to Israel as a nation as to what would happen if they turned away from Him.  First it was the 10 tribes of the northern kingdom sent to exile by Assyria.  Then it was Judah and Benjamin of the southern kingdom sent to exile by Babylon.

Manasseh, Amon and Josiah

II Chronicles 33 – 34

It surprises me how far backward Manasseh was in comparison to his father, Hezekiah.  Hezekiah, for the most part, followed the LORD wholeheartedly.  In the beginning, Manasseh wholeheartedly rejected the LORD.  He seemed to undo virtually everything his father had done.  There is even a tradition that it was Manasseh who martyred Isaiah the prophet by sawing him in two.  God was rightly angry with Manasseh and rightly punished him.  Manasseh was taken captive in chains to Babylon. 

Amazingly, Manasseh repents and God restores him.  See the grace of God!  There are many people out there who think they are too far gone for God to come to them and restore them.  But they are probably not as far gone as Manasseh was.  So, they can take heart that God is faithful.  If they repent of their sins and humble themselves before God, He will forgive them.  If they accept Jesus Christ in their lives, they will be free forever!

After Manasseh’s death, his son Amon became king.  Apparently he did not learn from his father.  He was evil and was eventually assassinated.

Josiah, Amon’s son, was made king after this.  He followed the LORD as David followed the LORD.  He continued the work his grandfather, Manasseh, started by removing the idols from the land.  He also killed the priests of those idols and false gods.  He began restoring the Temple (again!)  It was in this restoration that a book of the Law of Moses was found.  Upon reading this, Josiah found out  about the “curses” that would be upon the sons of Israel if they turned away from the LORD. 

It seems to me that again, although the king and many people were following the LORD at this time, most of the rest of the people in Judah were not.  This is because, upon inquiring of the LORD on the matter of what was written in the book, the LORD said He would be bringing judgement upon Judah.  The LORD was gracious and allowed Josiah to reign and die in peace.