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May 10 - Morning
“In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I (Nehemiah) was in the citadel of Susa, 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.
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 1:1-4 |
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| 446 BC, Nehemiah Is Distressed Due to Jerusalem's Lack of Defensive Walls and Gates |
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Nehemiah was in the citadel of Susa working in the presence of Artaxerxes in 446 BC. This was Artaxerxes' 20th year as the Emperor over the Persian Empire (he would reign 41 total years,
465-424). Nehemiah served as a cupbearer or as an attendant (Hebrew masqeh) in the royal palace. But, Nehemiah was more than a butler. Other sources from this time describe the position of a masqeh as being the "keeper of the signet" ring used to provide the kings official stamp or signature to a document. A masqeh was also "in charge of administration of the accounts" which meant he
kept track of where and who spent the money and what was purchased. In other words, it is possible that Nehemiah signed documents for Artaxerxes and oversaw the Persian Empire's budget. This description helps us understand why Artaxerxes wanted Nehemiah to return and resume his responsibilities for the Empire once he had resolved the issue of Jerusalem's lack of a defensive wall. (Nehemiah 2:6)
Nehemiah's brother returned to Susa from Jerusalem (Map HERE) and Nehemiah asked him how things were going with the plan to repopulate and rebuild the Jewish people's capital city. Hanani answers with bad news from Jerusalem: They "are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." Without the wall and gates for protection the city of Jerusalem was nothing more than a village that could be raided and oppressed by the Samaritans who did not want Jerusalem and the Temple rebuilt. The progress of the returning exiles attempting to fulfill God's plan as promised by the prophets who spoke of the restoration was at a complete stop. Because of this Nehemiah became very emotional and wept, and he followed these feelings with several days of mourning, fasting and praying before God because of the distress of the people who had returned to fulfill God's promise of the restoration of the Jewish people.
| 464 |
- Artaxerxes orders the rebuilding of the rebellious city, Jerusalem, to stop.
- Samaritans send a letter to Artaxerxes to say Jerusalem is a
rebellioius city. (Ezra 4:7)
- Artaxerxes replies: “this city will not be rebuilt until I so
order.” (Ezra 4:21)
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Ezra 4:7-23
Ezra 4:21
Daniel 9:25 |
| 458 |
- In Artaxeres’ seventh year he issues the decree to rebuild
and restore Jerusalem.
- Ezra leaves Babylon on April 8 and arrives in Jerusalem on
August.
- December 19 the people assemble and the investigation of
intermarriage begins.
- The 70 weeks (or, 490 years) of Daniels prophecy in Daniel
9:25 begins with Artaxerxes’ decree to restore and rebuild
Jerusalem in 458 BC. The decree is found in Ezra 7:12-26.
The 70 weeks (490 years) are interrupted after 69 weeks
(483 years) with the coming of the Messiah. 458 BC minus
483 years equals 25/26 AD which is when John the Baptists
will introduce the Messiah to the Jewish nation
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Decree to Rebuild
Ezra
Ezra 7: 8-9, 12-26
Daniel 9:25
Ezra 10:9-16 |
| 457 |
Ezra committee ends their three month long investigation
into intermarriage by Mar/Apr |
Ezra 10:17 |
| 446 |
Nov/Dec, Nehemiah is in Susa and hears a report from a Jew from Jerusalem that the walls of Jerusalem have not been rebuilt |
Nehemiah
Nehemiah 1 |
| 445 |
- Artaxerxes 20th year
- Mar/Apr, Nehemiah, Artaxerxes cup bearer, speaks to
Artaxerxes about Jerusalem’s ruined wall system. (Neh. 2:1)
- August 10, Nehemiah begins to rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem.
- Opposition to building the walls. (Neh. 4, 6)
- October 2, The walls of Jerusalem are completed in 52 days.
(Neb. 6:15)
- October 8, Ezra reads the law to public for first time in
thirteen years. (8:2)
- October 9, the people of Jerusalem celebrate the Feast of
Tabernacles. (8:13)
- October 30, Israel confesses their sin. (Neh. 9)
- If Esther were 25 when she married Xerxes she is now 58
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Nehemiah 2:1
Nehemiah 4
Nehemiah 6:15
Nehemiah 8:2
Nehemiah 8:13
Nehemiah 9 |
| 433 |
- Nehemiah is recalled to Artaxerxes after a 12 year absence.
- Artaxerxes is in his 32 year as the king of the Persian
Empire.
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Nehemiah 5:14
Nehemiah 13:6 |
| 432 |
- The book of Malachi is written.
- Malachi accuses:
1. the priest of not honoring God
2. the people of unlawful marriages
3. the people of having given up on the Lord’s return
4. the people of failing to give properly to God
- Malachi ends with a promise in 3:1, “See, I will send my
messenger.”
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Malachi |
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“The purpose of the historian is not to construct a history from preconceived notions and to adjust it to his own liking, but to reproduce it from the best evidence and
to let it speak for itself.”
– Philip Schaff
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In the earliest book of the Bible Job speaks of physical resurrection from the dead and talks of standing with his Redeemer/God on earth in the future after his natural death. It seems this information was lost from the earliest days of human history and recovered with the resurrection of Jesus
and
the teaching of the
New Testament. |
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Kana (Hb) – Humble (Eng) – The Hebrew word translated “to be humble” or “to subdue is kana.
In 2 Samuel 8:1 and Psalms 81:14 kana refers to subduing enemies.
Kana is also used in reference to humble repentance before
the Lord in Leviticus 26:41; 2 Chronicles 7:14 and 12:6-7. |
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Isaiah mentions Rezin, king of Aram, in Isaiah 7:1, 4, 8 in a prophecy to Judah’s king Ahaz in 733 BC. Rezin, or Rezon, is also identified as the king of Damascus, Aram’s capital city, in Assyrian records inscribed on slabs found at Calah. These Assyrian inscriptions say:
“I received tribute from Kushtashpi of Commagene, Rezon of Damascus, Menahem of Samaria, Hiram of Tyre, Sibittibi’li of Byblos…gold, silver, tin, iron, elephant-hides, ivory, linen garments with multicolored trimmings, blue-dyed wool, purple-dyed wool, ebony-wood, boxwood-wood, whatever was precious…” |
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Am I waiting expectantly for God's promises and his will to be done?
Am I distraught and moved to both tears and action because
of things that prevent God's will from being accomplished?
I will respond with emotion and action in order to accomplish those things I believe need to be done.
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"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out."
- Proverbs 10:9 |
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Greater desire to know God |
Be a light in the darkness |
Secretary of Education |
Dominica |
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| Reps & Sets is a daily Bible devotional for Christians from Generation Word Bible Teaching used each morning and evening. |
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