Well, it has been a little bit hectic recently and if you have been following the blog posts, you know I am way behind. Well, today I will begin the job of getting caught up. The plan will be to start with the current date and also add a backlogged posting. Hopefully by the end of July I will be all caught up.
The Book of Nehemiah continues in the story that began in Ezra. Frequently the books are seen as one work, possibly written by the same author of 1 & 2 Chronicles. The span of Ezra and Nehemiah cover the years of the Persian conquest of the Babylonian empire and the attempts to rebuilt Israel, seen particularly in the rebuilding of the temple. The period of time is roughly the 6th and 5th Century BCE.
It would seem that a recent attack has been levied against the city of Jerusalem as Nehemiah 1 begins. Messengers have come to Nehemiah, a servant in the court of Artaxerxes the emperor of Persia, with news telling Nehemiah of the attack. It would seem that Jerusalem is a shell of itself, broken and unable to defend itself against any kind of attack.
Nehemiah's response to the news is to offer a prayer to God to look with favor upon God's children. Nehemiah recalls that God had promised to remove Israel from the land should they fail to follow God, but Nehemiah also lays forth the challenge to God that if Israel calls upon God, God will forgive Israel and bring it back to the land.
In order to make this happen, Nehemiah willingly confesses the sin of Israel, they have sinned against God. The renewal needed must begin by first seeking forgiveness for sins of the past. Nehemiah's message to God is, "we have learned our lesson."
Nehemiah now begins to stir up the courage to confront Artaxerxes. It would seem that perhaps four months have passed between the news that came to Nehemiah and his conversation with the emperor. Being the royal cup-bearer, Nehemiah has achieved a high status in the court since he must protect the emperor from being poisoned, as such he is close enough to be able to ask the emperor the tough questions.
It is highly likely that the raid upon Jerusalem occurred because of the emperor's neglect of or bad feelings toward Jerusalem. Notice the Nehemiah carefully omits the name of the city he is from. Eventually Nehemiah is able to get the support of the emperor to rebuild Jerusalem and while he never truly asks for it, becomes the governor of the region.
Nehemiah obtains letters to support his work and he is wise in doing so because his neighboring governors are not pleased. It is clear that they do not want the venture to succeed to Nehemiah must be very careful. Upon arriving in the city, Nehemiah conducts a night tour of the walls and sees how decrepit they are. He then urges the people to rebuild.
He is immediately challenged by the surrounding lands who charge Nehemiah with working against the king, Artaxerxes. Nehemiah, however, now trusts in God, "Our God will see our venture through." The work to rebuild begins.
Psalm 78:1-37
This is a historical psalm that recounts the story of Israel from the Exodus into the Wilderness. It speaks of God's faithfulness and glory in liberating Israel but demonstrates Isreal's fickleness in response. The shift in verse 8 speaks of the failure of Israel to enter into the Promised Land for fear of the residents and the resulting 40 year wandering. It also recounts the "murmuring" tradition of the complaining people who receive everything they need to live, yet complain for more.
Backlogged:
We pick up the story of Elijah and the land of Israel that is in a severe drought and famine. Elijah is sent to Ahab to announce that God will relent and provide rain in 1 Kings 18. Before this occurs, we are introduced to the character of Obadiah, who while a servant of Ahab, is a servant of God. He has worked to protect prophets that Queen Jezebel would rather have killed.
In an encounter Elijah meets Obadiah and tells Obadiah to carry work to Ahab that Elijah is coming to him. Obadiah, in a funny exchange, wonders what sin he has committed that he is the one to bear this news to Ahab for he knows that Ahab will probably kill him bearing the news. However it occurs, Elijah encounters Ahab and the priests of Baal which leads to a challenge to occur at Carmel.
Both the prophets of Baal and Elijah shall attempt to call down fire from heaven as a sign of the power of the gods that they serve. The prophets of Baal go first and achieve nothing but the ridicule of Elijah. Elijah then has a turn at it and in a rather arrogant display has his wood doused with water three times. However, when Elijah prays to God, fire descends upon the altar and Elijah wins the challenge. He then kills all the other prophets.
While no rain comes, Elijah yet encourages Ahab to celebrate with food and drink. As Ahab heads home on his chariot, the sports car of the day, Elijah runs along him, propelled by the power of God.
It would seem that Elijah's victory is short lived. In 1 Kings 19, we read of Jezebel's wraith as her gods have been defeated. She seeks out the head of Elijah who now flees and complains to God of how miserable he is and he has not lived up to his ancestors. God extends mercy and compassion to Elijah, cares for him by sending an angel to care for him.
Finally, Elijah makes it to Horeb, which is the northern tradition's name for Sinai, in other words, Elijah goes back to the place of the covenant. God greets him there and asks what he is doing there. Again, Elijah offers his complaint. So God offers up a rare treat. In the place that Moses spoke to God, Elijah will see God, or at least part of God.
We have the wonderfully encounter of Elijah finding God not in the storm or the earthquake or the fire, but in the still small voice. God speaks to Elijah and recommissions him for his next phase of ministry. God also announces that another will follow in Elijah's footsteps.
Renewed, Elijah leaves Sinai and encounters Elisha, the Word of God becomes to come true.
1 Corinthians 16
So we reach the end of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians and he reminds them to be faithful to the giving to the community of need in Jerusalem. At each stop, Paul was very careful to collect donations to send home to the church of Jerusalem to care for the vulnerable there. He also informs the community of his travel plans and urges them to look for Timothy who will come to them soon.
Paul urges the community to remain faithful and vigilant to hear the words of Paul's coworkers, Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus. He closes with greetings from the community in Asia and from Aquila and Priscilla, another reference to female leadership in the early church.
Finally, Paul offers his blessing.
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