Author: cackywalker@yahoo.com

For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites through out the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbal, harps, and lyres. The singers were brought together from the regio around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites. They also came from Beth-gilgal and the rural areas near Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built their own settlements around Jerusalem. The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall. (vv. 27-30, NLT)

Then the rest of the people-the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, Temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the pagan people of the land in order to obey the Law of God, together with their wives, sons, and daughters, all who were old enough to understand-joined their leaders and bound themselves with an oath. They swore a curse on themselves if they failed to obey the Law of God as is issued by His servant Moses. They solemnly promised to carefully follow all the commands, regulation, and decrees of the Lord our Lord. (vv. 28-29, NLT)

On October 31st, the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads. Those of Israelite decent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors. They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read to them aloud. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God. (vv. 1-3, NLT

Then the leaders of the Levites – Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Seherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah – called out to the people: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for He lives from evelasting to everlasting! Then they prayed:

“May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above, all blessings and praise!

You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels who worship You.

You are the Lord God, who chose Abraham and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham. When he had proved himself faithful, you made a covenant with him to give him and his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites. You have done what You promised, for You are always true to your word.” (vv 5-8, NLT)

On October 9, the family leaders of all the people, together with the priests and Levites, met with Ezra the scribe to go over the law. As they studied the Law, they discovered that the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelite should live in shelters druing the festival to be held that month. He had said that a proclamation should be made throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, telling the people to to to the hills to get branches from olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm and other leafy trees. They were to use these branches to make shelters in which they would live during the festival , as prescribed by the Law.

So the people went out and cut branches an used them to build shelters on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God’s Temple, or in the squares just inside the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate. So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters during the festival, and they were al filled with great joy! The Israelite had not celebrated like this since the days of Joshua son of Nun.

Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God on each of the seven days of the festival. Then on the eighty day they held a solemn assembly, as required by law. (vv 13-18, NLT)

In October, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, al the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to to obey.

So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included men and women and all the children old enough to understand. He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law.

Ezra the scribe stood stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseih. To his left stood Hash-Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.

Than Ezra praised the Lord, the great God , and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted up their hands. Then they bowed down with their facs to the ground. (vv. 1-6, NLT)

At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, an noe of the houses had been built. So my God gave me the idea to call together the nobles and leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration. I had found the genealogical record of those who had first returned to Judah. This is what was written there:

Here is the list of the Jewish exiles who returned from their captivity. King Nebuchadnezzar had deported them to Babylon, but now they returned to Jerusalem and the other towns in Judah where they originally lived. (vv. 4-6, NLT)

So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah, in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women. They took with the 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. (vv. 66-69, NLT)

So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, , the singers, the Temple servants, and some of the common people settled near Jerusalem. The rest of the people returned to their own towns throughout Israel. (v. 73, NLT)

So on October 2 the wall was finished-just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had ben done with the help of our God.

During those fifty-two days, many letter went back and forth between Tobiah and the nobles of Judah. For many in Judah had sworn allegiance to him because of his father-in-law was Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan was married to the daughter of Mehsulam son of Berekiah. They kept tellin me about Tobiah’s good deeds, and they told him everything I said. And Tobiah kept sending threatening letters to intimidate me. (vv. 15-19, NLT)

Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem met the Arab, and the rest of our enemies found out that I had finished rebuilding the wall and that no gaps remained-though we had not yet set up the doors in the gaits. So Sanballat and Geshem sent a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages in the plain of Ono.

But I realized they were plotting to harm me, so I replied by sending this message to them: “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop and come to meet with you?”(vv. 1-3, NLT)

Later I sent to visit Shemaiah son of Delaiah and grandson of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home. He said, “Let us meet together inside the Temple of God and bold the doors shut. Your enemies are come to kill you tonight.”

But I replied, “Should someone in my position run from danger? Should someone in my position enter the Temper to save his life? No, I won’t do it!” I realized that God had not spoken to him, but that he had uttered this prophesy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. They were hoping to intimidate me and make me sin. Then they would be able to accuse me and discredit me.

Remember, O my God, all the evil things that Tobiah and Sanballat have done. And remember Noadiah the prophet and all the prophets like her who have tried ti intimidate me. (vv. 10-15, NLT)

For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah-from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes- neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance. The former governors, by contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way.

I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. And I required all my servant to spend time working on the wall. I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands! The provisions I paid for each day included one ox. six choice sheep or goats, and a large number of poultry. And every ten days we needed a large supply of all kinds of wine. Yet I refused to claim the governor’s food allowance because the people already carried a heavy burden.

Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it. (vv. 14-19, NLT)