Jairus and his daughter, Mark 5:21-43, written by Pastor Steve

Mark 5:21-43

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

There are several things that are unusual about Jairus, the father of the little girl whom Jesus raised from the dead. First, we know his name! It’s actually very rare for one of the Evangelists to name a person whom Jesus helps. Usually, like the woman with the hemorrhage in the middle of this story, people are unnamed. Second, Jairus is a leader of the synagogue. That made him somebody important in town, but often, people who are leaders of the synagogues are opposed to Jesus’ work. Yet Jairus specifically seeks Jesus out.

But the most unusual thing about Jairus is that he believes that Jesus can and will help him, even though he’s never (as far as we can tell) personally seen Jesus do anything miraculous. Even when people from home arrive and tell him that his daughter has died, he doesn’t give up on Jesus.

Certainly, Mark didn’t include this story because he thought that in every bad situation, Jesus would fix all our problems. But I think Mark does include the story of Jairus (and the intervening story of the woman with the hemorrhage) because he wants to point out that unless you’re willing to give Jesus a chance and walk with him, you’ll never have any chance of God doing something great in your life through Jesus.

It would be a mistake to assume that Jairus knew that Jesus would raise his daughter back to life. Even the closest disciples were astounded by it. Jairus simply knew that Jesus was going to do something, and he was going to have to give Jesus a chance to see what it was. And sometimes, that’s the way it is for us. We can’t really be sure what God will do in our lives, and especially, we shouldn’t expect that God will simply do things our way. But through Jesus, God also says to us, “Do not fear, only believe”, and see what God will do in your life.

21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat^* to the other side, a great crowd gathered round him; and he was by the lake. ²²Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet ²³and begged him repeatedly, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.’ ²⁴So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. ²⁵Now there was a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years. ²⁶She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸for she said, ‘If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.’ ²⁹Immediately her haemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. ³⁰Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ ³¹And his disciples said to him, ‘You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, “Who touched me?” ’ ³²He looked all round to see who had done it. ³³But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. ³⁴He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’

35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ ³⁶But overhearing^* what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.’ ³⁷He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. ³⁸When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹When he had entered, he said to them, ‘Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.’ ⁴⁰And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. ⁴¹He took her by the hand and said to her, ‘Talitha cum’, which means, ‘Little girl, get up!’ ⁴²And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. ⁴³He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Simeon and Anna, Luke 2:21-38, written by Steve Crookshank

In today’s reading, Jesus is brought to the temple to be circumcised (Jesus really did share fully in our pain!! – see the Aside at the bottom). At the temple are two characters that are the focus of this discussion: Simeon and Anna. Simeon, Luke tells us, 1) had the Holy Spirit upon him, 2) had received revelation from the Holy Spirit, and 3) was guided by the Holy Spirit. Because of this, when Mary and Joseph arrived at the temple, Simeon took Jesus into his arms, and praised God, announcing that Jesus was the “salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Anna, Luke tells us, at the very time Simeon was praising, began to praise God too.

Here is what I find interesting: Why would Luke refer to the Holy Spirit not once, not twice, but three times with regard to Simeon and not a single time with regards to Anna, when both seemed to be equally in tune with the Holy Spirit? I mean, I think Luke could have written: “Anna, upon who the Holy Spirit rested, was alerted by the Holy Spirit and guided by the Holy Spirit so at that moment Jesus was presented at the temple, she began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.” So why didn’t he?

I believe the Bible is well crafted and there is a reason Luke chose to write it this way. I think it is as if Luke is showing us two clocks, one (Simeon) where you can see the gears and the hands and one (Anna) where you only see the hands. With this, Luke is trying to tell us a couple of things. First, Luke is telling us to listen to the Holy Spirit; s/he will enable you to fulfill your role in God’s plan, just as Simeon and Anna fulfilled their role by announcing who Jesus was (God’s salvation!!) to their fellow worshipers. Second, when we see someone doing God’s will, we will know that it is due to the prompting of the Holy Spirit (even if there are no subtitles or soundtrack saying “she’s doing this because of the Holy Spirit”). Remember what Paul says in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Personally, this reading is a bit of a wake-up call. I can’t say that I’ve ever pondered the Holy Spirit as much as I’ve thought about the nature of Jesus or God. And I surely haven’t really pondered the role of the Holy Spirit in my life. But this reading is saying that I should, that we all should. And that is sort of a cool thought, that God is saying, listen to my Spirit and you too can play an integral role in my plan, just like Simeon and Anna.

(An aside on the presentation of Jesus in the temple. If you do a Google Images search of “presentation of Jesus in the temple”, you get a lot of images of Jesus literally being “presented” at the Temple. However, when I was traveling in Europe, I found in a museum a small statue of Jesus actually being circumcised. Somewhat mesmerized, I took a blurry picture of it through the glass (no flash allowed). Why was I mesmerized? Well, it struck me how “common” Jesus was. It’s so easy – for me at least – to forget that he shared so many common experiences with us; that he was truly both human and divine.)

Luke 2:21-38

Jesus Is Named

21 After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), ²⁴and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;^* this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.^{* 27}Guided by the Spirit, Simeon^* came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, ²⁸Simeon^* took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
²⁹ ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant^* in peace,
according to your word;
³⁰ for my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹ which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.’

33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. ³⁴Then Simeon^* blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed ³⁵so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

36 There was also a prophet, Anna^* the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, ³⁷then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child^* to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

John the baptist, Mark 1:1-11, 2:18-22, 6:14-29, written by Alison Wickenheiser

In Mark 1:1-11 we read of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist was often viewed as weird and somewhat of an outcast by society. Even though John was not necessarily viewed in a positive light, and he himself did not think himself worthy, he still baptized Jesus Christ.

In my opinion, as someone who is still struggling with her faith, I see this as somewhat comforting. I have made many mistakes in life, big and small, and often find myself wondering why God would accept me after all the things I have done. John is a prime example that it is not in our control whether God will accept us or not— because he already has.

As soon as Jesus rose from the water, the Heavens opened and God proclaimed, “…with you I am pleased.” John, while positive he was not worthy of the job, successfully baptized Jesus and had the reassurance of God. So many times we think that we are not good enough for other people, for friends, for family, for jobs. But with God we do not have to worry because we are already and always will be good enough for Him.

Mark 1:1-11

1The beginning of the good news^* of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.^*

2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,^*
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,^*
who will prepare your way;
³ the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight” ’,
⁴John the baptizer appeared^* in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. ⁸I have baptized you with^* water; but he will baptize you with^* the Holy Spirit.’

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. ¹¹And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved;^* with you I am well pleased.’

Mark 2:18-22

The Question about Fasting

18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people^* came and said to him, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’ ¹⁹Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding-guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.

21 ‘No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. ²²And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.’

Mark 6:14-29

The Death of John the Baptist

14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’^* name had become known. Some were^* saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ ¹⁵But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ ¹⁶But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’

17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod^* had married her. ¹⁸For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ ¹⁹And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, ²⁰for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed;^* and yet he liked to listen to him. ²¹But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. ²²When his daughter Herodias^* came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ ²³And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ ²⁴She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ ²⁵Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ ²⁶The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s^* head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Elizabeth and Zechariah, Luke 1, written by Tom Kettler

Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Zechariah and Elizabeth written by Tom Kettler

I get to kick off the New Testament and my bible verse has lots packed into it as it is the 1st chapter of Luke and deals with the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth with the added bonus of the angel, Gabriel, dropping in on Mary and giving her the news that she would give a virgin birth to this boy named Jesus. Gabriel was a busy angel in Luke 1.

Gabriel first goes to Zechariah who is a priest, married to Elizabeth, and tells him that Elizabeth will give birth to a boy and his name will be John (later known at John the Baptist). Zechariah and Elizabeth had lived godly lives and prayed for a son but had lost hope in having children since Elizabeth as barren and they were both “getting on in years” or just plain old.

The message that the angel Gabriel gave to both Zechariah and Mary as very similar and began with “Do not be afraid” and Mary and Elizabeth would give birth to sons and their sons would do great things. Both Zechariah and questioned Gabriel on how this could be. Both Elizabeth and Mary accepted the news and realized God was working through them.

I am sure we all know of families where the husband and wife have tried for years to conceive a child with no success. Sometimes their efforts do not bear fruit but other times, they are able to bring a child into the world through God’s grace and they view it as a miracle.

The part of Luke 1 I had not focused on before was that 6 months into Elizabeth’s pregnancy, after Mary had got that surprise visit from the angel Gabriel, Mary traveled to stay with Elizabeth for the final 3 months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. (Elizabeth and Mary were related to each other). I am sure they both drew strength and support from each other as John and Jesus grew in their wombs. Elizabeth and Mary both discussed and understood that God was working through them to do great things by bringing first John then Jesus into their troubled world.

Lastly, a third example of a miraculous birth is found in the June 28 writing of Jean Bernstein in the 2011 Summer of Scriptures about the story of Hannah. Check it out. Glad you checked in and come back tomorrow to see what’s up with this John the Baptist fellow who was born to Zechariah and Elizabeth.

The Gospel According to

Luke

Dedication to Theophilus

1Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, ²just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, ³I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first,^* to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, ⁴so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. ⁷But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.

8 Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, ⁹he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. ¹⁰Now at the time of the incense-offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. ¹¹Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹²When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. ¹³But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. ¹⁴You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’ ¹⁸Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.’ ¹⁹The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.’

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary. ²²When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak. ²³When his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, ²⁵‘This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favourably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.’

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’^{* 29}But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. ³¹And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³²He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ ³⁴Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’^{* 35}The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born^* will be holy; he will be called Son of God. ³⁶And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.’ ³⁸Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, ⁴⁰where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit ⁴²and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. ⁴³And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? ⁴⁴For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be^* a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

Mary’s Song of Praise

46 And Mary^* said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
⁴⁸ for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
⁵² He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵ according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

56 And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. ⁵⁸Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. ⁶⁰But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’ ⁶¹They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’ ⁶²Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. ⁶³He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed. ⁶⁴Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. ⁶⁶All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
⁶⁸ ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favourably on his people and redeemed them.
⁶⁹ He has raised up a mighty saviour^* for us
in the house of his servant David,
⁷⁰ as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
⁷¹ that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
⁷² Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
and has remembered his holy covenant,
⁷³ the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us ⁷⁴that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, ⁷⁵in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
⁷⁷ to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins.
⁷⁸ By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon^* us,
⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.’

80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.

Nehemiah, written by Pastor Sarah, Nehemiah 1-2

Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one book of the Bible and their stories are similar. As Pastor Steve wrote about Ezra in the last posting, the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem after being in exile and found the place in shambles. Ezra set about helping to rebuild the temple.

Nehemiah was responsible for rebuilding the wall. A wall was critical to a city's safety and structure. While a temple is the place for God to dwell, the wall ensures the protection of the people. These first 2 chapters of Nehemiah set the stage for the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem and the further restoration of that city.

We see in Nehemiah a faithful person who lived far from his people but was so concerned for their welfare that he asks to be sent to Jerusalem from his post in Persia.

Nehemiah didn't need to be concerned for those back in Jerusalem. He has a plum job - the "cup bearer" for the king. That's like being a beefeater; he tasted the wine before it got to the King to make sure it wasn't poisoned. (His boss was King Artaxerxes, the king of Persia (as Pr Steve pointed out in the Ezra post, the Persians were friendly to the Israelites). We presume that he could have continued in this position happily (or until poisoned!) and forgotten about the people back in Jerusalem.

But Nehemiah's heartstrings are pulled when he hears about their situation. He is deeply moved and his response is prayer. The prayer that Nehemiah prays in chapter 1 is the prayer of a loving and empathetic person. Even though he is removed from the people in Jerusalem, he is still united with them in spirit and faith and that is reflected in his prayers.

One lesson from Nehemiah is that the power of prayer to connect us to those who suffer and send us on a new pathway of action shouldn't be underestimated. Nehemiah is a hard worker. He puts his faith in God and his love for the people into concrete action. And it all begins with a prayerful response to the news of suffering.

When we hear news of the suffering of our brothers and sisters, what would it mean to respond like Nehemiah?

Nehemiah 1-2

Nehemiah

Nehemiah Prays for His People

1The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capital, ²one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about Jerusalem. ³They replied, ‘The survivors there in the province who escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.’

4 When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. ⁵I said, ‘O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments; ⁶let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned. ⁷We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. ⁸Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; ⁹but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name.” ¹⁰They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. ¹¹O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!’

At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.

Nehemiah Sent to Judah

2In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was served to him, I carried the wine and gave it to the king. Now, I had never been sad in his presence before. ²So the king said to me, ‘Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This can only be sadness of the heart.’ Then I was very much afraid. ³I said to the king, ‘May the king live for ever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my ancestors’ graves, lies waste, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’ ⁴Then the king said to me, ‘What do you request?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵Then I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favour with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, so that I may rebuild it.’ ⁶The king said to me (the queen also was sitting beside him), ‘How long will you be gone, and when will you return?’ So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a date. ⁷Then I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may grant me passage until I arrive in Judah; ⁸and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, directing him to give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple fortress, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.’ And the king granted me what I asked, for the gracious hand of my God was upon me.

9 Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent officers of the army and cavalry with me. ¹⁰When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

Nehemiah’s Inspection of the Walls

11 So I came to Jerusalem and was there for three days. ¹²Then I got up during the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the animal I rode. ¹³I went out by night by the Valley Gate past the Dragon’s Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. ¹⁴Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool; but there was no place for the animal I was riding to continue. ¹⁵So I went up by way of the valley by night and inspected the wall. Then I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. ¹⁶The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing; I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest that were to do the work.

Decision to Restore the Walls

17 Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burnt. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer suffer disgrace.’ ¹⁸I told them that the hand of my God had been gracious upon me, and also the words that the king had spoken to me. Then they said, ‘Let us start building!’ So they committed themselves to the common good. ¹⁹But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they mocked and ridiculed us, saying, ‘What is this that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?’ ²⁰Then I replied to them, ‘The God of heaven is the one who will give us success, and we his servants are going to start building; but you have no share or claim or historic right in Jerusalem.’

Ezra, written by Pastor Steve, Ezra 7-9

Ezra 7-9

The Coming and Work of Ezra

The story of Ezra occurs about 100 years after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians. After the destruction of Jerusalem, many of the Jewish people had been deported by the Babylonians all over their empire. This was a standard method, in those days, of subjugating conquered lands. If the native inhabitants were sent to other places, they’d be less likely to be able to organize resistance.

Ezra’s priestly family had been part of this exile, because the Babylonians considered religious leaders, such as the priests, to be people who might be able to organize resistance. However, about 70 years after the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, the Persians conquered Babylon. In a nod to the old adage, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”, the Persians decided to let many exiled peoples go home. This included the Jewish people who had been deported by the Babylonians.

Ezra is one of those allowed to return to Jerusalem, and he returns with a specific goal – he’s going to gather descendants of the priestly class, rebuild the Temple, and begin again the worship of God. A scholar of the law of God, he also intends to begin again teaching people to follow God’s commands. These are not easy tasks. First, the Temple has been destroyed, and according to the law, you can’t just rebuild it in any old way. You have to have the right people (descendants of Levi) to make the sacrifices, and you need to conduct a massive Capital Campaign to pay for all of this!

Besides all that, the people have been scattered for decades. Teaching and learning, and rebuilding their society will take longer than Ezra’s lifetime. He knows this. But he feels that God has inspired him to make a new beginning, and he accepts his task even though it’s hard and even though he knows things won’t fully be accomplished in his lifetime.

And perhaps that’s what makes Ezra a good model for us. Much of what God calls us to do is difficult. Many things won’t come quickly or easily. And some of the most important things we do – such as passing on our faith to our children – will have effects that we won’t be around to fully see. Yet those long and hard things are some of the most important things that God always calls his people to do. And guys like Ezra can show us that it is possible to make a difference when we’re willing to accept God’s call.

7After this, in the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, ²son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, ³son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, ⁴son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, ⁵son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of the chief priest Aaron— ⁶this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses that the Lord the God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was upon him.

7 Some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants also went up to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. ⁸They came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. ⁹On the first day of the first month the journey up from Babylon was begun, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him. ¹⁰For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach the statutes and ordinances in Israel.

The Letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra

11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to the priest Ezra, the scribe, a scholar of the text of the commandments of the Lord and his statutes for Israel: ¹²‘Artaxerxes, king of kings, to the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Peace.^* And now ¹³I decree that any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom who freely offers to go to Jerusalem may go with you. ¹⁴For you are sent by the king and his seven counsellors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your hand, ¹⁵and also to convey the silver and gold that the king and his counsellors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, ¹⁶with all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with the freewill-offerings of the people and the priests, given willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem. ¹⁷With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, and their grain-offerings and their drink-offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem. ¹⁸Whatever seems good to you and your colleagues to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God. ¹⁹The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. ²⁰And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which you are responsible for providing, you may provide out of the king’s treasury.

21 ‘I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence, ²²up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cors of wheat, one hundred baths^* of wine, one hundred baths^* of oil, and unlimited salt. ²³Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, or wrath will come upon the realm of the king and his heirs. ²⁴We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

25 ‘And you, Ezra, according to the God-given wisdom you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God; and you shall teach those who do not know them. ²⁶All who will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgement be strictly executed on them, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of their goods or for imprisonment.’

27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, ²⁸and who extended to me steadfast love before the king and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

Heads of Families Who Returned with Ezra

8These are their family heads, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylonia, in the reign of King Artaxerxes: ²Of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom. Of Ithamar, Daniel. Of David, Hattush, ³of the descendants of Shecaniah. Of Parosh, Zechariah, with whom were registered one hundred and fifty males. ⁴Of the descendants of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males. ⁵Of the descendants of Zattu,^* Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males. ⁶Of the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males. ⁷Of the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. ⁸Of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him eighty males. ⁹Of the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. ¹⁰Of the descendants of Bani,^* Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him one hundred and sixty males. ¹¹Of the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males. ¹²Of the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him one hundred and ten males. ¹³Of the descendants of Adonikam, those who came later, their names being Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty males. ¹⁴Of the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai and Zaccur, and with them seventy males.

Servants for the Temple

15 I gathered them by the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped for three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the descendants of Levi. ¹⁶Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were wise, ¹⁷and sent them to Iddo, the leader at the place called Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his colleagues the temple servants at Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers for the house of our God. ¹⁸Since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the descendants of Mahli son of Levi son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and kin, eighteen; ¹⁹also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah of the descendants of Merari, with his kin and their sons, twenty; ²⁰besides two hundred and twenty of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. These were all mentioned by name.

Fasting and Prayer for Protection

21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might deny ourselves^* before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions. ²²For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and cavalry to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king that the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his power and his wrath are against all who forsake him. ²³So we fasted and petitioned our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Gifts for the Temple

24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kin with them. ²⁵And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God that the king, his counsellors, his lords, and all Israel there present had offered; ²⁶I weighed out into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and one hundred silver vessels worth . . . talents,^* and one hundred talents of gold, ²⁷twenty gold bowls worth a thousand darics, and two vessels of fine polished bronze as precious as gold. ²⁸And I said to them, ‘You are holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill-offering to the Lord, the God of your ancestors. ²⁹Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of families in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the Lord.’ ³⁰So the priests and the Levites took over the silver, the gold, and the vessels as they were weighed out, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.

The Return to Jerusalem

31 Then we left the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem; the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes along the way. ³²We came to Jerusalem and remained there for three days. ³³On the fourth day, within the house of our God, the silver, the gold, and the vessels were weighed into the hands of the priest Meremoth son of Uriah, and with him was Eleazar son of Phinehas, and with them were the Levites, Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. ³⁴The total was counted and weighed, and the weight of everything was recorded.

35 At that time those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles, offered burnt-offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin-offering twelve male goats; all this was a burnt-offering to the Lord. ³⁶They also delivered the king’s commissions to the king’s satraps and to the governors of the province Beyond the River; and they supported the people and the house of God.

Denunciation of Mixed Marriages

9After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, ‘The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. ²For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. Thus the holy seed has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands, and in this faithlessness the officials and leaders have led the way.’ ³When I heard this, I tore my garment and my mantle, and pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat appalled. ⁴Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.

Ezra’s Prayer

5 At the evening sacrifice I got up from my fasting, with my garments and my mantle torn, and fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the Lord my God, ⁶and said,

‘O my God, I am too ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. ⁷From the days of our ancestors to this day we have been deep in guilt, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been handed over to the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as is now the case. ⁸But now for a brief moment favour has been shown by the Lord our God, who has left us a remnant, and given us a stake in his holy place, in order that he^* may brighten our eyes and grant us a little sustenance in our slavery. ⁹For we are slaves; yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to give us new life to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judea and Jerusalem.

10 ‘And now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, ¹¹which you commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, “The land that you are entering to possess is a land unclean with the pollutions of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations. They have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness. ¹²Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.” ¹³After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this, ¹⁴shall we break your commandments again and intermarry with the peoples who practise these abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you destroy us without remnant or survivor? ¹⁵O Lord, God of Israel, you are just, but we have escaped as a remnant, as is now the case. Here we are before you in our guilt, though no one can face you because of this.’

Ezekiel, written by Gregg Claycamp, Ezekiel 1-3

On Saturday, July 10, 2011, at 8:47 AM (EDT), I sat down at my computer to write my blog assignment. The skies were clear; pleasant temperatures prevailed; I wasn’t hungry –having had a bagel and coffee-- and … details, details, details! The first thing that struck me about Ezekiel’s book is that it is a book of “details, details” and follows through with a very precise description of the timing, location, environs and more, even before he describes his vision of God and God’s instructions. Ezekiel’s penchant for details contrasts with the comparatively generalized descriptions of spectacular events elsewhere in the Old Testament. Even the creation which compared to Ezekiel is (loosely) “Let there be light and stuff…and it was good!” A whole lotta “stuff” happens during each day of the creation week; yet, in contrast to Ezekiel, Genesis is a Cliff Notes synopsis!

The first chapter of Ezekiel gives us incredible detail about his vision of God: “wheels within wheel[s];” a four-sided cherubim each corner of the grand chariot; their straight legs and the soles of their feet sparkling like burnished bronze. Both visual and audio descriptions paint a detailed scene for the reader. The detailed description has clearly inspired many, from the ancients to contemporary sci-fi movie directors, to think about how spectacular and glorious an event to be personally visited by God!

So, what’ up with Ezekiel’s record of detail? The hint comes in the second chapter when God prepares Ezekiel to deliver the word of the Lord to an unappreciative, “rebellious nation” who “are obstinate and stubborn.” God prepares Ezekiel by instructing him that his work is to deliver God’s message and this work will be difficult: Ezekiel he will want to turn away from God’s command. God commanded Ezekiel to deliver His message in the midst of “briars and thorns … all around” him. Perhaps Ezekiel’s approach to this daunting task is to document the details, creating for his stubborn audience an undeniable accounting of witnessing the Lord. Ezekiel can set a detailed accounting to alert his stubborn audience to pay close attention: the word of the Lord is upon them.

In chapter 2, Ezekiel is prepared by God for the thankless and daunting task of witnessing the Lord to skeptical, stubborn and obstinate Israelites. God warns Ezekiel that he will live among thorny briars and scorpions in order to deliver the word. To me, this is allegory about the challenges and the pain (to one’s ego) that comes from delivering a message to a resentful and closed-minded audience. How often we see the stubbornness and obstinate among our brothers and sisters, yet today! I think we all admire modern-day Ezekiels who are called to preach and witness to the most obstinate and faith-rejecting people that they can find! How do they steel themselves against the constant denial, distrust and rejection?

Chapter 3 gives us a big clue about how Ezekiel steeled himself for the task and, I think, how it still works for the modern-day Ezekiel in us all. The clue is that Ezekiel was commanded to eat the scroll that contained the word of the Lord meant for the stubborn and rebellious tribes. The word is God’s, Ezekiel is the messenger. Although God had prepared Ezekiel for a clearly bitter task, much to Ezekiel’s surprise, the scroll left a sweet taste of honey in his mouth. To me, this is the message in Ezekiel 1-3: when we witness and share God’s word with the “stubborn and rebellious ” among us, we know that, in the end, the word is sweet. It is knowledge of the sweetness of God’s promise that pushes us to share—to witness with the detailed stories of Ezekiel, the other prophets and those who wrote the good news of the New Testament—with rebelliousness found both among and within us.

Ezekiel 1-3

The Vision of the Chariot

1In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. ²On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), ³the word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was on him there.

4 As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually, and in the middle of the fire, something like gleaming amber. ⁵In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form. ⁶Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. ⁷Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. ⁸Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: ⁹their wings touched one another; each of them moved straight ahead, without turning as they moved. ¹⁰As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle; ¹¹such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. ¹²Each moved straight ahead; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. ¹³In the middle of^* the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning issued from the fire. ¹⁴The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.

15 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.^{* 16}As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl; and the four had the same form, their construction being something like a wheel within a wheel. ¹⁷When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved. ¹⁸Their rims were tall and awesome, for the rims of all four were full of eyes all round. ¹⁹When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. ²⁰Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹When they moved, the others moved; when they stopped, the others stopped; and when they rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like a dome, shining like crystal,^* spread out above their heads. ²³Under the dome their wings were stretched out straight, one towards another; and each of the creatures had two wings covering its body. ²⁴When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the thunder of the Almighty,^* a sound of tumult like the sound of an army; when they stopped, they let down their wings. ²⁵And there came a voice from above the dome over their heads; when they stopped, they let down their wings.

26 And above the dome over their heads there was something like a throne, in appearance like sapphire;^* and seated above the likeness of a throne was something that seemed like a human form. ²⁷Upwards from what appeared like the loins I saw something like gleaming amber, something that looked like fire enclosed all round; and downwards from what looked like the loins I saw something that looked like fire, and there was a splendour all round. ²⁸Like the bow in a cloud on a rainy day, such was the appearance of the splendour all round. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.

When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.

The Vision of the Scroll

2He said to me: O mortal,^* stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. ²And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. ³He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation^* of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. ⁴The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ ⁵Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them. ⁶And you, O mortal, do not be afraid of them, and do not be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words, and do not be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. ⁷You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear; for they are a rebellious house.

8 But you, mortal, hear what I say to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you. ⁹I looked, and a hand was stretched out to me, and a written scroll was in it. ¹⁰He spread it before me; it had writing on the front and on the back, and written on it were words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

3He said to me, O mortal, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel. ²So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. ³He said to me, Mortal, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it. Then I ate it; and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey.

4 He said to me: Mortal, go to the house of Israel and speak my very words to them. ⁵For you are not sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel— ⁶not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. ⁷But the house of Israel will not listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me; because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. ⁸See, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. ⁹Like the hardest stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not fear them or be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. ¹⁰He said to me: Mortal, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart and hear with your ears; ¹¹then go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them. Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God’; whether they hear or refuse to hear.

Ezekiel at the River Chebar

12 Then the spirit lifted me up, and as the glory of the Lord rose^* from its place, I heard behind me the sound of loud rumbling; ¹³it was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, that sounded like a loud rumbling. ¹⁴The spirit lifted me up and bore me away; I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me. ¹⁵I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who lived by the river Chebar.^* And I sat there among them, stunned, for seven days.

16 At the end of seven days, the word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁷Mortal, I have made you a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. ¹⁸If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die’, and you give them no warning, and do not speak to warn the wicked from their wicked way, in order to save their life, those wicked persons shall die for their iniquity; but their blood I will require at your hand. ¹⁹But if you warn the wicked, and they do not turn from their wickedness, or from their wicked way, they shall die for their iniquity; but you will have saved your life. ²⁰Again, if the righteous turn from their righteousness and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before them, they shall die; because you have not warned them, they shall die for their sin, and their righteous deeds that they have done shall not be remembered; but their blood I will require at your hand. ²¹If, however, you warn the righteous not to sin, and they do not sin, they shall surely live, because they took warning; and you will have saved your life.

Ezekiel Isolated and Silenced

22 Then the hand of the Lord was upon me there; and he said to me, Rise up, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you. ²³So I rose up and went out into the valley; and the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. ²⁴The spirit entered into me, and set me on my feet; and he spoke with me and said to me: Go, shut yourself inside your house. ²⁵As for you, mortal, cords shall be placed on you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people; ²⁶and I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be speechless and unable to reprove them; for they are a rebellious house. ²⁷But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God’; let those who will hear, hear; and let those who refuse to hear, refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

Nebuchadnezzar & Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego, written by Joel Bernstein, Daniel 3-4

Alright so first off, King Nebuchadnezzar should nebucha-never play this little game of his. Well, at least that’s what I see it as. I mean honestly, who has a dream and then asks people what it was and what it means? It’s like one of those questions you’d get on a high school quiz with two parts. The second part of the question has to deal with the answer of the first part…so if you don’t get the first part of the question right, there’s no way you’re going to get the second part correct either.

So here’s what happens: Daniel, believing in God, goes to him for help. He doesn’t want to die (and I totally understand where he’s coming from) so he tries his best to get the answer to the King’s question (which is ridiculous, by the way). God tells him what the dream means. He tells Daniel that the King’s dream is of the future. A statue represents other empires that will follow Nebuchadnezzar’s, each decreasing in swag (power or a ruler’s confidence in his empire). King Nebuchadnezzar is “the head of gold” being the most powerful empire of them all. That head of gold, however, will eventually become an iron can mix with clay. God says that during all this, he will be creating an everlasting kingdom that can never be conquered, but he never says the name of this kingdom. (I personally think that kingdom is heaven, but that’s just me). Anyway, the king builds a statue and orders everyone to bow down to him or else they would be thrown in a blazing furnace. Now, there were these three guys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who didn’t bow down to the statue. The king was furious with them and asked them why they didn’t bow down. They told him that they weren’t going to defend themselves because they know God will save them. So later on down the road they were thrown in the fire. But what’s this? They are not getting harmed by the fire! One of God’s angels saves the day and rescues Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The kind is dumbfounded at this miracle. This event made a believer out of the King. In the end, the kind orders everyone to not be disrespectful to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

I’m sure there are many things you can take away from this story in the bible but here’s was I got from it. God will always be there, no matter what. Even if you have a doubt that he won’t be, he’ll be there for you. Always trust in him no matter what.

It’s only a little bit, but it means so much more when you need him the most.

-Joel Bernstein

Daniel 3-4

The Golden Image

3King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue whose height was sixty cubits and whose width was six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. ²Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent for the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to assemble and come to the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ³So the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. When they were standing before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up, ⁴the herald proclaimed aloud, ‘You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, ⁵that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, you are to fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ⁶Whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.’ ⁷Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshipped the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8 Accordingly, at this time certain Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews. ⁹They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, ‘O king, live for ever! ¹⁰You, O king, have made a decree, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, shall fall down and worship the golden statue, ¹¹and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. ¹²There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods and they do not worship the golden statue that you have set up.’

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought in; so they brought those men before the king. ¹⁴Nebuchadnezzar said to them, ‘Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and you do not worship the golden statue that I have set up? ¹⁵Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, well and good.^* But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?’

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defence to you in this matter. ¹⁷If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us.^{* 18}But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.’

The Fiery Furnace

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face was distorted. He ordered the furnace to be heated up seven times more than was customary, ²⁰and ordered some of the strongest guards in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. ²¹So the men were bound, still wearing their tunics,^* their trousers,^* their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. ²²Because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace was so overheated, the raging flames killed the men who lifted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. ²³But the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up quickly. He said to his counsellors, ‘Was it not three men that we threw bound into the fire?’ They answered the king, ‘True, O king.’ ²⁵He replied, ‘But I see four men unbound, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the fourth has the appearance of a god.’^{* 26}Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and said, ‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!’ So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. ²⁷And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counsellors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men; the hair of their heads was not singed, their tunics^* were not harmed, and not even the smell of fire came from them. ²⁸Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king’s command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. ²⁹Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that utters blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins; for there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.’ ³⁰Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

4^*King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages that live throughout the earth: May you have abundant prosperity! ²The signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me I am pleased to recount.
³ How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and his sovereignty is from generation to generation.

4 ^*I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living at ease in my home and prospering in my palace. ⁵I saw a dream that frightened me; my fantasies in bed and the visions of my head terrified me. ⁶So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, in order that they might tell me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not tell me its interpretation. ⁸At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods^*—and I told him the dream: ⁹‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that you are endowed with a spirit of the holy gods^* and that no mystery is too difficult for you. Hear^* the dream that I saw; tell me its interpretation.
^{10 *}Upon my bed this is what I saw;
there was a tree at the centre of the earth,
and its height was great.
¹¹ The tree grew great and strong,
its top reached to heaven,
and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth.
¹² Its foliage was beautiful,
its fruit abundant,
and it provided food for all.
The animals of the field found shade under it,
the birds of the air nested in its branches,
and from it all living beings were fed.

13 ‘I continued looking, in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and there was a holy watcher, coming down from heaven. ¹⁴He cried aloud and said:
“Cut down the tree and chop off its branches,
strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit.
Let the animals flee from beneath it
and the birds from its branches.
¹⁵ But leave its stump and roots in the ground,
with a band of iron and bronze,
in the tender grass of the field.
Let him be bathed with the dew of heaven,
and let his lot be with the animals of the field
in the grass of the earth.
¹⁶ Let his mind be changed from that of a human,
and let the mind of an animal be given to him.
And let seven times pass over him.
¹⁷ The sentence is rendered by decree of the watchers,
the decision is given by order of the holy ones,
in order that all who live may know
that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of mortals;
he gives it to whom he will
and sets over it the lowliest of human beings.”

18 ‘This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to tell me the interpretation. You are able, however, for you are endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.’^*

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

19 Then Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, was severely distressed for a while. His thoughts terrified him. The king said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation terrify you.’ Belteshazzar answered, ‘My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation for your enemies! ²⁰The tree that you saw, which grew great and strong, so that its top reached to heaven and was visible to the end of the whole earth, ²¹whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and which provided food for all, under which animals of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air had nests— ²²it is you, O king! You have grown great and strong. Your greatness has increased and reaches to heaven, and your sovereignty to the ends of the earth. ²³And whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field; and let him be bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him”— ²⁴this is the interpretation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: ²⁵You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the wild animals. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, you shall be bathed with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and gives it to whom he will. ²⁶As it was commanded to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be re-established for you from the time that you learn that Heaven is sovereign. ²⁷Therefore, O king, may my counsel be acceptable to you: atone for^* your sins with righteousness, and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged.’

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ³⁰and the king said, ‘Is this not magnificent Babylon, which I have built as a royal capital by my mighty power and for my glorious majesty?’ ³¹While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: The kingdom has departed from you! ³²You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals and gives it to whom he will.’ ³³Immediately the sentence was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven away from human society, ate grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails became like birds’ claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

34 When that period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me.
I blessed the Most High,
and praised and honoured the one who lives for ever.
For his sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty,
and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
³⁵ All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does what he wills with the host of heaven
and the inhabitants of the earth.
There is no one who can stay his hand
or say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
³⁶At that time my reason returned to me; and my majesty and splendour were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom. My counsellors and my lords sought me out, I was re-established over my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. ³⁷Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven,
for all his works are truth,
and his ways are justice;
and he is able to bring low
those who walk in pride.