Today and tomorrow we are reading the portions of scripture we all like to avoid: historical genealogies. We wonder why God includes these long lists of names we can’t pronounce. It’s hard to see any spiritual significance to take for ourselves but we must remember that the Old Testament is essentially the history of the …
Author: sheilaalewine
Read-Through-The-Bible [10.12.19]
Today I only read two chapters in Nehemiah (12:27-13:31). Nehemiah had served as governor for 13 years, and in 432 BC returns to Susa for an unspecified length of time. He receives permission to come back to Jerusalem and hold a dedication ceremony for the wall. When he returns, he discovers that during his absence, …
Read-Through-The-Bible [10.11.19]
What does it mean to you to serve the Lord? If you were to write out a covenant describing a life that is fully committed to the Lord, what would you include? Today’s read of Nehemiah 8-10 provides a practical template for our own obligations as God’s people. The Israelites come together and sign a …
Read-Through-The-Bible [10.10.19]
Nehemiah 7 and 11-12 are mostly comprised of lists of names. Jerusalem’s walls and gates have been rebuilt, but as Nehemiah looks around at the city, he realizes that far too few people live there to maintain and protect it. God puts it on his heart to order a census of all the exiles that …
Read-Through-The-Bible [10.09.19]
Today we continue in Nehemiah (chapters 4-6). As the wall takes shape, Israel’s enemies grow more and more angry that they dare to rebuild. They set out to keep the people from succeeding. At this point, we know that Israel had no intention of revolting against their rulers, nor of conquering any more surrounding …
