Sat 090516 pm Neh 10

Nehemiah 10


10.28 separated themselves from the people of the lands to the Law of their God... This is an interesting phrase. So, they left people to follow the Law of their God. We should separate from people who keep us from serving the Lord. Earlier in Nehemiah they were buying and selling with other people, so it doesn't mean no contact. What is probably in view here is being unequally yoked in a way that makes it difficult to foll0w what the Lord wants us to do.
Obligations of the Covenant
10.31 not intermarry, not buy on the Sabbath
10.32 yearly 1/3 shekel to temple
10.34 priests cast lots to bring wood for sacrifices
10.35 bring first fruits
10.36 bring firstborn sons and cattle
10.37 priest with the Levites when they collect tithes in towns and bring it to the temple


Read the rest of Nehemiah, but don't have time to journal about it.

Wed 090513 pm Neh 9-12

Nehemiah 9
9.3 read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day; for another quarter of it they made confession and worshiped... This would be an interesting format for a church service.
9.6-8 You alone are Lord
9.9-15 You saw the affliction of our fathers
9.16-21 our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck
9.22-31 you gave them the kingdoms
9.32-37 hardship ... that has come upon us
9.38 all this we make a firm covenant in writing... I have always thought of stuff like this to be gimmicky, but as I think about it after this verse, I can see how it enhances the accountability.


Nehemiah 10
10.1 the names
10.31 boycotting :o)


Nehemiah 11
11.3 chiefs of the people
11.4 sons of Judah
11.7 sons of Benjamin
11.10 priests
11.15 Levites
11.19 gatekeepers
11.22 overseer of the Levites
11.25 the villages


Nehemiah 12
The dedication must have been quite an extravaganza. Two choirs, all the leaders, etc...

Tues 090512 pm Jude

Jude
3 I found it necessary... This is an interesting insight into the process of inspiration.
4 marked out for this condemnation
4 for the faith Yes, doctrine does matter.
11 the way of Cain ... the error of Balaam
14 It would have been interesting to hear some of Enoch's preaching.

Mon 090511 am Acts 10 & Neh 7-8

Acts 10
10.4 What is is Lord? So, how did he know who the angels was? This is an amazing story of God's grace.
10.7 devout soldier It seems that there was a group of them around Cornelius.
10.10 fell into a trance This is an interesting glimpse into some of the workings of a prophet.
10.17 perplexed You think!?
10.28 I should not call any person common or unclean I am not sure that this is the proper context, but it reminds me to be charitable and engaging with all kinds of sinners.
10.39 went about doing good Great description of the Savior and hopefully of me too.
10.46 speaking tongues and extolling God Not sharing his faith with others, since it seems all present were believers and "extollng God" would not be a normal description of witnessing. The tongues were still tongues, not gibberish, and were a sign to Jews of what God was doing.


Nehemiah 7
7.2 faithful and God-fearing man I like that.
7.5 my God put it into my heart...
7.7-72 These long passages of numbers of people, etc. are a curiosity to me.


Nehemiah 8
8.1 Ezra the scribe
8.2 Ezra the priest
8.5 all the people stood. That is why we like to stand for Scripture reading at TBC, but we limit ours to 20-25 verses at the longest.
8.8 This verse is my preaching purpose statement.
8.9 Ezra the priest and scribe So, in verses 1-3, what was the significance of switching titles between priest and scribe?
8.17 for from the days of Joshua the son of Nun they had not done so It is amazing that they had not celebrated the feast of tabernacles for that long.