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Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Nehemiah 9:32-10:39 In Nehemiah, the people sign a written covenant to observe the laws of God, keep themselves pure, and support the work of the temple. In Zechariah, the vision expands to include imagery suggesting that Zerubbabel will complete his work of rebuilding God’s temple. Zechariah then sees a huge flying [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Nehemiah 8:9-9:31 In Nehemiah, the people alternately celebrate and mourn before God. As they are carrying out their religious observance, the Levites recapitulate the journey of the people of God, from the covenant with Abraham to the apportionment of the Promised Land. The Levites remark on God’s patience and [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Nehemiah 7:1-8:8 In Nehemiah, we read a retelling of some of the content of Ezra: a genealogy of those who returned, and a retelling of the story of the people listening to the law of Moses read aloud. We begin the book of Zechariah, with Zechariah relating a vision he is shown [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Nehemiah 6:1-6:19 In Nehemiah, Sanballat and Tobiah again try to intimidate the wall builders. Even Nehemiah’s own people try to sow discord. In spite of all of this, the wall building is completed in just 52 days. We read the book of Haggai in its entirety. In it, God [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Nehemiah 4:6-5:19 In Nehemiah, the gaps in the wall around Jerusalem are closed up, but the workers are hyper-vigilant against attacks by the surrounding leaders, keeping their weapons within arm’s reach. Some of the Jews accuse their brethren of charging them steep interest on loans used to buy food, and [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Nehemiah 3:1-4:5 In Nehemiah, the returned exiles are rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, with different people, families, and organizations each rebuilding their part of the wall. The local Gentile governor and his cronies mock the Jews, and Nehemiah asks God to punish this discouragement. In Zephaniah, God promises that the remnant [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Nehemiah 1:1-2:20 We begin the book of Nehemiah with Nehemiah, the cupbearer of King Artaxerxes of Persia, asking his boss for permission to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls. Artaxerxes agrees, and Nehemiah goes, inspects the wall, and convinces the exiles already in Jerusalem to help accomplish this vision, [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Ezra 10:16-10:44 We complete the book of Ezra with a list of the men who had taken foreign wives. They all agree to send away these wives and any children they have had with them. We complete the book of Habakkuk. God verifies that he will punish the Babylonians, because [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Ezra 9:1-10:15 In Ezra, the leaders of the exiles become concerned about intermarriage with the surrounding peoples. All the men are ordered to send away their wives and children in order to purge the land from foreign – and presumably idolatrous – influences. We begin the book of Habakkuk with the [...] Scripture Readings: Old Testament: Ezra 8:1-8:36 In Ezra, we read the genealogies of those who accompany Ezra to Jerusalem and hear some of the particulars of their journey. We complete the book of Nahum with the promise of utter destruction for Nineveh. Nineveh is mockingly invited to do her best to resist, but is promised [...] |
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