february 21 They refused to work

 They refused to work.   Nehemiah was born a slave in Babylon.  He was a Jew.  His ancestors had been brought to Babylon as slaves.  He was the cupbearer for the king.  (He tasted the wine to be sure it wasn’t poisoned.) Some of his Jewish brethren returned from a trip to Jerusalem and reported how sad the city was.  The walls had been torn down and the gates burned.  The Lord called Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and lead the reconstruction.  The king graciously allowed him to take a leave of absence and also authorized the funds necessary for the building materials. The pagan residents living in Jerusalem were not happy the walls were being rebuilt. They pretended to want to help but were flatly told “no.”  Nehemiah 2:20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. They were not Jews and had no memorial or right to the land. Jerusalem had been set aside by God more than 1600 years before to be His city.  Mount Moriah is there where Abraham had taken Issac to be a sacrifice. Jerusalem was overtaken by nonbelievers as punishment.  Now the punishment was over, and it was time to worship the Lord again. Palestinians  today claim the Jews are occupying their land.  This land was given to the Jews over 4000 years ago. In Nehemiah chapter 3 we see lists of the men who took each section of the wall and gates to rebuild it. Nehemiah 3:5  And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord. The leaders of the Tekoites refused to work.  Perhaps they didn’t like Nehemiah.  Perhaps they were just plain lazy.  Too good to get their hands dirty. They are the only group listed as not willing to do their share of the work.  What a sad way to be mentioned in the Bible.  Are you willing to do your share of work to make your church what Jesus wants it to be?  We need to be in one accord. Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication…  We also see in Nehemiah 3 some women putting their necks to the work.    Nehemiah 3:12  And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters. Perhaps Shallum had no sons.  His daughters put their necks to the work with their father.  The Lord has a place of service for each of His children.  Philippians 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Seek God’s will for your life.  Discover your gifts.  Use them to bless your Bible teaching church.  Jesus has a plan for your life.  Assignments He wants you to accomplish.  Step up. Do your part.  Enjoy this Christian adventure. 

 Turn not back.  During the coming millennial reign when Jesus shall reign over this earth, we will go to Jerusalem to worship the King. We will go through a gate to see Him.  However, we are not to exit through the same gate.  If we come in the north gate we are to exit through the south gate.  If we enter through the south gate we are to exit through the north gate.  Ezekiel 46:8-9 And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof. 9  But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it.  Why?  Perhaps to avoid traffic jams of people as they try to exit their entrance.  Perhaps to make us go around the temple so as to have time to reflect on its grandeur and our worship before returning home.  However, I think an application to us today is to keep moving forward in our Christian walk and not turn back to sin.  We all have a past.  There are things from the past that still appeal to us.  We are tempted to go back into “Egypt” and enjoy the cucumbers and melons.  Numbers 11:4-6  We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. The Israelites complained that they missed the good food of Egypt.  I wonder if they missed the slavery?  Are we ever happy?  Satan loves to remind us of the “good” things of the past.  He doesn’t want us to concentrate on the “wonderful things” we enjoy in our new life in Jesus.  And the expectation of how wonderful life will be when we graduate to Heaven.  Jesus tells us: Luke 9:62 … No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. We are to keep our eye on our goal. To be like Jesus.  Keep reaching forth to be like Him. Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Press on my brethren.  To the work.  To the work.  Keep your eyes on the goal.  Jesus. 

 We heard God is with you. According to Bible prophesy the Jewish Messiah will rule the world.  People from around the world will come to Jerusalem to worship Him.  Ten pilgrims will clutch at the sleeve of a Jew and ask to walk with them.  Zechariah 8:23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. What a day that will be.  Even nature will be at peace.  The lion will eat straw and eat next to a lamb.  Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock:…  Peace on earth. Jews and Christians alike look forward to this coming kingdom. The King is coming.  Many Jewish friends expect to see this kingdom soon.  The ashes from a red heifer are necessary to purify the High Priest before the coming temple can be dedicated.  There are several red heifers being raised in Israel today.  It has been over 2,000 years since the last red heifer was sacrificed. The building of the third temple in Jerusalem is anticipated with great excitement among many Jews.  There is also an air of excitement among many Christians. However, the expectation is quite different.  Our Jewish friends reject the New Testament.  To the Christian the New Testament fulfills the law of the Old Testament.  The New Testament tells us Jesus is the Messiah.  He was rejected and crucified.  But He arose.  He redeems those who hear, believe, and repent asking Him for forgiveness. He is coming back to be King of Kings.  But not until Satan’s son, the Antichrist comes to demand he be worshipped. The beliefs clash.  Which is right?  God is with you.  The Old Testament foretold He would come.  Isaiah 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.  The New Testament tells us He has come.  Matthew 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Our Jewish friends are still looking for Immanuel to appear.  Born again Christians have experienced the one who is “God with us.” He was rejected by His own people. John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Who is right?  John 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Jesus will give you power to receive Him if you want Him to.  Seek Him with all your heart.  Turn from your wicked ways. Ask Him to reveal to you the truth and He will.    

 What seems good to Him.   Judges 10:15   And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.    The Israelites had turned away from God and worshiped idols.  God sent enemies to oppress them eighteen years.  Finally, they repented and begged the Lord to deliver them.  His answer: Judges 10:13-14  Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14  Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. But rather than take “no” for an answer they pleaded with the Lord for mercy.  Even to the point saying “Do whatsoever seems good to you only deliver us.  We can’t take your punishment anymore.”  The Lord raised up a military commander to lead them to victory.  God is good.  Even in His punishment He is good.  We all need to be disciplined because everyone of us go astray.  Not gone astray.  Go astray. Writing to Christians we read:  1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Christians have no excuse to sin however if we think we are perfect we deceive ourselves.  When God pronounces judgment, we need to confess we have gone astray.  Sometimes our repentance will lessen our punishment.  Throw yourself at the mercy of the court.  If we don’t agree with God and repent, we can expect His judgment to fall.  Eli was priest at Shiloh.  His two sons were priests who stole offerings and hit on the women who came to worship.  Eli permitted this sin.  God finally said: 1 Samuel 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. Eli did not restrain his grown sons after God warned him to and judgment was coming.  Eli’s answer.  1 Samuel 3:18 … And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good. Let the Lord do whatever seems good to Him?  No repentance?  No remorse?  Just “Whatever He thinks is best, let Him do it.”  How pathetic.  And he was the priest?  God help us.  Both of Eli’s sons were killed in battle and the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant.  When Eli heard the bad news, he fell backward from his seat and broke his neck and died.  All three died in one day.  Plus, the enemy had the Ark of the Covenant which represented God on earth.  Let Him do what seemeth him good.  Like “Oh well if that’s what God thinks is best, I guess I have to go along with it.”  Shameful.  May the slightest conviction from the Holy Spirit break our heart and cause us to fall on our knees and plead for mercy.  Do not take lightly God’s punishment. 

 When you wish upon a star.  NASA space telescopes recently captured new images of young stars resembling a Christmas tree aglow with lights and even a snow globe shine.  NGC 2264 is about 2,500 light-years from Earth.  A light year is 5.88 trillion miles.  Multiply that by 2,500 and I don’t think I could even figure out the number.  Scientists believe the stars are between 1 million and 5 million years old.  Of course, some of us Bible believers consider the earth and heavens to be about 6,000 years old.  It is exciting to know our God (Jesus) said “Bang” and the heavens and planets appeared.  The big bang theory).  Well at least He spoke the heavens and planets into existence.  Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. It was Jesus who did the speaking. Colossians 1:16-17  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.  What an awesome God we serve.  And He lives within the hearts of us believers.   Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,  What power lives in the believer. We are more than conquerors with Jesus in our hearts. Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Now back to the stars.  Someone has said, “Why should we look to the stars for our answers when we can look to the very one who made those stars?”   Jesus knows you personally.  He died for you.  He rose again to save you.  Do you realize that Jesus knows how many stars there are?  And that He named each one?  Psalm 147:4  He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Wow!  And I have trouble remembering just a few hundred names. We might ask the question how does He know who we are?  Psalm 8:4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  How is it the Creator knows us and visits us?  The New Testament affirms this fact.  Hebrews 2:6  But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Jesus visited man?  Sounds like God became a man.  Really?  John 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…. Jesus became human to die for our sins.  The just for the unjust.  He rose again to give us victory if we repent and cry out to Him for forgiveness.  Look to the one who made the stars.  He is willing to save you. 

 Worse than widower-hood.  A cruel fact of life is the death of a spouse.  I have not experienced that cruelty.  I hurt for those who have.  Most of us in the American dream meet, date, fall in love, get married and live happily ever after.  Well, not quite.  About fifty percent divorce. Cultures where marriages are arranged by parents or professional matchmakers (over fifty percent of all marriages in the world today) the marriage is more likely to last because their culture has conditioned them. Ninety percent of new marriages in India are arranged. Only four percent of arranged marriages divorce.  Back to the cruelty of the death of a spouse.  It is so cruel that after years of a happy marriage one of the partners is taken in death. Some facts of life have to be accepted even though they make us so miserable.  Can God prevent the death of a spouse?  Of course. God can do anything.  So why doesn’t He?  Sometimes he does allow a person to live longer.  But eventually death comes our way.  Hebrews 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die. We all have an appointment with death because we have all sinned.  Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:  If the deceased had repented of their sins and asked Jesus to be their Saviour we have the promise that they are with Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. The Christian receives comfort that we never say “Goodbye,” we say “I’ll see you later.”  So there is hope in our heart.  In the Bible a man experienced a fate worse than widowerhood.  His wife was forcefully taken from him and returned to her first husband. King Saul sold David his daughter Michal as a reward for killing Goliath.  Later they separated.  Years later David wanted her back even though he had many wives. David demanded the King of the North to return her.   2 Samuel 3:15-16  And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish. 16  And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.  Imagine your wife kidnapped and you chasing after her only to be told by the army commander to go home.  Worse than widowerhood.  Knowing you wife was one of many lovers to King David.  Life is not always fair.  We must cast our hurts on Jesus if we want to survive. 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Jesus knows you are hurting.  Ask Him to comfort you and He will.  Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

 Wretched, wretched, wretched.  The Apostle Paul wrote:  Romans 7:24  O wretched man that I am! Paul considered himself to be wretched. (distressed, miserable)  Do you consider yourself wretched?  Until you realize you are lost you cannot be found.  Jesus only saves sinners. Matthew 9:12  They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  Once you realize how sinful you are and how holy God is you can grasp that you can never become good enough to please God.  Only by repentance and faith in Jesus can our sins be forgiven. Acts 2:38 Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. When you experience this life changing encounter your life is changed for eternity.  How thankful we should be for God’s grace.  However, even as a new creation in Christ we are still sinners.  Lust, covetousness, unbridled tongue and appetite and temper, lack of doing that which we should, failing to assemble with other believers, a weak prayer life, neglect of daily Bible study and so on.  Even saved we are still wretched.  Surely if anyone could claim Godliness it was Paul.  Yet he was displeased with himself. Paul also said: 1 Timothy 1:15  Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Paul considered himself to be wretched and the chief of sinners.  C.H. Spurgeon said “If Paul were with me I would have to contend with him which one of us is the chief of sinners.”  Spurgeon chief of sinners?  Yes. I got to thinking, “If I were in a room with Paul and Spurgeon I would have to contend that I am the chief of sinners.”  Me in a room with Paul and Spurgeon?  Not hardly. I am not worthy to refill the glass at their table.  I know how wretched I am.  No one is more disappointed in me than me. I must ask the Lord to forgive me many times every day.  I am saved by grace.  I am kept by grace.  Thank God for His gift of salvation.  I stand amazed in His presence. Thank you Lord for putting up with me. When we realize how wretched and sinful we are (present tense) God can use us.  Revelation 3:17   thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: If we acknowledge and repent of our wretchedness we become useful in God’s hands.  And by the way, someday I will be in the same room as Paul and Spurgeon. But instead of comparing our wretchedness we will be praising Jesus for His grace.  Come praise God with us. 

 Nailed it.   Judges 4:21  Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.    Talk about a splitting headache.  The children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord.  The Lord raised up an enemy to oppress them.  Cause and effect. That which we sow, so shall we reap.  Will we ever learn?  The stove is hot.  Touch it and be burned.  God loves us and wants His best for us.  However, we are rebellious and stubborn and go ahead and disobey God’s laws and force Him to set us straight.  The Lord sent an enemy to oppress Israel.  The enemy king was in God’s will.  The children of Israel were not.  Sometimes God uses ungodly people to accomplish His will. Jabin, king of Canaan, sent Sisera the captain of his army to oppress Israel.  For twenty years Sisera oppressed Israel.  Finally, the people cried “Uncle”. (Not in the King James but you get the point.)  (Well, literally Sisera got the POINT). The people repented and asked the Lord to deliver them.  The Lord gave a plan of attack to Deborah, a prophetess.  The plan was given to Barak the commander of the Israeli army.  The plan drew Sisera and his 900 chariots of iron into a trap.  Judges 4:15  And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet. The Lord discomfited Sisera.  There are God sized problems in our lives that are too great for us to solve.  If we depend on the Lord, He has the way to aid us.  Sisera was on foot running from battle.  His entire army was killed.  Only he was left. He went by the tent of Heber and Heber’s wife Jael showed kindness to him inviting him in so he could rest.  He asked for water.  She gave him milk.  She covered him with a blanket as he lay on the floor. He asked her to guard the door and lie to anyone looking for him.  When he was fast asleep, she took a tent stake and a hammer and pounded the nail through his temples and into the floor. Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  I have sinned.  I will die.  So will you.  However, I repented and asked Jesus to save me.  He did.  Oh, how I want you to be in Heaven with me.  The gift of eternal life is a gift.  God will freely give it to you if you will turn from your sins in sorrow and call on His name.  Have you?  Will you?