Let the Prophets Speak

Nehemiah has to contend with enemy spies, and all sorts of creative but evil plans to weaken his leadership. They will stop at nothing to break his will and ruin his ability to lead, but Nehemiah outsmarts them and doesn't fall for their tricks.

In one of the most powerful and instructive chapters of Nehemiah, we read of the economic inequality that plagued the people of Judah, and Nehemiah's response. We learn of economic justice, how respect for God leads to doing the right thing, and how these issues issues can only be addressed through honest and transparent leadership.

Nehemiah teaches us how a Jew is supposed to defend him/herself. Pray to God, give credit to God, then develop a strategy, take up your weapons and fight! We learn how Nehemiah developed his strategy, how he gathered intelligence, and how he never stopped building Jerusalem despite the threats.

Despite the taunts and cynicism and threats of Sanvalat and his cohorts, Nehemiah restores the people's morale. Everyone, including the leaders, government officials and even the women get together and rebuild the city.

Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem, and he conducts a midnight survey of the city of Jerusalem. Finding the city in a state of awful disrepair, he encourages the people to find the courage and strength to rebuild. The opposition doesn't take it so well, however, and they begin to challenge Nehemiah and his project.

The echoes of Queen Esther and her confrontation with Artexerxes father can be heard in this petition of Nehemiah before the King. While plying the King with drink party, Nehemiah beseeches him and asks for permission to go to Judea and rebuild the city of his fathers.

We learn of a new important figure, Nehemiah, a Jew who is highly placed in the court of King Artaxerxes. His brother comes to the capital Shushan with bad news from Jerusalem. The city is in ruins, and the people are depressed and downtrodden. Nehemiah takes action, he prays to God, and prepares himself to convince the King to support a renewal of building.

We learn the details Shechaniah's solution to the problem, which Ezra implements. A system of courts is set up in every town to review every case of intermarriage one by one. Women that were willing to join God's covenant are then welcomed into their families. Those who would rather remain idolaters and continue their abominable customs, had to be divorced and sent back to their families. Fortunat...

Shechaniah approaches Ezra and tells him that there is hope! Stop the crying and praying, get yourself together and lead us! We can do this, and we begin to learn of Shechaniah's plan to fix this problem.

The newcomers to the land find that they have been more faithful to God than the residents of the Holy Land. The people have already started to falter in their faithfulness to God, and have begun to adopt the ways of pagan cults that surrounded them. This led to intermarriage, and Ezra is stunned by the constant and never ending backsliding of God's people.

Having gotten the necessary support of the King, Ezra now gathers the people who will join him on his journey to Jerusalem. The people gather, pray, and with God's help they have a safe and successful journey.

Ezra sets out for the land of Israel with a new group of returnees. King ArtaXerxes gives him the full support of the Persian Empire. The Jewish religion takes a new and important turn, as interpreting the word of God is no longer the realm of the prophets. Now it is the scholars of Torah who study the word of God, practice it, and teach it to the people.

Evidence is found that the Judean's were given the rights to build by Cyrus himself. Darius continues the full support of the Persian kingdom for the building effort, and the Temple is finally completed. The Judeans, along with many converts from other nations gather together to celebrate Passover in the new Temple.

Some things never change. The enemies try to use the cumbersome wheels of bureaucracy to stifle the building project of the new Temple.

The local tribes that lived in Judea and Israel while the Judeans were exiled attempt to thwart the building of the Temple and Jerusalem. This goes on for generations of Persian kings.

The returnees celebrate their first "high holidays" in Jerusalem by rebuilding the altar. Preparations begin for rebuilding the Temple as well, and while many rejoice, others weep for the loss of the glorious Temple of the past.

On the authority of Cyrus' decree, the people return to Judea. The families that returned are enumerated, towns are repopulated, and a treasury is set up to rebuild the Temple.

God acts through the leaders of history and brings His plans to life. In this chapter we read of the fulfillment of the prophecy of Jeremiah, as Cyrus sends the Jewish people back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of God.

God has answered all our questions, He has explained what he wants, He will send Elijah to guide us. It is up to us to speak to others, humbly rebuild our relationships, The great day of God will come IF we do our part.

The people question God's justice. We see the wicked prosper! God challenges the people, "try Me!" If you are honest, if you stop fooling yourselves and trying to fool God, the windows of blessing will open to you.

If we are all children of the same God, shouldn't our marriages to gentile women bring about peace and redemption? Why do they lead to strife and divorce? Doesn't God love us all? Malachi deals with a timeless problem.

God excoriates the priests for neglecting their priestly covenant. Speak truth, respect God, respect your mission, teach life, teach peace and live a straight and honest life. When a religious leader exhibits these qualities, he leads the people back to God. But the priests are not following this path, they disrespect God, they teach a "Torah" that is dishonest, one that is used for their own pers...

We are introduced to the final prophet, Malachi. Time has passed since the second temple has been rebuilt, and it is now obvious that the final redemption has not materialized. Malachi points out to the people that it is their cynicism which has brought about this failure.

The day of God will arrive, and it will not be a day of all light or all darkness. There will be both redemption and destruction. But when it is over, God's name will be One. All of humanity will rejoice together and celebrate.

When truth and humility prevails, the fake prophets will no longer be able to spread their vile and impure ideas. They themselves will be ashamed of their lies, and claim that they are just simple farmers.