John Hall

“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10b As I read through the Bible, I’m often struck by Familiar Verses I see in Pictures, Plaques, and Banners. I’m sure you can relate. You may even have one of them on a Calendar or Poster in a Bedroom. We’ve […]

“should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?” Nehemiah 5:9b As we saw yesterday, Nehemiah has been given permission from Artaxerxes to rebuild the wall. While undertaking this Massive Project, another crisis arises. We read in Verse 1 of Today’s Reading, “there was a

“When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” Nehemiah 1:4 As we begin the Book of Nehemiah we read that News arrives in Persia. One of his brothers, Hanani, has returned from Palestine and is asked by Nehemiah

“Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.” Ezra 8:21 Something unknown to many when they read the Book of Ezra, there is approximately 80 years between the

“But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and then a written reply be returned concerning it.” Ezra 5:5 As we saw in Yesterday’s Reading, an entourage of 42,360 Jews has returned to Jerusalem. They have gone

“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying:” Ezra 1:1 As

“There had not been celebrated a Passover like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet;” 2 Chronicles 35:18a As mentioned before, there are many Anomalies in the Bible where things just don’t make sense. We have Good Kings that come from Bad Fathers and Bad Kings that come from Good Fathers. Today

“When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.” 2 Chronicles 33:13 At the beginning of Chapter 33, we’re introduced to King Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh. We read that he “was twelve years

“Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 28:22 When Reading through the Bible, it helps to have an awareness of Time. Since yesterday and the death of Joash, almost 100 years has past. For the most part, this period enjoyed the Rule