Learning to overcome discouragement and other obstacles (Neh 4:6-23)
Neh 4:6-23 Professional long-distance runners are sometimes asked what the hardest portion of a run is. The answer varies, of course, since each part has its particular difficulties. Frequently though, somewhere past the mid-point is seen as mentally the most…
The best answer to ridicule (Neh 4:1-5)
Neh 4:1-5 Years ago, I worked as a volunteer at a Christian youth hostel in Israel. One of the team, when he first arrived, became affectionately known as ‘the man with the iron’ because he asked for an iron for…
How to work together well for the common good? (Nehemiah 3)
Neh 3:1-32 On an elders’ retreat that I was a part of, we had a speaker talking about leadership. He described how his son, a pastor, was about to choose a co-pastor. Our speaker’s question to him was whether he,…
How to do God’s work successfully (Neh 2:11-20)
Neh 2:11-20 As numbers in most Western churches are dwindling, many ask what the church needs to do to attract more people and thrive. Some look to different projects, to community outreaches, vibrant worship, activities for the kids, entertaining and…
Learning to act with courage and wisdom (Neh 2:1-10)
Neh 2:1-10 Thinking about courage, I came across this quote on the internet, parts of which are also cited by others. ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity to act in the presence of fear. Faith is…
The secret of effective prayer (Neh 1:1-11)
I continue the study of Ezra-Nehemiah, which were originally written on one scroll and were meant to be read as one book. For an overview, see my Ezra-Nehemiah Intro – When restoration is not a quick fix. Neh 1:1-11 On…
The challenge of re-applying ancient laws in new contexts (Ezra 9-10)
This is my last post on the mixed marriage crisis drawing some lessons from the story overall. In an OT class I taught, we were reflecting on the Mosaic law and how to interpret regulations in a meaningful way. I…
Lessons from the intermarriage crisis – our priorities (Ezra 10)
Ezra 10:1-44 Recently when discussing Ezra 9-10, someone mentioned to me the plight of African chiefs with several wives who came to Christ and were encouraged by missionaries to divorce them, a tragic fate for those women. This situation seems…
Recovering the biblical vision of God (Ezra 9:5-15)
Ezra 9:5-15 Reading Ezra’s prayer, I am struck by how different his approach to God is compared to what we are used to today. For some from a toxic Christian background, guilt is a constant companion exaggerating every sin, every…
Were the exiles concerned about racial purity in marriages? Part II.
Ezra 9:1-15 In the first part of this question (Were the exiles concerned about racial purity in marriages? Part I), I explored the reason in Deuteronomy 7, which the exiles used to condemn intermarriages with non-Jews. I now turn to…