WEBVTT 00:00:00.920 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:08.900 in a year. Today's reading is from the book of 00:00:08.900 --> 00:00:13.519 Nehemiah, chapters 8 through 10. Chapter 8 Now 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:15.859 all the people gathered together as one man in 00:00:15.859 --> 00:00:18.359 the open square that was in front of the water 00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:21.300 gate, and they told Ezra the scribe to bring 00:00:21.300 --> 00:00:23.440 the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:26.399 had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:28.780 the law before the assembly of men and women, 00:00:29.100 --> 00:00:31.460 and all who could hear with understanding, on 00:00:31.460 --> 00:00:34.060 the first day of the seventh month. Then he read 00:00:34.060 --> 00:00:36.659 from it in the open square that was in front 00:00:36.659 --> 00:00:39.420 of the water gate, from morning until midday, 00:00:39.539 --> 00:00:42.020 before the men and women, and those who could 00:00:42.020 --> 00:00:44.399 understand, and the ears of all the people were 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:47.299 attentive to the book of the law. So Ezra the 00:00:47.299 --> 00:00:50.020 scribe stood on a platform of wood, which they 00:00:50.020 --> 00:00:52.859 had made for the purpose, and beside him, at 00:00:52.859 --> 00:00:56.920 his right hand, stood Metithia, Shema, Ananiah, 00:00:57.020 --> 00:01:09.579 Orisha, And at his left hand, And Ezra opened 00:01:09.579 --> 00:01:11.700 the book in the sight of all the people, for 00:01:11.700 --> 00:01:14.040 he was standing above all the people. And when 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:16.540 he opened it, all the people stood up, and Ezra 00:01:16.540 --> 00:01:19.060 blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the 00:01:19.060 --> 00:01:22.700 people answered, While lifting up their hands, 00:01:22.840 --> 00:01:24.859 and they bowed their heads and worshipped the 00:01:24.859 --> 00:01:27.890 Lord with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, 00:01:28.030 --> 00:01:33.450 Bani, Sherebiah, Jameen, Akub, Shabitai, Hodesia, 00:01:33.549 --> 00:01:39.069 Masiah, Kelita, Azariah, Josabath, Hanan, Pelaiah, 00:01:39.310 --> 00:01:41.950 and the Levites helped the people to understand 00:01:41.950 --> 00:01:44.409 the law, and the people stood in their place. 00:01:44.689 --> 00:01:47.450 So they read distinctly from the book in the 00:01:47.450 --> 00:01:50.370 law of God, and they gave the sense and helped 00:01:50.370 --> 00:01:53.189 them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah 00:01:53.189 --> 00:01:56.109 who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, 00:01:56.349 --> 00:01:58.849 And the Levites, who taught the people, said 00:01:58.849 --> 00:02:01.890 to all the people, This day is holy to the Lord 00:02:01.890 --> 00:02:05.150 your God. Do not mourn nor weep. For all the 00:02:05.150 --> 00:02:07.030 people wept when they heard the words of the 00:02:07.030 --> 00:02:10.289 law. Then he said to them, Go your way, eat the 00:02:10.289 --> 00:02:13.090 fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those 00:02:13.090 --> 00:02:15.949 for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is 00:02:15.949 --> 00:02:18.849 holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy 00:02:18.849 --> 00:02:21.900 of the Lord is your strength. So the Levites 00:02:21.900 --> 00:02:25.000 quieted all the people, saying, Be still, for 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:27.900 the day is holy, do not be grieved. And all the 00:02:27.900 --> 00:02:30.539 people who went their way to eat and drink, to 00:02:30.539 --> 00:02:33.099 send portions and rejoice greatly, because they 00:02:33.099 --> 00:02:35.419 understood the words that were declared to them. 00:02:35.699 --> 00:02:38.120 Now on the second day the heads of the fathers' 00:02:38.199 --> 00:02:40.860 houses of all the people, with the priests and 00:02:40.860 --> 00:02:43.560 Levites, were gathered to Ezra the scribe in 00:02:43.560 --> 00:02:46.250 order to understand the words of the law. And 00:02:46.250 --> 00:02:48.370 they found written in the law, which the Lord 00:02:48.370 --> 00:02:50.689 had commanded by Moses, that the children of 00:02:50.689 --> 00:02:53.270 Israel should dwell in booth during the feast 00:02:53.270 --> 00:02:55.710 of the seventh month, and that they should announce 00:02:55.710 --> 00:02:58.349 and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, 00:02:58.409 --> 00:03:01.009 saying, Go out to the mountain and bring olive 00:03:01.009 --> 00:03:04.430 branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, 00:03:04.909 --> 00:03:08.189 palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to 00:03:08.189 --> 00:03:10.990 make booths, as it is written. Then the people 00:03:10.990 --> 00:03:13.069 went out and brought them and made themselves 00:03:13.069 --> 00:03:16.289 booth, each one on the roof of his house, or 00:03:16.289 --> 00:03:18.629 in their courtyards, or the courts of the house 00:03:18.629 --> 00:03:21.229 of God, and in the open square of the gate of 00:03:21.229 --> 00:03:24.099 Ephraim. So the whole assembly of those who had 00:03:24.099 --> 00:03:26.919 returned from the captivity made booth and sat 00:03:26.919 --> 00:03:29.319 under the booth. For since the days of Joshua 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:32.020 the son of Nun, until that day the children of 00:03:32.020 --> 00:03:34.879 Israel had not done so. And there was very great 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:37.919 gladness. Also day by day, from the first day 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:40.360 until the last day, he read from the book of 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:43.039 the law of God. And they kept the feast seven 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:46.139 days. And on the eighth day there was a sacred 00:03:46.139 --> 00:03:48.599 assembly according to the prescribed manner. 00:03:50.860 --> 00:03:54.280 Chapter 9 Now on the twenty -fourth day of this 00:03:54.280 --> 00:03:56.639 month, the children of Israel were assembled 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:59.840 with fasting in sackcloth and with dust on their 00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:02.819 heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated 00:04:02.819 --> 00:04:05.419 themselves from all foreigners, and they stood 00:04:05.419 --> 00:04:07.740 and confessed their sins and the iniquities of 00:04:07.740 --> 00:04:10.039 their fathers. And they stood up in their place 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:12.120 and read from the book of the law of the Lord, 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:15.120 their God, for one fourth of the day, and for 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:17.199 another fourth they confessed and worshipped 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:20.689 the Lord their God. Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, 00:04:20.829 --> 00:04:25.370 Shebaniah, Buni, Sherabiah, Bani, and Kinani, 00:04:25.470 --> 00:04:28.250 stood on the stairs of the Levites and cried 00:04:28.250 --> 00:04:30.569 out with a loud voice to the Lord their God. 00:04:30.810 --> 00:04:35.290 And the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, 00:04:35.470 --> 00:04:40.089 Sherabiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pitaiah, said, 00:04:40.370 --> 00:04:42.990 Stand up and bless the Lord your God forever 00:04:42.990 --> 00:04:46.089 and ever. Blessed be your glorious name, which 00:04:46.089 --> 00:04:48.930 is exalted above all blessing and praise. You 00:04:48.930 --> 00:04:52.089 alone are the Lord. You have made heaven, the 00:04:52.089 --> 00:04:54.490 heaven of heavens, with all their hosts, the 00:04:54.490 --> 00:04:57.290 earth and everything on it, the seas and all 00:04:57.290 --> 00:05:00.149 that is in them, and you preserve them all. The 00:05:00.149 --> 00:05:02.990 host of heaven worships you. You are the Lord 00:05:02.990 --> 00:05:06.430 God, who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur 00:05:06.430 --> 00:05:08.829 of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham. 00:05:09.129 --> 00:05:11.790 You found his heart faithful before you and made 00:05:11.790 --> 00:05:14.120 a covenant with him. to give the land of the 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:17.439 Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:20.319 the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:22.959 to his descendants, you have performed your words, 00:05:23.100 --> 00:05:25.959 for you are righteous. You saw the affliction 00:05:25.959 --> 00:05:28.279 of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry 00:05:28.279 --> 00:05:30.860 by the Red Sea. You showed signs and wonders 00:05:30.860 --> 00:05:33.620 against Pharaoh, against all his servants, and 00:05:33.620 --> 00:05:36.180 against all the people of his land. For you knew 00:05:36.180 --> 00:05:38.860 that they acted proudly against them. So you 00:05:38.860 --> 00:05:41.839 made a name for yourself as it is this day, and 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:44.100 you divided the sea before them, so that they 00:05:44.100 --> 00:05:46.439 went through the midst of the sea on the dry 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:49.319 land, and their persecutors you threw into the 00:05:49.319 --> 00:05:52.480 deep, as a stone into the mighty waters. Moreover, 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:55.600 you led them by day with a cloudy pillar, and 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:58.160 by night with a pillar of fire, to give them 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:00.560 light on the road, which they should travel. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:03.879 You came down also on Mount Sinai, and spoke 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:07.019 with them from heaven, and gave them just ordinances 00:06:07.019 --> 00:06:09.709 and true laws, good statutes and commandments. 00:06:10.029 --> 00:06:12.550 You have made known to them your holy Sabbath 00:06:12.550 --> 00:06:15.810 and commanded them precepts, statutes and laws 00:06:15.810 --> 00:06:18.730 by the hand of Moses your servant. You gave them 00:06:18.730 --> 00:06:21.050 bread from heaven for their hunger and brought 00:06:21.050 --> 00:06:23.649 them water out of the rock for their thirst and 00:06:23.649 --> 00:06:26.290 told them to go in to possess the land which 00:06:26.290 --> 00:06:28.870 you had sworn to give them. But they and our 00:06:28.870 --> 00:06:32.209 fathers acted proudly, hardened their necks and 00:06:32.209 --> 00:06:34.430 did not heed your commandments. They refused 00:06:34.430 --> 00:06:37.329 to obey, and they were not mindful of your wonders 00:06:37.329 --> 00:06:40.310 that you did among them. But they hardened their 00:06:40.310 --> 00:06:42.829 necks, and in their rebellion they appointed 00:06:42.829 --> 00:06:45.589 a leader to return to their bondage. But you 00:06:45.589 --> 00:06:49.029 are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, 00:06:49.310 --> 00:06:52.389 slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and did 00:06:52.389 --> 00:06:55.370 not forsake them. Even when they made a molded 00:06:55.370 --> 00:06:58.129 calf for themselves, and said, This is your God 00:06:58.129 --> 00:07:00.949 that brought you up out of Egypt, and worked 00:07:00.949 --> 00:07:04.290 great provocations, Yet in your manifold mercies 00:07:04.290 --> 00:07:06.850 you did not forsake them in the wilderness. The 00:07:06.850 --> 00:07:08.850 pillar of the cloud did not depart from them 00:07:08.850 --> 00:07:11.930 by day to lead them on the road, nor the pillar 00:07:11.930 --> 00:07:14.870 of fire by night to show them light and the way 00:07:14.870 --> 00:07:17.529 they should go. You also gave your good spirit 00:07:17.529 --> 00:07:20.589 to instruct them and did not withhold your manna 00:07:20.589 --> 00:07:23.189 from their mouth and gave them water for their 00:07:23.189 --> 00:07:25.850 thirst. Forty years you sustained them in the 00:07:25.850 --> 00:07:28.990 wilderness. They lacked nothing. Their clothes 00:07:28.990 --> 00:07:31.170 did not wear out and their feet did not swell. 00:07:31.689 --> 00:07:34.009 Moreover, you gave them kingdoms and nations, 00:07:34.189 --> 00:07:37.069 and divided them into districts. So they took 00:07:37.069 --> 00:07:39.990 possession of the land of Sihon, the land of 00:07:39.990 --> 00:07:43.149 the king of Hezbon, and the land of Og king of 00:07:43.149 --> 00:07:45.769 Bashan. You also multiplied their children as 00:07:45.769 --> 00:07:48.209 the stars of heaven, and brought them into the 00:07:48.209 --> 00:07:50.949 land which you had told their fathers to go in 00:07:50.949 --> 00:07:53.569 and possess. So the people went in and possessed 00:07:53.569 --> 00:07:56.420 the land. You subdued before them the inhabitants 00:07:56.420 --> 00:07:59.759 of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:02.060 their hands, with their kings and the people 00:08:02.060 --> 00:08:04.860 of the land, that they might do with them as 00:08:04.860 --> 00:08:07.379 they wished. And they took strong cities and 00:08:07.379 --> 00:08:10.199 a rich land, and possessed houses full of all 00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:13.740 goods, cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive 00:08:13.740 --> 00:08:16.720 groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:19.500 ate and were filled and grew fat, and delighted 00:08:19.500 --> 00:08:22.040 themselves in your great goodness. Nevertheless 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:24.819 they were disobedient. and rebelled against you, 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:27.279 cast your law behind their backs, and killed 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:30.019 your prophets who testified against them to turn 00:08:30.019 --> 00:08:33.100 them to yourself. And they worked great provocations. 00:08:33.259 --> 00:08:35.539 Therefore you delivered them into the hand of 00:08:35.539 --> 00:08:37.860 their enemies, who oppressed them, and in the 00:08:37.860 --> 00:08:40.340 time of their trouble, when they cried to you, 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:43.200 you heard from heaven. And according to your 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:45.919 abundant mercies, you gave them deliverers who 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:48.440 saved them from the hand of their enemies. But 00:08:48.440 --> 00:08:50.899 after they had rest, they again did evil before 00:08:50.899 --> 00:08:53.519 you. Therefore you left them in the hand of their 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:55.899 enemies, so that they had dominion over them. 00:08:56.100 --> 00:08:58.139 Yet when they returned and cried out to you, 00:08:58.259 --> 00:09:00.940 you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered 00:09:00.940 --> 00:09:03.340 them according to your mercies, and testified 00:09:03.340 --> 00:09:05.740 against them, that you might bring them back 00:09:05.740 --> 00:09:08.980 to your law. Yet they acted proudly, and did 00:09:08.980 --> 00:09:11.580 not heed your commandments, but sinned against 00:09:11.580 --> 00:09:14.500 your judgments, which if a man does, he shall 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:16.940 live by them. And they shrugged their shoulders, 00:09:17.179 --> 00:09:19.909 stiffened their necks, and would not hear. Yet 00:09:19.909 --> 00:09:22.429 for many years you had patience with them and 00:09:22.429 --> 00:09:24.669 testified against them by your spirit in your 00:09:24.669 --> 00:09:27.590 prophets. Yet they would not listen. Therefore 00:09:27.590 --> 00:09:29.889 you gave them into the hand of the peoples of 00:09:29.889 --> 00:09:32.789 the lands. Nevertheless, in your great mercy, 00:09:32.929 --> 00:09:35.850 you did not utterly consume them nor forsake 00:09:35.850 --> 00:09:38.750 them. For you are God, gracious and merciful. 00:09:39.149 --> 00:09:42.110 Now therefore our God, the great, the mighty 00:09:42.110 --> 00:09:44.730 and awesome God, who keeps covenant and mercy, 00:09:44.970 --> 00:09:47.669 do not let all the trouble seem small before 00:09:47.669 --> 00:09:50.620 you. that has come upon us, our kings and our 00:09:50.620 --> 00:09:53.820 princes, our priests and our prophets, our fathers 00:09:53.820 --> 00:09:56.820 and on all your people, from the days of the 00:09:56.820 --> 00:09:59.820 kings of Assyria until this day. However, you 00:09:59.820 --> 00:10:02.720 are just in all that has befallen us, for you 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:05.980 have dealt faithfully, but we have done wickedly. 00:10:06.200 --> 00:10:09.139 Neither our kings nor our princes, our priests 00:10:09.139 --> 00:10:12.440 nor our fathers, have kept your law, nor heeded 00:10:12.440 --> 00:10:14.940 your commandments and your testimonies, with 00:10:14.940 --> 00:10:17.210 which you testified against them. For they have 00:10:17.210 --> 00:10:19.809 not served you in their kingdom, or in the many 00:10:19.809 --> 00:10:22.750 good things that you gave them, or in the large 00:10:22.750 --> 00:10:25.710 and rich land which you set before them, nor 00:10:25.710 --> 00:10:29.110 did they turn from their wicked works. Here we 00:10:29.110 --> 00:10:32.049 are, servants today, in the land that you gave 00:10:32.049 --> 00:10:35.230 to our fathers, to eat its fruit and its bounty. 00:10:35.490 --> 00:10:38.769 Here we are, servants in it, and it yields much 00:10:38.769 --> 00:10:41.470 increase to the kings. You have set over us, 00:10:41.509 --> 00:10:44.129 because of our sins. Also they have dominion 00:10:44.129 --> 00:10:46.779 over our bodies and our cattle. At their pleasure, 00:10:46.919 --> 00:10:49.879 and we are in great distress. And because of 00:10:49.879 --> 00:10:52.840 all this, we make a sure covenant and write it. 00:10:52.919 --> 00:10:56.480 Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal 00:10:56.480 --> 00:11:46.960 it. These were the priests. Hashabaya, Zakur, 00:11:47.179 --> 00:11:52.240 Sherabaya, Shibania, Hodeja, Bani, and Benino. 00:11:52.539 --> 00:12:31.860 The leaders of the people. Now the rest of the 00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:46.629 people. the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, 00:12:46.830 --> 00:12:49.909 the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who 00:12:49.909 --> 00:12:52.029 had separated themselves from the peoples of 00:12:52.029 --> 00:12:54.929 the lands to the law of God, their wives, their 00:12:54.929 --> 00:12:57.470 sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge 00:12:57.470 --> 00:13:00.029 and understanding. They joined with their brethren, 00:13:00.190 --> 00:13:03.090 their nobles, and entered into a curse and an 00:13:03.090 --> 00:13:06.210 oath to walk in God's law, which was given by 00:13:06.210 --> 00:13:09.409 Moses, the servant of God, and to observe and 00:13:09.409 --> 00:13:11.889 do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord. 00:13:12.490 --> 00:13:15.330 and his ordinances and his statutes. We would 00:13:15.330 --> 00:13:17.629 not give our daughters as wives to the peoples 00:13:17.629 --> 00:13:20.029 of the land, nor take their daughters for our 00:13:20.029 --> 00:13:23.230 sons. If the peoples of the land brought wares 00:13:23.230 --> 00:13:26.110 or any grain to sell on a Sabbath day, we would 00:13:26.110 --> 00:13:29.129 not buy it from them on a Sabbath or on a holy 00:13:29.129 --> 00:13:32.750 day. And we would forego the seventh year's produce 00:13:32.750 --> 00:13:36.240 and the exacting of every debt. Also we made 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:38.940 ordinances for ourselves to exact from ourselves 00:13:38.940 --> 00:13:42.080 yearly one -third of a shekel for the service 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:45.100 of the house of our God, for the showbread, for 00:13:45.100 --> 00:13:47.559 the regular grain offering, for the regular burnt 00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:50.559 offering of the Sabbaths, the new moons, and 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:53.179 the set feasts, for the holy things, for the 00:13:53.179 --> 00:13:55.899 sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and 00:13:55.899 --> 00:13:58.700 all the work of the house of our God. We cast 00:13:58.700 --> 00:14:01.220 lots among the priests, the Levites, and the 00:14:01.220 --> 00:14:03.899 people for bringing the wood offering into the 00:14:03.899 --> 00:14:06.799 house of our God according to our Father's houses 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:10.600 at the appointed times year by year to burn on 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:13.259 the altar of the Lord our God as it is written 00:14:13.259 --> 00:14:16.240 in the law. And we made ordinances to bring the 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:18.399 firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:21.659 of all fruit of all trees year by year to the 00:14:21.659 --> 00:14:24.139 house of the Lord to bring the firstborn of our 00:14:24.139 --> 00:14:27.000 sons and our cattle as it is written in the law. 00:14:27.370 --> 00:14:29.990 and the firstborn of our herds and our flocks 00:14:29.990 --> 00:14:32.750 to the house of our God, to the priests who minister 00:14:32.750 --> 00:14:35.870 in the house of our God, to bring the firstfruits 00:14:35.870 --> 00:14:38.649 of our dough, our offerings, the fruit from all 00:14:38.649 --> 00:14:41.590 kinds of trees, the new wine and oil, to the 00:14:41.590 --> 00:14:44.049 priests, to the storerooms of the house of our 00:14:44.049 --> 00:14:47.409 God, and to bring the tithe of our land to the 00:14:47.409 --> 00:14:50.029 Levites. For the Levites should receive the tithe 00:14:50.269 --> 00:14:52.970 in all our farming communities. And a priest, 00:14:53.169 --> 00:14:56.549 the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites 00:14:56.549 --> 00:14:59.389 when the Levites receive tithe. And the Levites 00:14:59.389 --> 00:15:02.070 shall bring up a tenth of the tithe to the house 00:15:02.070 --> 00:15:05.590 of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse. For 00:15:05.590 --> 00:15:07.610 the children of Israel and the children of Levi 00:15:07.610 --> 00:15:10.230 shall bring the offering of the grain, of the 00:15:10.230 --> 00:15:13.309 new wine and the oil, to the storerooms where 00:15:13.309 --> 00:15:15.710 the articles of the sanctuary are. where the 00:15:15.710 --> 00:15:18.250 priests who minister and the gatekeepers and 00:15:18.250 --> 00:15:21.009 the singers are, and we will not neglect the 00:15:21.009 --> 00:15:28.669 house of our God. I hope you enjoyed today's 00:15:28.669 --> 00:15:30.850 reading as much as I did, and I look forward 00:15:30.850 --> 00:15:32.909 to seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our 00:15:32.909 --> 00:15:35.009 journey. God bless you and have a great day.