Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is the last chapter
of the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah chapter 13,
as well as Psalm 92. From the book of Nehemiah,
chapter 13. On that day they read from the book
of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in
it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite
should ever come into the assembly of God, because
they had not met the children of Israel with
bread and water, but hired Balaam against them
to curse them. However, our God turned the curse
into a blessing. So it was when they heard the
law that they separated all the mixed multitude
from Israel. Now before this, Eliashib the priest,
having authority over the storerooms of the house
of our God, was allied with Tobiah. And he had
prepared for him a large room, where previously
they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense,
the articles, the tithe of grain, the new wine
and oil, which were commanded to be given to
the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and
the offerings for the priests. But during all
this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty
-second year of Artaxerxes, king of Babylon,
I had returned to the king. Then after certain
days I obtained leave from the king, and I came
to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib
had done for Tobiah in preparing a room for him
in the courts of the house of God. And he grieved
me bitterly. Therefore I threw all the household
goods of Tobiah out of the room. Then I commanded
them to cleanse the rooms, and I brought back
into them the articles of the house of God with
the grain offering and the frankincense. I also
realized that the portions for the Levites had
not been given them, for each of the Levites
and the singers who did the work had gone back
to his field. So I contended with the rulers
and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And
I gathered them together and set them in their
place. Then all Judah brought the tithe of the
grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse,
and I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse
Shalamiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, And
of the Levites, Pediah, and next to them was
Hanan the son of Zakur, the son of Metaniah.
For they were considered faithful, and their
task was to distribute to their brethren. Remember
me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe
out my good deeds that I have done for the house
of my God and for its services. In those days
I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on
the Sabbath. and bringing in sheaves, and loading
donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds
of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem
on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the
day on which they were selling provisions. Men
of Tyre dwelled there also, who brought in fish
and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the
Sabbath to the children of Judah and in Jerusalem.
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah and
said to them, What evil thing is this that you
do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? Did
not your fathers do thus, and did not our God
bring all this disaster on us and on this city?
Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning
the Sabbath. So it was at the gates of Jerusalem,
as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that
I commanded the gates to be shut and charged
that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath.
Then I posted some of my servants at the gates,
so that no burdens would be brought in on the
Sabbath day. Now the merchants and sellers of
all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once
or twice. Then I warned them and said to them,
Why do you spend the night around the wall? If
you do so again, I will lay hands on you. From
that time on, they came no more on the Sabbath.
And I commanded the Levites that they should
cleanse themselves and that they should go and
guard the gates to sanctify the Sabbath day.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this also,
and spare me according to the greatness of your
mercy. In those days I also saw Jews who had
married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab, and
half of their children spoke the language of
Ashdod and could not speak the language of Judah,
but spoke according to the language of one or
the other people. So I contended with them and
cursed them. struck some of them and pulled out
their hair, and made them swear by God, saying,
You shall not give your daughters as wives to
their sons, nor take their daughters for your
sons or yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel
sin by these things? Yet among many nations there
was no king like him, who was beloved of his
God. And God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless,
pagan women caused even him to sin. Should we
then hear of your doing all this great evil,
transgressing against our God by marrying pagan
women? And one of the sons of Joiada, the son
of Eliashib the high priest, was a son -in -law
of Sambalat the Horonite. Therefore I drove him
from me. Remember them, O my God, because they
have defiled the priesthood and the covenant
of the priesthood and the Levites. Thus I cleansed
them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties
to the priests and the Levites, each to his service,
and to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits
at appointed times. Remember me, O my God, for
good. It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
and to sing praises to your name almost high,
to declare your lovingkindness in the morning,
and your faithfulness every night, on an instrument
of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp,
with harmonious sound. For you, Lord, have made
me glad through your work. I will triumph in
the works of your hands. O Lord, how great are
your works! Your thoughts are very deep. A senseless
man does not know, nor does a fool understand
this. When the wicked spring up like grass, and
when all the workers of iniquity flourish, it
is that they may be destroyed forever. But you,
Lord, are on high forevermore. For behold, your
enemies, O Lord, for behold, your enemies shall
perish. All the workers of iniquity shall be
scattered. But my horn you have exalted like
a wild ox. I have been anointed with fresh oil.
My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies.
My ears hear my desire on the wicked who rise
up against me. The righteous shall flourish like
a palm tree. He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
shall flourish in the courts of our God. They
shall still bear fruit in old age. They shall
be fresh and flourishing. To declare that the
Lord is upright, He is my rock, and there is
no unrighteousness in Him. I hope you enjoyed
today's reading as much as I did and I look forward
to seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.