I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading. I had been using One Year Bible Online, but it was time for a change.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Nehemiah 1-3.

    When Nehemiah was convicted to go to Jerusalem to oversee rebuilding the city his first act was to fast and pray. As part of that prayer he acknowledged that God was in the right when He allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed. The people had sinned against God. Nehemiah asked God for guidance in what action he should take. The plan he conceived was designed to bring honor to God. Once he had made his plan, Nehemiah asked God’s aid in executing the plan. Two figures of local political prominence were unhappy that Nehemiah was sent to Jerusalem by the Persian king. They reacted this way before they even knew what Nehemiah’s plans were. I had never noticed this before but when Nehemiah arrived at Jerusalem the people living there were subject to what were little more than bandit raids by the government officials of the surrounding lands. With no walls around Jerusalem, the government officials could sweep in with their military escort and take goods and services, claiming they were taxes due. Once the walls were reconstructed, they had to arrive and justify the taxes they wished to collect. If the taxes were legitimate and the people refused to pay them, the king, back in the capital would send his army and reconquer the city. However, unlike before the wall was built, if the “taxes” were illegitimate the people could refuse to pay them and close the gates against the officials. Then the officials would have to justify to the king why they were demanding these “taxes”.