Participants: Kelly Mowrer
Series Code: HWAL
Program Code: HWAL000585
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00:15 Hello, and Welcome to His Words are Life.
00:17 I'm Kelly Mowrer and thank you for joining with me today 00:21 to read the word of God together Let's pray before we start. 00:24 Dear Lord, thank you so much for the words that you have 00:30 preserved for us all these hundreds of years, 00:33 thousands of years, down through the centuries they have been a 00:36 comfort and an encouragement to your children. And now we come 00:40 to hear them and to be strengthened and to learn from 00:43 them the lessons you have for us. Please be with us now. 00:47 Thank you. Amen. We are reading in the book of 00:51 Nehemiah, chapter 10, and beginning in verse 39. 00:55 This is the King James Version. For the children of Israel 00:59 and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, 01:03 of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, 01:07 where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that 01:10 minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not 01:15 forsake the house of our God. We're continuing Nehemiah, 01:19 chapter 11, this is the King James Version. 01:22 And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: 01:26 the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten 01:31 to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell 01:35 in other cities. And the people blessed all the men, 01:38 that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem 01:41 Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem 01:46 but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession 01:49 in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, 01:53 and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants. 01:56 And then there's a long listing of the names of those where they 02:01 were dwelling, so we'll skip over that list of names and 02:04 pick it up in Nehemiah, chapter 12, and they're designating 02:09 some of the names as they go into a company of men to 02:13 praise. We're going to pick up in the 2nd half of Nehemiah, 02:16 chapter 12, verse 36. With the musical instruments of David 02:23 the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them. And at the 02:28 fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by 02:30 the stairs of the city of David at the going up of the wall, 02:33 above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward. 02:36 Reading down in Nehemiah, chapter 12, verse 38. 02:40 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over 02:44 against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon 02:48 the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the 02:51 broad wall; and from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the 02:55 old gate, and above the fish gate and the tower of Hananeel, 02:58 and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: 03:01 and they stood in the prison gate. So stood the two companies 03:05 of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the 03:10 half of the rulers with me: and the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, 03:16 Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, 03:22 with trumpets; and Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi 03:27 and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. 03:33 And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. 03:37 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: 03:41 for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also 03:46 and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was 03:49 heard even afar off. And at that time were some appointed over 03:56 the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the first 03:59 fruits and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the 04:03 fields of the cities the portions of the law for the 04:05 priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests 04:09 and for the Levites that waited and both the singers and the 04:14 porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the 04:18 purification, according to the commandment of David, 04:20 and of Solomon his son. For in the days of David and Asaph 04:24 of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise 04:28 and thanksgiving unto God. And all Israel in the days of 04:32 Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions 04:35 of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: 04:39 and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; 04:42 and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron. 04:47 We're continuing now in Nehemiah chapter 13, and this is the 04:51 King James Version. On that day they read in the 04:55 book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was 05:00 found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come 05:03 into the congregation of God for ever: 05:05 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread 05:08 and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should 05:11 curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing 05:15 Now it came to pass, when they heard the law, that they 05:19 separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. 05:22 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight 05:28 of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah: 05:31 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime 05:36 they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense and the vessels 05:39 and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, 05:41 which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, 05:45 and the porters; and the offerings of the priests. 05:47 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and 05:52 thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto 05:56 the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king: 06:01 and I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that 06:05 Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the 06:09 courts of the house of God. And it grieved me sore: 06:13 therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah 06:17 out of the chamber. Then I commanded, and they cleansed 06:21 the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels 06:25 of the house of God, with the meat offering and the 06:27 frankincense. And I perceived that the portions of the Levites 06:31 had not been given them; for the Levites and the singers, 06:34 that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 06:37 Then contended I with the rulers and said, Why is the house of 06:42 God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in 06:46 their place. Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn 06:50 and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. 06:53 And I made Treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest 06:58 and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to 07:03 them was Hanan the son of Zaccur the son of Mattaniah: 07:05 for they were counted faithful, and their office was to 07:09 distribute unto their brethren. Remember me, O my God, 07:14 concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have 07:18 done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. 07:21 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses 07:28 on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; 07:32 as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which 07:36 they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: 07:39 and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold 07:42 victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought 07:47 fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto 07:50 the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended 07:54 with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing 07:58 is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 08:00 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this 08:04 evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath 08:07 upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. And it came to pass, 08:12 that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark 08:14 before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, 08:17 and charged that they should not be opened til after the sabbath: 08:21 and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should 08:26 no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. So the merchants 08:31 and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once 08:35 or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them 08:39 Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay 08:43 hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the 08:47 sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse 08:51 themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, 08:54 to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, 08:59 concerning this also, and spare me according to the 09:02 greatness of thy mercy. In those days also saw I Jews that had 09:08 married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 09:11 And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could 09:15 not speak in the Jew's language but according to the language 09:19 of each people. And I contended with them, and cursed them, 09:23 and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made 09:25 them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters 09:28 unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, 09:32 or for yourselves. Did not Solomon king of Israel sin 09:36 by these things? yet among many nations was there no king 09:40 like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king 09:43 over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women 09:48 cause to sin. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this 09:52 great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying 09:55 strange wives? And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of 10:00 Eliashib the high priest, was the son in law to Sanballat 10:05 the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. 10:07 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the 10:10 priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the 10:13 Levites. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers and appointed 10:19 the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his 10:23 business; And for the wood offering at times appointed, 10:26 and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good. 10:32 We're now going to begin reading the book of Esther together. 10:38 This is Esther, chapter 1, the King James Version. 10:42 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus - this is Ahasuerus 10:48 which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred 10:52 and seven and twenty provinces: - that in those days, when the 10:57 king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in 11:00 Shushan the palace, in the third year of his reign, 11:04 he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; 11:08 the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the 11:14 provinces, being before him: When he shewed the riches of 11:18 his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty 11:21 many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. 11:24 And when these days were expired, the king made a 11:27 feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan 11:30 the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court 11:35 of the garden of the king's palace, where were white, green, 11:40 and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and 11:44 purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: 11:47 the beds were of gold and silver upon a pavement of red, and blue 11:53 and white, and black, marble. And they gave them drink in 11:58 vessels of gold, the vessels being diverse one from another, 12:01 and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the 12:05 king. And the drinking was according to the law; 12:08 none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the 12:13 officers of his house, that they should do according to every 12:16 man's pleasure. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women 12:21 in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. 12:24 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry 12:28 with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and 12:35 Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that 12:39 served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, 12:42 to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, 12:46 to shew the people and the princes her beauty: 12:50 for she was fair to look on. But the queen Vashti refused 12:54 to come at the king's commandment 12:55 by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, 12:59 and his anger burned in him. Then the king said to the wise 13:04 men, which knew the times, for so was the king's manner toward 13:08 all that knew law and judgment: and the next unto him was 13:12 Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, 13:18 and Memucan the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw 13:23 the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom; 13:25 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, 13:30 because she hath not performed the commandment of the king 13:33 Ahasuerus by the chamberlains? And Memucan answered before the 13:38 king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the 13:42 king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people 13:46 that are in all the provinces of the king Ahazuerus. 13:50 This deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, 13:54 so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, 13:56 when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti 14:00 the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not. 14:02 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day 14:07 unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of 14:10 the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt 14:14 and wrath. If it please the king let there go a royal 14:18 commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the 14:21 Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come 14:25 no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal 14:28 estate unto another that is better than she. 14:31 Thank you for joining with me today to read the word of God. 14:35 Please join me again next time. Until then, may God bless us all 14:39 with his love and mercy. |
Revised 2014-12-17