I was initially led to read Nehemiah, but I read Ezra first, which was not my plan, because I found out that Ezra and Nehemiah was originally one book.

So I started with Ezra.

It took me a week to read it with understanding. Then, it appeared that
Ezra ended abruptly, and I don’t know how to feel.

I have questions.

“Why?”

“I don’t understand.”

I know I can ask why (Jeremiah 33:3), and
I know I will be answered.

The reason I want to understand is for practical application of the principle.

All I know is that the book of Ezra just ended so abruptly, and then I was taken to another, Nehemiah, who was crying and fasting from another location outside of Jerusalem, but crying over Jerusalem also.

What am I seeing?

Ezra is on the inside
Crying and fasting
In Jerusalem
Over the condition of Jerusalem
Of which the leaders and rulers were just as guilty as the people, all three – the people , the priests, and the Levites had sinned against God.

It was such a terrible thing that in the eyes of the people they wanted the leaders to judge in the matter of divorce instead of the priests because they, the priests were guilty too, and thus disqualified to handle the matter.

Wait…

Who did I hear ask this question?

I heard someone ask, “why do people go to priests to get married but go to judges to get divorces?”

I don’t remember who asked that

But the answer is found in Ezra chapter 10…
Actually it’s chapters 9 and 10.

In the eyes of the people, the sins of the priests disqualified them from being able to make a ruling.

Because many of them (priests) were the worst offenders, the people decided to have respected family elders (chiefs) to deal with the issue.

When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, with respect to the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. – Ezra 9:1

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra9:1&version=NKJV

Then the descendants of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain heads of the fathers’ households, were set apart by the fathers’ households, each of them by name; and they sat down on the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.And among the sons of the priests who had taken pagan wives the following were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.And they gave their promise that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they presented a ram of the flock as their trespass offering.Also of the sons of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah;of the sons of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah;of the sons of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.Also of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.Also of the singers: Eliashib; and of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.And others of Israel: of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, Jeziah, Malchiah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah;of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Eliah;of the sons of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;of the sons of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Ramoth;of the sons of Pahath-Moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;of the sons of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei;of the sons of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel,Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluh,Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasai,Bani, Binnui, Shimei,Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph;of the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.All these had taken pagan wives, and some of them had wives by whom they had children. – Ezra 10:16,18-44

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra10:16,18-44&version=NKJV

The offense against God was a top down progression that began with the family of the high priest. I am told that it didn’t end here in Ezra but that this issue was seen again in Nehemiah which I I’m getting ready to read.

Again as I prepare to begin reading Nehemiah it stands out to me that as Ezra wept over Jerusalem from inside Jerusalem, 20 years later Nehemiah weeps over Jerusalem from outside of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah lived in Susa – the hometown of Mordecai and Hadassah aka Queen Esther

He fasted and prayed about the condition of Jerusalem.

I like his prayer. In it he reminded Jehovah of what He said to Moses:

Nehemiah prayed God’s word. He said, “remember, I pray, what you said to Moses, if you return to me and keep my Commandments and do them though some of you were cast out to the farthest parts of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for my name.” Nehemiah 1:8,9

Our Father will keep his word. He has to. He is bound to His Word.

But what about us? Are we bound to our word?

Are we still trying to get into the presence of God? Or are we trying to get back to normal?

I am going to enjoy reading Nehemiah. I love his prayer found in chapter one verse 11 which says,

“O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” – Nehemiah 1:11 NKJV

“…who desire to fear YOUR name…”

Oh wow…

I feel as if God is answering my prayers

“Can i…?”

Ezra had me disconnect from the marriage alliance, and I did it quickly.

I get it now.
I’m beginning to understand.

“Can I now…?”

Not yet.

Nehemiah 1:9 He will bring me to the place where…

Nehemiah 1:10 His servants are. His people whom He redeemed are.

Proverbs 3:5-6 I am not to lean on my own understanding in this.

Isaiah 49:23 When I wait on the Lord I will not be disappointed.

2John 1:9-11 I am not to push ahead.

It doesn’t matter what anyone is saying. I am not to give into words that are designed to make me feel as if I am doing something other than what our Father has spoken to me.

If I need to reread 1 Kings 13 then I must reread 1 Kings 13.

But I am to do what the Lord has spoken 👉 to me 👈. End of story.

And thus Nehemiah’s prayer

O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” – Nehemiah 1:11 NKJV

I desire to fear the name of my Lord. King Jesus.

Thus I will wait on the Lord to tell me when.

I will wait on the Lord to tell me where.

I will not form another marriage alliance that God did not design for me after God has brought me out of marriage alliances I formed of my own understanding. (Ezra 10. I get it now. And I remember that dream from last year about the divorce papers.)

Order my steps Lord.
Father, thank you for protecting me.

Ok NEHEMIAH speak
I am listening.