December 11

<p>Nehemiah 9-12 We are in the Nation Stream reading from the New Living Translation. 7streamsmethod.com | @7streamsmethod | <a href= "http://www.sevenstreamsmethod.com/donate"><u>Donate</u></a> Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis</p> <blockquote> <div>Dear God in Heaven, Such great things happen when we simply pause and rededicate ourselves to be people of the Scripture. Amen.</div> </blockquote> <p>09 - The scripture reading (from the chapters we read last week) led straight into a movement of great repentance and solemn prayer. There was confession and worship.  The praise led to a reciting of their history: the great, the good, the foolish, the bad.  Their assessment of themselves was sober (quite refreshing actually!).  They, right then, right there, make a pact to be an obedient people.  Interesting that yesterday, we were reading the other end of their history, when they were hearing the urgent reasons to be an obedient people.  Here they are regrouping in the land, 900-1000 years later and pledging to be an obedient people.  Can we say "finally!" Can we?</p> <div>10 - Like contracts today, they needed to put it in writing. They did and signed it. Participants were Nehemiah, and Zedekiah (not the lousy tortured king from 586 B.C., a <em>different</em> Zedekiah) along with numerous priests, Levites, and leaders. Then all the others who consecrated themselves to also follow God pledged an oath in kind: None in their families would marry pagans, they would keep the Sabbath, they would see to the Temple being financed, maintained, and supplied.  Family-members would be dedicated to God. There would be no more hoarding against God's rules or withholding from what He asks of them.</div> <div>11 - It was time to resettle and occupy Jerusalem.  Sacred lots were drawn and people gathered their things to go take up resident and fill the city with life.  They came from the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, plus there were Priests, Levites, gatekeepers and their associates.  The apportioning and settlements were then listed as th