Having read the Law and understanding the importance of God’s standard for them, the Jews now stand ready to renew their covenant relationship with Him.<\/p>\n
June 24, 2012<\/p>\n
It\u2019s taken me a couple days to get this in, but I remember most of what I would say. This passage of scripture was a nice refresher \u2013 not to mention a trip down Israel\u2019s memory lane. \u263a Roughly 3 days after the Feast of Tabernacles, the people of Israel gather together once more. This time, it\u2019s a voluntary assembly; they are gathering to renew their covenant with GOD. This may be a parallel or epilogue to the final chapters of Ezra, since it mentions that \u201cthose of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners;\u201d having severed their Gentile ties, they now seek restoration with GOD as His chosen people.<\/p>\n
What occurs next is, in a sense, a prayer, a song of praise, and a historical review. Throughout the prayer, the history of Israel is overviewed with significant points highlighted; these are Abraham\u2019s call to follow GOD, the Exodus from Egypt, the Sinai covenant, Israel\u2019s wilderness wanderings, the conquest of the Holy Land, the cycle of Judges, and finally the Exile\/Captivity. Each point holds a special encounter with GOD, and how His character is reflected in His actions, whether blessing or judgement.<\/p>\n
As they wrap up their prayer, they hearken back to GOD\u2019s Suzerain-vassal covenant with Abraham, concluding that He has been both faithful and just as the suzerain (senior partner) even though Israel has not. They present themselves as repentant servants, wishing to renew Abraham\u2019s covenant with their LORD and Master, putting it in writing and sealing it, so that they are held accountable not only by GOD, but their own words as well.<\/p>\n
The first 27 verses of chapter 10 detail the leaders who signed the covenant, Nehemiah being the first listed. In addition to this, the people of Judah lay the foundations for their future actions. They promise to avoid intermarriage with non-Jews, as well as setting proper limits for the keeping of Sabbath days and years. This is important, because it was the disregard for the 7th year that resulted in the length of the Babylonian captivity; the Promised Land rested for 70 Sabbath years, allowing it to grow fertile again for the return of the Jews.<\/p>\n
The last final third of the chapter deals with provision for the Temple; old traditions from the Torah (Leviticus) are mixed with new measures to fit the current situation. A universal tax is established to provide the Temple with money for renovations and repairs. They even go so far as to ensure wood provision for the altar sacrifices, something not mentioned (but perhaps implied) in the older covenant. Tithes and offerings come next, with the high priest (Aaron\u2019s descendent) standing as witness to their collection, to ensure that there is no cutting of corners or private greed among the providers or priests. As their final note, they promise not to neglect the Temple as their ancestors did; having learned the consequences of abandoning GOD, they now desire to learn from their parents\u2019 mistakes and move forward in a better direction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Having read the Law and understanding the importance of God’s standard for them, the Jews now stand ready to renew their covenant relationship with Him. June 24, 2012 It\u2019s taken me a couple days to get this in, but I remember most of what I would say. This passage of scripture was a nice refresher … Continue reading Nehemiah, Part 5<\/span>