Esther 2

Esther 2:7

He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had no father or mother.  Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

Interesting how this is phrased.  First, we're introduced to Mordecai, who happened to be raising his cousin because her parents, Mordecai's uncle and aunt, had died.  The first thing I wonder is how much of an age difference was there between them?  I remember this story suggesting that Mordecai was at least middle-aged, given the authority he seems to wield.  However, the fact that they are cousins suggests he might be younger.

Also, the last sentence is structured oddly.  It almost seems to imply that because Esther was pretty, Mordecai was raising her.  I'm sure this isn't the case, but it raises my eyebrows.  Also, what happened to the rest of their family?  What about Mordecai's parents, or any other siblings he might have had?  How was it that she was left solely to him?

Esther 1

Esther 1:19

If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she.

We've been going through Esther in church for the last couple months, so I'm going to try to keep away from stealing my pastor's comments.  This verse caught my attention not because of what's said, but because of what's not said.  It doesn't actually say that Vashti is deposed, or whatever the term would be for her status as queen being revoked.

Are they simply dancing around the term here, when she actually was removed as queen?  Or at this point, has she simply been banished from the king's presence, but not legally removed until her replacement is found?  It says she can't come into the king's presence, but it doesn't say she is kicked out of the palace, or that her status is immediately removed.  So might she have still been queen, technically, until Esther is chosen to replace her?

Nehemiah 13

Nehemiah 13:14

Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services.

It seems Nehemiah was very insecure in his place before God.  This is one of several similar proclamations he makes in this chapter, extolling the good things he has done, and asking God to remember them.  That he did good is not disputed, but he seems to feel it is necessary for him to remind God of these, so that they are a credit on his account.

Was he still laboring under the impression that he had something to make up for?  If so, what is that something?  The years he was not living in the land, where he could not practice many of their traditions and ceremonies?  Or had he spent so much time in the king's service that he had become fearful and thought God was like the king, fickle and likely to destroy him at a whim?

Nehemiah 12

Nehemiah 12:44

On that day men were also appointed over the chambers for the stores, the contributions, the first fruits and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served.

Even in God's work, logistics are necessary.  People are needed to manage the supplies, the distribution, and accounting.  Some believe that when God wills a thing to happen, you don't have to worry about the how; He'll see to that.  But even Jesus reminded us to count the cost before doing something.

Also, accountability is key.  It says here that the people greatly valued the Levites who served God, but still people must be responsible and accountable.  We are man, and as such both fallible and corruptible.  What starts as a great joy to God can, over time, lead to either pride or greed.  Just because those who worked in the temple were set apart to that service, doesn't mean they couldn't fail, and either misuse or misappropriate the gifts to Him.

Nehemiah 11

Nehemiah 11:2

And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

Why were those who volunteered to live in Jerusalem blessed?  Was it because they chose to live there, where others had to be chosen by lot?  Was it because it was the place of God's temple, and therefore was a blessed place, and the people who lived there were blessed by its presence?

I think it may not be anything of the sort, but something more practical.  The area around Jerusalem is very rough ground, if I recall.  There's very little farming land in the immediate area, beyond trees like olives.  Therefore, those who lived in Jerusalem had to survive by the benefit of those from other areas, either by gifts or commerce.  They had very little of their own, beyond what God gave them.  So if the people did not bless them, they would suffer from privation.

Nehemiah 10

Nehemiah 10:31

As for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or a holy day; and we will forego the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.

This encompasses much of the sabbath laws, both those of the sabbath day and the sabbath year.  On the sabbath day, they were to do no work, nor require others to do work.  This is why they won't buy from outsiders on the sabbath either.  The sabbath year was the command to not farm every seventh year, to let the land rest.  Today, we know this to be good farming practice, so the soil regains nutrients.

I wonder if these things were specified because they had been neglected by the previous generations.  We know that they did not observe the sabbath year for their land, which is why their length of exile was how long it was.  But did they forget the sabbath day as well?  Were they too busy to rest and honor God that day?  Or did they lose the sabbath along with their turning away from God?

Nehemiah 9

Nehemiah 9:31

"Nevertheless, in Your great compassion
  You did not make an end of them or forsake them,
For You are a gracious and compassionate God.

I have to admit, this is the characteristic of God that I still struggle most with, in many ways.  Overall, I don't have a problem with God being merciful on others.  I can accept stories of how He has taken the worst of the worst and turned them in to fervent followers of Him.

However, I still struggle a lot with this when it comes to me.  I don't feel I deserve God's compassion.  I don't think that I have any business claiming His grace.  Perhaps that's one reason I keep sinning in some areas, because I refuse to believe that He did/does/will forgive me.  I feel I shouldn't have his mercy, and therefore there's no point in changing my ways.  But if I could just bring myself to accept Him, in all parts of His identity, how would that change me?

Nehemiah 8

Nehemiah 8:17

The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them.  The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day.  And there was great rejoicing.

There have been a couple times in the pre-exile time where the Law had been rediscovered, and they had turned back to following it.  But in all that time, even back before David, before the Judges, back to when they were conquering the land under Joshua, they hadn't practiced this festival?  That surprises me a lot, especially given how fervent some previous kings were for the Law once it was rediscovered.

I wonder if perhaps those rediscoveries were only made by Judah, not Israel, and therefore didn't count?  If so, that would make a little more sense, since this is now a reunited Israel.  However, what about David, or Solomon in his early days as king?  They didn't see to it the festival was celebrated?  Had it been so completely forgotten, even these devout men didn't know of it?  And what about the priests?  They were responsible for teaching the Law to the people, and they didn't see to it this festival was known.

Nehemiah 7

Nehemiah 7:69

their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720

In my mind, this shows how very poor the Jews were.  In a previous verse, it says there are over 42,000 pepole.  However, between them all, there are barely 8,000 pack animals.  Most families would need at least a couple animals, to draw loads and carry people.  The fact that there aren't enough for on in seven people suggests they are virtually destitute.

This shows again how much they must completely rely on God for their survival.  They're living hand-to-mouth, no luxuries or surplus at all.  If they get hit by a further drought, they're doomed and the land will be empty.  They have a walled city, but no one to defend it.  Without God, they're through.

Nehemiah 6

Nehemiah 6:16

When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

The wall is done, and in record time.  Despite the reduced manpower of having to keep a force ready for battle, despite the attempts at demoralization their enemies were making, they had completed the work that they had set out to do.  The city of Jerusalem was secure against its enemies once more.

This accomplishment discouraged their adversaries.  They knew that the speed of construction shouldn't have been possible.  They recognized that this was all due to divine intervention, and even knew who to give the credit.  I do find it interesting that he says "our God" rather than just "God," but I guess this is from their perspective, where there are many gods.  They now know which one is most powerful.

Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah 5:7

I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, "You are exacting usury, each from his brother!"  Therefore, I held a great assembly against them.

Nehemiah is consulting with...himself?  Apparently there is no one for him to speak with on these issues, so he's forced simply to wrestle with his own conscience and understanding of the Law.  He has no counselors, no advisers, no support.  It's him against everyone in power.

But he knows what God has said.  He's going to call them to account for their becoming loan sharks.  And he's not just going to speak to them one on one to make them change their minds, nor is he going to just get them in a meeting to rebuke them.  No, he summons all the people to hear this one.  He's going to shame them publicly, and make sure they can't back out.

Nehemiah 4

Nehemiah 4:16

From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah.

I'm not certain who the servants mentioned here are.  Are they people that Nehemiah brought with him on the king's command?  Or is he referring to the people of Jerusalem, who he's apparently been placed in charge of?

This may seem like a minor question, but it makes a big difference when you look at what they're doing.  If this is the detachment he brought from the king, then taking half of them off the job to serve in defense positions isn't a huge issue, compared to the inhabitants working on the wall.  But it it's the entire population, then he's just cut his workforce by half.  That means he's much better defended, but the work will progress much slower.  Stress will rise, and the likelihood of someone making a mistake that can be exploited by their enemies will increase.

Nehemiah 3

Nehemiah 3:

Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters.

Interesting that it only mentions the official's daughters, not his sons.  Does he not have any sons, to whom he will pass on his district?  Is he "cursed" to only have daughters, and no one to carry on his family line?

Or are his sons not supportive of the rebuilding?  Are they concerned that this effort will jeopardize their father's position?  Are they worried that this change will mess up their plans?  Or are they just lazy, and don't think the effort is worth it?

Nehemiah 2

Nehemiah 2:16

The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; nor had I as yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials or the rest who did the work.

Nehemiah is playing things close to the chest here.  He's gone out, in the dark of night, to inspect the walls.  He has told no one what he's up to, though apparently they knew he had gone somewhere.  But why did he do it so secretly?  I have two theories.

First, he was doing it at a time when the opposition would not be aware.  This is a city that is barely inhabited.  Probably has few to no watchmen, so there was likely nobody there to see him checking things out.  The upside of this is that those who would come to oppose the work were not aware he was starting the process.  Before the work can begin, it would have to be surveyed, to determine what work was needed, and what time and materials would be required.

Second, he was clearing the way for the people to begin.  He hadn't told the people he was there to rebuild the wall, and he was doing all the preparatory work he could, to minimize any issues that might arise.  This also allowed him to minimize the complaints from any workers, since he's done everything except the actual building.  He has the approvals and the plans; all he needs now is the workers to actually start.

Nehemiah 1

Nehemiah 1:3

They said to me, "The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire."

Nehemiah receives a report about those who were left behind in Jerusalem after Babylon conquered it almost a century ago (if I remember the dates right).  These would have been the least important of the people, the ones no one cared whether they lived or died.  So right from the start, they're probably not going to be doing well.  Ezra would have led the exiles back by now, but not that many came, and the land may not have recovered enough to really sustain them.  So they're in dire straits.

Then there's the condition of the city, on top of this.  First, the defensive wall has been broken down.  This means the place is wide open to pillagers, armies, and anyone else who wants to come in and do anything.  A city without a wall has only its fighting men to defend it, and they probably aren't much more than a picket force.  They have no chance of stopping anyone from doing whatever they want.  Also, the gates are burned, so even if the wall was up, there would be no way to seal the entrance.  Again, the same problem of no real defense.  This is a city that is ripe for the picking of whoever wants to come in.  So if another war were to start between Persia and anyone in Africa, Jerusalem is going to be sacked again, and probably outright destroyed.