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My Word is My Bond

Scripture Focus: Nehemiah 10:28-29
28 “The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand— 29 all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.

Reflection: My Word is My Bond
By Erin Newton

The turn of each year brings a sense of hope. Many of us look to the future, hopeful of a better set of circumstances. Many of us envision a year of accomplishments. Each year is an opportunity for renewing our commitments.

Nehemiah describes a time of renewal. Ezra read the law of Moses to the people, bringing them to confess their sins. In response, the community came together to bind themselves to God. It was more than lip-service. The people of God vowed to be held accountable.

One of the inevitable downfalls of our New Year resolutions is the lack of follow-through. Gym memberships soar in January as everyone commits to “really getting into shape this time,” but all regular gym members know the crowds will dissipate by March. The lofty goal of reading the Bible in a year is usually stalled by the end of February or whenever you get a few chapters into Leviticus. (It’s ok, I study the Old Testament and sometimes find it boring, ha!)

Usually, the cost of membership keeps some of us trudging to the gym every few weeks, so as not to waste our money. Reading the Bible? Well, that’s free and can be difficult to trudge through without motivation.

So what did it mean for God’s people to bind themselves by oath and curse?

Deuteronomy also ended with a renewed commitment to follow God, alongside a promise of blessings for obedience and curses for negligence. The Israelites, recently returned from exile, were keenly aware of the consequences for neglecting God’s word. Despite the reality of taking such an oath, their hearts responded to conviction.

Renewal is the story of God’s people. When we reflect upon the story of Jesus born in the manger, we must respond to why this birth is more important than any other. As we move closer to Easter, we must respond to why this death is more important than any other. When we accept Jesus as Lord, our hearts are renewed. New purpose, new focus, new life.

Our stories are never quite so simple. We mess up. We fall short. In many ways, our resolution to follow God is thwarted. I once saw a motivational poster near a gym that read, “If it means enough, you’ll find a way. If it doesn’t, you’ll find excuses.”

May we use this new year to bind ourselves to God once again.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Remember, Lord, how short life is, how frail you have made all flesh. — Psalm 89.47

Today’s Readings
Nehemiah 10 (Listen 4:41) 
Revelation 19 (Listen 3:47)

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Confession and Covenant

Scripture Focus: Nehemiah 9.32-35
32 “Now therefore, our God, the great God, mighty and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship that has come on us, on our kings and leaders, on our priests and prophets, on our ancestors and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. 33 In all that has happened to us, you have remained righteous; you have acted faithfully, while we acted wickedly. 34 Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our ancestors did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the statutes you warned them to keep. 35 Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.

Reflection: Confession and Covenant
By John Tillman

Nehemiah’s generation wrote a prayer to God that is a long confession and history of their own sins. These sins incapacitated them from their mission of manifesting God to the world. Rather than being a distinctive “kingdom of God,” Israel became indistinguishable from the other nations.

Not only did Israel’s kings and leaders, priests and prophets abuse their own people, they misrepresented God. When pagan nations saw Israel’s kings and leaders acting just like their own leaders, why would they assume that Yahweh was different from their gods? 

Like Israel, we are to represent the distinctiveness of God and to bring about God’s kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven. Making known Christ and his kingdom is the essence of Epiphany. This is not just mystical or metaphorical. We make Christ known in practical ways. After all, many non-Christians today don’t believe in anything “mystical.” But that doesn’t mean that we aren’t manifesting Christ to them. Are we doing so faithfully? As we live, act, and worship, we show others what Christ is like. Or do we?

When unbelievers wonder how Christ might treat them, they will think about how we have treated them. When they wonder what Christ might do for them, they will think about what we have done for them. What assumptions about God do our actions lead people to believe?

God’s kingdom, even though it is “from another place” (John 18.36) becomes visible when we live “here” as we should “there.” When we maintain a connection to God’s kingdom, living it out in front of people, they sense it even if they don’t know what to call it. God’s kingdom is attractive. People may like you or trust you or see you as a leader and not know why.

Like Nehemiah’s assembly, we need to regularly spend time confessing our misrepresentations of God. As this year closes, spend some time reviewing and confessing. But then, shift from mourning sin to moving in line with God’s Spirit into a new year.

Nehemiah’s community made a new covenant to once again be God’s distinctive people. Christ has made a new covenant for us to be, not just citizens, but heirs with him. God will be faithful to us. And to whatever degree we, by God’s grace, can be faithful, his kingdom will shine through us, calling many to live in his light.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. — Psalm 118.14

Today’s Readings
Nehemiah 9 (Listen 7:46) 
Revelation 18 (Listen 4:48)

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Read, Rejoice, and Feast

Scripture Focus: Nehemiah 8.2-3, 12
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them. 

Reflection: Read, Rejoice, and Feast
By John Tillman

The day-long worship program described by Nehemiah fits the mechanics of modern worship gatherings. The spiritual leader, Ezra, stands high on a platform with the scriptures. The scriptures are read out loud. Levites and others “make it clear” so people could “understand what was being read.”

What is unfamiliar is the effect it has. This was not an emotionless day of informational, academic, scholarly dictation. It was inspirational and correctional. It was uplifting and convicting. Nehemiah has to remind them to celebrate! They should eat good food! They should rejoice! 

This passage is one of the sweetest passages about God’s word in the scriptures. The purpose of studying scripture is to stir the heart. The purpose of explaining scripture is to motivate joy and celebration.

I get chills thinking about the changes that could happen in my life if I loved God’s word and responded to it as these people did. What if everyone in my church did? What if everyone in my city did? What if everyone who read The Park Forum did?

If you are a part of our community at The Park Forum, one of our email subscribers, this passage expresses much that we hope would echo in your heart and life. We want to be a community that loves God’s word—loves studying it and explaining it to each other. We pray that it leads to rejoicing and celebrating.

I hope that post-Christmas, you are basking in the glow of celebrating, rejoicing, and eating good food. I also pray that you will catch the passion for God’s word that Nehemiah records. Make a commitment now, before the end of the year, to engage the scriptures with us, studiously and emotionally each day. Read, rejoice, and feast on the scriptures with us.

And bring someone with you! Nehemiah says, “men, women, and others who could understand,” so none should be excluded from our assembly as we read the scriptures together. Ask a friend to subscribe and walk with you in 2023. (Share this link.) 

Through the scriptures, we come to know God. Knowing the height and breadth and depth of God and his love for us (Ephesians 3.18-19) through scripture is a reason to weep with joy and act with love throughout the year. I pray your lives would be altered and strengthened by the scripture and that the society around you would never be the same.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. — Psalm 146.1

Today’s Readings
Nehemiah 8 (Listen 4:07) 
Revelation 17 (Listen 3:19)

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A Time of Peace and Favor — Peace of Advent

Scripture Focus: Revelation 14.6-7
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Acts 17.30-31
30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

2 Corinthians 6.1-2
1 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,
    and in the day of salvation I helped you.” (Isaiah 49.8)

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

Reflection: A Time of Peace and Favor — Peace of Advent
By John Tillman

Advent, arguably, is more about Christ’s second advent than his first. His first advent is used by the church to teach us how to anticipate his second. We look back to look forward. He came in meekness but one day will come in power. He lay in a manger but one day he will sit on a throne. He rode in on a donkey, with open hands, but one day he will ride on a horse, wielding a sword. Just as he was unexpected at his first advent, he will be unexpected at his second.

The angel in Revelation flies across the sky with “the eternal gospel.” The hour of judgment is coming but the hour of proclamation precedes the hour of judgment. The hour of salvation precedes the hour of damnation. The hour of invitation precedes the hour of separation.

This is the time in which we live. We are, in a sense, in midair, hanging between Heaven and Earth, poised between proclamation and judgment. 

Christ’s eternal gospel has a time and that time is always and ever now. His gospel is ever-reaching, ever-welcoming, ever-wooing. Now is the time for us to proclaim. Let us proclaim it faithfully.

Now is the Time
Now is the time of favor.
Now is the time of grace.
Now is the time God in Heaven has a baby’s face.

Now is the time of birthing. 
Now is the time of life.
Now is the time when death foresees perishing in strife.

Now the manger holds him
Now the child sleeps
The cross will one day hold him. There he will make peace.

Now is the time of calling. 
Now is the time. Shalom!
Now is the time prodigals find feasts and love at home.

Now is the time of mercy.
Now is the time. Repent.
Now ruffians and scoundrels are forgiven and sent.

Now is the time to witness. 
Now is the time to woo.
Now is the time to expose idols that make us fools.

Now is the time of appeal.
Now is the gospel spread.
Now we must bear witness. Telling what he said.

Now won’t last forever.
Now is just today.
Now is opportunity to choose the narrow way.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
You are the Lord, most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. — Psalm 97.9

Today’s Readings
Nehemiah 5 (Listen 3:29) 
Revelation 14 (Listen 3:51)

This Weekend’s Readings
Nehemiah 6 (Listen 3:19)  Revelation 15 (Listen 1:29)
Nehemiah 7 (Listen 6:37)  Revelation 16 (Listen 3:17)

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“What Child is This?” speaks to the unexpected form of our Savior. Good Christians, fear, for sinners here / the silent Word is pleading. His labor of love never ceases.

Peace from Labor — Peace of Advent
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Peace Amidst Mockery — Peace of Advent

Scripture Focus: Nehemiah 4.1-3
4  When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” 

3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” 

John 18.36-37
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate.

Reflection: Peace Amidst Mockery — Peace of Advent
By John Tillman

Nehemiah and the builders were surrounded by mockery. Some of it surely stung. If Bible nerds were to list “sick burns” in the Bible, Tobiah’s comical comment about foxes knocking down the wall would probably rate a mention. Nehemiah, however, doesn’t respond.

Nehemiah had the force of government behind him. Soldiers, the king, and the law were all on his side. But he turned instead to prayer. Yes, he took practical steps to protect the lives of the workers, but his primary strategy was to turn over the mockers and their threats to God.

Building God’s kingdom will always seem impractical because, as Christians, we are building the kingdom Jesus described as being “from another place.” (John 18.36) Waiting on this kingdom and the peace it brings is one of the lessons of the season of Advent.

Building a literal, physical, or political kingdom is something people understand. Building this kind of kingdom may lead to power, praise, or wealth. Building the kind of kingdom Jesus describes leads to mockery. Pilate mocked this kingdom when Jesus mentioned it. His opponents mocked this kingdom at his trial and as he died. The soldiers mocked this kingdom as they beat him and as they hung him on the cross.

When we devote ourselves, primarily, to building Jesus’ intangible, immortal, and immanent kingdom we may be mocked. Called impractical. Called foolish. Sometimes this will come from enemies of the gospel and sometimes from those we would expect to join us. In either case, we do not need to reply in kind.

Like Hezekiah, who laid out the insults of Sennacherib before the Lord, (2 Kings 19.16) Nehemiah lays out Sanballat and Tobiah’s insults and threats. So let us turn Sanballat and Tobiah’s mockery into a prayer.

We praise you, God.
We wait and pray for the peace of your kingdom.
You, through Jesus, will make the feeble strong.
What looks so frail a fox’s feet could topple it will prevail against the forces of Hell.
You will restore what is broken beyond repair.
By offering the sacrifice on the cross, in one day, Jesus has finished the work of salvation.
In rolling away the stone from the tomb, God brings dead stone hearts back to beating life.
Like you, your kingdom is from another place.
Jesus, your kingdom is, was, and will be. (Revelation 1.8)
Bring that kingdom through us.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
My eyes are upon the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me… — Psalm 101.6

Today’s Readings
Nehemiah 4 (Listen 3:38)  
Revelation 13 (Listen 3:20)

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Read more about Peace of Endurance
Chains shall He break
for the slave is our brother
And in His name
all oppression shall cease.

Peace of Endurance — Peace of Advent