Yahweh Answered Daniyel's Request
6:1Then
Daryavesh the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the
archives, where the treasures were laid up in Bavel. 6:2There was found at Achmeta, in the palace
that is in the province of Madai, a scroll, and therein was thus written for a
record: 6:3"In the first year
of Koresh the king, Koresh the king made a decree: 'Concerning the house of the
Mighty One at Yerushalayim, let the house be built, the place where they offer
sacrifices, and let the foundations of it be strongly laid; the height of it
sixty cubits, and the breadth of it sixty cubits; 6:4with
three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses
be given out of the king's house. 6:5Also
let the gold and silver vessels of the house of the Mighty One, which
Nevukhadnetztzar took forth out of the temple which is at Yerushalayim, and
brought to Bavel, be restored, and brought again to the temple which is at
Yerushalayim, everyone to its place; and you shall put them in the house of the
Mighty One.'"
6:6"Now
therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetar-Bozenai, and your
companions the Afarsekhi, who are beyond the River, be you far from there: 6:7let the work of this house of the Mighty One
alone; let the governor of the Yahudim and the Zakenim of the Yahudim build
this house of the Mighty One in its place. 6:8Moreover
I make a decree what you shall do to these Zakenim of the Yahudim for the
building of this house of the Mighty One: that of the king's goods, even of the
tribute beyond the River, expenses be given with all diligence to these men,
that they be not hindered. 6:9That
which they have need of, both young bulls, and rams, and lambs, for burnt
offerings to the Mighty One of Heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil,
according to the word of the Kohanim who are at Yerushalayim, let it be given
them day by day without fail; 6:10that
they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor to the Mighty One of Heaven, and
pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. 6:11Also I have made a decree, that whoever
shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be
lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this: 6:12and the Mighty One who has caused his name
to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who shall put forth their hand
to alter the same, to destroy this house of the Mighty One which is at
Yerushalayim. I Daryavesh have made a decree; let it be done with all
diligence."
6:13Then
Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetar-Bozenai, and their companions,
because that Daryavesh the king had sent, did accordingly with all diligence. 6:14The Zakenim of the Yahudim built and
prospered, through the prophesying of Chaggai the prophet and Zekharyah the son
of `Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the
Mighty One of Yisra'el, and according to the decree of Koresh, and Daryavesh,
and Artachshasta king of Paras. 6:15This
house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth
year of the reign of Daryavesh the king.
6:16The
children of Yisra'el, the Kohanim, and the Levites, and the rest of the
children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of the Mighty One
with joy. 6:17They offered at the
dedication of this house of the Mighty-One one hundred bulls, two hundred rams,
four hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Yisra'el, twelve male goats,
according to the number of the tribes of Yisra'el. 6:18They set the Kohanim in their divisions, and the Levites
in their courses, for the service of the Mighty One, which is at Yerushalayim; as
it is written in the book of Moshe.
6:19The
children of the captivity kept the Pesach on the fourteenth day of the first
month. 6:20For the Kohanim and the
Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure: and they
killed the Pesach for all the children of the captivity, and for their brothers
the Kohanim, and for themselves. 6:21The
children of Yisra'el who had come again out of the captivity, and all such as
had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land,
to seek Yahweh, the Mighty One of Yisra'el, ate, 6:22and
kept the feast of matzah seven days with joy: for Yahweh had made them joyful,
and had turned the heart of the king of Ashshur to them, to strengthen their
hands in the work of the house of the Mighty One, the Mighty One of Yisra'el.
6:1-22 shows that the prayer Daniyel prayed to Yahweh in Daniyel 9 was indeed heard. For the house of the Mighty One was rebuilt, and Yerushalayim was restored!
Pray For The Lives Of Your Rulers
6:10 shows that Yahweh's servants are to pray for the lives of their rulers.
Ezra's And The People's Public Confession Of Sins
And Prayer
10:1Now
while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before
the house of the Mighty One, there was gathered together to him out of Yisra'el
a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very
sore. 10:2Shekhanyahu the son of
Yechi'el, one of the sons of `
10:6Then
Ezra rose up from before the house of the Mighty One, and went into the chamber
of Yehochanan the son of Elyashiv: and when he came there, he ate no bread, nor
drank water; for he mourned because of the trespass of them of the captivity. 10:7They made proclamation throughout Yahudah
and Yerushalayim to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather
themselves together to Yerushalayim; 10:8and
that whoever didn't come within three days, according to the counsel of the
princes and the Zakenim, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself
separated from the assembly of the captivity. 10:9Then
all the men of Yahudah and Binyamin gathered themselves together to
Yerushalayim within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth
day of the month: and all the people sat in the broad place before the house of
the Mighty One, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
10:10Ezra
the Kohen stood up, and said to them, "You have trespassed, and have
married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Yisra'el. 10:11Now therefore make confession to Yahweh,
the Mighty One of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves
from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women."
10:12Then
all the assembly answered with a loud voice, "As you have said concerning
us, so must we do. 10:13But the
people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand
outside: neither is this a work of one day or two; for we have greatly
transgressed in this matter. 10:14Let
now our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in
our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with
them the Zakenim of every city, and the judges of it, until the fierce wrath of
our Mighty One be turned from us, until this matter be dispatched." 10:15Only Yonatan the son of `Asa'el and
Yachzeyah the son of Tikvah stood up against this matter: and Meshullam and
Shabbetai the Levite helped them.
10:16The
children of the captivity did so. Ezra the Kohen, with certain heads of
fathers' houses, after their fathers' houses, and all of them by their names,
were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to
examine the matter. 10:17They made
an end with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the
first month.
10:18Among
the sons of the Kohanim there were found who had married foreign women: namely,
of the sons of Yeshua, the son of Yotzadak, and his brothers, Ma`aseyah, and
Eli`ezer, and Yariv, and Gedalyahu. 10:19They
gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they
offered a ram of the flock for their guilt. 10:20Of
the sons of Immer: Chanani and Zevadyah. 10:21Of
the sons of Charim: Ma`aseyah, and Eliyah, and Shemayahu, and Yechi'el, and
`Uzziyah. 10:22Of the sons of
Pashchur: Elya`enai, Ma`aseyah, Yishma'el, Netan'el, Yozavad, and El`asah. 10:23Of the Levites: Yozavad, and Shim`i, and
Kelayah (the same is Kelita), Petachyah, Yahudah, and Eli`ezer. 10:24Of the singers: Elyashiv. Of the porters:
Shallum, and Telem, and Uri. 10:25Of
Yisra'el: Of the sons of Par`osh: Ramyah, and Yizziyah, and Malkiyah, and
Miyamin, and El`azar, and Malkiyah, and Benayah. 10:26Of
the sons of `Elam: Mattanyah, Zekharyah, and Yechi'el, and `Avdi, and Yeremot,
and Eliyah. 10:27Of the sons of
Zattu: Elya`enai, Elyashiv, Mattanyah, and Yeremot, and Zavad, and Aziza. 10:28Of the sons of Bevai: Yehochanan,
Chananyah, Zakkai, `Atlai. 10:29Of
the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Mallukh, and `Ada'ya, Yashuv, and She'al, Yeremot.
10:30Of the sons of Pachat-Mo'av:
`Adna, and Kelal, Benayah, Ma`aseyah, Mattanyah, Betzal'el, and Binnui, and
Menashshe. 10:31of the sons of
Charim: Eli`ezer, Yishshiyah, Malkiyah, Shemayahu, Shim`on, 10:32Binyamin, Mallukh, Shemaryahu. 10:33Of the sons of Chashum: Mattenai,
Mattattah, Zavad, Elifelet, Yeremai, Menashshe, Shim`i. 10:34Of the sons of Bani: Ma`adai, `Amram, and
U'el, 10:35Benayah, Bedeyah, Keluhu,
10:36Vanyah, Meremot, Elyashiv, 10:37Mattanyah, Mattenai, and Ya`asai, 10:38and Bani, and Binnui, Shim`i, 10:39and Shelemyahu, and Natan, and `Ada'ya, 10:40Makhnadvai, Shashai, Sharai, 10:41`Azar'el, and Shelemyahu, Shemaryahu, 10:42Shallum, Amaryah, Yosef. 10:43Of the sons of Nevo: Ye`i'el, Mattityah,
Zavad, Zevina, Yaddai, and Yo'el, Benayah. 10:44All
these had taken foreign wives; and some of them had wives by whom they had
children.
10:1 shows that Ezra took the lead among the people in praying and making confession for the sin of the people, and weeping in the process of so doing.
Ezra's public prayer for the people, that they repent and be forgiven their iniquity, acted as an example for the sinners among the people. They were cut to their hearts by Ezra's actions, and sought to repent of their iniquity.
Servants Of Yahweh Should Be An Example For The
People
Servants of Yahweh should learn from Ezra's example. Sometimes servants of Yahweh have to take due action publicly, that the people may realise the gravity of their sins, to bring them to the point whereby they repent of their sins. Those with repentant hearts will take note of the actions of Yahweh's servants, and will indeed repent of their sins.
Nechemyah's Prayer For The Repentance And
Restoration Of Yisrael
1:1The
words of Nechemyah the son of Chakhalyah. Now it happened in the month Kislev,
in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 1:2that Chanani, one of my brothers, came, he
and certain men out of Yahudah; and I asked them concerning the Yahudim who had
escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Yerushalayim. 1:3They said to me, "The remnant who are
left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and
reproach: the wall of Yerushalayim also is broken down, and the gates of it are
burned with fire."
1:4It
happened, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned
certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the Mighty One of Heaven, 1:5and said, "I beg you, Yahweh, the
Mighty One of Heaven, the great and awesome Mighty One, who keeps covenant and
lovingkindness with those who love him and keep his commandments: 1:6Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes
open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant, which I pray before
you at this time, day and night, for the children of Yisra'el your servants
while I confess the sins of the children of Yisra'el, which we have sinned
against you. Yes, my father's house and I have sinned: 1:7we have dealt very corruptly against you,
and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which
you commanded your servant Moshe. 1:8Remember,
I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moshe, saying, 'If you
trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples: 1:9but if you return to me, and keep my
commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of
the heavens, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the
place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.' 1:10Now these are your servants and your
people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand. 1:11Sovereign, I beg you, let now your ear be
attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who
delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant this day, and
grant him mercy in the sight of this man." Now I was cup bearer to the
king.
1:4-11 shows that the prayer and petition Nechemyah prayed to Yahweh was very similar to that Daniyel prayed in Daniyel 9.
It should be noted that both these servants of Yahweh accompanied their intense prayers with fasting. It should therefore be evident that prayers for the repentance and restoration of Yisrael should be accompanied with fasting.
1:11 shows a trait of Yahweh's servants - they delight to fear his name. Yahweh's servants should take delight in fearing Yahweh's name.
Pray To Yahweh For Favour Before Your Superior
2:1It
happened in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artachshasta the king,
when wine was before him, that I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now
I had not been before sad in his presence. 2:2The
king said to me, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is
nothing else but sorrow of heart." Then I was very sore afraid. 2:3I said to the king, "Let the king live
forever: why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers'
tombs, lies waste, and the gates of it are consumed with fire?" 2:4Then the king said to me, "For what do
you make request?" So I prayed to the Mighty One of Heaven. 2:5I said to the king, "If it please the
king, and if your servant have found favor in your sight, that you would send
me to Yahudah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may build it." 2:6The king said to me (the queen also sitting
by him,) "For how long shall your journey be? And when will you
return?" So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. 2:7Moreover I said to the king, "If it
please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River,
that they may let me pass through until I come to Yahudah; 2:8and a letter to Asaf the keeper of the
king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the
castle which appertains to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the
house that I shall enter into." The king granted me, according to the good
hand of my Mighty One on me.
2:4 shows that when Nechemyah sought the king's favour, to facilitate his going to Yerushalayim to work on restoring the fortunes of Yahweh's house and Yahweh's city, Yerushalayim, he prayed to Yahweh. Therefore, when we need a superior's authority to facilitate our fulfilling Yahweh's will in a given matter, we should pray that Yahweh may grant us favour in the sight of that superior, that Yahweh's will may be done.
Pray For Yahweh's Protection And Guidance
4:1But
it happened that when Sanvallat heard that we were building the wall, he was
angry, and took great indignation, and mocked the Yahudim. 4:2He spoke before his brothers and the army of
Shomron, and said, "What are these feeble Yahudim doing? Will they fortify
themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they
revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?" 4:3Now Toviyah the `Ammonite was by him, and he
said, "Even that which they are building, if a fox go up, he shall break
down their stone wall."
4:4"Hear,
our Mighty One; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach on their own
head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity; 4:5and don't cover their iniquity, and don't
let their sin be blotted out from before you; for they have provoked you to
anger before the builders." 4:6So
we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half the height of
it: for the people had a mind to work.
4:7But
it happened that when Sanvallat, Toviyah, the `Aravi'im, the `Ammonim, and the Ashdodi
heard that the repairing of the walls of Yerushalayim went forward, and that
the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very angry; 4:8and they conspired all of them together to
come and fight against Yerushalayim, and to cause confusion therein. 4:9But we made our prayer to our Mighty One,
and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. 4:10Yahudah said, "The strength of the
bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not
able to build the wall." 4:11Our
adversaries said, "They shall not know, neither see, until we come into
the midst of them, and kill them, and cause the work to cease." 4:12It happened that when the Yahudim who lived
by them came, they said to us ten times from all places, "You must return
to us."
4:13Therefore
set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I
set there the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and
their bows. 4:14I looked, and rose
up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people,
"Don't be you afraid of them: remember the Sovereign, who is great and
awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters, your
wives, and your houses." 4:15It
happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and the Mighty One
had brought their counsel to nothing, that we returned all of us to the wall,
everyone to his work.
4:16It
happened from that time forth, that half of my servants worked in the work, and
half of them held the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail;
and the rulers were behind all the house of Yahudah. 4:17They all built the wall and those who bore
burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands worked in the work,
and with the other held his weapon; 4:18and
the builders, everyone had his sword girded by his side, and so built. He who
sounded the shofar was by me. 4:19I
said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, "The
work is great and large, and we are separated on the wall, one far from
another: 4:20in whatever place you
hear the sound of the shofar, resort you there to us; our Mighty One will fight
for us." 4:21So we worked in
the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until
the stars appeared.
4:22Likewise
at the same time said I to the people, "Let everyone with his servant
lodge within Yerushalayim, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may
labor in the day." 4:23So
neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who
followed me, none of us put off our clothes, everyone went with his weapon to
the water.
4:9 shows that the people prayed to Yahweh for protection, to facilitate their accomplishing Yahweh's will pertaining to Yerushalayim. Yahweh duly responded by giving them due protection, such that the attack plan of their enemies was thwarted.
Yahweh's Servants Face Opposition As They Do
Yahweh's Work
It should be noted that Yahweh's servants face opposition as they carry out Yahweh's work. When such opposition comes, as it inevitably does, Yahweh's servants ought to pray to Yahweh for his protection and guidance in the matter. And provided Yahweh's servants remain faithful in executing the work Yahweh has given them to do, Yahweh will indeed see to it that his purpose will indeed prevail, despite the opposition from those attempting to thwart his purpose.
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