Thought for Today: Wednesday May 10:

The late British historian, Arnold Toynbee, gave his personal slogan to the world when he said: [Cling and hope]. In other words, he says: all the ideals we held a few years ago, are crumbling; but he advised the human race to cling and hope. But to what…? Multiplied thousands have found that faith in Moshiach is more adequate for the pressures of this hour. The true believer does more than [cling and hope]. He knows that with Moshiach, he is secure forever. Is your hope in Him?

SERIES O --- RETURN TO THE LAND --- LESSON 14

THE WALL DEDICATED

THE DEDICATION OF THE WALL

From Nehemiah 12

A family record of the priests and Levites was kept during the reign of King Darius of Persia. The names were recorded in the book of the chronicles. It included a long list of names down to the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. The Levite chiefs at that time were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua, who stood with their brothers opposite them to offer praise and thanksgiving as King David had commanded that it should be done. The gatekeepers who kept watch at the storehouses of the gates were Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullain, Talmon, and Akkub. They served during the time of Joiakim and Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe. Levites were brought from all parts of the land to the great ceremony when the Jerusalem wall was dedicated. They celebrated with gladness, with songs of thanksgiving accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. The sons of the singers gathered in Jerusalem from the surrounding villages and from the villages of the Nethophathites, from Beth-gilgal, and from their fields in Geba and Azinaveth, for the singers had built their own villages around Jerusalem. First the priests and Levites dedicated themselves through purification, then they dedicated the people, and last the gates and the wall. I had the leaders of Judah come to the top of the wall where I divided them into two great companies, to walk in opposite directions, giving thanks as they walked in procession. The one group which headed to the right toward the Dung Gate included Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, as well as some of the priests with trumpets, among whom were Zechariah and men from his family with the musical instruments which had belonged to King David. Ezra the scribe went before this group. When they reached the Fountain Gate, they went up the steps which led to the old city of David, and then to the Water Gate on the east. I went with the other group to the left to meet them. We went from the Tower of Furnaces to the broad wall, above the Gate of Ephraim, past the Old Gate, then the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate, stopping at the Gate of the Guard or Prison Gate. The combined groups then went to the temple. I led half of the officials with me, as well as a group of priests who played the trumpets and singers who sang under the leadership of Jezrahiah. That day the people offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for YHVH had brought great joy to them. Even the women and children rejoiced. And so, the sound of this celebration was heard far away. On that day men were appointed to take charge of the chambers where the treasures, offerings, tithes, and first fruits were brought as required in the Law of Moses. These offerings were given for the use of the priests and Levites, for Judah rejoiced because of those who served. These were the men who led the worship of YHVH and the service of purification, as well as the singers and the gatekeepers according to the command of King David and his son Solomon. It was during the days of King David and Asaph that choir directors were first appointed to lead the singers with songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to YHVH. Now, in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, the people supplied the singers and gatekeepers daily with the food they needed, setting apart the consecrated portion for the Levites, who in turn set apart the consecrated portion for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

COMMENTARY

THE HARPS OF BIBLE TIMES

Few harps, or renderings of harps on coins, vases and in paintings, have been unearthed in modern Israel. Most evidence of their appearance comes from sources like the Bible and cultures that existed at the same time. More correctly, the small hand-held harps with few strings are called {lyres} today. This favoured stringed instrument existed long before [little David played on his harp.] Abraham in Mesopotamia must have seen his neighbours, the Sumerians, plucking harps during religious ceremonies. Their instrument probably symbolized a bull. The wide U-shape of a pair of hollow animal horns held a crossbar on which the strings were mounted; the strings dropped down and were attached to the bottom of the horns’ U-shape, which amplified the sound and acted as a sound box. Carved bulls’ heads and sound boxes in the form of bulls’ bodies decorated many early harps. The idea for the first harp in history -- probably Egyptian -- may have come from the sound of an archer’s twanging bow. Elaborately ornamented harps grew from this primitive instrument, with several strings and large sound boxes. Some were fairly large and stood on the ground; others were small enough to be held. During the time of King David in Israel, harp music was almost always played during temple services, weddings and all-important celebrations. David himself played two kinds -- a kinnor and a nevel. It is uncertain just what these two instruments looked like or exactly how they were played. They were probably small wooden instruments meant to be carried. The kinnor, with three to six strings, most likely resembled a lyre. The nevel had many more strings, and an extra sound box. The Assyrians played this kind of harp, supporting it with a belt around the waist. They strummed and plucked it with their bare fingers rather than with ivory or metal picks called {plectrums.} The Persians also played harps. They were held and strummed horizontally, usually with a plectrum. The influence of the Persian Empire was great indeed -- harps resembling theirs have been seen on reliefs, carvings and artifacts found in Turkey, Assyria, Babylonia, India, and even in China. The Greeks also played the Persian harp, and passed its use on to the Romans.

"If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

Ga 1

This is long but thought-provoking and very Scriptural. I recommend it!

Forcibly groping and kissing women is against any hint of morality. We can't be crying about men acting like women if we are not ourselves willing to act like men and protect our women.

For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
(2Th 2:11-12)

Uneasiness is the first spring and cause of all action. -Benjamin Franklin

One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
Proverbs 27:7 ESV

Family land should be protected, kept in the family whenever possible. In God's economy, if a man sells family land in the countryside, he or his family must be allowed to buy it back at any time. Jeremiah 32:6-15 is an example of redeeming a poor kinsman's land.

On the other hand, city houses may be permanently sold in the land of Israel, but may be redeemed before one year has passed (Lev 25:29-30), while houses in Levitical cities may be redeemed and must be released in the Jubilee just like other family land (Lev 25:32-33).

The pasture land that surrounds Levitical cities may not be sold or leased at any time. It must always remain in the control of Levites.

Q90: How old was Moses when he died?

#quiz

PS: Discussions are very welcome, but please do not give the answer away in your discussions.






Deuteronomy 34