BRAGADAYJAH 1216

BRAGADAYJAH 1216
Vashti refused to appear before the King.
And so it happened that on the seventh day when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded his seven chambermaids, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas, to bring Vashti the Queen before him; along with the crown royal so that he may show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look at. But Queen Vashti refused to appear before the king as commanded; and the king became very angry Then the king asked his wise men those who knew the law, the seven princes who were next to him in all Media and Persia, who saw the anger on his face, what should be done to Vashti in accordance with the law, because she did not perform the king’s commandment sent to her through his chambermaids. And one of the princes, Memucan by name answered and told the king that the queen by her refusal did not dishonor him alone but all the princes and people within the kingdom. He added that when this refusal of the queen should come to the knowledge of other women they would despise their husbands for they will say, the king commanded his wife Vashti to appear before him and she refused; and so all women throughout the kingdom shall henceforth hold their husbands in contempt and wrath.  Therefore he recommended that a law be passed of the Medes and Persians which alter not, that Vashti come no more in the presence of the king and that her place be given to another more deserving than she.


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BRAGADAYJAH 1215

BRAGADAYJAH 1215
The Great Feast of King Ahasuerus
It came to pass that there was a king named Ahasuerus who reigned over a hundred and twenty seven provinces extending from India to Ethiopia, that during the third year of his reign in his palace at Shushan, that he made a great feast unto all the princes, and his servants and his nobles of all the provinces including Persia and Media attended. And the course festivities lasted one hundred and eighty days; and after the hundred and eighty days, the king extended the feast to all the people of Shushan both rich and poor for another seven days, in the court of his great garden which were adorned and decorated with white and green and blue hangings with cords of fine linen, attached to purple and silver rings, and pillars of marble, and couches of gold and silver, sitting upon a pavement of red, blue, white and black marble. And they were served drinks in vessels of gold, made in different shapes and sizes; and were given to drink royal wine in abundance. The drinking was in keeping with the law, as by command of the king, none were compelled to drink against their will, every man doing according to his own pleasure. And Vashti the Queen made a feast for the women in the royal house of king Ahasuerus.  

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TRUMPS IMMIGRATION POLICY

Trumps Immigration Strategy.
The hot topic of the day, is President Donald Trump’s mandated immigration policy with regard to entry into the United States of immigrants from certain Islamic dominated countries. His ostensible motive as he has declared it to be, is to make America safe from the possibility of allowing terrorists, or would be terrorists, from entering into his country under his watch. Now if one is honest with one’s self, one would have to admit that there is little wrong with his expressed intention. Who does not want to keep his country safe? What if I may say so is wrong is not the policy, but its implementation. I assume there are people at the back of the President, including legal advisers, who advise him. Unless Trump is an absolute autocrat, I would find it strange if no one advised him that he could achieve his objective by subtler, less ostensibly offensive means. For example in a position to advise, I would have advised that the person in charge of Homeland Security would be instructed to be vigilant in screening would be entrants into the United States. When one is vetting, one looks for “Red Flags.”  Immigration officials would then have as part of their vetting materials, highlighted red flags, for example, people from listed, and not necessarily published countries. In other words, officers would see red flags based on the individual, his country of origin; his antecedents and his stated purpose of visit and like criteria, without stigmatizing as is the present case, persons from particular countries. Frankly, I do not think that the President’s policies have anything to do with race or religion; but an over-zealous desire to make his country safe. Love me hate me, these are my thoughts.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1214

BRAGADAYJAH 1214
Law against Intermarriage
Also in those days Nehemiah saw that Jews were married to Ashdod of Ammon and of Moab. And their children spoke half in the speech of Ammon and half in Moab and were unable to speak in the Jewish language. So Nehemiah contended with them, and rebuked them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear that they would not again give their daughters unto the sons of Ashdod, nor accept their daughters for their sons. He reminded them of Solomon who long ago had sinned by doing those very things. That even though God made him king, and favored him, yet he allowed his union with foreign women to lead him astray. And Nehemiah prayed for his people and said, “Remember them O my God because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.” Thus Nehemiah was able to cleanse them from strangers and appointed over them wards of the priests and the Levite.” Thus ends Nehemiah’s account of the return of the remnant of Israel to build the house and walls of Jerusalem.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1213

BRAGADAYJAH 1213
Sabbath of Rest Restored
Then Nehemiah saw some treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and laden asses, and also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, and he testified against them in the day when they sold victuals. There were also living there men of Tyre, also those who brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah in Jerusalem. Then Nehemiah challenged the nobles of Judah, and asked them what evil thing they were doing, in profaning the Sabbath day. He asked them, “Did not your fathers do the same thing, and did God not bring all this evil upon us and upon this city?” “And now you bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”  And it came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, Nehemiah commanded that the gates be shut and ordered that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath.  And some of his servants set him at the gate that there should no burden be brought on the Sabbath day. So the servants and sellers of all the wares lodged within Jerusalem once or twice. Then Nehemiah again testified against them and asked them why they were lodging against the wall. “Should you do so again I shall have you arrested,” he warned them. So from that time forth they came no more on the Sabbath.  So Nehemiah commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should keep the gates to sanctify the Sabbath day.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1212

BRAGADAYJAH 1212
Proper Provisions of Levites and Singers.
Now Nehemiah found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given them. For the Levites and the singers that did the work were caused to flee to the field. Then Nehemiah confronted the rulers and asked them why the house of the Lord God was forsaken; and he called them together and questioned them. Then all Judah brought the tithes of the corn and of the new wine, and the oil into the treasuries. And he appointed treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites Pedaiah and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, for they were counted faithful and their office was to distribute unto their brethren Rand Nehemiah prayed, ”Remember me O God concerning this and wipe not out of my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 1211

BRAGADAYJAH 1211
The Book of Moses Read
On that day, that is to say at the time of the ceremony whereby the temple procedures were restored, they read the Book of Moses in the audience of the people. And within the Book there was found written that “The Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God ever.” Because they did not welcome the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them that he should curse them. But God had turned the curse into a blessing. So it came to pass that when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. Then about that time Nehemiah discovered that Eliashib the priest had made a pact with Tobiah and had given him a chamber within the House of the Lord, where they used to store the meat-offering, the frankincense and the vessels and tithes, of the corn, the wine and the oil which were the portion of the Levites and the singers the porters and the priests. So when the evil was discovered, Tobiah and all that pertained to him was cast out of the temple and it was cleansed, and after that the vessels of the house of God, and the meat offerings, and the frankincense, were placed therein.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1210

BRAGADAYJAH 1210
Temple Procedures Restored
At that time, the time of dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, some were appointed over the chambers of the treasures for the offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities, the portions of the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites that waited. And both the singers and the porters kept the ward, or charge of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandments of David, and of Solomon his son. For in the days of David, and Asaph of old, there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God. And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the portions of the singers and the porters every day his portion, and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 1209

BRAGADAYJAH 1209

The Ceremony of Dedication of the Wall [continued]

And after the Levites followed the priest’s sons with trumpets and a company including those with instruments of David, the man of God, led by Ezra the scribe. And at the fountain gate which was over them they went up the stairs by the city of David, going up unto the east side of the Water gate. And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them followed by Nehemiah passing the people over against the wall over the tower of the furnaces, and above the broad wall. And above the gate of Ephraim and also above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate; and they stopped in the prison gate. So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of the Lord. And the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with trumpets. And Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam and Ezer. And the singers sang loud with Jezrahiah their overseer. Also that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced; for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the wives also and the children rejoiced; so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1208

BRAGADAYJAH 1208
Dedication of the Wall.
At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem the Levites were invited to leave their homes and to come to Jerusalem to participate in the dedication with gladness, with thanksgiving, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathi. Also from the house of Gilgal and out of the fields of Geba and Azmathev; for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people, and the gates and the walls. Then Nehemiah brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate.  And after them went Hoshaiah and half the princes of Judah, and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, Judah and Benjamin and Shemaiah and Jeremiah. [to be continued]

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BRAGADAYJAH 1207

BRAGADAYJAH 1207
The Residue of the People.
And the residue of the people, of the priests and the Levites dwelt in the cities of Judah; but the Nethinims under the supervision of Ziha and Gispa dwelt in Ophel. And the overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem Uzzi, the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. And the sons of Asaph, the singers, were over the business of the house of God. For it was the king’s command concerning them that a certain portion should go towards the singers daily. And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel of the children of Zerah the son of Judah was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people. And for the villages with the fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba, and in its villages at Jekabzeel, as well as all the other villages more than thirty in all. So that all the villages as well as the cities, including Jerusalem itself were under central organized supervision.      

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BRAGADAYJAH 1206

BRAGADAYJAH 1206
The Levites  
The Levites consisted of Shemaiah, the son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni, and Shabbethai, and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God. And Mattaniah the son of Micha the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren , and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal the son of Jeduthun. And all the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and eighty four and in addition to the porters, Akkub, Talmon and their brethren that kept the gates were one hundred and seventy two. So all these, the children of Judah, the children of Benjamin, the priests the Levites the porters and singers and gate keepers well over three thousand men who dwelt within the city of Jerusalem at the time.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1205

BRAGADAYJAH 1205
The Benjamin and Priests and their Descendants.
And the sons of Benjamin were: Sallu, the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jesaiah. And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred and twenty eight. And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the city. Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib Jachin; Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of the house of God. And their brethren that did the work of the house, were eight hundred and twenty two. And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah. And his brethren the chief the fathers two hundred and forty two. And Amashai the son of Azareel the son of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son Immer. And their brethren mighty men of valor one hundred and twenty eight. And their overseer was Zabdiel the son of one of the great men.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1204

Those Dwelling at Jerusalem
Now the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem; and the rest of the people cast lots to see who would also get to live in the holy city, the ratio being one in ten, that is to say, one out of every ten would dwell in Jerusalem while the other nine out of every ten dwelt in other cities. And the people blessed all the men that willingly elected to dwell at Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the chief province but in the city of Judah everyone dwelt in his own possession and in Israel dwelt the priests and the Levites, the Nethinims and the children of Solomon’s servants. And at Jerusalem dwelt also certain of the children of Judah and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah Athaiah, the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah the son of Amariah the son of Shephatiah the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez. Also Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni. And all the descendants of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty eight valiant men.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1203

BRAGADAYJAH 1203
Pledge of Firstfruits, Corn and Wine.
And they cast lots among the priests and Levites and the people for the provision of the wood-offering to bring it into the house of God after the houses of their fathers, according to the appointed time year by year to burn upon the altar of the Lord their God as it is written in the law. The written undertaking also was to bring the firstfruits of their sons and of their cattle as it is written in the law and the firstfruits of the herds and of their flocks to bring to the house of God, as it written in the law before the priests who ministered unto the Lord, and that they would bring the firstfruits of their dough and their offerings, and of all manner of trees, and wine, and of oil unto the priests to the chambers of the house of God and the tithes of the ground unto the Levites that they may have the tithes of all the tillage. And the priests, the sons of Aaron were to be with the Levites when the Levites took the tithes and the Levites were to bring the tithes of the tithes unto the chambers of the house of the treasury. The children of Israel and the children of Levi were to bring the offering of the corn, new wine, and oil unto the chambers where the vessels of the sanctuary where the priests that ministered were, together with the porters and the singers so that the house of the Lord would not be forsaken.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1202

BRAGADAYJAH 1202
Voluntary pledge of Support for the upkeep of the House of God
So the nobles, priests, fathers and people turned to God and bound themselves by a solemn oath signed and sealed to adhere to their God. They also vowed that they would not give their daughters to the people of the land, nor accept their daughters for their sons. They also pledged that if the people of the land took to them any supplies on the Sabbath day, that they should not purchase any on that day. That they would forego the seventh year and the exaction of every debt in that year. Then they made ordinances whereby they pledged support for the upkeep of the house of God. In that regard, they charged themselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of their God. For the shewbread and the continual meat-offering; and for the continual burnt-offering, of the Sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offering, to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work for the upkeep of the house of their God.


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BRAGADAYJAH 1201

BRAGADAYJAH 1201
The Sealed Covenant.
As a result of the realization and confession of their transgressions against the commandments of their Lord their God, and of His continual goodness and mercy toward them, and pledging themselves to be obedient and faithful in the future, Nehemiah together with the nobles, the Levites, priests and rulers, made a solemn covenant; and having written it signed it with their signatures and sealed it. There were twenty seven signatures in all, in addition to the assent of the rest of the people, the priests and the Levites the porters, the singers, the Nethinims and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the land unto the law of God, together with their wives, their sons, and their daughters and everyone old enough to have knowledge and understanding. They clave to their brethren, their nobles and entered into the curse and into an oath, to walk in God’s law which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord their God, His judgments and his statutes. 

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BRAGADAYJAH 1200

BRAGADAYJAH 1200
The Levites Confession continued.
“ Nevertheless for Thy great mercies sake, Thou did not utterly consume or forsake them; for thou art gracious and merciful. Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keeps covenants and mercy, let not all this trouble that has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our priests our prophets, our fathers and our people, since the time of the Kings of Assyria unto this day, seem little before Thee. However, because Thou art just in all that is brought upon us, for you have done right while we have done wickedly, neither have our kings, our princes, our priests nor our fathers kept your law nor hearkened unto your commandments; and thy testimonies wherein thou did testify against them; for they have not served thee in their kingdom; and they have grieved thee in Thy great goodness. Therefore we are servants this day. And the land you gave to our fathers which yielded much, were given to them that now rule over us; because of our sins; and they rule over our bodies and distress us.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1199

BRAGADAYJAH 1199
The Levites Confession continued.
And therefore, “Because they provoked you greatly, you delivered them into the hand of their enemies who vexed them, and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto you, in accordance with your mercy, when they cried unto you gave them saviors who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. But after they had rest, they did evil in your sight; therefore you left them in the hand of their enemies so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they returned and cried unto you, you heard from heaven many times, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies, because you are merciful. And you testified against them, that they may bring themselves again unto your law. Yet they dealt proudly and hearkened not unto your commandment; but sinned against your judgments which said, if man does, he shall live in them. Yet they withdrew their shoulder, and hardened the neck, and would not listen. For many years, you did forbear them, and testified against them by the spirit in thy prophets; yet they would not give ear; so they were given into the hand of the people of the land.”

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BRAGADAYJAH 1198

BRAGADAYJAH 1198
The Levites Confession
“Yes forty years did you sustain them in the wilderness so that they lacked nothing; their clothes wore not out, and their feet swelled not. In addition, you gave them kingdoms and nations and divided them into corners so that they possessed the land of Sihon, and the lands of the kings of Heshbon and the land of the king of Og of Bashan. Their children also you multiplies as the stars of heaven; and you brought them into the land wherein you promised to their fathers to possess. And so the children went in and possessed the land and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land the Canaanites and gave them unto your hands, with the kings and the people of their land that they might deal with them as they would. And they took strong cities, and a fat land; and possessed houses full of all goods, wells dug, vineyards and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance; so they did eat and were filled, and became fat; and delighted themselves in Thy great goodness. Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against Thee, and cast Thy law behind their backs; and slew the prophets who testified against them, and urged them to turn their faces to Thee; and they did provoke thee greatly.” [ to be continued.]

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BRAGADAYJAH 1197

BRAGADAYJAH 1197
The Levites prayer of Confession [ Continued]
But they and our fathers, dealt proudly and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to your commandments. And refused to obey, neither were mindful of Thy wonders that Thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage; but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness and forsook them not. Yea, when they had made a molten calf and said, “This is Thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt,” and wrought great provocations, yet thou in the manifold mercies forsook them not in the wilderness; the pillar of cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night to show them light, and the way wherein they should go. Thou gave also Thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheld not thy manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst. [To be continued]

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BRAGADAYJAH 1191

BRAGADAYJAH 1197
The Levites prayer of Confession [ Continued]
But they and our fathers, dealt proudly and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to your commandments. And refused to obey, neither were mindful of Thy wonders that Thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage; but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness and forsook them not. Yea, when they had made a molten calf and said, “This is Thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt,” and wrought great provocations, yet thou in the manifold mercies forsook them not in the wilderness; the pillar of cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night to show them light, and the way wherein they should go. Thou gave also Thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheld not thy manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst. [To be continued]

BRAGADAYJAH 1196

BRAGADAYJAH 1196
The Levites Confession
In their confession the Levites were in fact recounting the goodness of the Lord God to Israel; and so they continued to extol him as follows. “Thou didst divide the Red sea before them, and so that they went through the midst of the sea on dry land, and their persecutors were thrown in the sea as a stone in mighty waters. Moreover you led them by day by a pillar of cloud, and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give then light and guide them the way they should go. Thou came down also on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven and gave to them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes, and commandments; and made known unto them thy holy Sabbath; and commanded them precepts, statutes and laws by the hand of Moses. You also gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and brought forth water out of a rock for their thirst; and promised them that they should possess the land which thou had given to them. [ Levites confession to be Continues]

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BRAGADAYJAH 1195

BRAGADAYJAH 1195
The Levites Confession [Continued]
“Thou even Thou hast made heaven and earth with all its hosts , the earth and all things that are therein and Thou preserve them all and the host of heaven worship Thee. Thou art the Lord the God who chose Abram and brought him forth out of Ur in the Chaldees and gave him the name Abraham. And you found his heart faithful before you and made a covenant with him to give him the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites and the Girgashites, to possess for him and his seed; for you are righteous. And you saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red Sea and shewed signs and wonders to Pharaoh; and on all his servants; and on all the people of his land; for you knew they dealt proudly against your people; so you made a name in their eyes, which lasts even unto this day. {to be continued] 

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BRAGADAYJAH 1194

BRAGADAYJAH 1194
The Fasted and Repented
Now in the twenty fourth day of the month, the children of Israel assembled themselves for fasting with sackcloth and earth upon them; and they separated themselves from strangers and they stool and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. They stood up in their places and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God. Then stood upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah Bani, and Chenani and cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God. Then they proclaimed “Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever, and blessed be thy glorious name which is above all blessing and praise.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 1193

BRAGADAYJAH 1193
Feast of Tabernacles Restored
And the following day, the people were gathered together; the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests the Levites, unto Ezra the Scribe so that he could explain to them the meaning of the words of the law. And they found written in the law which the Lord had commanded Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month, and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem saying, “Go forth unto the mount and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths in;” for so it is written. So the people went out and gathered them and made booths each one upon the roof of his house, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street near the water gate; and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. And all the congregation of those that came out of the captivity made booths since this had not been done since the days of Joshua which made the people very happy to be doing so now. And from the first day unto the last day, Ezra read from the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days and on the eighth day they kept a solemn assembly the convocation according to the law.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 1192

BRAGADAYJAH 1192

Ezra Read from the Law of Moses.
At that time, all the people gathered themselves together as one before the water gate; and they spoke unto Ezra the Scribe to bring the book of the Law of Moses which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra brought the law before the congregation, consisting of men and woman and those old enough to have understanding. And standing on an altar erected for the purpose at the water gate read from the morning until noon from the book of the law while all the people listened attentively. Along with Ezra were the priests and Levites and elders and nobles and leaders who all stood with him. As Ezra stood on the platform of the Altar and opened the book, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people said, “Amen, Amen.” Lifting their hands in worship, and head bowed to the ground. And thus assembled Ezra in the company of those on his left and his right and of all the people read from the book distinctly and clearly so that all could hear and understand.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1191

BRAGADAYJAY 1191
The Basis For Giving
The house of God was completed and dedicated. The Walls around it rebuilt and fortified. And the participant’s names were written down according to their lineage. And the people amassed together to bless the Lord with their giving, not according to some prescribed edict; but out of the abundance of their heart as the Lord had blessed them. Similar to the provisions of 1 Corinthians 16:2 which undoubtedly is the proper Christian standard of giving. The whole congregation as we have seen before, were forty two thousand three hundred and sixty, and their substance amounted to: horses, seven hundred and thirty six; mules, two hundred and forty five; camels, four hundred and thirty five; and six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses. And some of the chiefs of the fathers, the Tirshatha, gave to the treasury a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, and five hundred and thirty priest’s garments. And some of the chiefs of the fathers gave to the treasury of the work twenty thousand grams of gold, and two thousand two hundred drams of silver. And the rest of the people gave twenty thousand grams of gold, and two thousand pounds of silver and sixty seven priest’s garments. And so the priests and the Levites and the porters and the singers, and some of the people and the Nethinims and all Israel dwelt in the cities; and when the seventh month had come they were living there in the cities. 

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BRAGADAYJAH 1190

BRAGADAYJAH 1190
Total number of the Remnant
Then Nehemiah caused to be compiled a register of all the remnant that returned pout of captivity to take part in the re-building of the House and walls of Jerusalem, including: a registry of the returning priests; a registry of the returning Levites; a registry of the returning Nethinims; a registry of the descendants of Solomon’s servants; the priests who were disqualified because they lacked genealogy. And the total number of all the people who constituted the remnants were forty two thousand three hundred and sixty. This number did not include their menservants and their maidservants of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty seven, and in addition two hundred and forty five singing men and women.  

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BRAGADAYJAH 1189

BRAGADAYJAH 1189
Hanani and Hananiah Put in charge of Jerusalem
So when the wall was built and the doors put on and the porters, the singers and the Levites were appointed, Nehemiah appointed his brother Hanani and Hananiah over Jerusalem for they were faithful and feared the Lord. And Nehemiah instructed them not to allow the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun was well up. And while they stood by, to shut the doors and bar them up, and set constant watch over their houses. And by the inspiration of God, Nehemiah gathered together all the Nobles, the rulers and the people, that they may be counted by genealogy; and a register of them was found containing all those who first came up to do the work of rebuilding the house and the wall.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1188

BRAGADAYJAH 1188
Knowing the Mission of the Enemy
Nehemiah knew within himself that God had not sent Sanballat against him to thwart the work and cause him to sin. Therefore Nehemiah prayed to God to think upon Sanballat and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of those who were prophesying lies against him; and all this time, the wall was continuing to be built and it was finished in 52 days, in the twenty fifth day of the month Elul. And it came to pass that when all their enemies heard that the wall was finished, and when all the heathen that were looking on and hoping the work could be obstructed saw that it was not, they were all much disappointed for they knew that the work was the work of our God having regard to all the obstacles that they encountered. In addition at that time the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah and Tobiah sent many letters to them; for they were many in Judah who were loyal to Tobiah because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah the governor, and his own son was married into the ruling class. And therefore he sent letters to Nehemiah hoping to put him in fear; but Nehemiah remained true to the work and faithful to the Lord his God; and so the wall was completed.

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BRAGADAYJAH 1187

BRAGADAYJAH 1187
Letter of Accusation.

It is so typical. If the enemy cannot find a way to kill or hurt you physically, they resort to the artifice of spreading lies about you. So after four attempts to lure Nehemiah and his associated to their deaths, the fifth messenger arrives with a letter, full of accusations. “It is reported among the heathen that thou and the rest of the Jews are planning to rebel. That is why you are building the wall that you may set yourself up as king. And you have appointed prophets to preach concerning you at Jerusalem saying there is a king in Judah. And so we are going to report to the king, and tell him what is going on. So you are advised to come and let us meet and talk together.” So Nehemiah replied to Sanballat and stated flatly that what he alleged was not true, but something he made up out of his own heart. So Nehemiah brought the situation in prayer before God and said that the adversary was trying to make the men doing the work afraid, thus weakening their hands and delaying the work. Therefore, Nehemiah prayed to God, and asked Him to strengthen their hands.  After that Nehemiah went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who had shut himself in his house. And he told Nehemiah that they should go and shut themselves in the house of God, for his life was in danger. But Nehemiah declined saying he did not think that a man such as himself should go into hiding, by taking refuge inside the temple in order to save his life. 

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BRAGADAYJAH 1186

GRAGADAYJAH 1186

THE ENEMY DOES NOT QUIT

Yet through all this the work on the wall though slowed did not stop. And when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem and the rest of the adversaries heard that the wall was built and almost finished save for the doors upon the gates, they changed their tact and asked for a peace meeting; for they said “Come let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.” But Nehemiah was no fool and he perceived at once that they meant to do them harm. And so Nehemiah responded to them and said, he could not stop the work he was doing to go to have a meeting with them; but they persisted and sent four more sets of messages; but Nehemiah refused to meet with them sending them the same reason for refusal as before. Yet Sanballat sent a fifth message via a personal servant who came with an open letter in his hand this time setting out formal grievous accusations against the Jews. Is this not the way Satan always strategize, trying one mode, then another and another from a slightly different tact each time? But God is no fool and neither are those who put their trust in Him.  

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The Lord our God is Omnipotent

Happy New Year
The Lord Our God is Omnipotent

I pause to wish everyone a happy New Year 2017, as I seek to bring a short word from Gateway To Heaven Church. A word from God’s Holy Word says: “Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil. Neither temps He any man. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed: Then when lust is conceived it brings forth sin and when sin is finished it brings forth death. (James 1: 13-15). What does it mean when we say God cannot? For example, be tempted with evil, lie, change, be unfaithful, (break His promise) and much more? On the other hand we say that God is not only Omnipotent, (All powerful), He is Omniscient, (knows everything), and Omnipresent, (everywhere at once.)  What does it mean then that God cannot? The answer lies in the fact that good is good, for example, and therefore, He cannot be evil, he is Truth and so He cannot lie, He keeps covenants and is not therefore a covenant breaker. He is the same forever and thus He cannot change. But still, if He cannot, you may ask, “Does that not make Him not Omnipotent?” The answer is No! It does not. You see God’s Omnipotent Powers are, while limitless in their prerogatives, are self-limiting in their exercise. Example your fourteen year old child is determined to go out of your house against your will. You urge him/her not to go; and he/she defiantly walks out and gets into trouble. Then you, the father is asked later, “Couldn’t you have stopped him/her? “Yes” the father replies, “I could have but I chose not to do so.” So when we lie and cheat, commit adultery, fornication, abomination and sin of all sorts, and think we are fooling God, we are not; we are just fooling ourselves. May the year 2017 remind us that God is watching us, not from a distance, but up close and personal. Time is running; it does not stand still; but time must have a stop. Amen. And may God bless everyone who hears and receives this word. Rev Dr. John S. Weekes www.gatewaytoheavenchurch.org

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