I SAMUEL CHAPTER ONE

[JLG]

Nehemiah 1:8
Remember, I pray,
נָא֙ (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then

the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you
are unfaithful, I will scatter you
אֶתְכֶ֖ם (’eṯ·ḵem) among the nations,
- As a consequence, Yah.weh scaterred them among the nations!
- They were exiled to babylon!
- Because of their unfaithfulness!
- It doesn’t matter when!
- It was to happen!
- It will be the same for mankind!
- But this time it won’t mean exile!
- It will mean death!
- No possibility of coming back!
- Like in the case of Adam and Eve!
- Final judgment!
- Man has a short memory!
- Yah.weh must constantly remember who is the boss!
- But remember the case of Job!
- There was a trial between Yah.weh and the devil!
- About the faithfulness of man towards Yah.weh!
- As a consequence, Yah.weh couldn’t do anything except prevent the devil from killing Job!
- Now the last trial is about the demonstration of Yah.weh being the only one able to lead the universe and the inability of man to lead himself!
- Well, the demonstration is turning into a farce as man is about destroying all life on earth!
- Man has been trying any kind of political system!
- And man has shown himself a wolf for man!

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 1:9
but [if] you return to Me to keep and practice My commandments,
then even if your exiles have been banished to the ends of the earth,
I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen
as a dwelling for My Name.’
- The covenant between Yah.weh and the Israelites is still available!
- But the Israelites must do their part!
- If they don’t do anything, they can forget the covenant!
- Yah.weh won’t do his part either!
- That’s the balance human beings always forget!
- If you don’t do anything, you get nothing!
- It is as simple as that!
- But apparently very complicated for mankind!
- Find the mistake!
- The problem is that the Hebrews have always demonstrated their unfaithfulness!
- And Yah.weh’s answer to Daniel’s prayer is clear: restoration followed by destruction!
- It is the same for mankind: destruction before Yah.weh’s kingdom!

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 1:10
They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power
and mighty hand.
- Nehemiah needs to remind Yah.weh that they are his servants and his people!
- In fact, they used to be so long time ago!
- And he reminds Yah.weh of his great power!
- And his mighty hand!
- Everything has to be rebuilt!
- Everything has to be done!
- There is nothing left!
- Because they forgot Yah.weh!
- History repeats again and again!
- Israel!
- Judah!
- Mankind!
- But mankind never understands!
- Only spiritual prostitution!
- But faithfulness is not part time but full time!
- Faithfulness has nothing to do with corruption!
- Mankind only knows corruption!
- Man is corruption!
- Religion is corruption!

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 1:11
O Lord, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and to the prayers
of Your servants who delight in reverence of Your name. Give Your servant success
this day, I pray,
נָּ֤א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'
and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. (For I was the cupbearer to the king.)
- Nehemiah keeps asking Yah.weh for being attentive to his prayer and all prayers of those who care for God’s name!
- He asks Yah.weh for giving him success in his action!
- He asks Yah.weh for mercy!
- He must rebuild Jerusalem’s walls!
- And the enemies are everywhere!
- It is incredible to see the differences of attitude to Yah.weh between the faithful servants of Yah.weh and the others!
- When I look at Job, Daniel, Samuel, Nehemiah, Ezra…, I see humility, I see respect, i see people who really care!
- When I see corruption, there is no humility, no respect, no care, nothing, it is just empty as if they were already dead!

 

[JLG]

Nehemia 2:1
Now in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine
was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad
in his presence,
Who is Artaxerxes in the Bible?
Artaxerxes I, (died 425 BC, Susa, Elam [now in Iran]), Achaemenid king of Persia (reigned 465–425 BC). He was surnamed in Greek Macrocheir (“Longhand”) and in Latin Longimanus. A younger son of Xerxes I and Amestris, he was raised to the throne by the commander of the guard, Artabanus, who had murdered Xerxes.
- So Nehemiah gives wine to the king Artaxerxes!
- And it is the first time that Nehemiah is sad before him!
- He can’t control himself in front of the king!
- He feels sad because of the bad conditions of the people in Jerusalem!
- And he really wants to do something!
- When we read about Daniel, Nehemiah , Ezra and other faithful servants of Yah.weh, they are all concerned about their people in Jerusalem!
- On the one hand, the faithful servants of Yah.weh, one people, on the other hand, the others!
- Faithfulness vs corruption!
- It is so different!
- No comparison at all!
- Completely opposed!
- Everyone must choose his master!
- There are only two masters!
- And it is not possible to serve both!