STUDIES IN THE BOOKS OF EZRA AND NEHEMIAH

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1 Roy Matlock The Monthly Mission Messenger Volume V, No. 51 October 2018 Roy Matlock Ministries The Messenger is free for those who love to study God s Word. The Messenger is supported by free love offerings from those who wish to help spread the Word. Go to web page for purchases or donation. May God Bless You. My friends, Please send this link to all your contacts. The Monthly Mission Messenger is available on site with all other materials written by Pastor Roy. STUDIES IN THE BOOKS OF EZRA AND NEHEMIAH We ended our study last month with the thought that Israel had come back from Persia and rebuilt the city of Jerusalem and were gathered to listen to the law of God. It was read by Ezra the Scribe (8:4), as it had been delivered to Moses when the Israelites came out of Egypt. The last verse of chapter eight (8) stated:. 8:18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance. We begin this month with chapter nine (9) NEHEMIAH CHAPTER NINE (9) VERSE V,1 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and in sackcloth, and earth upon their heads. V,2 And the descendants of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. V,3 And they stood up in their place, 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. On the 24 th day of the month the people assembled to worship. They separated themselves from all non Jews according to the laws God gave to Moses. For one fourth of the day they studied the Word. Then for one fourth of the day they confessed. First, we see a good plan here. Read the Bible to know what God wants you to believe and do. Then, after you see the error of your way, confess and forsake it. Then, begin to be obedient to God S Word. V,4 Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God. V,5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God forever and ever: and blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. V,6 You, even you, are LORD alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and you preserve them all; and the host of heaven worships you. V,7 You are the LORD, the God who did choose 1

2 Abram, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham; V,8 And found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his descendants, and have performed your words; for you are righteous: They praise God for His greatness in creation. They re-call God s call to Abraham recorded in Genesis. Genesis 12:1-4 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house, unto a land that I will show you: 2. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing: 3. And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. Genesis 12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto your descendants will I give this land: and there built he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. Abraham received this promise in the year 2083 Post Adam. The date these Israelites are acknowledging this is around 1500 years later.. Neh. 9:9 And (You) did see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red sea; V,10 And showed signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for you knew that they dealt arrogantly against them. So did you get you a name, as it is this day. V,11 And you did divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors you threw into the deep, as a stone into the mighty waters. They remember their nation coming out of Egypt & crossing the Red Sea. Exodus 12 & 13. V,12 Moreover you led them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way in which they should go. V,13 You came down also upon mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: V,14 And made known unto them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses your servant: They remember the crossing of the Red Sea on dry ground. They also acknowledge the giving of the 10 Commandments and the law at Mount Sinai. V,15 And gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and brought forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promised them that they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them. God gave them the manna and water out of the rock. V,16 But they and our fathers acted presumptuously, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to your commandments, V,17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of your wonders that you did among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a leader to return to their bondage: but you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsook them not. They acknowledge that their forefathers did not keep the commandments God gave to them. Oh, how people are this same way today. They believe and know about God but will not be faithful to Him. V,18 Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is your God that brought you up out of Egypt, and had worked great 2

3 provocations; V,19 Yet you in your 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 in which they should go. V,20 You gave also your good spirit to instruct them, and withheld not your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst. V,21 Yea, forty years did you sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes grew not old, and their feet swelled not. V,22 Moreover you gave them kingdoms and nations, and did distribute them even into the corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan (Num. 21:21-35). V,23 Their children also you multiplied as the stars of heaven, and brought them into the land, concerning which you had promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it. They recount the full 40 years in the wilderness. V,24 So the children went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would. V,25 And they took strong cities, and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all goods, cisterns hewed out, vineyards, and olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness. They recount the possession of the land which God had promised Abraham, that his seed would inherit it. V,26 Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, and cast your law behind their backs, and slew your prophets who testified against them to turn them to you, and they worked great provocations. V,27 Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their enemies, who oppressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto you, you heard them from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. V,28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before you: therefore you left them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto you, you heard them from heaven; and many times did you deliver them according to your mercies; V,29 And testified against them, that you might bring them again unto your law: yet they acted presumptuously, and hearkened not unto your commandments, but sinned against your judgments, (which if a man does, he shall live in them;) and turned the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear. V,30 Yet many years did you bear with them, and testified against them by your spirit in your prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore you gave them into the hand of the people of the lands. V,31 Nevertheless for your great mercies' sake you did not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for you are a gracious and merciful God. This will be the accounts recorded in the books of the Judges. They did evil against God in the land He gave them, yet He had mercy on them. Over and over He sent prophets to them to warn them, but they would not listen. Finally, God gave them up and let them be conquered by Babylon in the year 3430 Post Adam. But now they are back in the land after their captivity in Babylon. Now they are trying to do as God commanded. V,32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before you, that has come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all your 3

4 people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day. They recognize the time from the capture by Nebuchadnezzar to the present day, some 90 years later. They continue to pray and repent. V,33 Yet you are just in all that is brought upon us; for you have done right, but we have done wickedly: V,34 Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor hearkened unto your commandments and your testimonies, with which you did testify against them. V,35 For they have not served you in their kingdom, or in your great goodness that you gave them, or in the large and rich land which you gave before them, neither turned they from their wicked works. V,36 Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that you gave unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it: They acknowledge that although they have been given the privilege to return to the land and rebuild the temple, and also to rebuild the cities, that they are still not free. They are servants to the king of Persia. V,37 And it yields much increase unto the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress. V,38 And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our leaders, Levites, and priests, seal it. They covenant with God to do right. Although they agreed to be obedient to God, He did not allow them to have their own nation back until the year More next month BIBLE QUIZ FOR THIS MONTH There are numerous men and kingdoms mentioned in the Bible. For our quiz this month I am going to name four men of the Bible and you tell what kingdom came from each of them. ESAU: Kingdom of the AMMON: Kingdom of the JACOB: Kingdom of the MOAB: Kingdom of the ANSWER TO LAST MONTH S BIBLE QUIZ We have read of Mary the mother of Jesus (Lu. 1: And the Mary who anointed Jesus head with ointment for His burial (Matt. 26:6-13). They have been remembered through life for their deeds. These women were Jewish. There was a gentile woman mentioned in the Old Testament who performed a deed, or a work of faith. She is mentioned in the New Testament for this deed. We still talk of her today, even more at Christmas time because she is in the genealogy of Jesus. What was her name? RAHAB What did she do that was worthy of her name being listed in the Bible? She hid the spies who came to Jericho. Give the O.T scripture. You are encouraged to read all of Joshua chapter Two (2) about this account. Joshua 2:4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I know not from where they were: V,6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. V,8-12 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 4

5 V,9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. V, 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side of Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. V,11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. V,12. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have showed you kindness, that you will also show kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true sign: V,15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. V,17 And the men said unto her, We will be guiltless concerning this your oath which you have made us swear. V, 18. Behold, when we come into the land, you shall bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which you did let us down by: and you shall bring your father, and your mother, and your brethren, and all your father's household, home unto you. V,21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. Give the N.T. scripture where she is mentioned. Matthew 1:1-6 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brothers; 3. And Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat Hezron and Hezron begat Ram; 4. And Ram begat Amminidab; and Amminidab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salmon; 5. And Salmon begat Boaz of Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king. Hebrews 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. James 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? * * * * * * * END TIME THINGS AS PROPHESIED IN EZEKIEL CHAPTERS 34 THROUGH 39 Last month we looked at Ezekiel 34. We concluded our study with verse 5, where we talked about the fact that Israel was not recognized as a nation after they returned from the captivity. They stayed under the rule of the kingdoms that followed for about 400 years before Christ, even while in their own country. During the days of the ministry of Jesus, Israel was still under the Roman Empire. Jesus said they would be scattered again. Luke 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (The Time of the Gentiles is the church age. The Apostle Paul declared of them: Rom. 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in. When the Gentile age is over, Jesus will return and the resurrection and rapture will take place (1 st Thess. 4:14-17). Then God will turn all attention on Israel again. Chapter 34 gives a prophecy of the time when 5

6 Israel will be saved as a nation. He recognizes them in a figure of speech as sheep. God pronounced judgment on the false shepherds through His watchman Ezekiel: V,6. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. V,7. Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; V,8. As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became food to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; V,9. Therefore, O you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; V,10. Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be food for them. This is condemning the spiritual leaders of Israel because they did not accept the true Messiah when He came. V,11. For thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search for my sheep, and seek them out. V,12. As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered on a cloudy and dark day. V,13. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. This is referring to the regathering of Israel. Israel was recognized as a nation on May 8, 1948 for the first time since they fell to Nebuchadzzar, king of Babylon in the year 597 B.C. V,14. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a rich pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. V,15. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord GOD. V,16. I will seek those who were lost, and bring again those who were driven away, and will bind up those who were broken, and will strengthen those who were sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. V,17. And as for you, O my flock, thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between the rams and the male goats. God speaks of the Jews who do not accept Jesus as the Messiah, and to the nations throughout the earth that mistreat the Jews V,18. Seems it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but must you tread down with your feet the rest of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but must you foul the rest with your feet? V,19. And as for my flock, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which you have fouled with your feet. V,20. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and between the lean sheep. V,21. Because you have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad; V,22. Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. Although Israel was recognized as a nation on May 8, 1948 for the first time since they fell to Nebuchadzzar, king of Babylon, in the year 597 B.C., the gathering spoken of here is not that day. This will be the time of the Millennial reign. 6

7 From this our thoughts move to the Millennial Reign of Christ. V,23. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. During the days of Ezekiel, when this was spoken, David had been dead for many years. Therefore, since David is mentioned as being the shepherd, this is referring to someone of the seed and linage of David in the future. It is referring to Jesus Christ during the Millennial reign. V,24. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. When the angel Gabriel made the annunciation about the birth of Jesus to the virgin Mary, he pointed out that Jesus would rule on the throne of David. The angel said to Mary: Luke 1:31-35 And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS. 32. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. This is speaking of the Millennial reign of Christ when Jesus will be their King. 34. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35. And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God. Ezekiel continues: V,25. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. 26. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. 27. And the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those who enslaved them. 28. And they shall no more be a prey to the nations, neither shall the beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. 29. And I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the nations any more. 30. Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD. 31. And you my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, says the Lord GOD. Chapter 35 next month * * * * * * * FINANCIAL SUPPORT SINCE OUR LAST ISSUE Thank you so much and may God bless Randy & DeAnna Staton... Sheridan, AR Liberty Trailer Co N. Little Rock, AR Gail Meador.. Charleston, AR Peggy Ross. Hensley, AR Wanda Staton.... Mabelvale, AR Richard Staton. Stuttgart, AR 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 But this I say, He who sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 7

8 HELPS AND HINTS FOR DEEPER STUDY OR YOUR SPIRITUAL ENJOYMENT Order info on web page REVELATION COMMENTARY A description of the evil beast. The Antichrist exposed. The woman on the scarlet colored beast explained. Second Coming of Christ. Battle of Armageddon. The Millennial Kingdom. The Holy City and the glories of heaven. THE BIBLE QUIZ Hundreds of Bible questions with an answer section that will guide you to the answers to many things of the Bible. Sharpen your Bible skills. Increase your Bible knowledge. A BIBLICAL CHRONOLOGY OF MAN A detailed study of the scriptural links with dates from Adam to the birth of Jesus. HEAVEN, WHERE IT IS AND HOW TO GET THERE Hell, where it is and how to avoid going there. A study about the eternal Holy City and the Ne Earth, about hell, that place that all unsaved people wish, or hope, doesn t exist. THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY a study of God s plan for younger children who, for some reason may die from infancy through a very young age when they have not made a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. A must for all parents with young children. known by all believers. This study covers the four most important doctrines for mankind to know in order to have perfect peace with God. MIRACLES AND TONGUES These teachings go into deep detail about what the Bible teaches on these subjects. They give the Old Testament prophecies concerning them and the New Testament fulfillment of them. There is much confusion in religious circles today about these subjects. A good Bible knowledge about them will remove such confusion. LAW & GRACE A detailed study primarily of why most Christians do not keep the 7th Day Sabbath, but worship on the first day of the week. A VERSE BY VERSE STUDY OF THE BOOK P OF DANIEL. All the Beasts of Daniel explained. The Little Horn on the beasts as the Antichrist of the Tribulation Period, explanation of what will happen to Him. Many End Time Prophecies explained. C D I LL SEE YOU SOON Your editor plays the guitar and sings Country Gospel. We have completed our first recording of a CD entitled I ll See You Soon. This is the first of a series of Country Gospel songs written by your Editor. It somewhat tells the story of me and my wife who went to be with the Lord on March 27, Available also on the You Tube App. THE MOST POWERFUL FOUR BIBLE DOCTRINES There are certain fundamental doctrines taught in the Bible that are very important and should be