Reading for July 28th

Read Nehemiah 12.44-47. In 12.44-47: The community ensures Temple service. Shifting back to a third-person narrative, this section recounts efforts the community made to ensure that the contributions to the Temple stores were properly accounted for. The focus is exclusively on the community and its support for the Temple personnel. In verse 44: Men were appointed: The appointment was by the consenus of the community, not not by an individual. Being over the stores included the inventorying and redistribution of offerings. Such care was taken because Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. Taking care over the offerings that support these persons was an act of Thanksgiving for the joy worship provided to the community. In verse 47: The daily poritons:The offering that provided daily rations to the Temple personnel. Paralleling Zerubbabel, who rebuilt the Temple, and Nehemiah, who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, serves the same function as Ezra 1-6 served mixing  the two efforts together: The rebuilding of the walls and subsequent solemn covenant reformed the house of God just as the physical rebuilding of the building did. To speak of Nehemiah in this manner makes it sound like his term as governor is over. Comments or Questions..