“Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” (Nehemiah 4:14 ESV). Nehemiah spoke these words while leading the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. Their enemies—Sanballat, Tobiah, and others—were ridiculing, threatening, and plotting against them. In the
“O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man” (Nehemiah 1:11 ESV). Nehemiah prayed this after hearing the distressing news that
Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law (Ezra 10:3 ESV). After Ezra discovered that many of the
“O Lord, the God of Israel, you are just, for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.” (Ezra 9:15 ESV). When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem with the king’s commission and offerings for the
“For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel” (Ezra 7:10 ESV). Ezra, a priest descended from Aaron and a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, led the second major return of exiles to Jerusalem around 458
“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God.” (1 Corinthians 3:18–19 ESV). Paul warned the Corinthian believers not to be deceived by the values of the
“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:1 ESV). After contrasting the difference between the “natural man” and the “spiritual man” in chapter two, Paul addressed a troubling third spiritual condition, the “carnal man” (“fleshly”). This person has received Christ
“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:13–14 ESV). David concluded this psalm with a strong affirmation of faith. Even though he had previously expressed fear of
“Jeremiah also uttered a lament for Josiah; and all the singing men and singing women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made these a rule in Israel; behold, they are written in the Laments.” (2 Chronicles 35:25 ESV). King Josiah was the last of the godly kings in Judah. His
“Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.” (Proverbs 20:19 ESV). Solomon warned that those who speak carelessly, especially those who slander or gossip, cannot be trusted with confidential or sensitive matters. The one who “reveals secrets” proves unfaithful. Likewise, the “simple babbler” (literally, “one who opens wide his