Autumn 2026: The Book of Joshua
Thursday 1st October – Numbers 26:63-65 & 27:15-23 ‘Origin Story pt 4 – Commission’
In 2022 we celebrated the 70 years’ reign of Queen Elizabeth II. It was an extraordinary life, and most of us probably still think we’ll never see another monarch like her: who combined length of life with a quiet moral authority which set her above most of her peers. I first wrote this reflection at a time when the newspapers were increasingly reporting signs of her declining health, and collectively we carried a sense that we were not going to be blessed by her presence much longer. Among the many ways we experienced that time, it gave us, I think, a small insight into what it must have been like for God’s people, as Moses’ own time drew to a close. I imagine many of God’s people would have felt in their hearts, as we did: ‘They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.’
In today’s passage, Moses also knows his own time is drawing to a close; so he finally – and formally – hands over the reins to his long-time deputy Joshua. As we’ve seen, this relationship began over 40 years ago, when Joshua was a young man. Now he is in late middle age – or older still – and at long last his time has come. His commissioning is both public – in front of the entire assembly of God’s people (v22) – and spiritual: Moses is instructed to lay his hand of blessing upon Joshua, who the Lord testifies already has ‘the spirit of leadership’ (v18).
It is interesting that even the Lord recognises Moses’ uniqueness: Joshua receives ‘some of Moses’ authority’ (v20): not all, it appears. But that is to be expected – Moses is a one-off. Joshua will never command the same authority; but then again, he doesn’t need to. God will equip him for the tasks He is calling him to do, which is all Joshua needs.
And that’s the point: it is wisely observed that God doesn’t call those He equips, but equips those He calls. God will give Joshua enough grace for whatever he is called to. And that is true for us, too. God will equip you for whatever He calls you to. He doesn’t ask you to be perfect, just faithful and obedient. And even if you feel you’ve been preparing a long time for this, take heart from the example of Joshua!
Perhaps you are feeling God nudging you towards something. Let today be an encouragement to you. If the Lord is calling you, He will also commission you: i.e. equip you for the task. And if that’s not where you find yourself today, perhaps take a moment to pray for all, like King Charles, who serve a Joshua-like apprenticeship: that the Lord would commission and equip them for the task they will be called to undertake.
Wednesday 30th September – Numbers 13:25-14:20 ‘Origin Story pt 3 – Grasshoppers’
Today’s reading ought to have shortened the bible by about 65 pages – and there you were, wondering why it got so long! As we arrive at Numbers chapter 13 the Israelites have also arrived: at the borders of the Promised Land, a few months after leaving Egypt. God has kept them safe as they’ve journeyed through the desert, given his Law to Moses, provided food and water, and met with them regularly at the Tent of Meeting (as we saw yesterday).
Now it’s time to enter the land God had promised them – or is it? It starts well enough: Moses sends a crack squad inside the borders to take a look (13:3), and Caleb and Joshua return full of faith. Caleb even advises Moses to go for it (v30). But the others think differently: ‘We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.’ (v31)
This report spreads, and like all rumours, picks up speed as it goes. By the time it reaches most of the camp, the inhabitants of the Promised Land are like giants (v32), against which God’s people are like grasshoppers (v33)!
Even so, Joshua and Caleb still try and convince the crowd that God is bigger than the obstacles they face; much better to trust God: ‘Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.’ (v9) It doesn’t work. The people dig their heels in, and are only spared a worse fate because Moses intervenes (again) with God. And so, for the next 65 pages the Israelites spend 40 years in the wilderness, and then have the law re-read to them – which takes us through the rest of Numbers and Deuteronomy.
This is a great passage for our times. We face huge challenges at present, and each of them can seem like giants. And these challenges are real, and frightening. But God is bigger than all of them. As Jesus encourages us: what matters most is not the mountain, but Who moves it.
It’s not a magic cure or a magic wand: but it is a word of hope. God is enough. Us plus God can overcome whatever we face. May we be inspired by Joshua’s example today, seize that mustard seed of faith, and pray into our challenges. What matters is not the mountain, but Who can move it.
Tuesday 29th September – Numbers 11:23-30 ‘Origin Story pt 2 – Zeal’
Immature fruit can taste a little sharp. That’s true in gardening – it’s also true in the spiritual life. We’re all called to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit: but often in young believers those qualities which eventually prove to be wonderful assets for the kingdom can be a little, well, prickly.
Take Joshua, for example. Since we met him in Exodus, Joshua has had the enormous privilege of accompanying Moses up the mountain (at least some of the way) when Moses went to meet with God (Ex 24:13): a sure sign that already Joshua is more than just ‘one of the team’, he is effectively Moses’ protégé.
This is confirmed by the story in Exodus 33: Joshua is with Moses at the Tent of Meeting, where God meets with Moses on a regular basis. It says, tellingly, that even after Moses went back to the Israelites camp, Joshua ‘did not leave the tent’ (Ex 33:11). It’s not clear whether this is to defend it, or because Joshua is so desperate to grow in faith and intimacy with God that he’s going to take every chance he gets – it’s probably a bit of both. It would certainly explain why Moses saw that ‘spark’ of greatness in him.
But there’s a flip side to this zeal, too. In today’s passage Moses gathers 70 elders and together they all receive the anointing of God’s Spirit (v25), such that they are able to prophesy (i.e. receive and speak God’s word). This is a major step forward in the growth of God’s people: but there’s an unexpected postscript: two of these elders are able to prophesy not just at the Tent of Meeting – the appointed place for God to meet with human beings – but also in the main camp (v26).
As we’ve learned, Joshua is fiercely committed to, and protective of, this Tent: and he immediately goes to Moses and says: ‘Stop them!’ (v28). Rules are rules, Moses – it’s just not cricket!
But the wise old Moses sees it differently. To paraphrase his reply in v29: ‘Calm down, Joshua. This is a good thing: more encounters with God means more blessing. I wish our spiritual life as a people would get to the stage where everyone is intimate with God, and is able to receive and speak his word.’ That’s not a bad dream, is it? And it hints at a beautiful truth fully realised more than a thousand years later, after the Spirit is poured out at Pentecost…
Joshua’s zeal to ‘do things right’ meant he missed the wood for the trees. His motives were basically good: he wanted to do things God’s way – as he saw it. But his view of God was too small. He limited God in his imagination, and so failed to see the bigger picture: that God was increasing his blessing to more people, and spreading it in a way that could bear fruit.
There’s a great lesson here for us. God is always bigger, and sometimes his kingdom is at work in surprising ways. Think of the Magi (I know, I now, it’s September – far too early!): theologically suspect astrologers blessed by God to witness the birth of the Messiah. In other words, no-one is beyond the reach of God.
What surprising people do you know, in whom God is up to something? Pray for eyes to see, and a heart to bless, what our great big God is doing!
Monday 28th September – Exodus 17:8-16 ‘Joshua – Origin Story pt 1’
Today we begin a new series looking at the major Old Testament book of Joshua. It’s a story of faith, of courage, of leadership, but also of a real human being, who has spent decades as Moses’ understudy and is awed by the responsibility.
Joshua’s story begins a lot further back than most of us realise. It’s common in big films and series nowadays to construct ‘origin stories’ that tell us where this super-hero or criminal mastermind came from. Usually this is a brilliant way to persuade us to part with more of our hard-earned cash, as we watch the ‘prequel’ to the apparently endless sequels! But, in the case of Joshua, it’s really useful to spend a few days reflecting on his life before the book that bears his name.
Joshua does in fact appear right near the start of the famous Exodus narrative. God’s people have only recently left Egypt and have begun their wanderings in the desert. They have already complained (a lot!), and God has patiently and miraculously provided for them: with manna to eat and water to drink. But now they face a further threat: having fled the Egyptians they are now attacked by another people, the Amalekites (v8).
Moses commissions a group to defend the Israelites, and he asks Joshua to lead them (v9) – this is the first time we encounter Joshua, fully 40 years before he takes on the major role that would define him: that of leading God’s people into the Promised Land. The fact that Moses asks Joshua suggests that he is already identified as one of the ‘senior team’ around Moses – and sure enough, Joshua leads the rearguard action and is victorious.
We may find the frequent fighting in Joshua’s life off-putting, and we’ll reflect more on this as the story develops. But today, let’s direct our gaze towards what is happening away from the battlefield. What makes this story remarkable is how the author indicates that what determines the outcome of the battle is not what is going on ‘down here’ but ‘up there’. Moses keeps his arms aloft in prayer and worship, and all the time he does so, the Israelites prevail. When his arms drop in fatigue, the Amalekites get the upper hand (v11).
It is a great reminder of how vital it is to soak our lives in prayer. Whatever challenges we face, prayer forms a key part of our ‘defence’. But even if you feel overawed by Moses’ mighty effort, perhaps you can identify with Aaron and Hur – their role was practical but no less important: they held up Moses’ arms when he was too tired to lift them himself. I love the fact that Aaron and Hur are named in this story: in the kingdom of God, everyone gets to play; everyone’s part is valuable.
Who could you support this week? In prayer, yes – but perhaps also in a Hur-like practical way. ‘The battle belongs to the Lord’ – but we all have our part to play, too.
August – September 2026: The Book of Nehemiah
The Book of Nehemiah is a riveting tale of someone being called by God to do something amazing – and then doing it! Nehemiah is a wonderful character, full of faith, wisdom and practical common sense. Let’s journey with him over the next few weeks, and be inspired by his example.
Epilogue 4, Saturday 26th September – Psalm 106 ‘History lessons’
I’ll admit it – I’m biased. I studied history for my university degree – I love it. I find it fascinating, and will happily read books on most historical subjects now.
I also know that not everyone enjoyed history at school. Memories of rote-learning monarchs, or obsessing over outdated parliamentary laws, or perhaps the very grim subjects of the 20th century, have put a lot of people off. Much better to live in the present, many have concluded.
But today’s psalm – and yesterday’s – give us a different perspective. If I can put aside my own enthusiasm for a moment, there is still great value in learning the lessons of history. As we observed earlier in our series: ‘Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them,’ was once wisely observed by Churchill, paraphrasing the philosopher George Santayana.
But we need history for more than just education. We need it for faith, too. Israel is constantly being given history lessons to remind themselves of who God is: how much he loves them, what he’s done for them, what it means to be the people of God: known, called, loved.
History matters. So here in Psalm 106, as elsewhere, Israel gets its own, very personal, history lesson: God’s faithfulness, their disobedience, but also God’s forgiveness and restoration. ‘Remember who God is – and remember who you are,’ is the repeated reminder.
We, too, can benefit from this advice. The Church, too, has a history. Sadly, we tend to think nowadays only of the shameful seasons of that history. But that is not the whole story – there are also many wonderful seasons and myriad stories of the power of God at work. Maybe now is a time for some of us to read (or re-read) a good Christian biography, or a story of renewal, led by the people of God, which has been forgotten.
Whenever we celebrate a family birthday, we often spend some of the day sharing memories, digging out old photos. We spend time remembering, because remembering builds relationship. Let’s learn that history lesson with God too – in the end, we need history because it helps us to affirm with the psalmist: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.’
Loving Lord, who can proclaim your mighty acts, or fully declare your praise? You are amazing. Help me to remember all you’ve done for me today. Thank you for your faithfulness and love, for your goodness and mercy. I give you my heartfelt thanks. Amen.
Epilogue 3, Friday 25th September – Psalm 105 ‘His covenant for ever’
In the area of Streatham where we used to live (in south London), there were no pubs. The reason is that, back in the 17th century, the land was owned by a Quaker family and they had attached a covenant to the land, which forbade it. As a covenant, it was permanent – it lasted forever: even 300 years later it could not be changed. If you wanted a beer, you had to walk a bit further!
The word covenant is little used now, but of immense importance. It means a solemn and unconditional promise. It denotes something permanent and – when formed between two parties – represents something mutual, founded on love. It is how God deals with his people – and also how we are designed to relate to each other in our closest relationships.
Thankfully we still have the word in a Christian marriage service, and this is the biggest difference between a Christian and a civil wedding. In a civil ceremony you have what are called the ‘contracting words’ – this is when the wedding becomes binding, but note the use of language. A Christian marriage, on the other hand, is a covenant – an unconditional vow: ‘That which God has joined together, let no-one put asunder.’
Of course, not all marriages last for life: but the principle of the covenant remains its great strength. And, in biblical terms, marriage is a picture of God’s relationship with us – permanent, faithful, unconditional, mutually loving and giving. Because a covenant can’t be broken, the psalmists and prophets return to this theme repeatedly. For all that we humans let God down, God ‘remembers his covenant for ever’ (v8) – even one made hundreds (or, by now, thousands) of years ago with Abraham. And this is cause for praise and rejoicing.
God’s covenant is likewise good news for us! God remains faithful, God watches over his people, God keeps giving us second chances and fresh starts. And in Jesus, God cements the covenant once and for all. Jesus fulfils all God’s promises to Abraham, and in Christ (and filled with God’s Spirit) we become the covenant people God always designed for us to be.
If the second half of the psalm makes for more challenging reading, behind it lies one simple point: God honours his promises. He promised his people a place to live: and then delivered one. He promised to bless them: and did so, at every turn – even feeding them miraculously when occasion required it (v40-41).
God remembered them – and he remembers us, too. We are part of God’s covenant people now. Which means that you are not forgotten. God too gives us his presence (v39) and meets our needs. How we need that each day – so today, spend a few moments delighting in the fact of God’s covenant to you. Claim his promises. And renew your determination to live in that covenant this day, and always.
Epilogue 2, Thursday 24th September – Psalm 100 ‘Through all generations’
We live in a culture which focuses largely on the now. ‘The past is a foreign country,’ and the future is a crystal ball. Only the present matters.
Whilst we inevitably have to live in the here and now, we also lose so much if we get caught up with this attitude. And not just in practical terms: ‘those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them,’ as the old saying goes. It is a spiritual problem, too. One of the great strengths of Jewish culture – and many other cultures, too – is the sense of ancestry, of a spiritual past. Time and again, God’s people are encouraged to remember the past, what God has done throughout history.
This sense of collective remembrance has a spiritual purpose. It reminded them – and us – of who God is. The actions defined the character. How do we know that God is loving, or good, or faithful? Look at what He’s done. Creation, covenant, and then miraculous rescue, time and again. And this is before we even get to Jesus! As we honour the past, so we see God’s faithfulness writ large.
It applies at a small scale too. We will have personal stories that form part of our past, as well as the famous stories of the heroes of the faith. Never forget them. Take time occasionally to remember them, to declare them. Perhaps today might be a moment to do so for a few minutes.
As we reflect on this short but wonderful psalm, it feels like its ending is really the beginning. This is our bedrock, as it was for God’s people thousands of years ago when this psalm was written: ‘The Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.’ (v5)
This is why we can be encouraged to ‘shout for joy’ (v1), to relate to God as our Good Shepherd (v3), to spend time in his presence (v4).
God has been faithful. He is faithful. He will be faithful. May that make us glad today. Amen.
Epilogue 1, Wednesday 23rd September – Psalm 98 ‘The work of salvation’
Nehemiah finished with prayers of remembering. Let’s enjoy a few more days in the ‘psalms of remembering’:
‘Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing: power and majesty, praise to the King. Mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of your name. I sing for joy at the work of your hands.’
Some of you will recognise those words as the chorus of one of the most popular worship songs of the last thirty years: ‘My Jesus, my Saviour.’ They’re taken directly from the verses of this psalm (v4, then vv7-8, then v1). And yet, these words were written hundreds of years before Jesus – which begs a useful question: what is ‘the work of God’s hands’ being referred to here? What ‘salvation is being made known’?
The psalm itself doesn’t tell us, but by and large whenever the Old Testament writers – especially the psalmists and prophets – refer to a saving act which God has already done, they’re usually referring to the miraculous rescue from Egypt, especially the two saving acts of Passover and the Crossing of the Red Sea. These were acts of literal salvation which decisively showed the Israelites that this God was their God, and they were his people.
The annual Passover celebration instituted from that moment reminded every generation of what God had done, and instructed the people to ‘make that salvation known’ (v2) afresh. They are called to remember, even as God remembers his love (v3).
But God’s saving work didn’t end at a point in history. God continued to rescue his people: in the time of Gideon, or David, or Hezekiah, and even after exile through the courage of Esther. God always remembers his love for his people.
And so we fast forward several centuries to a new Passover, a new Crossing from certain death to promised life – this time seen on a cross and then in an empty tomb. A new marvellous work of God, whose holy arm works salvation. Our God is the same: yesterday, today and forever. He continues to save, and Jesus is the true and greatest fulfilment of this psalm of praise. What was enacted for a particular people at the Red Sea was enacted for all people for all time at Calvary. There Jesus revealed God’s righteousness to the nations, so that all the ends of the earth might see the salvation of our God.
So it is quite right for that famous song to put Jesus at the heart of this psalm. And perhaps, if we know it, we too can sing the song in response. Let us sing a new song today, and be inspired to make his salvation known wherever God grants us the chance.
Loving Lord, I sing for joy at the work of your hands. Thank you that you always remember your love for me. Help me to abide in that love, and know your continuing saving work in my life. Amen.
Day 25, Tuesday 22nd September – Nehemiah 13:23-31 ‘Remember me, my God’
Every November we have our season of remembrance. It begins with All Saints Day on the 1st – a chance to remember the global church – moves through Bonfire Night and concludes with Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, when we remember the impact of war, and rededicate ourselves to the cause of peace. Remembering is important, and necessary; it forms a major theme of scripture. Time and again, God’s people are called to remember – their God, their history, their unfaithfulness, God’s faithfulness – because our memory is our identity.
What’s interesting, though, is that it’s not always one-way traffic. In fact, in the Psalms, the great ‘book of remembering,’ there are more references to God remembering us (16) than the other way round (11). God, of course, unlike us does not have a problem with memory – but calling this to mind serves in the Psalms as both a wonderful affirmation of faith, and a heartfelt prayer.
Perhaps it is no surprise to find Nehemiah concluding his own story in similar terms. As we observed a couple of days ago, chapter 13 is a sobering way to finish the tale, and what punctuates this last part of the story is that simple prayer: ‘Remember me, my God.’ Nehemiah increasingly feels like King Cnut, endlessly trying to push back the unstoppable tide of disobedience and spiritual apathy. After all his endeavours, all he can cry out is: ‘Remember me, my God.’
I think the pattern of these prayers is significant, too. Someone once observed to me that most people start as Arminians and end up as Calvinists; it’s a posh way of saying that when we’re young, we think faith is all about us, about how much we can do for the Lord. As we get older though, increasingly we realise how reliant we are on the grace of God. We become – painfully and joyfully – conscious that it’s all grace. It’s not about us, it’s about God.
Nehemiah’s final reflections seem to follow this pattern. Look how they start: (v14) ‘Remember me for… what I have so faithfully done.’ Then (v22): ‘Remember me… show mercy to me according to your great love.’ And finally, here in the last verse, a simple cry from the heart: ‘Remember me with favour, my God.’ I’ve done all I can, but in the end, it’s all you.
It bears a striking resemblance to the prayer of the thief on the cross: ‘Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.’ Yet, the contrast between the two couldn’t be greater, could it? The thief who had nothing to offer Jesus but this one prayer; and Nehemiah who had lived a life of outstanding service and great achievement. In their last words, though, the only way they can truly approach God is exactly the same: ‘Remember me, my God.’ It’s all grace. It’s all about God, and not about us.
It’s a good way to finish this story, isn’t it? After all the exploits, Nehemiah is not ultimately a book about Nehemiah, it’s a book about God. As we’ve seen throughout, Nehemiah’s great life relied on God’s grace and was lived in humility. He finished how he started.
May this be the pattern of our life’s journey, too. It’s not how we start, it’s how we finish. ‘Remember me, my God.’ Because it’s not about me; it’s all about you. Amen.
Day 24, Monday 21st September – Nehemiah 13:15-22 ‘Respecting the Sabbath’
We live in a workaholic society. Take the Enlightenment dogma of continuous progress, mix with a subtle blend of the Protestant work ethic, add a sprinkling of consumerist worship at the altar of customer entitlement, shake thoroughly and hey presto! A fabulous modernist cocktail. And, like a cocktail, tasty as it seems at the time, drink too many and you’ll pay for it in the end.
Teaching on the value of sabbath has never been more important, or harder to achieve. It’s tempting to think, though, that it ‘must’ have been easier in ancient times. Not so; although at first reading today’s passage appears as yet another example of ‘silly’ disobedience on the part of God’s people – they know what they needed to do, they just didn’t do it – look below the surface and this fragile community were facing serious pressures. Imagine leaving Babylon – the largest and wealthiest empire in the world – to set up business again in Israel: chances are business was tough, the large and lucrative markets weren’t there, especially with hostile nations around them. No wonder they were tempted to open on the Sabbath; to do seven days of business rather than six.
It’s so easy to think like that, isn’t it? But to do so misses the ultimate point of Sabbath: it is not just about rest (though that is vital and fundamental), it’s about trust. We stop for a day, trusting God to provide for our needs. We refuse to believe the appealing little lie that our success in life depends entirely on our own efforts. We remind ourselves that we are not our own gods, and joyfully submit to the one true God, who graciously and lovingly provides what we need.
This is what Nehemiah was so worked up about; we might see his response as an over-reaction, but Nehemiah knew his history: (v18) ‘Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.’ The Sabbath, almost more than any other commandment, was a touchstone of the people’s relationship with the Lord – precisely because it indicated how much they were trusting Him. Hence the extreme measures Nehemiah took to preserve it (vv19-21).
As we reflect today, let’s return to those Sabbath themes of rest and trust. Which speaks to you? Where is the Lord nudging you toward renewal in your life? And let’s use the words of Nehemiah’s simple prayer as our response: (v22) ‘Remember me… my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.’ Amen.
Saturday 19th September – John 1:29-34 ‘Deeply dipped’
Following our reflection yesterday on the need for inner transformation to effect real and deep change, we conclude our week revisiting a passage in John on the same theme:
Every so often an innovation comes along which changes the game. The product remains the same, but once this innovation is launched, what was once perfectly acceptable is no longer adequate. Think graphite tennis rackets replacing wooden ones at the end of the 70s/early 80s. Think the iPhone being launched in 2007. It’s still the same thing, but at the same time entirely different.
In the journey of faith, the coming of Christ produces the same effect. It’s still the same God we worship – yesterday, today and forever – but the New Covenant gives us direct access to this God in a new way. And the sign and seal of this deeper, more intimate relationship with God is baptism. The word means ‘dipped’, but as the passage makes clear we need two ‘dippings’. John baptism was with water (v26, v31, v33) – a baptism of cleansing and repentance. An external sign of an inward attitude – profound, yes; important, certainly; but with no power in itself to change the heart. It relied on human effort to achieve the intention.
Jesus comes, though, with a game-changer. Jesus will baptise – ‘dip’ – us with the Spirit (v33). In other words, the presence of God coming into our hearts, the power of His love transforming us from the inside out. It’s a game-changer.
And what held true then still holds true today. We all need both baptisms – of water and Spirit – but it is the latter which empowers us day by day. Water baptism is about initiation. Spirit baptism is about intimacy. And the great news is that this intimacy is available to all believers, everywhere, every day. It’s not a one-off, but a continuous flow of the water of life into our hearts.
It also casts us back to God’s grace. It’s so easy for us to try and rely solely on our efforts and good intentions. But even one of the great holy people – John the Baptist – knew that it wasn’t enough. We need to be deeply dipped in God’s Spirit.
So today, give thanks that you are not alone, your walk with God does not depend all on your own efforts. What a relief! And pray to be filled – dipped – again in the love, presence and power of God by the Holy Spirit.
Day 23, Friday 18th September – Nehemiah 13:1-14 ‘Promises, promises’
People can’t obey God.
Or at least, not all of the time, or even most of the time. You could say that, ‘People can’t obey God’ is a pretty good summary of the whole Old Testament, certainly its history books. Renewal is only ever temporary, things usually go back to how they were after a while. Nothing new under the sun.
As one commentator put it quite bluntly, the book of Nehemiah ends less with a bang and more with a whimper. After the high point of the dedication of chapter 12, and indeed the reforms which renovated the contributions and tithes to sustain the worshipping life of the people, it’s downhill all the way in chapter 13 – or rather, more of a bumpy ride.
One of the other reforms enacted by Nehemiah starts ch13: the commitment not to intermarry with other races. If this seems unduly separatist – especially remembering that Ruth, King David’s great-grandmother, was from Moab – then what follows underlines why it mattered. The Lord’s prohibition on intermarriage was not some sort of closet racism, it was the pragmatic recognition that intimately sharing other worldviews would undermine the faithfulness of God’s people.
So it proved here: as soon as Nehemiah was called back to Babylon, after 12 years of unstinting service (v6), the new priest in charge of the storerooms gave over much of the space to Nehemiah’s old enemy, Tobiah (vv4-5). The result was corruption on a grand scale: offerings and tithes were diverted (v5); the Levites and musicians weren’t provided for, and therefore went back to working the land (v10); as a result, presumably, the worshipping life of the Jews was also ‘neglected’ (v11).
It’s a sorry tale of how quickly spiritual growth can peter out, if we choose to disobey God’s clearly revealed will. Back we go down the mountain again. Nehemiah returns, however, and once more sets things right: (v8) Tobiah is thrown out (again); (v9) the rooms are purified (again); (v12) the tithes restarted (again); and (v13) new leaders appointed to make sure that this time it’s done properly. It’s a remarkable testimony, once more, to Nehemiah’s resilience, faithfulness and leadership ability.
Chapter 13 reminds us that, great as Nehemiah was, a human leader can only ever effect temporary change. We need Someone who can transform us from the inside out, to make that kind of renewal permanent. That’s never mentioned in these pages – but it’s a powerful lesson we take (implicitly) from this wonderful little book.
As we reflect today, let’s acknowledge that the people in these pages are so like us; let’s give thanks that we have an eternal leader, even greater than Nehemiah – the Lord Jesus Christ – on whom we can fix our eyes every day; and let’s resolve to keep living the life, empowered by the grace of the only One who can truly transform us. Amen.
Day 22, Thursday 17th September – Nehemiah 12:44-47 ‘The gift of worship’
Strictly speaking, I don’t earn anything at all. I haven’t done for 16 years now.
What ministers get paid is called a ‘stipend’ rather than a ‘salary’. It’s easy to forget why this matters. I’ve often caught myself referring to my role in ways that suggest I earn a wage: if someone thanks me, I’ll make a joke along the lines of, ‘it’s kind of you to say that, but I get paid to do this!’ The thing is, though, I don’t. A stipend is an allowance which ministers are granted precisely so that they don’t have to earn a ‘wage’ – they can dedicate themselves to leading the people of God.
It’s a subtle distinction, but its implications are profound, on multiple levels. First, it makes it clear that the minister’s own spiritual life sits at the heart of what they ‘do’. We are led by God, so that we can lead people to God. Second, it reminds us that the work of God is not a transaction, but a calling. This applies to everyone, at one level – we are all called in different ways. Ministers, though, are appointed and provided for in a way which places that calling at the very centre of their work.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, it is about grace. Life is gift. All we are, and have, is a gift from God. We live in a way which reflects this: a grace-filled, gift-soaked life. In this case, we give generously to the community life of God’s people, in order that our ministers can give their time and energy back to God, and to us, in order to lead us in the life and worship of that community. We don’t pay ‘subs to a club’ – we gift our money, that others might gift their time back to us. It’s all gift – or should be!
This practice has deep roots – it goes right back to the very earliest history of God’s people. The Law given to Moses sets up the system to provide for Israel’s leaders of worship – and it this which Nehemiah makes sure is put back in place, now that Jerusalem is functioning as a city (and a worship centre) again: (v44) ‘contributions, firstfruits and tithes’ to provide for the priests and Levites (their ministers), as well as the musicians and gatekeepers (their worship leaders and vergers).
It’s worth noting that many of these people could earn their own money if they had to – they had fields to cultivate and, as we’ll see tomorrow, when the ‘stipends’ weren’t paid, they went back to them in order to earn their keep (13:10). But the contributions of the people, if given faithfully, ensured they didn’t need to: they could dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to their calling.
This Sunday at church is Stewardship Sunday – a moment in the year when we think about our financial generosity. It’s tempting to encourage people in pragmatic terms: ‘give x to the church, and the church can do y with it’; or, dare I say, ‘give us more, or we’ll close!’ To do so might ‘work’ at some level, but it’s not the point, at least not how God had originally designed it. Life is gift – God gives generously to us, that we might give generously to others, that they might give generously back to us. The natural result of living like this would be ‘praise and thanksgiving to God’ (v46).
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live like that?
Day 21, Wednesday 16th September – Nehemiah 12:27-43 ‘Days of celebration’
There is something wonderful about worshipping the Lord in a large gathering. I first experienced that powerfully at Easter 1999, when I attended Spring Harvest. Walking into the Big Top for the first evening celebration and realising there were 5,000 people there gave me goosebumps. I had never praised God in such a large crowd, and it was thrilling. People from all over the country, all walks of life, here for the sole purpose of worshipping the Lord… a foretaste of heaven.
That kind of gathering – and maybe you have enjoyed something similar – is a good way into today’s passage. At long last, we get to the big party! The wall is dedicated, an occasion which drew people from across the country: the Levites ‘were sought out from where they lived’ (v27); the musicians likewise (v28); the leaders of Judah were all there (v31) and were assigned the task of organising a procession along the top of the wall, along with massed choirs – one heading clockwise, the other anti-clockwise (vv31-39). When they met at the other sides they headed to the temple area for a combined celebration (v40): what a moment that must have been! All the toil and the tears, the worry and the work; now they could give thanks to the Lord who had inspired and overseen it all.
It is very much in character that Nehemiah should have ensured this celebration took place. David Pawson insightfully reflects that Nehemiah ‘was a happy man and encouraged others to be happy. It was Nehemiah who said, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” I don’t think Ezra would ever have said that – he was too busy weeping over the people. In many ways they make a perfect couple. The “help” and the “comfort” belong together.’ As evidence, Pawson reminds us that when the Law was read by Ezra (ch8), ‘Ezra saw the situation as a time to weep, but Nehemiah was telling them to have a party’ (see 8:9-10).
The point is: we need both. Life is hard. The fact that it is hard means we do our fair share of weeping; but it also means that times of rejoicing and celebration become more important than ever. We all need days like the one described in this passage. Special occasions to celebrate and to praise the Lord, above and beyond the normal points of our worshipping life – where ‘the sound of rejoicing… could be heard far away’ (v43). It is not a form of denial that life still has its challenges – we’ll see plenty of those in ch13. It does, however, place those challenges in context, in the wider perspective of the continuing grace and faithfulness of God.
We may not have the chance for such a celebration today – but we can echo praise in our hearts, trusting that the Lord will likewise grant us a divinely-given joy, which is our strength – for this day, and every day.
Day 20, Tuesday 15th September – Nehemiah 11:21-12:26 ‘A people of promise’
What are you like with lists? Did you find todays passage a fascinating journey through some exotic names and even more exotic places? Or a dreary trawl through meaningless information?
The bible is full of lists; and we’ve already seen several big lists in this little book so far: ch3, ch7, ch10 and even yesterday in the first half of ch11. This list, however, is a bit different, since it is probably an insertion into the book. The narrative runs smoothly from 11:20 to 12:27, so what is this additional ‘sub-list’ doing here?
The answer is that this little section connects the story of Nehemiah with the bigger biblical story. One of the key themes of scripture, and especially of the Old Testament, is God’s faithfulness to his promises and to his people. The people, in contrast, are often faithless, but they cling on to the faithfulness of the Lord. The list of settlers we looked at yesterday is also found in 1 Chronicles 9:2-17 – albeit not in the same format and with some different names, so presumably both were drawn from some bigger list, perhaps kept in the archives at Jerusalem.
Chronicles is all about the faithfulness of God, and the expectancy of the fulfilment of his promises. When was Israel going to be restored? What does a faithful covenant people look like? As Nehemiah records what looks like a dry list of names in 11:1-20, it triggers a memory in a later compiler (it’s clear that this small section isn’t written in the time of Nehemiah by the reference to him in the third person in 12:26, as well as the reference to Darius – see below). This is the story of the people of promise – a people still waiting for their deliverance.
There are two interesting details which would escape our notice without the help of the scholars. The first is that the towns of Judah referenced in 11:25-34 cover a wider area than the actual province of Judah at the time. This might be considered ‘wishful thinking’ – more likely, it is a declaration of faith and hope that the land would one day be fully restored.
Second, the inclusion of the priests who returned with Zerubbabel decades before Ezra and Nehemiah (12:1-21), as well as those in the time of ‘Darius the Persian’ (v22, probably Darius II who ruled a couple of decades after Nehemiah) – in other words a period of more than 100 years – makes it clear that this list has a theological significance. This is the record of faithful worship and service rendered to the Lord over generations, as is testified by the reference to praise and thanksgiving in 12:24.
God is not done with his people yet; nor, from this list, are the people done with God. Nehemiah is ultimately a book about spiritual renewal, and not just a textbook for wise leadership and project management; about worship, and not just a wall. Today, take a few moments to offer your own ‘praise and thanksgiving’ to our amazing, faithful God; and commit yourself again to serve this Lord in this generation, as our spiritual ancestors did in theirs.
Day 19, Monday 14th September – Nehemiah 11:1-20 ‘National lot-tery’
That title got your attention, didn’t it? A reflection on the National Lottery? Well, yes, in fact – the original national lottery: today’s passage describes those families who were chosen to settle in Jerusalem. The method for selection was casting lots, and those included were drawn from across the country – hence national lottery. Imagine neighbours looking at each other as the lots were drawn, thinking: it could be you?!
Let’s rewind a little: after the completion of the wall and the renewing of the covenant, there still remained a very practical problem – not enough people were actually living in Jerusalem to make it defensible or indeed to serve as a true capital. Fresh blood was needed, which could only be derived from other parts of the country. The leaders led by example – v1 tells us that they settled in Jerusalem regardless. However, more families were needed. How to choose? They cast lots.
If this seems strange, a bit of biblical context is useful at this point. Casting lots is a frequently mentioned practice in scripture, going all the way back to the giving of the law (first mentioned in Leviticus 16:8). The worldview of the Old Testament is that God is in control of everything, everything happens according to His will, and thus God allows the Israelites to cast lots in order to determine His will for a particular situation. Indeed, Joshua used the practice numerous times to allocate the land in the original settlement hundreds of years previously; so, it was the natural solution for the people of Nehemiah’s day.
Not surprisingly, those who were chosen and obeyed the decision were ‘commended’ for doing so (v2) – presumably very few of them would have chosen to leave their ancestral land and their community connections. By faith they understood, though, that it was the will of the Lord.
The practice of casting lots continues throughout scripture right up to the choosing of Matthias as the new twelfth apostle just before the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:26). It is noteworthy, however, that this is the last mention of the practice: once the Spirit is poured out on all believers, we no longer need such methods to make decisions; we can be guided into all truth (John 16:13). We can also observe that the practice, once stripped of its religious motives, quickly became associated with gambling – most soberingly at the foot of the cross, where the soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ clothing.
You probably didn’t find this passage the most thrilling read – but there is a profound point lying under the surface. This seemingly random process led to a dramatic life change for thousands of people; all faithful, all trusting the Lord – and yet called to something they probably didn’t wish or expect. God’s will surprised them, and they must have journeyed to Jerusalem with all their belongings, faced with a clear choice: to trust and obey, or to resent and complain. Perhaps you have faced a similar moment in life, when you sense that God has shut one door you wished had remained open, and maybe opened another that you didn’t really want. Perhaps you find yourself in this place now. The call to trust suddenly seems painful. Yet, the message of scripture is that all such trust is rewarded: God always repays. If you find yourself in unexpected territory, pray for grace to accept, even to embrace – the Lord works all things to good for those who love him. Amen.
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