In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared how the Levites said of Jehovah God, “you are righteous. And did see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red sea. 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 proudly against them. So did you get you a name, as it is this day. 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 deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters. 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 wherein they should go. You came down also upon mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments. And made known unto them your holy sabbath, and commanded them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses your servant”, and in chapter nine and verse fifteen of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared how the Levites said Jehovah God, “gave them bread from heaven” where we read,
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.
The verse reads, “And gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and brought forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “and gave them bread” which means “and granted, bestowed and assigned to them, the people of Israel, food and grain” “from heaven” or “separate and apart from the visible sky and the sidereal heaven where God dwells and other spiritual beings” “for their hunger” which means “on behalf of their, the people of Israel's, famine, desire for food and dearth”, “and brought forth water for them” or “and produced refreshing water” “out of the rock” which means “from the crag, cliff or large stone” “for their thirst” or “on behalf of their, the people of Israel's, strong need for refreshing drink”. Nehemiah shared how the Levites referred to the way Jehovah God provided food from the sky on behalf of the people of Israel's desire for food and “refreshing water” to them from the “stone” because of their strong need for drink. (See Exodus 16:4,14-15; Deuteronomy 8:3,16)
The verse goes on to say, “.... and promised them that they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them.” Nehemiah continued with the words, “and promised them” or “and uttered, avowed and expressly avouched to them, the people of Israel” “that they should go in” which means “that they, the people of Israel, were to be lead and enter” “to possess the land” or “seize, inherit and occupy the ground, territory, region and district” “which you had sworn to give them” which means “that you, Jehovah God, took an oath to grant, bestow and ascribed to them, the people of Israel”. Nehemiah shared how the Levites also recalled the way Jehovah God expressly avowed to the people of Israel that they would enter the territory which He gave an oath that He would provide to them.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah how the Levites continued to bring to remembrance the workings of Jehovah God among the people of Israel while they wandered in the wilderness. God provided “manna” or food from the heaven to quench their “hunger”, and He ascribed refreshing water to quench their “thirst”. God “promised” that He would provide “land” or a territory to the people of Israel, and He was faithful to His word. God fufills promises today through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was resurrected from the dead three days later so when we put our faith and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us a permanent dwelling place with Him in Heaven for all eternity.
Next time Nehemiah shares how the Levites say, “they and our fathers dealt proudly”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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