Mattaniah, Bakbukiah and More - Nehemiah 12:25

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared how, “the sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, ward over against ward”, and in chapter twelve and verse twenty-five of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared about, “Mattaniah, and Babukiah” and more where we read,

Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, 

were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.

The verse reads, “Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, ...” Nehemiah began with the word, “Mattaniah” which means “gift of Jehovah”, “and Bakbukiah” or “wasting of Jehovah”, “Obadiah” which means “servant of Jehovah”, “Meshullam” or “friend”, “Talmon” whose name means “oppressor”, “Akkub” or “insidious”. Nehemiah mentioned “Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub” who served Jehovah God as the following. 

The verse goes on to say, “... were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.” Nehemiah continued with the words, “were porters” or “existed as janitors or doorkeepers” “keeping the ward” whose name means “watching, guarding and taking charge of the post and place of confinement” “at the thresholds” or “at the storerooms” “of the gates” which means “belonging to the entrances and portals”. Nehemiah said the men named above were the doorkeepers who guarded and watched over the entrance portals to the city of Jerusalem.

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah the names of the doorkeepers who were watchers over the entrances of the city. God was assembling people whose names related to Him: “gift of Jehovah, wasting of Jehovah, servant of Jehovah, fried, oppressor and insidious” all speak to God's character or to His work among mankind. He sent His Son into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and He rose from the dead three days later so all who yield to Him will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and given His Holy Spirit who will lead and guide them into positions of service in His Kingdom. 

Next time Nehemiah says, “these were in the days of Joiakim”, 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".