JOY IN JERUSALEM

“Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off" (Neh. 12:43 NKJV).

The joy spoken of in our verse occurred at the dedication service after the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Thus we want note the cause of the joy, the consecration of the joy, the crowd in the joy, and the cognizance of the joy in Jerusalem.

Cause of the joy – “God had made them rejoice.” It might be said that it was the rebuilding of the walls that caused the joy. Yet, it was God who enabled the people to rebuild the walls. So God is the cause of the joy. The joy of the Lord is the best joy. The joy of the world temporary, and too often it is nothing more than the “pleasures of sin” which only corrupt.

Consecration of the joy – “That day they offered great sacrifices.” To celebrate and experience joy, many folks today have a tendency to ‘break out the champagne’ and go on a drinking spree. But the people in Jerusalem sanctified their joy by bringing sacrifices for the Lord. It was a form of thanksgiving to God for His blessings. This is a far better way to react in joy than the world does.

Crowd in the joy – “Wives also and the children rejoiced.” Note also that this joy involved the entire family even the children. The children were not sent off to be involved in some other activity while the adults rejoiced in the Lord. The entire family need to be involved in spiritual celebrations. We have too much of this kind of separation in our churches today.

Cognizance of the joy – “The joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.” A long face and grouchy behavior will not give much of a testimony for our Savior. But the joy of the Lord will sure testify! The world lacks real joy. Therefore when they see real joy in God’s people, the word gets around. It is good advertisement for Christianity.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“The light of God’s Son in your heart will put His sunshine on your face!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Drift away

In Heb. 2:1 we read, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away” (NKJV).

Drift away is the Greek word pararreō (παραρρέω = par-ar-hroo-eh'-o). It is made up of two words: “pará” which means by, past, beyond, and “rhéo” which means flow. Literally, pararreō means to flow past and so to glide, to be washed away, to drift away. Figuratively, pararreō means to slip or drift away from belief. It pictures a gradual, almost unnoticed movement past a certain point. It describes that carelessness of mind which is not aware it is losing ground. It is like a ship drifting without anchorage and so drifting away from its moorings and from a place of safety to one of danger.

In Classical Greek pararreō means flow by. In the Septuagint pararreō refers to water gliding by. In the New Testament, pararreō is only found here in Heb. 2:1 where the warning is against being apathetic toward the teachings of the gospel. The danger here is that of neglecting our salvation. The author is not encouraging sinners to become Christians; rather, he is encouraging Christians to pay attention to the great salvation they have received from the Lord. Those who do not give “earnest heed” to the message of Christ are in danger of drifting away.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – People would mock the Messiah saying, “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him!” (Psalm 22:7-8)

New Testament Fulfillment – Matt. 27:43

Bible Facts

The order of creation agrees with true science (Gen. 1). Plants require sunlight, water, and minerals in order to survive. In the first chapter of Genesis we read that God created light first (v.3), then water (v. 6), then soil (v. 9), and then He created plant life (v. 11).

Bible Quiz

Who said, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out?”

**Answer to last week’s trivia: Whom does Paul describe as “a true son in the faith?” Timothy (1 Tim. 1:2 NKJV)

That’s in the Bible

"Kick against the pricks”

“And he said, who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5 KJV).

“Kick against the pricks” - The expression “kick against the pricks” means to rebel and not face the truth. The phrase “to kick against the pricks” pictures an ox being goaded or pricked with a long stick to make him respond to the driver’s will. Saul was questioning, fighting, and struggling with the truth. Every man who rebels against God is choosing a hard difficult way of life, a life that is doomed to uncertainty and no hope for the future. The only hope is to turn and obey the Lord Jesus. True conversion comes from a personal encounter with Jesus Christ and leads to a new life in relationship with him.

Did You Know - Christian History

Samuel Robbins Brown was born June 16, 1810 in East Windsor, CT. He was an American missionary to China and Japan with the Reformed Church in America.

Brown graduated from Yale College in 1832, studied theology in Columbia, SC and taught for four years (1834–38) at the New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. In 1838 Brown went to China and opened the first Protestant School in the Chinese Empire. After serving for nine years and due to his wife’s failing health, Brown returned to the United States and became a pastor at Sand Beach Church, Auburn. He also worked for the formation of a college for women, now known as Elmira College, NY.

In 1859 Brown went to Japan where he partnered with Presbyterian medical missionary Dr. James Curtis Hepburn. In collaboration with Dr. Hepburn and others, Brown made substantial contributions to the translation of the New Testament into Japanese. In July 1860, at the request of English-speaking merchants in Yokohama, Brown begun to preach regularly at Sunday morning service that attracted 30 to 40 congregants each week.

In 1861 Brown contributed to drawing up the plans and specifications for the British Anglican Garrison Church. He was also responsible for the establishment of a Reformed Church in Yokohama. At Yokohama, Brown opened a school in which hundreds of young men were educated. Brown acted as honorary chaplain to the United States legation, teaching and preaching for over 20 years. He was one of the founders of the Asiatic Society of Japan and a prominent contributor to early Meiji Period higher education.

Near the end of his life, he was able to establish Japan’s first Protestant theological seminary, operating it out of his own home in Tokyo at the start. Brown died during his sleep, while visiting an old friend in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on June 20, 1880. He is buried at Monson, MA, his boyhood home.

A Little Humor

A lady had been married four times. Her first husband was a banker, the second an actor, the third a minister, and the fourth an undertaker. When asked why the different ones she said: “One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go!”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Sin brings fear - confession brings freedom!”