Heralds Digest

“And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done; I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or the others who did the work.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭2:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/neh.2.16.nkjv The difference between vision and mission in life appears to be the consistent motivation of others for a successful implementation. This charisma distinguishes a victorious leader from the passive ones in any organization. However, success in life project is not limited to the ability to excite people to start the work; but it is the ability to sustain the courage of people to finish the work. No matter how physically, mentally or materially prepared the leader may assume, confidence in the courage from the Lord is the solution to possible discouragement in times of troubles. Therefore, Nehemiah did not share the vision with others until the scope and depth of work were assessed and commissioned by God. No one run presumptuously and win the race. But the...

“When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/neh.2.10.nkjv In our competitive world, sometimes the basis for competition is totally envious and baseless. Continuous deprivation and destruction of Jerusalem had no single benefit to the welfare of satraps and governors of other regions, who are designated by the same Persian court. Yet, Saballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite, who were probably alerted by the gracious grants to Nehemiah, were deeply disturbed by the apparent mercy of God on the Jews. Although the well-being of the children of Israel has no negative impact on the well-being of the citizen of Samaria, the territory probably under the governorship of Sanballat, these officials lost their peace without Persian persecution. Those who cannot live to celebrate the achievement of others deprive the...

“Furthermore I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.” And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭2:7-8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/neh.2.7-8.nkjv The combination of grants for promotion, protection, and provision in one shot is rare in life, especially before a king who could choose trial the likes of Nehemiah for treasonable transgression. Apparently, Nehemiah had challenged the sensitivity of the king by alluding to the previous actions of the nation of Babylon, being responsible for his sadness and the desecration of his fathers' sepulchre. And while the response of the king ...

“You are My battle-ax and weapons of war: For with you I will break the nation in pieces; With you, I will destroy kingdoms” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭51:20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.51.20.nkjv The timing of God's declaration about Israel is specifically significant, not only because of Israel's disgraceful political status; but because she was economically unstable and a product of a prolonged servitude. Particularly, anyone with a sense of loss of dignity, with respect to the basic necessities of life in the society, cannot pretend to be in control of the scheme of things. While God is not indifferent to the welfare of His people's political, social, and economic status, He is particularly interested in a purpose-driven life rather than a profit-motivated lifestyle. A life driven by the welfare of its personal bodies is limited in consideration for material prosperity; whereas, a ready-weapon always derive relevance in the hands of its Maker. "You are My battle-ax"...

““Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.” ’” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭38:5-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/isa.38.5-6.nkjv The experience of king Hezekiah has always been a great reference to illustrate the power of Jehovah-Rophi ( the God that healeth - Exodus 15:26). It provides the difference between faith in God and facts about life's situations and circumstances. But beyond the privilege of the extension of his life, Hezekiah had the privilege of an intimate fellowship with the Giver of life. Knowing the God that require the believer's religious activities is good enough, but having a personal encounter with God in times of distress and apparent disappointment represents a great privilege to him. Likewise, the knowledge of our current situation of finances,...

“Then the city wall was broken through, and all the men of war fled and went out of the city at night by way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden, even though the Chaldeans were near the city all around. And they went by way of the plain.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭52:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.52.7.nkjv Review of the fall of Jerusalem at the end of the Book of Jeremiah appears unnecessary until a careful cast is placed on the strategy of the enemy's invasion. The Chaldeans did not attack, possibly for lack of confidence in the state of the military might the Hebrews might have for defense. They simply employed time (about 2 years) to build confidence on what the Hebrews will not have, after stamping out the supply of food through a wall of human shield outside the borders. Many wars in contemporary times have successfully employed the same strategy of blocking the staple stamp of the necessity of life, in order to enslave and defeat the enemies. Likewise...

““Moab has been at ease from his youth; He has settled on his dregs, And has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, Nor has he gone into captivity. Therefore his taste remained in him, And his scent has not changed.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭48:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/jer.48.11.nkjv Material or physical prosperity creates a sense of confidence in everyday commitment in life. Prosperous nations and people are necessarily rewarded with dignity and respect, serving as model of success for the less prosperous community. Comparatively, Moab was acknowledged as a more prosperous nation than Israel. Israel had been a subject of ridicule, captivity, calamities both for personal and collective disobedience to the commandments of the Lord right from inception. Whereas, the older Moab had mostly enjoyed serenity in sin. Most times, it is an effort in futility to query the prosperity of the wicked. This is because, even within the context of legitimacy, permissive prosperity is not an approval for...