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Post by Admin on Jan 19, 2016 13:17:31 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on Jan 19, 2016 13:17:44 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on Jan 19, 2016 13:25:59 GMT -5
Feb 1-7 [MW] 1. Why can we conclude that “the 20th year” mentioned at Nehemiah 1:1 and 2:1 is counted from the same starting point? (Ne 1:1; 2:1) [/i]” mentioned in these two verses counted from the same reference point? Yes, the 20th year is that of the reign of Artaxerxes the king. However, the method of counting used in these verses is different. Historical evidence points to 475 B.C.E. as the year of Artaxerxes’ ascension to the throne. Since the Babylonian scribes customarily counted the years of the Persian kings’ reign from Nisan (March/April) to Nisan, Artaxerxes’ first regnal year began in Nisan of 474 B.C.E. Hence, the 20th year of rulership mentioned at Nehemiah 2:1 began in Nisan of 455 B.C.E. The month of Chislev (November/December) mentioned at Nehemiah 1:1 logically was the Chislev of the preceding year—456 B.C.E. Nehemiah refers to that month as also falling in the 20th year of Artaxerxes’ reign. Perhaps in this case, he was counting the years from the accession date of the monarch. It could also be that Nehemiah was counting time by what the Jews today call a civil year, which begins in the month of Tishri, corresponding to September/October. In any case, the year in which the word went out to restore Jerusalem was 455 B.C.E." - [w06 2/1 8 par. 5][/ul] Feb 1-7 [MW] 2. How could a man do the work of rebuilding with just one hand? (Ne 4:17, 18) [/u].” The builders who needed both hands to do their work “were girded, each one with his sword upon his hip, while building.” They were ready to go into action in case of an enemy attack." - [w06 2/1 9 par. 1][/ul] Feb 8-14 [MW] 3. Why did Sanballat send “an open letter” to Nehemiah? (Ne 6:5) [/u]. Perhaps he hoped that this would anger Nehemiah so much that he would leave the building work and come to defend himself. Or Sanballat may have thought that the contents of the letter would cause such alarm among the Jews that they would stop their work altogether. Nehemiah refused to be intimidated and calmly continued in his God-assigned work." - [w06 2/1 9 par. 3][/ul] Feb 8-14 [MW] 4. Why did Nehemiah not accept Shemaiah’s recommendation? (Ne 6:10-13) [/u]. Shemaiah said to Nehemiah: “Let us meet by appointment at the house of the true God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple; for they are coming in to kill you.” Shemaiah said that Nehemiah was about to be assassinated but that he could save his life by hiding in the temple. However, Nehemiah was not a priest. He would commit a sin by hiding in the house of God. Would he break God’s Law in an attempt to save his life? Nehemiah responded: “Who is there like me that could enter into the temple and live? I shall not enter!” Why did Nehemiah not fall into the trap that had been set for him? Because he knew that although Shemaiah was a fellow Israelite, “it was not God that had sent him.” After all, a true prophet would never advise him to break God’s Law. Again, Nehemiah did not let himself be conquered by evil opposers. Shortly thereafter he could report: “At length the wall came to completion on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.”—Nehemiah 6:10-15; Numbers 1:51; 18:7." - [w07 7/1 30 par. 15][/ul]
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Post by Admin on Feb 8, 2016 15:03:28 GMT -5
Feb 15-21 [MW] 5. How has Jehovah proved that he provides well for his people? (Ne 9:19-21) [/u]. (Deut. 1:19; Ex. 40:36-38) He also provided for their basic needs. “Their very garments did not wear out, and their feet themselves did not become swollen.” Indeed, “they lacked nothing.”—Neh. 9:19-21. God’s servants today are on the threshold of a righteous new world. Do we trust in Jehovah to provide what we need in order to survive the coming “great tribulation”? (Matt. 24:21, 22; Ps. 119:40, 41) True, Jehovah has not supplied a pillar of cloud nor one of fire to guide us into the new world. But he is using his organization to help us remain vigilant. For example, increased emphasis has been placed on building up our spirituality through personal Bible reading, having a Family Worship evening, as well as being regular in meeting attendance and in the ministry. Have we made adjustments in order to follow these instructions? Doing so will help us to build the kind of faith that will preserve us alive into the new world." - [w13 9/15 9 par.9-10][/ul] Feb 15-21 [MW] 6. What good example did the Levites set for us regarding prayer? (Ne 9:6-38) [/u].—Ps. 1:1, 2. 7 The prayer contains only one modest request. It is found in the latter part of verse 32, which reads: “Now, O our God, the God great, mighty and fear-inspiring, keeping the covenant and loving-kindness, do not let all the hardship that has found us, our kings, our princes and our priests and our prophets and our forefathers and all your people from the days of the kings of Assyria down to this day, seem little before you.” Thus, the Levites set a good example for us to praise and thank Jehovah first before making personal requests in our prayers. " - [w13 10/15 22-23 par. 6-7][/ul] Feb 22-28 [MW] 7. What could have been the effect of having two choirs? (Ne 12:31) [/u]. In the Scriptures this apparently is referred to as “responding.” (Ex 15:21; 1Sa 18:6, 7) This type of singing is indicated by the very way some of the psalms are written, such as Psalm 136. The description of the two large thanksgiving choirs in Nehemiah’s time and of their part in the inauguration of the wall of Jerusalem implies that they sang in this style.—Ne 12:31, 38, 40-42; see SONG" - [it-2 454 par 1][/ul] Feb 22-28 [MW] 8. What was Nehemiah asking Jehovah to do? (Ne 13:31b) [/u].—Nehemiah 2:4. Will Jehovah answer Nehemiah’s prayer for remembrance? In one respect, he already has. The very fact that Jehovah saw fit to have a permanent record made of Nehemiah’s prayer, making it part of the inspired Scriptures, assures us that he remembers Nehemiah with affection. But the “Hearer of prayer” will do more to answer Nehemiah’s heartfelt request.—Psalm 65:2. God will yet reward Nehemiah for all the good that he did for pure worship. (Hebrews 11:6) In the coming righteous new world that Jehovah has promised, he will bless Nehemiah by resurrecting him from the dead.* (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:3, 4) There, with the prospect of everlasting life on a paradise earth, Nehemiah will see that Jehovah has, indeed, remembered him for good." - [w11 2/1 14 par. 3-5][/ul]
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Post by Admin on Feb 28, 2016 9:16:49 GMT -5
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