Date: Saturday, May 24, 2014
Today's Chapters: Nehemiah 7-8
Message Title: Happy To Be A Remnant

A remnant is a small piece of material left over from a larger piece, it's also known as a residue, or that which is left after the separation. While remnants are often regarded as left overs that nobody wants, we should never disregard remnants, after all, if you are a born again child of the living God then you are a remnant. “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” - Psalms 139:14,15.

While the walls were built and the temple was rebuilt, much of Jerusalem was still a complete mess, God put it on Nehemiah's heart to find out how many Jews actually returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. “Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded. And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein, These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city; The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.” - Nehemiah 7:4-6,66,67.

The Book of Numbers focused on the number of Israelites that came to Canaan from their captivity to Egypt. During the time of Numbers over seven hundred thousand Israelites came into the promised land, not including, women, children, elders, servants, and strangers. Nehemiah focuses on the number of Jews that came to Jerusalem from their captivity to Babylon. Of the entire congregation, including servants, they added up to a mere forty-three thousand three hundred and forty-two people. That is a significantly smaller number than compared to the time of Moses. This is a grave reminder that, out of the billions of people born, very few will be in the Kingdom of God. It's not too late, as long as you have breath in you there is a chance to be one of those who are reckoned by the genealogy of God, but unless you receive Jesus as Your Savior, there is no hope for you. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” - Revelation 20:12,15.

The ultimate purpose God had for that small remnant returning to Jerusalem was more than just to restore the temple and walls, it was to restore their relationship with Him. These were man-made structures and powerless to protect them from their enemies unless they acknowledged God and obeyed His Word. Unfortunately the Bible was written in Hebrew, which many of the Jews did not understand anymore since they were brought up in Babylon. Ezra did understand, so, the Jews made a pulpit specially designed for him so he could read it to them.

“And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.” - Nehemiah 8:1-3,6.

While much of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, much of the New Testament was written in Greek, oh, how blessed would we be if we could read the Word of God in it's original language. Thank God we do not have to rely on someone else to read it to us, thanks to the small remnant He used to translate the Bible in our own language. Incidentally, until you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, reading God's Word is like reading it in a foreign language, thousands of theologians study the Word of God and go straight to hell because they never accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. Reading God's Word does not save you, it is only by believing in the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” - 1 John 5:11-13.

While you may be a remnant, never underestimate the power of Christ in you, He loves you, he is with you, and He wants to do a great work in you. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” - John 15:16-19.

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for sending Your Son to give us a way to be able to live in Your Kingdom and communicate with You while we are still here. Lord, let Your Word be a light to my path and a lamp to my feet that I might learn, study, and follow Your commands, not because I have to, but because I love You and want to give thanks to You for giving Your Son to save my soul. Thank You Jesus for making such a sacrifice for me, I am nothing without You. Lord, keep me in the joy of my salvation, never let me lose sight of the new life You have given me. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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