OLIVE TREE ALLIANCE

NEW!

Olive Tree Alliance is pleased to offer a new topical feature called FOUNDATION. Developed by our executive director, this new approach helps Christians connect with the Bible.

God’s Word is foundational for understanding both ancient and modern Israel. Rev. McCracken provides a fresh look at the Bible using the context of Scripture to eliminate confusion about Israel.

Discover and explore the rich FOUNDATION of your faith by accessing this feature in the MENU. Share individual devotionals with your friends via the social media icons at the bottom of each page. 

 

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“You Are the Lord God, Who Chose Abram” (Nehemiah 9:4-8)

During a period of revival after the Babylonian captivity, Ezra read the Torah scroll to the people gathered at the Water Gate in Jerusalem (Neh. 8:1-2).

For the first time since their return, the nation of Israel grasped that Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) was only two weeks away. They made hasty preparation for celebration and gathered again two days after Sukkot (Neh. 9:1-2).

 

NEHEMIAH 9:4-8

“Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the stairs of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to the Lord their God. And the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said:

‘Stand up and bless the Lord your God forever and ever!

Blessed be Your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all.

The host of heaven worships You.

You are the Lord God, who chose Abram, and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and gave him the name Abraham;

You found his heart faithful before You, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites—to give it to his descendants.

You have performed Your words, for You are righteous.’”

 

In a moment of profound thanksgiving, the nation of Israel recounted God’s loving kindness in not only choosing Abram, but also in leading him to the Promised Land.

What Abram saw by faith, the Levites and the people now celebrated as an accomplished reality. After 70 years of captivity, God’s Chosen People were back and the focus of their praise magnified God’s faithfulness.

 

IMAGE:
1) The Caravan of Abram. (Image used for illustrative purposes) (Credit: by James Tissot/[Public domain]/Wikimedia/Enhancement, MKM Portfolios)

Copyright © 2016 Charles E. McCracken, devotional comments only. Repost/Reprint with permission from the author via Contact Form under ABOUT. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.