Ezra’s Reading of the Law, the Celebration of the Feast of Booths, and the National Confession of Sin

Above:  Ezra Preaches the Law

Image in the Public Domain

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READING 2 KINGS 22-25, 1 ESDRAS, 2 CHRONICLES 34-36, EZRA, AND NEHEMIAH

PART XXIII

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1 Esdras 9:37-55

Nehemiah 7:73b-9:37

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I was stupid and had no understanding;

I was like a brute beast in your presence.

Yet I am always with you;

you hold me by my right hand.

You will guide me by your counsel,

and afterwards receive me with glory.

–Psalm 73:22-24, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)

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Reading Ezra and Nehemiah in chronological order requires one to follow a chart.  I am following the reading arrangement from The New Oxford Annotated Bible and adding parallel passages from 1 Esdras to the mix.  Nehemiah 7:73b-9:37 follows Ezra 7:1-10:44 chronologically.  The narrative of Nehemiah concludes before the book does.  That fact is potentially confusing.

Remorse precedes and makes possible repentance.  Yet, as we read in Nehemiah 8:9-12 and 1 Esdras 9:30-55, one must not wallow in remorse.  No, repentance; God forgives the penitent.  One should find inspiration in repentance, the new beginning has arrived.

1 Esdras concludes:

And they came together.

The penitent, returned exiles, having repented and having become inspired by the words of the Law of Moses and of Ezra and the Levites, came together.  The people started over together, as a community of faith.  They were in it together.

Here ends this series of posts.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

AUGUST 11, 2020 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINT GREGORY THAUMATURGUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC OF NEOCAESAREA; AND ALEXANDER OF COMONA, “THE CHARCOAL BURNER,” ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR, 252, AND BISHOP OF COMANA, PONTUS

THE FEAST OF SAINT EQUITIUS OF VALERIA, BENEDICTINE ABBOT AND FOUNDER OF MONASTERIES

THE FEAST OF MATTHIAS LOY, U.S. LUTHERAN MINISTER, EDUCATOR, HYMN WRITER, AND HYMN TRANSLATOR’ AND CONRAD HERMANN LOUIS SCHUETTE, GERMAN-AMERICAN LUTHERAN MINISTER, EDUCATOR, HYMN WRITER, AND HYMN TRANSLATOR

THE FEAST OF SAINT MAURICE TORNAY, SWISS ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, MISSIONARY TO TIBET, AND MARTYR, 1949

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