Welcome to the Daily Blade. The Word of God is described as the sword of the spirit, the primary

spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin

and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.

All right, guys, I want to welcome you to one of my favorite books of the

entire Old Testament, and that's Nehemiah. Now, normally when I say that, people look at me a little

funny, and I think that's because it is an often ignored part of scripture. But there really are

some incredible nuggets from the early chapters of the book of Nehemiah, so that is where we will spend some time this week. So let's all read out of Nehemiah 1, and I'll be reading from the English standard version.

Now it happened in the month of Kislev in the 20th year as I was in Susa, the citadel,

that Hananai, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah, and I asked them

concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning

Jerusalem. And they said to me, the remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in

great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.

As soon as I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

And I said, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments.

Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night

for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have

sinned against you. Even I in my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you

and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant

Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, if you are unfaithful,

I will scatter you among the peoples. But if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them,

though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them

and bring them to the place that I have chosen

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