Author Archives: Joseph Malekani

Esther 3 Commentary Mental weakness, this is the picture we get of King Xerxes. Couldn’t he have reasoned that there was something wrong with Haman’s proposal? It was both petty and personal. Should an entire ethnic grouping be wiped out on this account?Regardless, King Xerxes puts his weight behind Haman’s evils and then sits downContinueContinue reading “Esther 3 Commentary”

Esther 2 Commentary The world enjoys stories where vulnerability becomes greatness. Those with very humble beginnings who become great are admired for their endurance, hard work, and persistence. We are mistaken when we think this book is about a ‘nobody’ becoming a ‘somebody’ because of human effort. This book is well known for its lackContinueContinue reading “Esther 2 Commentary”

Esther 1 Commentary Perfection is not for mortals. We have seen the best and the worst from the Kings of Israel. Some Kings of Israel were godly and left us an example of an obedient walk with the LORD. Now the Bible gives us a picture of what a pagan palace looks like. From theContinueContinue reading “Esther 1 Commentary”

Nehemiah 13 Commentary The first section of Chapter 13 presents a problem for the New Testament reader. We particularly remember one important Moabite woman who carried within her womb the seed. The blood of Ruth would run through generations of Israel’s kings until the time of the King of kings, the LORD Jesus Christ. AndContinueContinue reading “Nehemiah 13 Commentary”

Nehemiah 12 Commentary Priests played an important role in the life of the nation of Israel. The priesthood features prominently in this book. The wall won’t be dedicated without them! But there is another office whose light is clearly dim, the office of the “scepter”. The mention of Zerubbabel reminds us of the genealogy ofContinueContinue reading “Nehemiah 12 Commentary”

Nehemiah 11 Commentary Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. Chapter 7, verse 4.Probably in order to solve the above problem, Chapter 11 begins with a decision to ensure Jerusalem has enough numbers. For Israel, state governance and spirituality wereContinueContinue reading “Nehemiah 11 Commentary”

Nehemiah 10 Commentary Yesterday, we saw a very good example of a church service. They began by reading the word of the LORD. Worship and confession followed. It was a long prayer. Repentance followed confession, which we now find in this chapter. The Bible describes repentance as turning away from one’s sins. There is noContinueContinue reading “Nehemiah 10 Commentary”

Nehemiah 9 Commentary How do we pray? What should constitute a good prayer? What does it mean to confess? Who should confess? Chapter 8 gave us a picture of how Israel prayed and worshipped. Chapter 9 is a lengthy prayer that offers key lessons for our own prayers. It’s ironic that the people who knewContinueContinue reading “Nehemiah 9 Commentary”

Nehemiah 8 Commentary Chapter 8 is credited with one of the most famous poster statements in Christendom: “For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” It would not be the last time that the chapter addresses the subject of joy. In verse 12, the scripture tells us that the people celebrated with great joy because they nowContinueContinue reading “Nehemiah 8 Commentary”

Nehemiah 7 Commentary The godly Nehemiah knows the value of a God-fearing man. So Hanani and Hananiah are elevated to the position of mayor and deputy mayor, respectively. When godly men are in charge, integrity and godliness become important qualifications! Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and theContinueContinue reading “Nehemiah 7 Commentary”