Whoso Stoppeth His Ears

Nehemiah 9:22–10:39; 1 Corinthians 9:19–10:13; Psalm 34:1-10; Proverbs 21:13

Whoso Stoppeth His Ears
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, He also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. – Proverbs 21:13

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For Thy Great Mercies’ Sake
Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations. Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies; and testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law:

yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear. Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God. – Nehemiah 9:26-31

A Sure Covenant
And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it. – Nehemiah 9:38

A Curse and an Oath
And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding; they clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes; – Nehemiah 10:28-29

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Run, That You May Obtain
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Neither Murmur
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. – 1 Corinthians 10:10

Murmur – A mumbled or private expression of discontent; to complain in a low tone or in private

Ensamples Written for Our Admonition
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. – 1 Corinthians 10:11-13

Ensample – Example

Example – a pattern or model, as of something to be imitated or avoided; serving as a warning to others

Admonition – Counsel, advice, or caution

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The Angel of the LORD
The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, And delivereth them. – Psalm 34:7